Hi, thank you so much for this service! My question is: I have been told that I cannot neuter my dog based on Leviticus 22:24, but I read there that it refers to animals to be offered at the Temple….? also, not to neuter them because of tza’ar ba’alei chayim, but, my dog suffers very much every time one of our female dogs (we have three) is on heat. He has gotten one of them pregnant many times, and they have had many many puppies. When the time comes, it is just hasn’t been possible to keep them apart. And now it is dangerous for the female because she has been pregnant so many times. I consider neutering him, because he is the one who suffers most, since we have three females, and all three would be in danger if he gets them. Giving any of them away would also cause them great sadness. This is their family. Please help me understand, how that verse in Leviticus applies to a DOG, and, how, it is not more tza’ar ba’alei chayim to have them in this circumstances, than neutering him. Thank you so much for your help! Sincerely, Leonor Burton.
Answer:
There is a prohibition against neutering an animal, and this is derived from the second half of the verse you mention. Although the first half refers to offerings, the second half, which states that “you shall not do so in your land,” refers to all animals.
The Sages derive this interpretation from the word “in your land.” Because we assume that the prohibition applies even outside the Land of Israel, the word “in your land” is understood to mean that the prohibition applies to all animals.
The desire that the female dog will not become pregnant is not sufficient grounds to permit the Torah prohibition. However, a better idea will be to neuter the female dog, which some maintain is less stringent, and only a rabbinic prohibition. If the neutering is done by an indirect method, for instance by means of injection, there is room to permit this (see Shevet Ha-Levi (6:204) concerning asking a non-Jew to neuter a female animal).
The best means of achieving your aim is to give the female the animal equivalent of “the pill,” which can be mixed into her food. I don’t know if this method exists, but if it does it should cetainly be preferred over neutering.
Very best wishes.
See Shulchan Aruch, Even Ha’ezer 5:11; Rabbi Moshe Feinstein, Iggros Moshe, Even Ha’ezer IV, 34; For an overview of the issue, see Rabbi Joseph Ozarowski, “Tubal Ligation and Jewish Law: An overview,” Journal of Halacha and Contemporary Society VII, pp. 42-52.
For modern methods of potentially permitted sterilization, see McRae, G.I., et.al. “Long-term Reversible Suppression of Estrus in Bitches with Nafarelin Acetate, a Potent LHRH agonist,” Journal of Reproductive Fertility,(1985) 74 389-397; and Olson, P.N., et.al. “A Need for Sterilization, Contraception, and Obortifacients: Unwanted Pets Part IV. Potential Methods of Controlling Reproduction,” Compendium of Continuing Education, Vol. 8, No. 5, May 1986, 303-307.
