The Burrow
Mar 11, 2025
Desexing is generally recommended as a population control means to prevent overbreeding.1
Known as ‘spaying’ for females or ‘castration’ for males, desexing is a surgery conducted by a veterinarian to remove an animal’s reproductive organs, but it often comes at a cost for owners.2
As pet insurance comparison experts – in which policies could cover desexing costs – we surveyed more than 3,000 Australians, Americans and Canadians to find out whether owners have desexed their dogs and cats, why and at what cost.
These were the results.
According to our nationally representative sample across three countries, the majority of dog and cat owners have desexed their pets (76%). However, most said they paid out-of-pocket (53%).
On average, pet owners said they spent the following costs on a desexing procedure:
A portion of dog and cat owners across all three countries said they have not desexed their pets and have no intention to do so (15%).
However, a noticeably higher proportion of North Americans had no intention of desexing their pets than Australians.
The tabs below reveal country-by-country results.
| Response | Proportion of responses |
|---|---|
| Yes, I paid out-of-pocket | 65% |
| Yes, it was fully covered by a pet insurance policy | 12% |
| Yes, it was partially covered by a pet insurance policy | 7% |
| No, but I intend to | 9% |
| No, I have no intention of getting my pet desexed | 8% |
Note: Percentages were rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add up to 100%.
| Response | Proportion of responses |
|---|---|
| Yes, I paid out-of-pocket | 46% |
| Yes, it was fully covered by a pet insurance policy | 18% |
| Yes, it was partially covered by a pet insurance policy | 8% |
| No, but I intend to | 9% |
| No, I have no intention of getting my pet desexed | 19% |
Note: Percentages were rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add up to 100%.
| Response | Proportion of responses |
|---|---|
| Yes, I paid out-of-pocket | 48% |
| Yes, it was fully covered by a pet insurance policy | 14% |
| Yes, it was partially covered by a pet insurance policy | 9% |
| No, but I intend to | 12% |
| No, I have no intention of getting my pet desexed | 17% |
Note: Percentages were rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add up to 100%.
Most participants said their main reason to desex their pet was to prevent unwanted breeding (48%), while a quarter cited desexing to improve their health or ensure a longer lifespan (25%).
According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty (RSPCA), a desexed cat or dog will generally avoid health problems associated with breeding – such as mammary and ovarian cancers, and uterine infections – in addition to being less prone to roaming on the streets.2
Some survey respondents weren’t aware of why desexing is needed (3%).
Additionally, across the three countries, almost a quarter of owners who haven’t desexed their dog or cat said their pet had given birth to unexpected litter (23%).
There was noticeably a higher proportion of unexpected litter in the United States (30%) and Canada (27%) than Australia (12%), potentially due to lower desexing rates.
The tabs below reveal country-by-country results.
| Response | Proportion of responses |
|---|---|
| Prevent unwanted breeding | 52% |
| Improve health/longer lifespan | 20% |
| Improve behaviour | 15% |
| Meet council/state requirements | 11% |
| I don’t know why pet desexing is needed | 1% |
Note: Percentages were rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add up to 100%.
| Response | Proportion of responses |
|---|---|
| Prevent unwanted breeding | 49% |
| Improve health/longer lifespan | 25% |
| Improve behaviour | 13% |
| Meet council/state requirements | 10% |
| I don’t know why pet desexing is needed | 3% |
Note: Percentages were rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add up to 100%.
| Response | Proportion of responses |
|---|---|
| Prevent unwanted breeding | 42% |
| Improve health/longer lifespan | 31% |
| Improve behaviour | 16% |
| Meet council/state requirements | 7% |
| I don’t know why pet desexing is needed | 4% |
Note: Percentages were rounded to the nearest whole number and may not add up to 100%.
Compare the Market Australia’s Executive General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor, said pet insurance can help provide financial peace-of-mind for owners.
“The majority of pet owners pay out-of-pocket in order to desex their pets, but there are a variety of other potential costs associated with owning a dog or cat,” Mr Taylor said.
“One key oft-forgotten factor is whether owners can afford to pay veterinarian bills in full if your pet is sick, injured in an accident or needs emergency care.
“Pet insurance provides a financial safety net in these unexpected circumstances and is an important part of responsible pet ownership, but don’t just pick the first insurer you see. Compare your options, offers and find a policy that suits your circumstances.”
Always read the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) and Target Market Determination (TMD) to check for the inclusions, limits and restrictions before purchasing.
Compare the Market commissioned PureProfile to survey a nationally representative sample of 1,012 Australians, 1,012 Americans, and 1,010 Canadians in January 2025.
Participants who said they did not own a pet were excluded in the results.
Monetary conversions were based on 6 January 2025 rates using Google’s currency converter tool.
Additional sources: