Foreclosed Pets (article) by Mr. Ed on AuthorsDen

America's Latest Pet Crisis

“According to national financial estimates,

Approximately 1 in 171 homes in the United States,

Is in danger of foreclosure, in this current mortgage crisis.

Considering that approximately 63 percent of U.S. households

Have at least one pet, hundreds of thousands of America’s cats and dogs

Are in danger of being abandoned on the street, or relinquished to a shelter.”

Dr. Stephen Zawistowski,

Executive Vice President of the ASPCA

My heart breaks more and more these days in America’s latest crisis, as it did three and a half years ago. Back then, it was horrific Hurricane Katrina, and the largest pet rescue effort ever launched and organized in the United States.

And just when we finally managed to find homes for most of these loving Katrina ‘left behinds’ after several years of trying, America’s pets are now once again being abandoned, in record numbers, all across the country.

Every day now, I receive frantic calls and e-mails from people now facing home foreclosure.

“Do you know anyone at all who would take my dear old cat, Sammie? Anyone? I just can’t keep him anymore.”

“My family now has to move to an apartment with a ‘No Pet’ Policy. I am devastated. My two Labradors are totally bonded to each other. I so fear that they will now be separated or euthanized. Do you know anyone at all who would be willing to take them both in?”

And how I wish I could respond to each and every one of these despondent pet owners today: “Sure! I’ll gladly take them in, and care for them myself.”

And, even worse, on a weekly basis now, I get yet another abysmal phone call, about yet another abandoned pet in my area. “Ed, we’ve got another dumped dog at the park – a terrified old Spaniel – can you help us catch her?” “Ed, did you hear about all those cats and kittens dumped over at Miller’s Pond in the last few weeks? Uh, we need your traps, and your help. Please!”

And it now goes on and on, once again, all across America; and very sadly, it will only get much worse, before it gets any better.

Is it their fault that our government failed to regulate the mortgage industry? I think not.

Is it their fault that so many people are now abandoning their homes, and their pets, because they can no longer pay their mortgages? I think not.

Is it their fault that so many Americans are now losing their jobs, or that so many American senior citizens today are now being forced to make a decision about re-filling a prescription, or buying some dog or cat food for their pet? I think not.

All of America’s animal shelters are once again overflowing with loving animals in need of new homes. And all of America’s animal rescue groups are once again woefully understaffed, and woefully underfunded.

If you can possibly find it in your heart to adopt one more pet from an animal shelter, please do so right now. Thousands more are already on the way.

And if you can’t possibly adopt another pet, I beseech you to contact an animal rescue group in your own area which truly needs your help right now – many more volunteers are once again needed; more food and supplies are needed; and, of course, more funds to continue this massive pet rescue work are needed – right now.

Reviewed by m j hollingshead

Reviewed on July 20, 2009

well said

Reviewed by Mary Patterson

Reviewed on March 15, 2009

I have read about animals being left behind when owners move from their forclosed homes. I simply don't understand why they don't take thier pets with them Surely they must realize they need love and care, and who will tend to them , if they are not there...Its an American tragedy!....M

Reviewed by Tom poesyco.th@gmail.com

Reviewed on February 27, 2009

ED - what a STINKO MESS!

makes me think of WARREN BUFFET & all the BILLIONS he gave to BILL GATES -

for what? to my knowledge, most of the $ is helping African people out ?

what ever happened to 'CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME?"

how about all those CEO's donating some of the MILLIONS THEY'VE BEEN SOCKIN' AWAY FOR YEARS?

or maybe a letter to good ole EXXON - BIGGEST ANNUAL INTAKE SINCE THE DAWN OF HISTORY & MONEY!

MAY GOD PROTECT THE POOR ABANDONED ANIMALS - BECAUSE MAN WON'T!

Tom.

Reviewed by Felix Perry

This is definatly a heart breaking situation that our world has come to, and it will only get worst as people are finding it harder and harder to feed themselves...the cost of aa pet can be just over the budget. Maybe the gov't should look at giving cuts for taxes for people who take these poor animals in.

Fee

Reviewed by Georg Mateos

I still think that our new President lost a wonderful opportunity when he gave offhand that bailout money to the banks, he should have purchased the mortgages, the people wouldn't have foreclosures of their homes and the banks the same money to not go under and have capital to loan to business.
Children and pets will be the losers.

Georg

Reviewed by JASMIN HORST SEILER

Overwhelming and heartbreaking, Ed I just send a donation to Farm Sanctuary, with all these poor beings in such need and no one to care, do you think it might be a good idea to approach Gene Baur, to see if something like that would work on a larger scale, till the crisis is over, he's near your area, and damn the government, state, and federal, that don't outlaw breeding, and buck at spay neuter help. The pet industry all of it, needs a real good slap in the face,
from breeders, to food, and acutrements, there should be outrages taxes on their products, to help for all the misery they cause.
Good on you for bringing this article! Jasmin Horst

Reviewed by Mr. Ed

Bless you, Cynthia; I should have mentioned 'Fostering,' which is a wonderful thing for anyone to do.

Reviewed by Cynthia Borris

Hi Ed,

This gives me nightmares. I watched a news feature of a local shelter showing the displaced pets. They were so scared. Perhaps if a person cannot adopt they should consider acting as a foster. Animal rescues will gladly pull pets if they know they are safe shelter in a foster home. I know I foster and it's a wonderful experience.

Cynthia