Credit Crunch hits pets........

Saw this today:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009...mals-recession

Seems that credit crunch times have hit pets now as well with a staggering 57% increase in abandoned pets.

Such a shame that people can no longer afford to keep their pets. Hopefully those that can't are handing them in in the correct way and not just abandoning them.

ok moneys tight. still have bills to pay. but my lot are still fed n looked after. in fact bens on a diet. so hes helping in his way. no having to buy bikkis lol
but id never get rid of ours pets, there are ways n means of managing.

I couldn't either. It would break my heart if I had to re-home Monty. I'd rather eat less myself than re-home him - would work well as I could do to shift a few pounds!

Unfortunately I've been well aware of this at my local rescue. I've been helping there for about a year now and every week it just seems to get worse and worse.

Some are being handed in, but the majority are just let out on the street and picked up by the police/dog warden. In some cases the rescue knows who the dog belongs to, but the owner denies it and the rescue can't prove anything. These are the ones that have a pet as an 'accessory' and think nothing of disposing of it when it becomes inconvenient.

I do feel sorry for those that geninuenly can't afford to look after their dogs anymore or who have had a forced change in circumstances which means they are unable to look after their dog.

All very sad

I know it's easy to talk when you're not in that person's shoes but I just cannot imagine what would make me give my dogs up to a Rescue (or even worse just abandon them ) because money is tight. Okay, you may need to go to a cheaper dog food, if money is tight but to me, it's like giving up your kids, just not a consideration. I'd cut back on everything I possibly could before it came to losing them. Mind you, I suppose the same is so for all Dogsey people, as if we wasn't mad about our dogs, I doubt we'd be members

Have to say though, if the dog was going to go without then re-homing is probably the better option

I think our new addition is a victim of the credit crunch, she has come from a gamekeepr who lost his job...therefore probably his home and her kennel too.

I am thrilled to have her of course, but how sad for them both.

It will be interesting and instructive to watch for the LA stray/unclaimed numbers over the same period to see if the claim that abandoned dogs have risen by a third is corroborated by those who deal with abandoned dogs.

About 2 years ago I was in a bad financial position where I didn't have enough money to feed me & my daughter let alone my animals. I had to split with my daughters father because he had an addiction. We were left in terrible financial trouble. So I had to re-home my cat. It would have been unfair for me to carry on with her. I felt so bad parting with her & still feel awful - but at the time the situation was dire. I didn't/smoke or drink & had absolutely no way of getting any extra money.
I am back on my feet now and can afford my animals. I have been criticised for taking on a cat & dog because of the previous re-homeing. But situations change - I survived & came out on top as did my cat (who I still visit & it breaks me every time). Some people will be absolutely gutted giving up their animals but know its for the best.....on the flip side I'm sure the animals are treated as a disposable item.

That must have been terrible for you! You obviously didn't have a choice. I suppose there are others in the same situation, which is so sad

How sad, i am sure that there are a number of people using the crunch as an excuse to get rid (much like the new baby excuse) but my heart goes out to the genuine ones.

I would like to think that as much as it would kill me i would but my dogs before my wants. If i was really in a position where i could no longer look after then well then rehoming would be the harder choice but the better one for them. That being said it would take a huge change or dire circumstances for me to be in that position.