Financial crises are making the news a lot these days. Homes are in foreclosure, jobs are lost, and debt and cost of living are soaring. Some people are forced to consider giving up family pets in order to keep going.
In order to save some money, some pet owners are skipping preventative care like annual exams, vaccinations, and monthly treatments like heartworm and flea/tick prevention. Some people are declining expensive diagnostic tests when a pet is sick. Others are turning to food pantries in the hope of finding kibbles for furry family members.
If you’ve never had a pet, it’s easy to say “don’t have a pet if you can’t afford to care for them.” I do believe that it’s a bad idea to take on a new pet if you’re already in financial distress. But what about the people who find the soaring gas and food prices a new burden? Giving up a beloved pet when you’re already stressed and struggling is only going to add to the strain.
Shelters, low-cost veterinary clinics, and food pantries around the country have seen demand go up in the last year or so. A shelter in the Chicago area that offers free pet food each month has seen demand go up by fifty percent. A pet food bank in Santa Cruz, California has seen demand increase by twenty percent in the last six months.
Animal shelters are also ending up with a lot of abandoned animals. Some families that are losing their homes to foreclosure end up in places that don’t allow pets — so those pets end up in shelters. Some people just leave their pets behind when they relocate, trusting that some kind-hearted soul will leave food and water out.
The Petco Foundation is starting a new program that will provide grants to shelters as they care for and re-home abandoned pets during this foreclosure crisis. Grant money is also available to shelters that give food away or help pet owners find housing that allows pets.