Here is a troubling article from the Public Opinion today on pets and the problems the economic turmoil is causing for pet owners.
Buck Hessler, Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter police officer, said that not only are pet owners taking their animals to rural areas and abandoning them, they are also leaving them behind when they have to move.
“I get calls from landlords all the time,” he said. “People just move out and leave their pets in the house or apartment.”
He said the animals usually have no food or water and are forced to drink from the commode.
“It’s sad, and it probably is going to get worse if the economy gets worse,” he said.
Wow. I guess my please would be to any family suffering severe economic distress, please ask around first if anyone could take your pet in, then second, take it to the pet shelter. Please don’t abandon them. But, the growing problem is this — the shelters are now growing full.
He agrees with Hessler that seeing a family pet abandoned and uncared for is heartbreaking. He also sees an increased trend in pet abandonment as the economy worsens.
His shelter is full and can’t take any more animals right now, yet he had seven animals brought to the shelter in one day last week.
“We didn’t have room, so we had to turn them away,” he said. “In cases where it was an issue of not being able to feed the animal, we gave the owners some dog food and asked them to try to hold out a while longer.”
I guess one of the small fixes we can make is — if you are thinking about getting another pet, please check the Shelters first.
Here is some contact information.
In Chambersburg;
Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter, 717-263-5791
Better Days Animal League, 717-532-3600
