This is just so sad.

Losing a best friend along with the house:  Animals abandoned, turned in as families face foreclosures on their homes

I can certainly understand and relate to some of these individuals who are put into the unenviable situation of choosing whether to care for their pet or their person with limited resources.   Being the ’owner’ of two dogs myself, one of which is a rather large breed, I can also relate to the limits placed on housing options when you are a pet owner.

So I really feel for these people who have to give up their long-time pet.   Those people who are kind enough to try and get them into the adoption pipeline… well I appreciate them doing that.   The alternative, abandoning their pet, or cutting them lose to live in the wild (which a domesticated pet is ill-equipped to do), however, sicken me. 

I know we’re all feeling the economic downturn and its hitting us all in different ways.   But this article, to me, needs to be a call to action.   It is inevitable that people are going to have to give up their pets and that some of those are going to go to shelters where they will hopefully be placed in loving homes.   While those pets are better off than their brethren who are simply left behind… there is still a bit of a psychological impact on them (moreso on dogs who have difficulty adjusting to life away from their pack). 

I implore anyone reading this… do what you can to support your local animal shelters.  They have limited resources and won’t be able to handle the influx of new arrivals.   Maybe you can donate money, but if you can’t consider donating time.   If you’re in a good situation and able, consider adopting a pet.  But don’t undertake that lightly.  Its a huge responsibility very akin to having a child (though I think less stressful).

But if you do adopt a pet, or more importantly if you, like me, are already a pet ’owner’, you need to include Rover and Garfield in your contingency plans.   Heaven forbid anything happen to you and you’re in a situation similar to these people giving up their pets…   get a plan together now.   If you had to vacate your home on short-notice and move into a no-pet apartment… what are you going to do with your pet(s)?   Don’t wait until that situations hits you on the head.   Get an action plan together now.   You do it for yourself, for your children, consider your four-legged dependants.   Chances are they give you unconditional love and loyalty.   They’re counting on you to provide for them because they can’t provide for themselves.  

If you watched that show on History channel, Life after People, then you already have an idea of how difficult it will be on fluffy if her humans aren’t around to care for her.

Talk to your friends and family.  If the worst happened, is there someone that would be willing to take in your little furball, even temporarily until you get yourself back on your feet?   Do you know what assistance is available to you from local resources like your humane society?  

I think all to often people take their pets for granted.   Mine have given me a taste of fatherhood… what it would be like to have children.   Its made me take my responsibility as an animal ’owner’ very seriously.

Leia and Dax won’t ever have to worry about being abandoned, or even given up to a shelter, should anything happen to me that prevented me from being able to care for them.    Like the cylon, I too have a plan.