Macrobolic’s BodyBlog

Posted Oct 29 2008, 08:21 AM by Karen Datko

Leanne Potts can’t shake the painful image.

A distressed pet owner told Potts she’d lost her home and business and could no longer afford to take care of her beloved dog. The Chattanooga woman then asked Potts’ organization to take her 8-year-old basset hound.

The story is one her animal-rescue group in Tennessee is encountering often during these tough economic times.

“It was heartbreaking to take the dog from her,” said Potts, president of BellyRubs Basset Rescue, a nonprofit group that finds homes for basset hounds.

“This was a middle-class woman who lived in a nice part of Chattanooga. She and her husband owned a restaurant and had taken out a second mortgage to start the business. The business failed and they lost everything.”

Potts’ group took the woman’s basset, but she had three other dogs. Another rescue group took one of them.

“But the other two were older dogs,” Potts said. “They were on a lot of medication for arthritis. The woman told us she couldn’t afford that medication and couldn’t find anyone to take those dogs.”

That forced the woman to make a heart-wrenching decision.

“She put the older dogs down,” Potts said, unable to mask the sadness in her voice. “She said she would not take them to the pound, she couldn’t keep them or couldn’t find any rescue group to take them. And she didn’t want them to suffer without their medication. So she had them put down.”

Potts worries that other pet owners in her area may soon be forced to make similar decisions.

“We’ve been hit really hard (economically),” she said. “Tennessee is leading the nation in personal bankruptcies. We’re getting a lot more calls from individuals who want to give us their dogs because they’re losing their homes.

“With all the foreclosures and job losses, the animals are the final victims,” added Potts, whose organization has rescued 71 dogs this year, a 50% increase since 2007. “They’re the forgotten victims in all of this.”

Animal-rescue groups and shelters across the country echo Potts’ concerns. Many tell ConsumerAffairs.com they’ve seen an increase in the number of pet owners forced to give up their dogs and cats because of the ailing economy.

“We’ve seen a lot of that,” said Kathy Burkley, executive director of the Humane Society of Westmoreland County in Greensburg, Pa. “A lot of people are either losing their homes or can’t afford their homes.”

Two people recently brought their dogs to Burkley’s facility, which is a no-kill shelter. “They wanted to leave their two big dogs with us because they couldn’t afford them anymore,” Burkley said. “We asked them if they could give us a few days because we didn’t have any space.”

The people walked out, but left their dogs in the shelter’s parking lot.

“We looked out the window and saw they had tied up those dogs to a telephone pole,” Burkley said. “We couldn’t get a license plate because they walked here.”

This particular story, however, has a happy ending. “Both those dogs were adopted,” Burkley said.

Some distraught pet owners simply leave their dogs and cats in their foreclosed homes when they’re forced to move out.

“Our humane agents have seen that happen several times,” Burkley said. “People leave their dogs and cats and walk away. Last week, we took in eight Jack Russell terriers that were left in a house without food or water.”

Burkley’s facility has seen the impact of the tough economy in other ways.

“We run a clinic once a week where pet owners can bring in their animals for shots and checkups,” she said. “We’ve started to see people coming in with absolutely no money. When we ask them if they can afford to pay even $10, they say no. Last Tuesday, we had two emergencies and the people had no money to give us.”

Problems across the country

Lynne Ouchida, community outreach coordinator for the Humane Society of Central Oregon, said people there are giving up all of the animals in their homes. “This is something we used to rarely — if ever — see. But now, we’re seeing people give multiple animals at one time,” she said.

Many people in central Oregon own small ranches, and some of those ranchers are abandoning their horses because of the high cost of hay and veterinary care, Ouchida said.

“Oftentimes they do not consider the long-term costs, and during difficult financial time, horses are found abandoned on public lands. This can also happen to longtime ranch folks.”

Ouchida’s shelter has seen another sign of the sagging economy — more people asking for pet food. But, she added, because of the downturn in the economy, the shelter was seeing “huge drops” in pet food donations. 

However, in April, 12-year-old Mimi Ausland of Bend, Ore., started the FreeKibble and FreeKibbleKat Web sites to help feed the animals at Ouchida’s shelter.

Mimi, who partnered with pet food company Castor and Pollux, donates 10 pieces of kibble for every person who goes to those Web sites and plays a trivia game. Their efforts have  provided more than 49 million pieces of kibble to 11 shelters nationwide.

The Humane Society of the United States has also helped Ouchida’s facility and scores of other animal shelters and rescue groups nationwide deal with the increasing number of animals they’re seeing in the tight economy.

HSUS started a special foreclosure fund to help “establish, expand, or publicize services or programs that assist families in caring for their pets during the current economic crisis.” Animal shelters and rescue groups can apply for grants of up to $2,000.

“So far, we’ve given out about $80,000 to 46 organizations,” said Nancy Peterson, manager of HSUS’s Feral Cat Program. “We seeded the grant with $15,000 and now have $105,000, thanks to the generosity of a lot of wonderful people. And we will continue to provide grants as long as we have money.”

What you can do

Officials with animal shelters and rescue groups offer the following advice to pet owners faced with a financial crisis:

• Contact your local humane society or animal rescue group.
• Never leave your pets in a foreclosed home.
• Be proactive about your financial problems.
• Try to keep vaccinations and flea treatments current.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Animal lovers can help struggling pets and their owners by:

• Providing temporary housing for pets while their owners get settled.
• Supporting their local animal shelters by donating food, money or time. Some children across the country have asked their family and friends to make donations to animal organizations instead of giving them presents for birthdays, Christmas or other holidays.
• Helping a pet owner in need by paying for pet food or veterinary bills.
• Contacting local animal control officers if they know about a pet living in a house that is abandoned.

That parade of kids, adults—and yes, even pets—in funny outfits is due to arrive at your door next week, bringing all the sweet and scary joys of Halloween! But pet parents, as you carve the jack-o-lanterns and fill those bowls of candy, please be aware that your furry friends may stumble upon dangers you hadn’t thought of.

Warns Dr. Steven Hansen, Senior Vice President, ASPCA Animal Health Services, which includes the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center in Urbana, IL, “Many of our favorite Halloween traditions could pose a potential threat to our companion animals. As pet parents start to make plans for trick-or-treating or costumes, they should be aware of Halloween-related products and activities that can be potentially dangerous to pets.”

The following are just a few precautions you should take:

No Chocolate: Even if your pet has a sweet tooth, ingesting chocolate—especially baker’s and dark chocolate—can be dangerous for dogs and cats, possibly causing vomiting, diarrhea, hyperactivity and even seizures.

No Sweets for the Sweet: Candies containing the artificial sweetener xylitol can be poisonous to dogs. Even small amounts can cause a sudden drop in blood sugar, which leads to depression, lack of coordination and seizures.

Dangerous Décor: Keep wires and cords from electric lights and other decorations out of reach. If chewed, your pet could experience damage to his mouth from shards of glass or plastic, or receive a possibly life-threatening electrical shock.

Don’t Play with Fire: Keep your pets away from jack-o-lanterns with lit candles inside—knocking the pumpkin over can easily cause a fire. And curious kittens can get burned or singed by candle flames.

Costume Caution: Please don’t put your pet in a costume unless you know that he or she loves it. Costumes can cause skin irritations, obstruct a pet’s vision or impede his breathing.

For more information on having a safe Halloween with your pets, please visit our complete list of Halloween Safety Tips. And if your pet accidentally ingests potentially harmful products, immediately consult your veterinarian or the ASPCA’s Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435.

Everyone’s experienced the battle of the bug, but insects aren’t the only critters who regularly invade homes. Mice, rats and other rodents also seek cover in our cozy dwellings. Chemical bait products can be effective agents against these unwelcome houseguests, but they also pose a serious health risk for curious cats and dogs.

In 2007, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) handled 7,600 cases of pets exposed to rodenticides—nearly 23 percent of all pesticide-related calls. Anticoagulant rodenticides, which include many types of bait on the market, accounted for most accidents.

According to Dr. Steve Hansen, Senior Vice President of Animal Health Services, “Some baits contain inactive ingredients meant to attract rodents, but can be attractive to pets as well.” Dogs are generally most susceptible to exposure, but cats and other small pets are also at risk. Even domestic rodents can escape from their cages and accidentally eat bait not intended for them. Ingestion may result in life-threatening problems such as bleeding, seizures or damage to the kidneys or other vital organs. That’s why, according to the APCC, it’s important to place rodenticides in an area that is completely inaccessible to pets.

For cat lovers who are concerned about their mouse-chasing felines, the APCC has some good news. Poisonings from the consumption of rodents who’ve ingested toxic baits are not typically a concern. Says Hansen, “Generally, the greater concern with the ingestion of rodents or other wildlife involves the potential risk of disease or bacterial gastroenteritis. Because of this, we still advise pet parents to contact their veterinarian.”

As always, if you think your pet has ingested rat or mouse bait—or any other toxic substance—please call your veterinarian or the APCC’s 24-hour emergency hotline at (888) 426-4435. For more pet poison prevention tips, please visit our website.

On September 18, ASPCA Special Agent Kristi Adams arrested Sonja Wilson of Brooklyn for neglecting her ten-month-old Chihuahua mix. Wilson, charged with one count of animal cruelty, faces up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

On August 5, Wilson relinquished her puppy to =”javascript:urchinTracker(’/medianewsalerts100908_nycacc’);” href=”http://www.nycacc.org/”>New York City Animal Care & Control (AC&C). Seeing that the dog was dehydrated, emaciated and lethargic, AC&C immediately contacted ASPCA Humane Law Enforcement. Upon examining the puppy, who weighed less than three pounds, at Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, ASPCA veterinarians determined that she was suffering from starvation and dehydration.

With ongoing treatment and proper feeding, the puppy, named Marley, was soon well enough to be adopted. Just this week, she found her new forever home in Brooklyn.

If you know of an animal whose health is being compromised by neglect, please report it. In New York City, contact the ASPCA’s anonymous tip line at (877) THE-ASPCA.

=”javascript:urchinTracker(’/medianewsalerts100908_faiththedog’);” href=”http://www.faiththedog.net/”>Throughout October, in honor of Adopt-A-Shelter Dog Month, we’ll be introducing you to five extraordinary dogs—one each week—in place of ASPCA Success Stories.

In January 2003, the Stringfellow family of Edmond, OK, rescued a Lab/chow mix puppy with a severe disability. Though she had two healthy hind legs, one front leg was missing and the other was so deformed that it could not be used and eventually had to be amputated.

When the family saw how the pup got around by lying on her stomach and pushing herself over the floor, they were determined to get her to at least sit up. “We constantly propped her onto her back legs,” remembers mom Jude Stringfellow. “Mostly she would tilt and flop back down, but if she sat for a few seconds, we rewarded her with peanut butter, which she’ll do anything for."

One day, when she was seven weeks old, the family took her out into the snow, and the pup, who earned the name Faith, did something startling—she sprang up onto her hind legs and hopped toward her family. “We all went crazy!” recalls Stringfellow. But that wasn’t the end of it.

By the time she’d reached her three-month birthday, Faith went farther than hopping—she took her first steps. “Our corgi nipped her on the heel and she decided to chase after him,” recalls Stringfellow. “Our jaws dropped as she stood and literally ran foot over foot!”

Now almost six years old and walking upright everywhere, Faith has been featured in various newspapers and on television shows for her fascinating accomplishment. However, her true calling seems to be to inspire those with challenges like hers. She’s a therapy dog, and regularly visits hospitals and spends time with kids who have disabilities. “We also visit wounded soldiers as often as we can,” says Stringfellow. “There’s power behind what Faith does. She shows everyone that you don’t have to be 100-percent complete to be perfect.”

Although a true angel, Faith is still very much a dog. “She chases geese, steals dirty socks and watches to see what food we leave on our plates,” says her mom. But every day, this little hero with a strikingly human strut reminds her family that she’s not exactly ordinary. “When she’s ready to leave the house, she’ll just pop up and go to the door!” reports Stringfellow. “Some people think we Photoshop her pictures. Then they meet her and realize that miracles do happen!”