Frequently asked questions
We're all about helping! At every spay day, not a single cat or dog has appeared on its own. Every furry friend is brought to us by caring individuals concerned about their well-being. We lend a hand to dogs, cats, and their loving owners or caretakers!
Volunteers Wanted! Have a Heart is run by dedicated volunteers. If you're interested in lending a hand, please get in touch. There are plenty of ways to assist beyond spay days! However, we regret that we can't offer accommodation or payment for volunteers from outside Namibia. As we work country-wide, each vet organizes spay events on their schedule, sometimes last-minute. Planning ahead for full-time volunteers is challenging. Thank you for your understanding!
Spaying and neutering your pet is currently the most effective birth control method for cats and dogs. By "fixing" your pet, you can help them live a happier, healthier and longer life while not contributing to the homeless pet population.
Early intervention is key! Spaying and neutering can be done as early as eight weeks of age or 2kg, ensuring long-term health benefits and preventing unwanted litters. But don't worry if your pet is older; it's never too late.
Benefits of Spaying Your Pet:
Prevents Pregnancy: Spaying is the most effective birth control method for cats and dogs, eliminating the possibility of having a litter.
Stops Heat Cycles: Your pet won't go into heat, which occurs twice a year for dogs and even more frequently for cats, starting as early as four months old.
Improves Behavior: Spaying helps reduce undesirable behaviors like constant yowling, crying, and nervous pacing caused by seeking a mate or unwanted male visitors.
Promotes Health: Nearly eliminates breast cancer and prevents uterine infections and cancer, contributing to your pet's well-being.
Saves Lives, Time, and Money: Spaying prevents multiple litters per year, saving pets' lives while being more economical in the long run.
Choose spaying for a happier and healthier life for your furry friend
Benefits of Neutering Your Pet:
Prevents Successful Breeding: Neutering eliminates the risk of your male pet impregnating a female, making it an effective method of birth control for cats and dogs.
Reduces Mating Drive: Your male pet will have a decreased urge to roam in search of a mate, minimizing fights, injuries, poisoning, accidents, and disease transmission.
Improves Behavior: Neutering eliminates hormone-influenced behaviors, such as decreased aggression and urges to mount furniture, other pets, or people. Pets become better companions with increased concentration and longer attention spans.
Promotes Health: Neutering eliminates the risk of testicular cancer and reduces the likelihood of prostate cancer.
Saves Lives, Time, and Money: Neutering can save pets' lives while being more economical than caring for multiple litters of kittens or puppies.
Choose neutering for a healthier and happier life for your beloved pet!
To the contrary, a dog or cat has the best chance of good health if spayed before her first heat. Early spaying reduces the risk of mammary tumors and prevents other health problems, such as life-threatening uterine infections, before aging brings greater susceptibility.
In a pet's world, there's no concept of sexual identity or ego. Their biology and behavior evolved in the wild to ensure survival by producing as many offspring as possible. However, in today's world, this approach would lead to an increase in unwanted pets, contributing to unnecessary euthanizations in shelters.
By spaying and neutering our pets, we can be responsible guardians, preventing overpopulation and giving every pet the chance for a loving home. Let's work together to create a better future for our furry friends!
No. Shelters do their best to place animals in loving homes. Despite their efforts, many healthy and adoptable animals are euthanized.
By fixing your one pet you can help save hundreds, if not thousands, of lives. You may find homes for your pet's entire litter, but each home you find means one less home for homeless animals in shelters facing euthanasia.
No need to let your pet have a litter—thousands of rescue and shelter organizations help abandoned animals, many of them pregnant. Volunteer to foster a pregnant dog or cat! You'll support the rescue and the animals, while giving your children a unique experience of seeing a litter being born and raised. Be part of a meaningful journey and make a difference for these precious creatures!
We all play a part in the homeless pet crisis. Millions of tax dollars are used to round up, care for, and unfortunately euthanize lost and unwanted pets. This not only puts a strain on resources but also poses risks to human health from transmittable diseases like rabies and animal-related incidents.
Property damage and livestock loss can also occur when pets roam freely in search of food. To make a real change, we must all take responsibility for the homeless pet population. By promoting spaying and neutering, adopting from shelters, and being responsible pet owners, we can work together to create a brighter future for our furry friends.



