As if being left homeless is not enough, the lives of abandoned foreclosure pets are set to become even more difficult with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico further denying them of what little help they were able to get before the crisis happened. Following the gulf crisis, reports have revealed that more pets are in need of shelter and care and less help is available for them.
On top of lack of care and food, homeless pets' chances of getting some place to stay are even lessened as abandoned pet shelters also become common in areas gravely affected by the oil spill. Moreover, majority of homeowners who live in communities that suffered from the oil spill just leave their pets behind because of lack of money and time to care for these animals.
According to pet shelter operators, the gulf crisis, the unstable economy, increasing number of foreclosed homes for sale and households' uncertain futures have made owners abandon their pets or leave them in the care of shelters that are already bursting at the seams and are mostly understaffed.
As an example of how bad things are becoming, officials from the Louisiana Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have reported that coastal communities are experiencing surges in the number of abandoned foreclosure pets and owners relinquishing their animals to shelters right after the oil spill disaster. St. Bernard Animal Shelter in Violet has reported taking in almost 300 pets during the month of June.
Some communities, like St. Bernard Parish, rely heavily on the Gulf for their livelihood, with fishing being the primary occupation of residents. With the oil spill disaster destroying their source of income, most of these residents find themselves unable to support their families, much less care for their pets.
Local animal rescue organizations have reported that most fishing families abandon their cats and dogs once their income were cut off by the oil spill. Most of them also relocated to other areas, with majority living in rental apartments that do not allow pets in the premises.
The problem of abandoned foreclosure pets is expected to get worse as communities affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill continue to suffer from the disaster. The problem is worse in areas near the Gulf shore.
