Should people be required to sterilize/neuter their pets?

ARGH I don't know.

No. This isn't the way to curb the pet overpopulation problem.

Good question...

Yes, unless they're professional breeders

Yes. It's not cruel to the animal. It's more cruel to abandon them later in a park or something like some people have done around here. Or to abandon them ANYwhere or at a shelter. Animal shelters have far too many animals now caged up, without any certainty that they will be adopted by a good family. If you're a responsible pet owner, it's best for the animal and they're better behaved too, live longer, and get in fights less. Some people try to adopt wild animals then abandon them later, which is also cruel, as then having lived with people they can't fend for themselves properly in the wild.

Required by whom? The system in place is good. People with a sense of responsiblity neuter their pets. People with a sense of responsibility and who are also inclined to do community outreach will spearhead free/cheap spay/neuter programs through local vets.

Well, if everyone had to do that, then eventually there wouldn't be any more pets. People who aren't professional breeders might want to let their pets reproduce. If they don't want or plan to, though, people should definitely be strongly encouraged to sterilize their pets. Maybe there should be a way to make it free, to encourage more people to do it. The number of unwanted pets on streets and in shelters is definitely a problem.

People shouldn't be required to do anything.

But, a lot of them are idiots who seem barely able to keep themselves alive without intervention, let alone care for animals, so we seem to keep needing rules to try to manage them. Pets should be neutered unless you're specifically raising them to breed. Whether there should be a rule about it is another matter entirely.

You bet.

I believe in free choice…. for pets as well as individuals! But with free choice comes the responsibility of the decision, what is and what is not. Better be safe then sorry!

Well, if we all did it.... wouldn't they eventually be extinct?

No, but then they should keep their pets from being promiscuous.

Abstinence only education

I didn't say they shouldn't use protection.

Contraceptives in obedience school

Touche.

No. I think it should be up to the person owning the pet.

Yes we should take care of our pets

If we do that, there will no longer be the wonder of puppies being born and neighborhood puppies for free and the mutts of the world will all disappear. I say nay.
Unwanted dogs are a very tragic thing in life, so are unwanted babies. Yes I did just say that, I compared human life with human companion life.
This is a wonderful part of life that if erradicated will be a dark day. Don't punish the innocent because there are irresposible dog owners out there.

I'm not sure - my first thought was yes, because there are too many dogs and cats in the shelters. But these pocedures can be expensive, and I don't think people who can't afford them should be penalised by not being able to keep pets.

I have a dilemma at the moment - my whippet puppy is getting to an age where I should think about castration, but he's shown no particular urges that way, I don't want to whip them off just for the sake of it.

No, but they should be strongly encouraged to do so if they are not planning to breed them (I don't see why someone should have to be a professional breeder to do this).