The number of dogs and other pets being surrendered to shelters has been steadily rising since last summer in many parts of California, partly due to the heavy rates of home foreclosures.
Foreclosures occur for many reasons. Unemployment, a health crisis, or financial woes brought on by rising interest rates and mortgage payments – all are cited as common reasons why people lose their homes. Some people in these circumstances are forced to take whatever rental housing is available, often apartments that don’t allow pets; others relocate across the country, or even to other countries, and find it inconvenient or impossible to take their pets along.
Of course, animal lovers wouldn’t dream of moving on without their pets, or will go to great lengths to find suitable new homes if they must give them up. As a wrenching last resort, they may surrender their pets to a local animal shelter.
Some pet owners, unfortunately, think of animals as personal property they can casually discard. The fates of such pets, left behind without adequate food and water, inside houses or tied up outside, is horrible to contemplate.
If you know of people who are facing foreclosure, talk to them about planning for their pets. If there are abandoned properties in your neighborhood, check to see if animals have been left inside or in yards. Ask a local realtor to open the house and check for animals, if possible.
The Humane Society advises that, if you do encounter a starving or dehydrated animal, you provide small amounts of food and water to begin with. For more information and tips, visit www.hsus.org and enter “foreclosure” in the search field on the main page.
If you are a caught in the mortgage crisis and in danger of losing your home, there is plenty of information on line about finding pet-friendly rental housing. Again, you can start with the HSUS website; enter “renting” in the search field. If you must give up your pets, advertise for new owners or contact animal shelters in advance to ease your pet’s transition into a new situation.
Thousands more foreclosures are predicted to occur over the coming year. You can help ease the burden on animal shelters and rescue groups by donating money or supplies, volunteering your time, or fostering animals until permanent new homes can be found.
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