Harking back to medieval times, a Louisiana man is marketing an alternative solution for preventing unwanted pregnancies in man's best friend – a chastity belt for dogs.
While spaying and neutering is the most widely used method of preventing litters among dogs, for someone planning to breed their female, those aren't viable options.
Enter Dexter Blanch and his "Pet Anti-Breeding System," or PABS.
"Most experts urge pet owners to spay or neuter their dog," Blanch says on his blog, pabsforpets.wordpress.com.
"While this definitely has its advantages, there are several disadvantages as well," he says. "As a breeder, you cannot fix every animal and expect to have a successful operation. You need breeding stock."
Previously, the only other way to prevent unwanted litters was to confine the female to a pen or kennel when she was in heat, a method that Blanch says "may cause your dog to feel depressed or neglected."
"She may also suffer from lack of exercise and socialization," he said.
The PABS belt slips between the dog's hindquarters and is held in place by a six-point buckle system and waist strap.
Blanch's company, Highly Favored Creations, sells the PABS unit in several sizes, ranging in price from $65 to $95.
But not everyone is buying into the device.
In a San Francisco Chronicle story on PABS earlier this month, veterinarian Dr. Kathy Gervais pointed out a couple of potential problems with using a chastity belt as the sole means of preventing an unwanted litter of puppies.
One of her concerns was user error in putting the belt on the dog. "It's only as good as it is easy to put on properly," she told the newspaper.
The other concern: "Male dogs aren't easily deterred," she said. "I've known dogs to chew through garage doors and leap over fences to get to a female dog in heat," Gervais said.
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