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As Times Get Tough, ASPCA Asks Families Facing Foreclosure: “Please, Don’t Leave Your Pets Behind”

NEW YORK, January 30, 2008—As the subprime mortgage crisis has devastated homeowners and the economy, it has brought with it a troubling trend: pets abandoned after home foreclosures. The ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) wants to remind pet owners that they have options when facing economic woes.

“It’s not unusual for animals to be left behind, even abandoned, during difficult times,” said ASPCA President and CEO Ed Sayres. “The loss of a home is devastating and can only be made worse by having to also leave behind a beloved family pet. The ASPCA wants to remind pet owners that investigating alternatives in advance is the best way to make an informed decision.”

Recent studies suggest that home values could continue to drop by $1.2 trillion in 2008, creating far-reaching economic hardship and a likely recession. Many cities, such as Cleveland, Ohio, and Trenton, N.J., have already been particularly hard-hit by the collapse of the subprime market, with thousands of homes being abandoned. Bank employees and other lenders who enter these homes are often required to leave property—including pets—untouched until legal proceedings are complete. As a result, pets are not receiving the care they need.
“If pet owners anticipate foreclosure, we advise planning ahead to find a suitable solution for their cat or dog,” said Dr. Stephanie LaFarge, ASPCA Senior Director of Counseling Services. “Even though options in these cases are often limited and less than ideal, making an informed decision ahead of time is a much better than simply leaving the pet behind in an abandoned home.”

The ASPCA offers this advice for people who are faced with foreclosure and the loss of their pets:

Check with friends, family and neighbors to see if someone can provide temporary foster care for your pet until you get back on your feet. Agree to a specific time frame, and check on the pet regularly;
If you are moving into a rental property, make sure pets are allowed and get permission in advance—and in writing; and
Contact your local animal shelter, humane society or rescue group, in advance of your move, since many shelters limit their admissions to the number of animals they can adequately care for. If a shelter agrees to take in your pet, provide medical records, behavior information, and anything else that might assist shelter workers in finding your pet a new home.

“It is difficult and heartbreaking to lose a pet as a result of economic hardship,” said Sayres. “But pet parents may take comfort in knowing that their pet will be better off, if they plan ahead and keep their cat or dog’s well-being in mind.”

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Founded in 1866, the ASPCA® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals®) was the first humane organization established in the Americas, and today has more than one million supporters throughout North America. A 501 [c] [3] not-for-profit corporation, the ASPCA’s mission is to provide effective means for the prevention of cruelty to animals throughout the United States. The ASPCA provides local and national leadership in animal-assisted therapy, animal behavior, animal poison control, anti-cruelty, humane education, legislative services, and shelter outreach. The New York City headquarters houses a full-service, accredited animal hospital, adoption center, and mobile clinic outreach program. The Humane Law Enforcement department enforces New York’s animal cruelty laws and is featured on the reality television series “Animal Precinct” on Animal Planet. For more information, please visit www.aspca.org.

June 19, 2008

Economic downturn hurting pets, too

By RODRIQUE NGOWI
Associated Press

Diana Bardsley wiped tears from her eyes as she recalled taking food off her plate to feed her beloved spaniel Hunter and two Siamese cats.

Her greatest fear: that she could be forced to surrender the animals as she struggled to stretch her food stamps and Social Security income to meet the escalating cost of living.

Some hope was restored after she visited a local food pantry, which has started offering free pet food to help owners keep their animals out of shelters.

"I know a lot of people will probably say, "Well, if you don't have enough money to be able to feed your animals, that you shouldn't have pets,' " said Bardsley, 53, of Franklin, Mass., as Hunter played in the living room with three of her grandchildren.

But, "Just because financially you may go downhill a little or a lot, doesn't necessarily mean you have to give up the part of your family that you love," she said.

For some pet owners, though, there is little choice.

The rising costs of fuel, food and housing -- and the rising tide of foreclosures -- have generated a surge in requests for pet food from traditional food pantries and prompted some pet owners to give up their animals. Others are trying to save money by forgoing veterinary care.

The Animal Welfare League in Chicago Ridge, Ill., has seen the average number of pet owners getting monthly rations from its pet food pantry increase by more than 50 percent since last year. Meanwhile, the number of people seeking service at its discounted veterinary clinic has more than doubled, said Linda Estrada, the group's director and president.

"We could do it every day if we had enough food, I mean, that's how bad it's gotten," Estrada said. "The line goes all the way down the street" as pet owners gather once a month for supplies.

In Santa Cruz, Calif., a pet food bank run by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has seen demand spike by about 20 percent just in the past six months. The facility typically hands out about 5,000 pounds of free pet food a month.

"In the past, the demographics has been people who are disabled or on disability and senior citizens," said executive director Lisa Carter. "Nowadays, during the pet food program, I see people who are able-bodied and not able to find a job."

The deepening foreclosure crisis also is having an effect. A growing number of pet owners are abandoning their pets or surrendering them to shelters after losing their homes or being forced into housing that doesn't allow animals, said Brian Adams, spokesman for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell Animal Medical Center.

"We've seen where people have abandoned dogs in the house, we've seen dogs that have been surviving for weeks on toilet water, we've seen dogs that have either been chained up outside or left in the yard when the people have left, we've seen cats who are just set free," Adams said.

"We've seen people do something sort of in the middle of the road -- where they don't abandon it, they don't surrender it, but they give it to a neighbor or friend and then that person brings it in maybe a week or two later when they realize, you know, it was something that was sort of dumped on them when they weren't really ready for it yet," he said.

Petco Foundation, the charity arm of Petco Animal Supplies Inc., is establishing a program to provide up to $5,000 in grants to shelters to train, care for or find new homes for pets abandoned during the foreclosure crisis, said director Paul Jolly. The program will also benefit shelters that help pet owners find homes that allow pets or supply food to disadvantaged homeowners who want to keep their animals.

Linda Pouliot, executive director of the Franklin Food Pantry Inc., said her organization has been struggling to keep up with demand as it serves about 2,200 people, two-thirds of whom have pets.

"When we first started, people couldn't believe there'd actually be pet food because often times they'd take six or eight cans of tuna and we'd find out they weren't actually eating it themselves -- they were feeding the cats because they couldn't afford pet food," she said.

And some veterinarians have noted more pet owners trying to save money on medical treatments by passing up some options, including diagnostic tests.

"Where in the past they'd say: "Do anything that it takes,' they are now being more conscious about what it will take and then making those decisions," said Dr. Steven Rowell, hospital director of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University.

"There are people normally you'd expect to go for preventative care, and they are cutting back on that a little bit," said Dr. Tricia Bolduc, a veterinarian at Franklin's Acorn Animal Hospital. "Definitely, they'd come in and decline certain services and, you know, just do the bare minimum."

Some pet owners just won't cut corners, though.

Doreen Kazijian said she delayed buying her own medication for high blood pressure, using the money to buy medicine for her 16-year-old cat with thyroid problems and a 17-year-old cat suffering from liver failure.

"It's just something I automatically do because I'd have done the same thing for my son," said Kazijian, 51, who lives in Franklin on disability pay and food stamps after rupturing two spinal discs.

ATTRACTIVE BRUNFELSIA PROVES DEADLY TO DOGS

According to a recently published study by Dr. Safdar Khan, veterinary toxicologist for the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC), dogs seem to be particularly attracted to the seeds and berries of the Brunfelsia plant, also known as “morning, noon and night” and “yesterday, today and tomorrow.” In fact, canines are most susceptible to poisoning by this gardener's favorite, aptly named for its fragrant flowers that bloom in vivid purple and gradually change to lavender before fading to white.

From 2001 to 2006, the APCC treated 38 cases of Brunfelsia poisoning involving 42 dogs. One California hound experienced stiff limbs and excessive drooling after ingesting several seeds from the plant. A terrier puppy from Florida developed life-threatening seizures after consuming another part of the plant. With help from the APCC and the services of a local emergency veterinarian, the puppy eventually made a full recovery. However, three of the cases proved fatal.

“Brunfelsia toxicity can progress very rapidly to a potentially lethal situation, so it's critical that pet parents seek immediate veterinary care,” says Dr. Khan. “If pets consume any part of the plant, they can become ill within hours and develop gastrointestinal problems such as vomiting and diarrhea, as well as tremors, seizures and muscle rigidity that makes the animal appear to be in a ‘sawhorse' stance.”

The most commonly affected breeds are Labradors and golden retrievers, who, because they are very active, may be more likely to get to the plant's seeds and leaves.

If you have Brunfelsia in your home, please keep the plant in an area where pets can't reach it, or replace it with a nontoxic alternative. Pet parents should remember to take precautions against the many plants and flowers that can prove harmful to their animals.

You can learn to recognize dangerous flora by watching our new video, featuring 17 common poisonous plants, at the APCC online .

WATCH RAISINS AND GRAPES WITH YOUR DOGS!!

Good info from a vet clinic in Memphis.

This week I had the first case in history of raisin toxicity ever seen at MedVet. My patient was a 56-pound, 5 yr old male neutered lab mix who ate half a canister of raisins sometime between 7:30 AM and 4:30 PM on Tuesday. He started with vomiting, diarrhea and shaking about 1AM on Wednesday but the owner didn't call my emergency service until 7AM. I had heard somewhere about raisins AND grapes causing acute Renal failure but hadn't seen any formal paper on the subject. We had her bring the dog in immediately.

In the meantime, I called the ER service at MedVet, and the doctor there was like me - had heard something about it, but....

Anyway, we contacted the ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center and they said to give IV fluids at 1 ½ times maintenance and watch the kidney values for the next 48-72 hours.

The dog's BUN (blood urea nitrogen level) was already at 32 (normal less than 27) and creatinine over 5 (1.9 is the high end of normal). Both are monitors of kidney function in the bloodstream. We placed an IV catheter and started the fluids. Rechecked the renal values at 5 PM and the BUN was over 40 and creatinine over 7 with no urine production after a liter of fluids.

At the point I felt the dog was in acute renal failure and sent him on to MedVet for a urinary catheter to monitor urine output overnight as well as overnight care. He started vomiting again overnight at MedVet and his renal values have continued to increase daily. He produced urine when given lasix as a diuretic. He was on 3 different anti-vomiting medications and they still couldn't control his vomiting.

Today his urine output decreased again, his BUN was over 120, his creatinine was at 10, his phosphorus was very elevated and his blood pressure, which had been staying around 150, skyrocketed to 220. He continued to vomit and the owners elected to euthanize.

This is a very sad case - great dog, great owners who had no idea raisins could be a toxin.

Please alert everyone you know who has a dog of this very serious risk. Poison control said as few as 7 raisins or grapes could be toxic. Many people I know give their dogs grapes or raisins as treats including our ex-handler's. Any exposure should give rise to immediate concern.