Tri-Cities Pet Owners Having to Give up Animals
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Pets Cost Too Much For Some
Pets Cost Too Much For Some
More and more pets are being dropped off at animal shelters across the Tri-Cities as the economy continues to falter. SOUND OFF: Should there be a penalty for pet owners who can’t care for their pets?
The Washington County-Johnson City Animal Control Center is seeing 15 to 20 animals coming in everyday. That’s up at least 20 percent from last month. Likewise, the Sullivan County Animal Shelter has seen an increase of ten percent since last month. Pet owners are telling Tina Huffine, Shelter Attendant at the Johnson City center, that they just can’t afford to keep their pets anymore. Huffine said pets are also being abandon and neglected by their owners because they can’t afford to feed them or pay for vet services. To find out more, click play above.
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Reader Reactions
My problem is people who are to embarassed to find their animal a good home or take the animal to the shelter. In the last 4 months, I have adopted 2 dogs and 4 kittens. Their owners did not want them and dropped them off at the end of my driveway. I already have another pet that has severe ear infections. In a year, it is nothing for me to spend $800-$1000 to clear his ears. He suffers if it is not cleared up, but that is the responsibility I took when I wanted a pet. I would not take anything for him!!!! However, I had to call Sullivan County Animal Shelter to pick up the 2 stray dogs. Within the next couple of months, I will take 4 kittens to the vet to get a “quote” to have them spayed or neutered. I would love to see a no kill shelter in this area, but they need money, food, and volunteers to survive.
Kdskeber, you have an excellent point. I for one could never give up a pet. I feel like you do that it’s my responsibility to take care of my animal; that’s such an important part of pet responsibility. But, since moving here I see so many people having such a difficult time making ends meet. I was appalled at the animal cruelty stories I saw on television, in particular the horses. I would much prefer to give someone the option of dropping off their animal than to dump it on the side of the road or starve it to death. Some people own animals out of habit rather than out of love, sad but true.
This is absolutely NOT okay and I am appalled at the amount of people who think it is alright! I work 40 hours a week as a bookkeeper making a little more than minimum wage – my husband is a part-time UPS employee. We rent our home and have 2 cars, cell phones, utilities, etc. We own 4 cats and are having no trouble making sure they are cared for. I cannot believe the audacity of some people just dropping off responsibility. I, myself, could never see giving up an animal for a sorry excuse as income. Can’t afford shots – wait until later! Some vets accept a credit card called CARE CREDIT (which I do use if my cat has to visit the vet)…and that allows us to pay monthly payments on. You couldn’t drop a kid off at a hospital if you couldn’t afford to take care of them and so you should not be allowed to just give up an animal. When you go to adopt or purchase an animal you should ALWAYS ask yourself if you will always be able to care for this animal. Most people buy on impulse and when things become hard – it’s easier to just be irresponsible than to budget better. Save the 50 dollars a week you probably spend on fast food or your 12 year old kids’ cell phone and just save it. There are so many things wrong with the way people spend today that no wonder we are in the shape we are in. I could go on forever, but in closing – absolutely you should be penalized for pawning your poor, defenseless animal off on someone else. There is NO excuse.
We have two cats, both adopted from the animal shelter. One is 11 years old and the other one is 7. Last August we took our cats for their yearly vaccines and check ups and was told that the bill would be aprox $200. It wound up being $187.70 to be exact. I asked if I could possibly pay $100 that day and the additional $87.70 next week when my husband and I get paid and was told, in no uncertain terms, no. So there went the last of our savings. I was laid off work for a few months last year and we had to use a lot of our savings to compensate for the small unemployment check. I am back to work at another job now but it’s so hard to put back any money in savings anymore, there is very little leftover. My daughter is a junior in high school, her quarterly college fund statement we received in September showed a drop of $500 in that one quarter. Putting fifty dollars a month in that fund is all we can afford right now. I hope things get better soon. I supposed I could ask my family or friends if I needed help in caring for my cats, I’m sure they would do what they could, but that would only be a last resort. I would take my cats (both spayed) back to the animal shelter only if I absolutetly had to. We have made some changes, like less expensive cat food. Special Kitty brand instead of Whiska’s pouchs. That has helped. But we also had started using store brands of food for ourselves too instead of name brands that we used before. They are just too expensive now.
I agree with one poster who said at least some owners are taking them to the shelter if they can’t provide for the pets. I agree that vet bills are expensive, but there are such great strides that have been made with animal care and because of that, my last dog lived a very long and healthy life, thanks to veterinarian medicine. I also agree that pets should be spayed and neutered and that people should try to get new pets from the shelters. However, our last two dogs including our eleven month old, are pure breeds. Our pup which is a standard poodle was bought from a breeder because of her beauty, and the previous owner knew nothing about the breed or about housetraining. Thankfully, she realized this early on, and we were lucky enough to have rescued this wonderful animal. All the calls made on this dog were for breeding purposes, and so we were immediately chosen because of our desire to give the dog a loving home. We’re retired and our last poodle passed away in February. It was a blessing for us to find this fabulous dog. She was spayed, she’s wonderfully housetrained now, sweetest animal we’ve ever had, intelligent, beautiful, and a joy for us. It’s expensive to take care of a large dog, especially one who needs grooming every six to eight weeks. We’re not rich, but we can provide a loving home and provide for her.
By the way, I’m a retired teacher from Texas, and in the middle school where I taught, I sponsored the Dog Club in the school. It was the most popular club in the school, we had a different breed brought each week by parents, the children were taught pet responsibility, my vet came a few times to talk and bring puppies, and twice a year we had dog food and paper drives to provide help to the local shelters. The outpouring of help from the children, their parents, and the community was overwhelming. And, especially at Thanksgiving and Christmas, not only did our students collect food for the needy families, but we also took care of our four legged friends. This was good for everyone. Maybe schools in the tri-cities could do the same, esp. in these hard economic times.
I agree with Ben. When my 3 cats pass away I have already decided not to have anymore. They are still young and healthy so I expect to have them around for many more years. The vet looks at me with contempt when I turn down his requests for blood and lab work on my healthy animals, plus various tests “for kidney function” and other things he says the cats need. The only shot required by law is for rabies, which they have each year. They get Frontline each month; if they are sick or in pain I take them in immediately but that is a rare occurrence. I simply cannot afford all these expensive tests but apparently good old doc doesn’t believe me. Guess he’ll have to get someone with more money than I have to pay for his next trip to Cancun!
I am sad people have to give up their pets,I have a faithful companion that lives in my house eats what I eat,sleeps on my bed maybe some would think this is extreme.now to the issue here what can we do if anything about these dog breeders that are making a better living than the 9 to 5 worker.before I go any farther I want to say I know someone like this at least 4 cars sent 2 children through college and has 2 in college now, husband on disability wont work cant stand that 9 to 5 thing yes you guessed it I have had a few runins with this person,stop this I am so mad I’m seeing red.I don’t know anyone who is any better off by having what they call a pure bred animal,mine is a rescue and she loves me as much as I love her ,isn’t that all that matters.
I got a 2 year old lab last feb at the Sullivan co shelter when i got my lab i was charged 30.00 no big deal But after i got him fixed they said i would get the 25.00 back for fixing him Well still have not got it back i have called over 6 to 12 times emails nothing they say we will get that to you i have done my part i try to donate to them when i can.IF i owed them 25.00 they would be down my back over it AND when i want it they just look at you I know it 25.00 but were not a rich we are pay check to pay check. they need to keep there word and We have 1 dog and 2 cat and very hard to feed them but i could not see them in there better off if people drop them off then seeing them on the side of the road. if pet owners want to Breed these animals and not get them fixed and just drop them off then yes they should have a fine to pay cant get money so we will take them off some were Yes they should be a fined.
I just think that ALL pet owners should spay or neuter their pets then maybe the pet population would not get so out of control. I love my little dog to death and try to take as much care of him as I do my own kids. AND we know how expensive that can be. I just turned in a pup to my local vet because my son brought home a puppy and thought that he could leave it outside in a cage for 15+ hours while he worked and run around. To me that is cruel and my pup is the king of the house and would snap at the little one. SO, I reluctantly took the pup to my vet to see that it would get a good home. I have cried ever since becuase I see other dogs in my neighborhood running loose or tied up. It breaks my heart. Not all pet owners are cruel. Go out and adopt a pet from your local shelter. Don’t buy them from these puppy farms AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, please spay and neuter. My dream is to open a no kill shelter and rain the love down on these sweet, caring animals. Believe you me, they are more faithful and loving than most people I have met.
I don’t think that penalizing people who can’t take care of their pets is appropriate. The responsible owners are at least dropping them off at the shelters rather than abandoning or neglecting them.
One of my dogs died this past summer, and her death was devastating to me. I know that in the majority of these cases the owners are heartbroken.
I can’t bear to watch the Sarah McLachlan commercial about animals waiting for adoption. It makes me tear up every time. I adopted my pets from the animal shelter—wouldn’t have considered anything else. A lady I met at the store said that dogs from the shelter seem to know that they’ve been rescued and feel grateful. A bit fanciful I know, but that’s the way my pets have always behaved. They were “perfect” dogs from the very beginning—didn’t even knock down the Christmas tree when they were big, rambunctious puppies; they never peed or pooped inside the house, chewed on furniture, or growled at visitors, etc. Perhaps because they were litter mates (male and female), they never fought.
I hope the article will inspire people to donate to the shelter or, even better, to give a pet a good home. If I could afford to, I’d probably have dogs coming out my ears. I’ve never understood why people who don’t show or breed them buy expensive dogs when there are so many that need good homes.
Thank you for featuring this problem on the website. Homeless pets need advocates more than ever.
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