Subprime Crisis Leaves Thousands Of Pets Homeless

Washington, DC (AHN)- While there was an unexpected uptick in the February sales of existing homes at 2.9 percent, home foreclosure filings across the U.S. grew by 60 percent and bank seizures more than doubled for the second month of the year. Aside from Americans struggling with the economy, the subprime crisis also hit a vulnerable sector who could do nothing about losing their roof, except whimper.

Homeowners and their pets are being separated by escalating incidents of home foreclosures across America. According to USA Today, thousands of pets are being sent to animal shelters although no exact figures are available due to the lack of accounting standards for recording pets affected by foreclosures.

Part of the unclear picture is due to the general answer given by pet owners that they are moving, without giving the reason behind the home transfer. The Sacramento SPCA accepted 100 more pets from owners who moved for the last four months of 2007 compared to the same period the year before. But a clear link has been established between the rise in new wards in pet shelters and areas with high foreclosure rates.

Steve Zawistowski of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals told USA Today, "The fate of people's pets tracks with their own financial fate."

In anticipation of the growing problem of more pets becoming homeless because of the housing crisis, the Humane Society of the United States set up a $15,000 seed fund to find more accommodations for soon-to-be homeless cats and dogs.

Other measures being developed include the launch of an early assistance program before pet owners in Sacramento reach the point of no return and the waiver by the Pennsylvania SPCA of fees for foreclosure victims.

Pets used to a sheltered life do not do well when set free and on their own, according to animal experts. But those who are left at shelters are eventually put to sleep if no one adopts them. Zawistowski explained, "If the animal is put in a shelter, at least she will have a chance and won't endure all that suffering."