Animals Left Behind

In April 2007, there were 147,708 U.S. foreclosure filings–default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions, according to RealtyTrac, an online foreclosure marketplace based in Irvine, California.

Today nearly 2.2 million Americans may lose their homes. As these families struggle to survive and find rentals and housing they are faced with options that are heart wrenching…they can not always keep their fury family members. As a result, these animals are left behind. The suffering these animals endure is heart breaking. The foreclosure crisis makes these animals a ‘second class of victims n the national economy’.

Heart Wrenching Struggle

I had never thought or made a connection between Real Estate Foreclosures and animals until saw the television news recently. The conditions and situations revealed are heat breaking and impossible to imagine.

As people struggle to keep their homes; animals sometimes go to the bottom of their list. Then, these foreclosure homes house starvation, disease and death for many animals. The trauma that people and animals go though during this stressful time is horrendous.

There are not enough homes for all the lost, homeless and abandoned animals–and when homes can not be found they are euthanized to make room for other lost, homeless and abandoned animals.

Resources

There are resources for pet owners facing foreclosures: If you are someone you know is unable to care for their animals; call a shelter such as the Best friends Animal Society. Doing so can elimante the unnecessary suffering for an animal.

Spaying or neutering may be the kindest thing you can do for your animal friend. Spay/USA is a nationwide network and referral service for affordable spay and neuter services with a hot line (1-800-248-SPAY). Surgery at one of the clinics in the network averages $50, about half of the average cost in a vet’s office.

May all your trails be happy!