I made the mistake of picking up our local newspaper awhile ago while on my lunch break....

On the front page of the second section there was a picture of a beautiful siberian huskey...in a cage at the humane society (kill shelter).  Headlines read: "In Hard times, Owners Surrender Pets".  This dog looked SO scared... all hunched over with its head down...

The article said that people are struggling due to high gas prices (which in turn causes everything else to go up in price)... and several people are leaving their pets tied to stakes in front of the shelter with notes on them.  One note said "I cannot afford to feed my dog".   Several have been left in abandoned homes ... others dumped in remote areas or on dead-end streets and left to roam.

This month (June) has seen record numbers of owner-surrendered pets.  Over 1500 dogs were taken in by the shelter in June, and euthanizations of course have increased also.

I am so depressed over this... having a hard time shaking it off, and I'm wishing I had never read this article. 

I'm feeling very very helpless....

The helpless part is you still have breeders and mills pumping them out.

the economy is very hard today.... i just took in an owner surrender, who is losing her home and has to be out by today.....  

This dog here is 6 years old.....  a female and as sweet as she can be.  and in the last two mornings, i can tell that she seems confuse with everything that is going on...  and it looks like she's waking up and realizes that it's for real, she's not with her owner anymore.  It is so sad, i know.   in fact, this dog is from TN.  not far from nashville.  So I am calling her Rosie, my daughter picked that name.  She is responding to it already! 

Pam i agree, all the luxuries can be held off for some time till things get better.  I am very tight on budget.  but hey,  i rather help those i needs than those that "wants"  I am getting ready to get rid of dish network, and I would like hubby to sell his bike, but i don't think that will go too well. lol 

I am currently going to school full time.... which make things harder with the rising prices.  I tried working and going to school but that did not work out too well, and my old boss didn't work with me around my schooling so i had to quit... I didn't want to, but i knew that with my education, just getting a degree will help pay better than doing hair for close to minimum wage. 

What is it that makes us look? Do we actually think there will be no lost/throw away babie left?  And another thing is it really economy or just the latest "fad" excuse?  I have often gone without so my kids could be taken care of,  that is just the way IT SHOULD BE! 

we plan on getting the digital box.....  and when i was growing up, all we had was 5 or 7 channels. and there was always something to do....  I get so tired of my kids watching t.v.   they would be glued to it if i let them, but right now t.v. is off, and they are outside in the backyard playing.... 

We have alot of apostolic (sp) families around here and several of them don't own a t.v.  some do and some don't. 

But I am keeping the internet, because i do some of my classes on online.  and keeping the phone, in case i must get rid of the cell phone.  but I love my cell, i'm not on it all the time, just nice to have in emerencies, or to contact hubby at work instead of calling his work number...

and I might join netflex....   it just all depends.  on bills and such... maybe not right away... but sometime, and seems cheaper than to rent videos from the store. 

but yes, i agree on putting our babies first...  fur and skin kids......   they need food in their tummy and a roof over their head. 

Hugs, Nora.  I know exactly how you feel.

We have so many Ratties coming out of the woodwork - so many more than I ever remembered over the past years.... and that's just 1 breed of dog..... we had a 12 year old Rattie in a Boston shelter whose owner lost her house due to the mortgage crisis...... at first, the shelter said rescue was her only chance or else they had to euthanize her, not cuz of her age, but cuz her owner called her "cheeky" and she had a few issues (nothing major)..... when we couldn't take her....... or I couldn't find another rescue to take her, and believe me, I tried.......... they decided to put her up for adoption, thank goodness. That dog's picture haunted me..... and it still does until I find out she's adopted and safe.

yes..it IS heartwrenching. No denying it. A local rescue group in Savannah is perhaps,folding due to lack of funds....

I have several Real Estate peers who have found abandoned pets in foreclosures...ALFUL!!! They just close the door and leave!!!! UNREAL!

If the Realtor did not go in....ugh!

We all have to realize...this is what an economic downturn results in....pets lose.

Breaks my heart...and note to Self...need to play that durn Lotto more often...or even!