"Financial Woes Add Up to Pet Surrenders"

An article on the postcrecent.com website (from Appleton, Wisconsin) entitled "Financial Woes Add Up to Pet Surrenders" says what cat breeders have been saying all along - low income families just cannot afford veterinary care for their pets.

The article describes the increase in shelter turn-ins for July 2007 vs. July 2006:

"Monthly pet surrenders rose 31 percent in July compared to the same month last year — from 172 in July 2006 to 226 last month — the association reported Friday."

"Shelter admission reports show dogs and cats entering the shelter last month totaled 504, up 86 animals, or 21 percent, compared to July 2006.

All of that year-to-year increase was attributable to a 34 percent increase in cat and kitten admissions, which rose from 278 in July 2006 to 373 last month, a difference of 95 animals."

The shelter officials say these increases are from a surge in surrenders. When people are broke or destitute, they surrender their pets. The shelter in the article takes surrenders without a fee, otherwise these animals would become strays. This begs the question - how many of the strays we see in shelter intakes all over the country are from people too poor to care for their animal who can't pay a fee at a shelter that will not take a surrender without a fee? If someone cannot afford a pet, they will find someplace to dump the poor animal. Fee or no fee at a shelter, the animal will arrive there eventually.

This is a sad situation. When a family has to chose between food for themselves or keeping the family pet, it's heart breaking. But if this is the source for shelter intakes, what good will mandatory laws and fees do?