Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Caregiving: economic problems = bad news for pets

“People will come overnight or during closed hours and tie them (pets) up outside in hopes we'll find them the next day or they'll abandoned them on a nearby road." 

 

The East Shore Humane Society of Harrisburg, PA is seeing first hand the trickle down impact of the healthcare crises and mortgage meltdown. No government economists, politicians, or talking heads are needed to translate.

 

“Bankruptcy to unexpected medical issues, force families to make that tough decision,” claims Kelly Hitz.

 

During my spouse caregiver time with Patti last night we watched CBS 21 WHP evening news and learned that with 200 dogs and 200 cats, the East Shore Humane Society is operating at full capacity. Many of the animals are there by owner surrender.

 

A Google search revealed this is not an isolated problem to Harrisburg.

 

As families are fighting to stay ahead of the healthcare crises and mortgage meltdown, family pets are at risk of loosing ‘their homes’.

 

Dr. Shawn Crawford, a veterinarian in Camp Hill raised concerns over owners skipping vaccinations and other preventative care when money is tight. -- especially when it comes to once rampant diseases like parvo and lime disease.

 

Sometimes looking at what may seem abstract problems to many such as a healthcare crises or a mortgage crises from a different or unique perspective can help to understand the need for urgency in caregiving as a society before it is people skipping vaccines and people being abandoned.

 

Caregivingly Yours, J Patrick Leer 

website: www.CaregivinglyYours.com

videos: http://www.youtube.com/daddyleer

non-caregiver musings:  www.lairofcachalot.blogspot.com

3 comments:

  1.  We saw the saddest sight, someone left a cat in a box at the closed humane society, they had opened a new building but the owner didn't know. By the time they found the cat it had died.  Spay and neuter people.  Simple solution.  If you can't afford that simple thing, don't have a pet.  Off my soapbox now.

                     Julie

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  2. this is so sad to read about; I agree with Julie's comment; spay and neuter. Before we got Koda, we did talk it through about all aspects of his care and when we moved from Montana to California, one of my requirements were that he goes with us or I wasn't going (husband agreed on this one). signs of the times, I fear, things will get a lot worse not just with animals before it gets better.

    betty

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