How to keep your dog in this economic crisis.
According to a recent poll...
- 65% of all Americans are considered middle-class,
- 40% of ALL Americans are unable to plan beyond their next paycheck,
- 46 % don't even have $500 tucked away in case of an emergency, and
- 15 - 20% of all pets turned into shelters is due to financial difficulties and housing issues.
Now, more than ever, our animal companions are finding themselves being...
- left behind in random locations and neighborhoods to fend for themselves (something they've never had to do and making them more vulnerable to natural predators),
- dropped off in the night drop and stress-filled animal shelters ("owner surrenders" being the first to be euthanized, and euthanasia rates surging to the highest they've been in the last 3 years),
- left behind in vacant homes,
- "re-homed" and bounced around (many finding themselves in bad hands),
- starving and neglected,
.... and more.
Being able to continue caring for our animal companions and find appropriate housing along with them are major problems here in the U.S., and has only increased the stress we're all facing.
The middle class is deteriorating.
People are losing their livelihoods and homes.
Some are living out of their cars with their dogs - simply because they couldn't bear the idea of giving up or losing their fur-mily member (these are my people).
If you're looking into all you can do to keep your animal companion with you, I want to personally commend you for taking the steps to honor this commitment you've made.
Here is a collection of links to organizations who can help; but it's not just about receiving ... it's also about giving.
These are also organizations that need donations in order to continue doing their very important work. ***Legitimate***, ethical, law-abiding organizations.
I've seen many people on social apps such as : Nextdoor, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. taking total advantage of others.
Acting as "rescues" and doing rescue work, without becoming legal entities and taking donations.
People adopting dogs from shelters (especially from "Clear the Shelter" and free adoption events), then "re-homing" them for a fee (despicable).
People backyard breeding and re-homing "oops" litters for fees.
It's disgusting behavior, and I certainly hope Karma is paying attention.
At any rate, here are links to help anyone who's struggling, who loves their animal companion(s), and wants to maintain their commitment to them.
In the links below, you'll find organizations that help with food, supplies, vet care, housing, et al.
I'm also including a link to the Renter's Profile I created to submit to potential landlords when I, myself, was trying to find a rental for myself and my pack of 4 dogs after selling my home.
Some vets offer “care credit”, “scratch pay” (repayment plans), and a "reserve fund" clients donate to so they can help other clients in need.
Please share this post to help others.
Together, we can make a difference.
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Pet supplies and food: https://www.pethelpfinder.org
To find housing for you and your pet, google “pet friendly housing in (location). Also, create a “renter’s profile” document (!). This is what I did when I moved from DC to CA with my 4 dogs, finding a beautiful rental at the 11th hour. I have the exact template available for download and personalization here: https://www.packfit.net/books-and-ebooks
https://petsofthehomeless.org
(food and emergency care to those experiencing homelessness; also a legitimate resource to donate to)
https://www.211.org
(another legitimate organization to donate to)
If your pet needs emergency veterinary care and you can't afford treatment, another option is to contact nearby veterinary colleges to see if they have emergency assistance programs:
https://www.avma.org/education/center-for-veterinary-accreditation/accredited-veterinary-colleges
Raise funds through crowdfunding platforms like:
GoFundMe
https://www.gofundme.com/c/start/animal-fundraising
or
Waggle
https://www.waggle.org
(another legitimate organization you can donate to)
