The Foreclosed Victims Leave Behind Belongings And Also Pets

April 29th, 2008

Foreclosures are triumphantly marching on with a trail of devastation in its wake. The foreclosed victims are leaving their belongings and also their pets. The dumb creatures are the latest worst victims of the foreclosure crisis – putting a big question mark on ethics of humanity. Man’s welfare has always been directly or indirectly linked with the forest, the flora and the fauna. It is an undeniable fact.

The animal shelters are overwhelmed with calls that have trebled in number in comparison to the usual average. The owners really have no other alternative but to surrender their beloved pets. Owning a pet runs into a monthly cost of about $30 or $70 – a strain on a family that has been foreclosed upon. The SPCA unit from California reports that 20% of the animals being given to them are related to the foreclosure crisis. Many owners feel humiliated to talk about why they are relinquishing a beloved member of their family and hence it is difficult to detail numbers accurately. Conclusions can be drawn from the fact that the states with the highest concentration of foreclosures are reporting highest numbers of abandoned or surrendered animals. Often the home inspectors stumble upon starving or dead animals. The list of animals includes birds, rabbits, turtles and even big animals like horses, llamas and sheep.

Families on the run try to excuse themselves that since they themselves are without shelter what will they do with the animals. The excuse is lame. It is blatant cruelty to leave behind helpless animals either chained or locked without giving them a fair chance to survive. There is always the option of contacting animal shelters.

If one has to move then careful thought and effort should be given to shifting to a place where the pet, being a part of the family, can also go.. Secondly the Humane Society can be contacted. Pet insurance should be taken to take care of unforeseen circumstances. It is well to remember that pets are nourished more on love and affection rather than expensive toys – stuff that flaunts the status of the owner and nothing else. There are pet advocates who say that the loss of the house does not mean the loss of the pet – that is if the animal is a part of the family and not just a piece of curio that can be thrown away.