PHOTO: ORCHID CHAKMA

E RAZA RONNY

In Bangladesh, the conversation around spaying and neutering often gets stuck on one idea: “it’s not natural.” It sounds like a fair concern. Animals are meant to reproduce, so why interfere?

But step outside that argument for a moment and look at the streets.

Dogs and cats are not living in forests or balanced ecosystems. They are surviving in crowded cities, feeding on scraps, dodging traffic, and depending entirely on human behaviour. There is nothing natural about that environment. And when animals reproduce within it, the results are rarely gentle.

Around 75% of the world’s dogs are free-roaming, not pets in homes. Which may seem cute to those of us who love dogs. But not everyone does and for good reason. Many can become feral, and bite. A single unspayed female dog and her offspring can multiply into dozens within a few years. The same applies to cats. Without any system to manage these populations, the numbers rise quickly. Food does not. Shelter does not. Care certainly does not.

What follows is predictable. Too many animals competing for too little leads to hunger, disease, and aggression. Puppies and kittens are born into conditions where many will not survive. Those that do often grow into the same cycle of scarcity. Human tolerance also wears thin. Complaints rise. And in too many cases, cruelty follows.

So the real question is not whether spaying and neutering are “natural.” It is whether allowing this cycle to continue is humane.

Spaying and neutering are routine veterinary procedures that prevent animals from reproducing. When done properly, they are safe and controlled. Animals recover quickly and often become calmer, with fewer behavioural issues linked to mating instincts.

More importantly, these procedures reduce suffering at scale. Fewer births mean fewer animals fighting for survival. It means less disease spreading through dense populations. It lowers the chances of aggressive encounters between animals and humans.

In countries with structured animal control systems, population management is handled through policy, shelters, and enforcement. Bangladesh does not have that safety net at scale. Responsibility, in practice, falls on individuals, communities, and a handful of organisations trying to manage an overwhelming problem.

In that reality, spaying and neutering are not extreme measures. They are one of the few practical ways to reduce long-term harm.