From Jim’s Desk….12 Jan 2010… Down Economy Putting More Pets into Rescue Shelters
We’ve all seen the reports in the media about the effects the economic downturn has had on the number of abandoned and/or neglected pets locally and nationwide. The instances of pets requiring rescue are difficult to avoid…I came across at least three just today.
Personal responsibility is inherent in pet ownership; and no matter how economically difficult circumstances get, that responsibility still remains.
A survey conducted by Petfinder.com illustrates this point:
* 47 percent of shelters and rescue groups said the No. 1 economy-related reason pets are being surrendered is because of general financial difficulty.
* 18 percent said the driving factor was people having to relocate
* 16 percent said the No. 1 reason was foreclosures
Petfinder.com also uncovered in the survey that 37 percent of shelters and rescue groups have seen a decrease in pet adoptions over the past year.
I agree with Petfinder.com:
~~Please consider volunteering to temporarily foster a pet in need, donating your time or money to a local shelter or rescue group, and of course, adopting a pet in need.
Do what you can to help…it’s the very least we can do to carry out our responsibilities.