The economy is hitting our furry pals!
According to the director of the Pets at Risk program for The Humane Society of the US, many shelters have faced lower adoption rates as well as decreases in donations and municipal funding.
He says:
“Those three things come together and can create some major issues for shelters. When you have more animals coming in, fewer going out and less money to help them, that’s a real problem.”
While no national statistics are available, Goldfarb said most shelters are suffering from at least one of the afflictions, if not all three.
There is a silver lining! Incredie places like CARE and Heartland have been trying to work with pet owners to help them keep their animals. CARE is giving pet food to local food pantries, while Heartland has been working to educate the public about where people can go for free pet food and low-cost veterinary treatment.
The goal is to keep animals out of the shelters, since pets that are used to living in homes often have a very hard time adjusting.
If you have time or money to help, there is a shelter near you that needs it!
[image via humanesociety.org]
