Abandoned! Are Britains pets the latest victims of the credit crunch? – The Independent
Britains economic woes are forcing people to abandon animals in unprecedented numbers as desperate families struggle to cut costs by dumping their pets. Animal sanctuaries say they have been overwhelmed by the number of animals delivered to them in recent months as the credit crunch continues to bite and the cost of living rises sharply. They fear that the situation could become unmanageable if the downturn continues.
the economic downturn is leading to more and more families deciding it is time to abandon their pets. “I think that’s appalling because animals don’t have the luxury of being able to choose their homes, but they’re often the first to suffer,” she says. “We’ve seen a constant flow of abandoned animals over the past 12 months; dogs tied to lampposts, litters of kittens abandoned at the side of the road, you name it, we’ve had them.”
In the United States, which has been hit particularly hard by the global credit crunch, animal charities say they have also noticed a significant increase in abandoned animals.
There is no credit crunch. Credit-worthy people can still get loans. The old-fashioned way. You know, the kind of loans we used to apply for up until 1999 or so when this insane housing bubble started ramping up. 10 or 20% down, credit references, tax statements. The era before liar loans.
Most of the people losing their houses and tossing Fido out on the streets are people who shouldn’t have gotten a loan in the first place.
Preach on Lou. You have it right on the nose.
Besides you can’t squeeze 30 a month for pet food? I buy dry AND wet cat food for my cat. I pay $6 a dry bag which lasts just about a month. Maybe 15 in wet food, and 7-14 in Litter. No animal should have to suffer because of your poor economic sense.
I don’t know how anyone could bring themselves to just abandon a pet. I love my cats and would never part with them unless I were unable to look after them. Considering the low cost of ownership I think I would have to be driven to desperate straits. That said even if I could not afford my animals. I would not simply dump them on the side of the road. Finding a good home for them would no be difficult.
When I purchased my current home two years ago, my mortgage broker was a friend… and I’m glad he steered me towards doing conventional loans with money down.
That being said, I feel no sympathy for those that didn’t receive such guidance. They decided to commit their money to a system they didn’t understand, or understood they were taking a gamble. Either way, they lost. The government should be focused on limiting the damage inflicted on those that didn’t choose to gamble their money away.
#3 – Love my cats.
time to meet people 😉
The cost of keeping your pet(s) is not in the food and litter, it is in the increased housing costs – in a diminished choice market. That said, I would never give up my two cats and I had to look especially hard for the place that would take not only me and hubby, but them too.
Cats and puppies are delicious.