Munster Times: Economy Fuels Full Animal Shelters
Filed under: Pets 911 - June 17, 2008
By Jean Starr
Home foreclosures and the inability to pay veterinary bills have driven many residents in the region to give up their pets.
Shelters throughout the area are feeling the pinch of the tight economy.
Emily Gruszka, executive director of the South Suburban Humane Society in Chicago Heights, said in the past month she has seen a huge increase in the number of pets surrendered by owners because they can’t afford veterinary care.
“We’re completely full,” Gruszka said. “Our adoptions are good, but I have to believe adoptions are going to slow down, too, because people are going to start making the decision that they can’t afford to bring a pet into their household.”
Jane Bernard, director of animal control in LaPorte County, said workers there definitely are seeing more animals coming into the shelter and can only surmise that the economy is playing a part. Adoptions seem a little slow, she said.
“We are not at capacity at this moment, but that could change tomorrow,” she said Monday. “We’ve seen one confirmed foreclosure where we took in several animals.”
Valparaiso-based Petite Paws Rescue Angels, which pulls adoptable dogs from high kill shelters and transports them to foster or adoptive homes, has reached the number of dogs it had taken in at the end of July last year.
Petite Paws volunteer Fran Ranger, of Portage, said it is harder to get people to do transports because of the high gas prices.
“I transported one from Lafayette (Ind.) to Hillcrest (Ill.) and it cost $75 in gas,” she said. “We have bigger vehicles because we often have to transport several dogs at a time.”
Humane Society of Northwest Indiana Director Betty Clayton said the shelter is extremely full and foreclosures are part of the reason.
“Donations are down, even donations of litter and food,” Clayton said. “And when the economy is down, adoptions are down.”
Compared with last year, the Humane Society of Hobart is up about 200 animals. “We’ve taken in more than 2,000 since the first of the year,” desk manager Connie Hollar said. The shelter has contracts to take in strays from Lake Station, Portage, Merrillville and Hobart.
“We’re getting more adult dogs and started getting overrun by kittens in May,” she said. The shelter now has more than 125 animals, which is over capacity. Nearly 100 are cats and kittens.
“We ask owners to hang onto their animals if they can until there is space,” Hollar said. “We have to take the strays off the street first.”
Hobart isn’t the only shelter asking owners to hold onto their pets for as long as possible. Most of the local shelters are asking callers who want to relinquish a pet if they can wait until there is room.
“We are extremely full right now, and we ask if they can wait a week,” Clayton said. “If they cannot, of course, we will take them.”
The South Suburban Humane Society distributes free pet food and cat litter on the second and fourth Thursday of each month. Last month, doors opened to a line of 10 people waiting for the donations.
But sometimes, as Gruszka knows, food donations aren’t enough.
“When every shelter is full, where do these animals go?” she said. “It’s really, really hard to stand there when someone is bringing in a 9-year-old dog with tremendous health problems and the person asks, ‘You can adopt him, can’t you?’ The chances are very slim.”
KEEPING PET COSTS DOWN
Having a pet in the family is expensive. The average yearly cost of owning a dog is $1,571, according to the 2005-06 American Pet Products Manufacturers Association national pet owners survey. Here are some tips to reduce the strain on your pocketbook. These only are suggestions. Every pet is different, so consulting with your veterinarian before making changes to your pet’s medical treatment, feeding or medications is essential.
- Control boarding costs: When your family travels, who watches after the family pets? Rather than boarding your dog or cat at an expensive pet hotel or with your veterinarian, find a trusted friend. Your four-legged family member will appreciate the familiar face, and your costs will stay down.
- Shop for a vet: Not all animal doctors charge the same. Make a list of your pet’s medical conditions and needs (including shots and other recurring medical expenses) and call around. Consult your local animal shelters for recommendations or look online. The Humane Society of the United States recommends pets911.com.
- Shop for medicine: Many vets mark up medication prices—some by as much as 150 percent to 175 percent. Ask your vet for a written prescription and take it to your pharmacy. Walgreens fills prescriptions for millions of animals each year, a company spokeswoman said. When comparing prices, be sure the quantity and dosage are the same.
- Don’t buy cheap food: Put this in the category of preventative care. High quality food will reduce vet visits by keeping your pet healthier in the long run but don’t think only the most expensive food will do. Consult your vet for a brand that’s good for your pet and your wallet.
- Follow feeding instructions: Many owners overfeed their pets. This is both expensive and unhealthy. To make that bag of food last longer, start by consulting the printed instructions, then consult your vet.
- Confirm vaccination cycles: Not all shots are necessary every year. Talk to your vet to see if a two- or three-year cycle is appropriate.
- Spaying and neutering: Having your pet fixed is not cruel, and cuts back on some serious medical conditions and expensive behavior modification classes.
- Save for end-of-life care: “End-of-life issues could run $500 to $1,000,” said Catherine Williams, the Chicago-based vice president of financial literacy at Money Management International, a credit counseling firm in Houston. Some insurance policies cover the cost of euthanasia and cremation.