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Home foreclosures result in homeless people and homeless and abandoned pets. Today we talked with several animal services groups about the problem.
In our economy, many people are finding that their pets are too expensive. Some families are taking them to shelters, and others are simply leaving them behind.
Eight-year-old Jackson is a Labrador-boxer mix. His owner died a few months ago. Salt Lake County Animal Services says that man's adult children abandoned his faithful pet when they put their father's house up for sale.
"They moved their household belongings, they moved their food out of the refrigerator, their cars out of the garage, and they left the family pet behind," said animal control officer Julie Smith. "Jackson was there for about a week with the neighbors feeding him, but nobody ever returned. So, we responded."
Jackson is housebroken, sits on command, has a pleasant disposition and gets along well with children and seniors. Salt Lake County Animal Services hopes he'll be adopted.
Most people who show up at shelters with their pets don't admit why they can no longer afford them, but many shelters have stories about people who have lost jobs and experienced foreclosure on their homes and feel forced to give up their pets.
The Humane Society of Utah has even advertised "foreclosed pets" at some of its weekend adoptions.
"They don't come here to admit that they're giving up their family pet, but it may be that the market, the way it is, and the foreclosures, possibly they bring them in," Smith said. "Unfortunately, all of the animal care and animal welfare agencies are full. Our rescues are full."
Salt Lake County Animal Services says pet abandonment is a class B misdemeanor and you can be prosecuted.
E-mail: cmikta@ksl.com
