Economy Forces Many To Give Up Their Pets

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Adoptions, donations, volunteer hours down
Posted: 6:37 PM Jul 15, 2008
Last Updated: 7:56 PM Jul 15, 2008
Email Address: sixonline@wowt.com

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As prices rise on just about everything, many are looking for areas to cut back on. For some, that means parting ways with their four-legged friends.

Elizabeth Matlock brought the kids she baby sits to the Nebraska Humane Society for a second opinion. She's on a mission to find the perfect dog.

"We just know that it takes some time to find the right dog for the family." Elizabeth says she wouldn't go anywhere else. "Beautiful, beautiful animal, they take wonderful care of their animals here and I always like helping people, make sure dogs can get better homes."

Jim and Sharon Cline agree. "We feel it would be helpful for us and to the Humane Society." Others though aren't coming to adopt, but rather to surrender their pets.

“This year they noticed that more and more people were saying, gosh, I just can't afford this animal anymore or oh my gosh, I've lost my job or my house has been foreclosed upon,” says the Nebraska Humane Society’s Pam Wiese.

Over the Fourth of July weekend, the Humane Society offered all dogs at half-price, something they've rarely had to do.

Jim Cline says even in hard times, he doesn't understand giving up something you love. "Your kid doesn't make you struggle, so how does a pet make you struggle? If we happen to find the pet that needs a home, that's the one we'll get."

The slow economy isn't the only hardship pet owners are facing. There are 26 cats from the hard hit flooding area of Cedar Rapids.

"So that does our heart good to not only be able to help the cats in this area, but to be able to help out flood victims as well," says Wiese.

Elizabeth agrees she may be rescuing the animal she adopts, but says they help her, too. "You can always come home and there's always a face that's going to love you unconditionally, no matter what."

The Cline's great-nephew, William, has a simpler reason. "And one that I can play with, that's very, very playful." A playmate that's hard to put a price tag on.

The Humane Society says the economy is also affecting donations and volunteers. Those who live in outlying areas are cutting back on days they work or are carpooling to save gas.

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Comments are posted from viewers like you and do not always reflect the views of this station.

Posted by: BETH on Jul 18, 2008 at 01:46 PM
NO KIDS AND PETS ARE NOT THE SAME NOT THE SAME NOT THE SAME THINK ALITTLE PETS DO COST MONEY AND IF IT IS THE FAMILY WELFARE THEY CANNOT AFFORD THERE PETS MAYBE ITS THERE ONLY CHOICE.SOME PEOPLE BUY THERE PETS CLOTHES WHICH COST MORE THEN A PAIR OF PANTS FOR A ADULT WHICH IS FINE BUT SOME PEOPLE SUFFER ITS JUST LIKE WHEN THE POWER WAS OUT PEOPLE DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO SO JUST THINK ABOUT IT WHEN THEY SHUT IT OFF WHEN YOU ARE LATE AND ASK THEM TO WAIT A WEEK UNTIL PAYDAY AND THE ANSEW IS NO NO NO , SO YES YOU SHOULD NOT JUDGE OTHERS FOR WHAT THEY CAN AND CANNOT AFFORD.

Posted by: DB on Jul 17, 2008 at 11:35 PM
Unbelievable. The only way I would ever give up my dog is if I ended up living on the streets. I'd eat Macaroni and Cheese every night before I'd abandon my baby or let her go hungry. These are creatures that give you unconditional love. Creatures that always happily greet you when you come home and always watch you a little sadly from the window when you leave. They deserve for us to be a little inconvenienced, or maybe give up something we don't need, or work a few extra hours in order to keep them around. Ugh! I remember those hurricane people who abandoned their pets so they themselves could be rescued. Do you understand: If that were me, I would tell them "Either you're taking my dog with me or else I ain't going anywhere. I won't abandon him...Period"

Posted by: Mike on Jul 16, 2008 at 04:17 PM
Rose, as a veterinary professional with over thirty years experience, I ask you to review your EOB's (explanation of benefits) from your insurance companies then re-evaluate your stance on the high price of veterinary medicine. You'll find that veterinary medicine is a great value when you consider that your DVM has as much, and in most instances, more schooling than your MD, has a smaller, dedicated staff who toils with much less compensation than the human counterparts. My son needed a cruciate repair in his knee about 15 years ago, total cost $15,000. The last dog I did the same surgery on a couple weeks ago was $650. If veterinary medicine paid so great and was so easy, don't you suppose there would be many more than the 60,000 of us practicing daily in the US of A? Please don't pervert the thread. The fact is we CAN afford ANYTHING we want, just not EVERYTHING we want.

Posted by: me on Jul 16, 2008 at 02:22 PM
For those of you that are critical of the people who give up their pets, I really don't think you understand....if you have lost your job, lost your house, whatever, expenses HAVE to be cut to the bare minimum. What do you want these folks to do, drop off their dogs/cats in the country or by the highway? Or leave them abandoned in empty houses when the owners can no longer make the house payments? I am not in this situation and pray I will never have to give up my cats but if it came right down to feeding my cats or my children, my children would come first. Sorry if you don't like it, but at least these people are making sure their animals have a chance at finding a suitable home

Posted by: OmahaAnnie on Jul 16, 2008 at 01:09 PM
The only time I feel bad for someone having to give up their pet is a terminally ill person who is no longer able to care for the dog. If an owner can give up a pet then that pet is probably going to a better place.

Posted by: rose on Jul 16, 2008 at 11:37 AM
dogs are not like children, a child welfare is more inportant then a dog maybe if the system would and the vets would not charge such high dollar to have your pet look at when sick, and if you call the vets to say that your animal is real sick the first thing they tell you have to HAVE THE MONEY up front for everything if not you and dog dont get seen SO THATS REAL HUMANE every one does struggle more some then others so maybe if some of these people can not afford there pets that might be the right thing to do because then next they will get animal cruetly cahrge slap on them and i am sick of hearing about pit bulls they also have owners who love them and are not a bad dog and do take care of them the right way.but child welfare should not be compared to a animals. after all a child is more inportant.

Posted by: BJ on Jul 16, 2008 at 10:59 AM
Inexcusible behavior for pet owners. "I cant afford to keep it", give me a break. Child minded adults who don't fully understand the responsibility of owning a pet deserve to be punished someway. Remember puppies are adorable but they grow into "dogs". Grow up people!

Posted by: Emily on Jul 16, 2008 at 06:41 AM
I love my pets and I agree that there are many ways to scrimp to afford them. But I disagree with those of you that say that they are cheap to own. Add up the cost of flea meds, heartworm medicine, shots and food for multiple pets and it does start to add up. Don't be hard on these people because they have to give up their animals. It could have boiled down to the fact that they couldn't afford to give them a good quality life and they would rather see them get the things they need. I guess some people are quick to judge others and not themselves.

Posted by: Here on Jul 16, 2008 at 05:46 AM
Such a sad story. There is no way I would give my babies up. I would do without in order to feed them. They make the world go round in my eyes. I would go to the ends of the earth for them. If I lost my home I would sleep in the car for them. I would eat one less meal a day to feed them. Too bad we can't get help from the government to feed them. They are more loyal than most kids. I guess it is a good thing I don't live in the country, and could take in every dog that needed someone there to love, feed and play with them. They require so little. I want all these people that are doing this to think that maybe someone won't adopt them, then think what will happen after that. Sad sad..

Posted by: Kent on Jul 15, 2008 at 10:33 PM
If we ban pit bulls, we know there are many pets the pit bull owners can choose from at the Humane Society. Maybe we can work the law so people who give up their pets don't have to pay for their next pet.

Posted by: m on Jul 15, 2008 at 10:28 PM
Economy???? What a sad excuse to give up your pet. Like a child, if you cant afford to take care of your pets, dont have them.. Too bad theres no pet wellfare.. I just left a rental house that allowed 3 large dogs, you do what it takes to take care of your own!!!!!!

Posted by: Brian on Jul 15, 2008 at 09:57 PM
Barring sickness, you can raise a dog on only a few hundred dollars a year. Even then if you couldn't afford a serious illness to your pet, they can be euthanised and cremated for around $75. These are just more excuse makers that shouldn't have had a pet to begin with.

Posted by: mTm on Jul 15, 2008 at 09:31 PM
Nice "doom and gloom" Liberal spin to make people think the world is falling apart. How pathetic WOWT.

Posted by: Whatever on Jul 15, 2008 at 08:45 PM
If somebody even slowed down even 5 MPH while driving, that would pay for dog food. What a crock, sounds like liberal media hogwash to me. Next, you'll be saying they're wok-ing their dogs due to no food money!

Posted by: Jamie on Jul 15, 2008 at 08:21 PM
I'd give up a whole lot before giving up my dogs... cell phone, cable tv, recycle aluminum cans, expensive food... there's quite a bit I could give up if I HAD to..

Posted by: tHe ClowN PriNce on Jul 15, 2008 at 07:53 PM
oh come on I can get 2 months of cat food for 15$, and that's not even the cheap brand. For big dogs get the cheap store brand food, yeah they eat a lot, big surprise, they also don't live as long. A pet is a long term commitment and some people will use any excuse to dump it when the novelty wears off.

Posted by: Big Dog on Jul 15, 2008 at 07:00 PM
If "the economy" was the last straw, then they were already living too thin to own a pet, especially a large dog. Have you noticed that in low-income areas, you see a huge amount of large dogs?

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 15, 2008 at 06:49 PM
Kids and pets are the same thing. Both will cost money, and both will (or should) give you unconditional love if you treat them right. Why don't you give up your SUV rather than giving up something that only needs food, toys, a vet check up every now and then, and love?