Animal charities and vets have noticed that the Credit crunch is now taking it's toll on our fluffy friends.
Shelters are seeing a disturbing rise in the amount of pets that are being dropped into clinics, cats and dogs in particular. During this time of economic crises, where businesses are collapsing and going under left, right and center and making people redundant, our animal companions seem to be hit as well, as owners just can continue to cope with their own bills of rent and then their pets food, veterinary and insurance bills. Paying for hospital care such as animal ophthalmology is expensive and people just cannot afford it. The family pets are being dropped in the middle of no-where and left to fend for themselves or taken to animal shelters to be anesthetized.
So why has this happened to Fluffy and Fido? We've just started a new year, which means some families will have had a new pet this Xmas, only for the families employment status changing suddenly, meaning the family pet being the last one in will be the first one out of the door, trying not to give little 'Johnny' and 'Suzy' too much time to become attached (too late for that). Another reason is people are forced to downgrade to smaller living quarters which have a no pets policy.
Can animal hospitals cope with this sudden influx in vet referrals?
Most animal charities are now close to being full, only able to take in emergency cases. Animal shelters are receiving less donations to, with the credit crunch tightening people's belt and charities all round getting less handouts as people struggle to save themselves.
The light at the end of the tunnel is that January saw some shelters report a increase in people adopting animals, most animal charities are still seeing more animals arriving than going out.
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