It’s always a sad tale when a family has to lose its home. It’s another story altogether for other unfortunate foreclosure victims– the family’s pets.

Over the past five years, untold scores of pets have been left behinid – abandoned in empy, vacant properties after their owners were evicted. Often times, these pets are abandoned because their former homeowners have no choice upon moving to a location where pets are not allowed, such as rentals or hotel rooms, or worse — taking to the streets or a homeless shelter.

There is no real, solid estimate of the number of abandoned pets across the country today, much less over the past five years, but the evidence is clear: pet shelters across the country have become increasingly burdened by waves of pets made homeless just like their owners.

What can foreclosure victims do with their pets?

Look to Family or Friends First

As mentioned, most animal shelters are overwhelmed as it is. In many shelters, the adoption rate is less than 50%. Additionally, funding for these shelters has decreased with the bad economy while more animals have flooded shelters, straining already-tight budgets and resources.

That’s why it’s best for homeowners to first look to family and friends and see if they can adopt their pets. Even if it is temporary, that is better than leaving pets to animal shelters that probably will not be able to accommodate them for long.

Ask a Vet to Help

If friends and family cannot help, a veterinarian might be of assistance. Veterinarians usually are able to board animals for a small fee, and many have offered to board animals for free if at all possible while homeowners relocate to other housing or to living accommodations that allow pets.

Find Pet-Friendly Housing

Often times, one main reason why pets are left behind is because the only living accommodations an evicted homeowner can find don’t allow pets for one reason or the other. This is unfortunate, but whenever possible, homeowners should try to find pet-friendly housing. If none is available, pet owners could ask the landlord for amendments to the contract in light of the circumstances; some might agree.

Above All, Do Not Abandon Them

The worst thing a pet owner can do is to abandon his or her pets in the home. This is illegal and can lead to criminal charges due to animal cruelty laws in the state. If all else fails, a shelter will be able to take them in. The Humane Society is one national resource that can help and should be consulted.

Foreclosure pets are evidence that domestic animals are being neglected and even abused in some parts of the country, particularly now that economic times have been hard. Despite this sad reality, there are efforts that have been put in place in various counties and cities to battle pet abuse.

Abandoned pets increasing in number

A number of news relating to owners leaving their pets behind to die of starvation had been seen in television and newspapers since the housing crisis and the economic downturn started. In some cases, animal rescue organizations come in time to help the abandoned animals.

However, there are also some cases when the pets are already beyond help before they are brought to the attention of those who can help them. Although such unfortunate events do happen, one cannot say that there had been no efforts to prevent animal abuse or pet cruelty.

Programs put in place

Several cities and counties have put in place programs and regulations aimed at protecting pets and punishing owners who just abandon them to starvation and death. In Columbus, Ohio, for example, some members of the public have held rallies to support a proposed law that will give tougher punishments to people who have committed acts of animal cruelty.

With every case of animal cruelty reported, public awareness about what is going on sharpens and efforts to prevent such events escalate. Changes in laws, improvements in animal rescue efforts and better reporting procedures with regards to animal cruelty are just some of the initiatives that have been put in place in the past few months.

The problem of animal cruelty and the continuous increase in the number of abandoned and foreclosure pets is a grim reality, but the fact that steps are being taken to alleviate the problem portends positive things and people should offer their support to such initiatives.

Pets living in our homes and abandoned foreclosure pets living in shelters should not be left out of Christmas celebrations. There are special ways we can celebrate the holidays with our four-legged friends and foremost among them is making them feel that they are part of the family.

Gifts for pets

There are various items that we can give our pets this Christmas, including toys, a new blanket for his box bed or a new food bowl with his name on it. Your dog or cat may not be able to express his thanks, but animals do feel it when people are extra nice to them.

There are even better gifts that we can give them though, and that is making sure that they are healthy and safe. A visit to the veterinarian will not go amiss, just to have your pet checked up and make sure that he is not suffering from any health problem this coming holiday. Making sure that they will be safe during these busy times can also be a form of gift.

Make sure that your pets have someone to look after them when guests start arriving for Christmas dinner or at least, have a room ready; where they can stay while everyone is in a frenzy preparing and celebrating the special event. Christmas is definitely a busy time and they can slip out of the house unnoticed so it will be better to have security measures that will prevent them from getting lost.

Home for the holidays

For those less fortunate pets living in shelters, we can also do our share by donating food and pet supplies to these facilities. Most shelters now are overpopulated, with staff finding it really hard to care for their furry residents, particularly during the holidays when most of them will be undermanned as volunteers stay in their homes to celebrate.

If you have the means to do so, maybe you can also adopt a pet from these shelters. A cat or dog provided with a permanent home this Christmas will go a long way towards making the holiday memorable for these pets, not to mention the help that the action will provide to pet shelter workers and volunteers.

Christmas is not just for us, they are also for our pets since they should be considered a part of our family. For those foreclosure pets staying in overcrowded shelters, taking them home with you may turn out to be the best decision you will ever make.

As the Christmas holidays get nearer, you might want to pay extra attention to pets, not just to those inside your home, but also those foreclosure pets that will be spending the holidays without a home. Because we tend to get really busy during these times, giving some thought to our pets may seem like the last thing we want to do.

Ensuring pets' health

The holiday season can be hectic, but you need to reserve time to make some plan on how you can ensure the health and well-being of cats and dogs and other pets living in your home. During the holidays, make sure that they have enough food to eat and enough water to keep them hydrated when you are busy entertaining guests.

The more people there are in your homes, the higher the risk of your pet sneaking out and getting lost. To avoid this, reserve a room where you can put your dog or cat while visitors are milling around in your living room. If you plan to travel to visit relatives and want to take your pet with you, make sure that it is alright with the owner of the house you are visiting. Always put an identification tag on their collars if you happen to take them with you in your travels.

Spare some thought on foreclosure pets

In the spirit of the holiday season, you may want to spare some thought on those animals that have lost their homes due to foreclosure. Adopting one or two will be a great way to bring the spirit of holiday season to these pets.

Caring for your pets during the holidays is as important as caring for your family since they should be considered as part of your family. With a lot of residences housing extended families, you may want to include your cat or dog to that category. And it will be better if you can include some foreclosure pets as well, particularly those in overpopulated shelters waiting for someone to take them home.

There have been programs launched in various areas of the country designed to help foreclosure pets. However, it is a fact that more are needed since the extent of the problem of abandoned and homeless animals is bigger than what we can see and what we have heard on the news.

Pets taking a backseat

Let's face it, the first priority for us when a financial crisis strikes is our families. If it is a choice between feeding your kids or your pets, the former will always trump the latter. That is why the ongoing housing industry crisis is particularly bad for domestic animals, because their problem is not an isolated case, but is actually also felt by their owners.

However, there are steps we can take to help these animals. Foremost is not abandoning them when we encounter financial difficulties. Leaving them to a shelter, with a neighbor who can afford to keep them or calling the local animal rescue department will go a long way towards giving them a second chance at life.

Pet problem not just a government concern

Finding the solution to the problem of increasing number of foreclosure pets should not be left solely to the government or local agencies. We do like hearing governmental efforts to save these pets, such as providing grants to pet shelters. We should not merely watch, but also do our share.

Giving money to pet shelters will help, but if you do not have any to spare, supplies that you do not need will be good as well. A lot of local shelters are seeking pet supplies, such as food, pet care products and medicines. If you have other items that you can spare, give them to your local pet shelter.

We also should not add more to the population of foreclosure pets. Regardless of how solid our current financial condition is, neutering and spaying our pets will help as we cannot really tell if we can afford to care for more than one in the future.

Despite the continuous increase in the number of foreclosure pets and abandoned animals in the U.S., it is not true that people are losing interest in having pets. A dog or a cat offers companionship and comfort to families, retirees, single people and even those who have physical disabilities. It will be a huge advantage for everybody if they adopt foreclosure animals instead of buying them from pet stores.

America's fascination with pets

It is surprising that there are a lot of homeless and abandoned animals in the country, given that Americans are known for their love of domestic animals. This connection with pets is evident in the fact that pet owners spend a lot of money on the care and pampering of their cats and dogs, with the American Pet Products Association reporting that pet-related expenses are set to reach $50 billion by the end of 2011.

Somehow, it would have been better if at least a small part of this money will be spent on foreclosure pets. With pet shelters in most cities battling with overpopulation and lack of funds, having their resident pets adopted will go a long way towards addressing these problems.

Benefits of adopting pets from shelters

People looking for a cat or a dog would do well to get them from pet shelters rather than boutique pet shops. Animals in shelters are mostly well-behaved and properly trained, contrary to some perceptions that most of them are wild and hard to control.

Those who take home pets from shelters will not only gain a companion, they will also contribute to solving the problems of foreclosure pets. Man and animals have always had a connection and this is one area where people can provide help to their furry friends. Even in prisons, administrators are aware of the benefits that pets can provide to inmates in terms of developing life skills.

The problem of foreclosure pets is not going to go away anytime soon, not while the housing sector and the economy are still struggling. Instead of complaining about it though, some animal shelters are finding unique ways to get the pets adopted by households.

Declining adoption prompts unique promotions

With fewer people adopting abandoned pets due to the economic downturn, pet shelters have found creative ways to get people to take home a pet or two. Some examples are the special promotions of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and the Happy Tails pet facility, with the help of city and county shelters in Sacramento, California.

These agencies are launching special offers ranging from cats sporting the colors of the MLB team the San Francisco Giants to offering two pets for the price of one to waiving adoption fees. A local shelter has also held an open house, complete with face painting, ID tags and free massages offered to anyone who will adopt a pet. The SPCA is also set to hold a special Veterans Day promotion wherein each adoption will cost the society over $100.

Education is key

California is not the only state finding its animal shelters inundated with homeless animals and foreclosure pets. Florida, another state that got hit heavily by the housing market crisis, is also seeing worrying increases in the number of abandoned pets.

It was revealed that more and more dogs are being dumped in the agricultural areas of South Miami-Dade. Most of these dogs are believed to have been left there by homeowners who have lost their homes to foreclosure. Officials at local Animal Services have asserted that education is the most important thing in fighting problems related to foreclosure pets. If only pet owners neuter or spay their pets, the problem may not be as huge as it is today.

Seeing what has been going on, it is hard not to agree to this claim.

It is not just people who were affected by the housing crisis; there are also the so-called foreclosure pets. The number of homeless and abandoned animals has escalated since the start of the housing market downturn and the problem continues to persist in most U.S. states. There are things you can do to help alleviate this issue and below are some of them.

What are foreclosure pets?

First, let us try to better understand what foreclosure animals are. These are mostly pets that were abandoned by their owners who had to leave their homes after getting foreclosed on. Some just leave their animals behind or set them loose to roam the streets, unfed and unprotected. There are also those who have yet to experience foreclosure, but are facing financial difficulties and just drive their pets someplace and leave them there. A huge number of abandoned animals have been reported by neighbors and by others who see these animals in the streets, while others are picked up by pet shelters. There are more that remain unreported.

What homeowners must do

Homeowners who are facing or are under foreclosure should not just leave their pets behind. There are local pet shelters in almost every part of the country and all they need to do is call these shelters or just drop their pets off to these facilities, so they can be taken care of and maybe adopted by another family who can look after them.

If the shelter for abandoned pets in your vicinity is already full and cannot take them in, try asking around the neighborhood on who will be willing to take in your cat, dog or bird or any other pet. Making the effort to secure these pets' future will come a long way towards ensuring that the population of abandoned animals does not rise further.

What neighbors should do

Neighbors should call their local shelter or the local police if they knew that there are animals inside unoccupied or abandoned homes. If you see homeless pets in the streets, do the same. Call a pet shelter or the sheriff. Ignoring these homeless pets can pose problems to the whole community and reporting them will be the right thing to do.

What pet owners can do

Even if you were not facing foreclosure, there is no telling what financial difficulties will come, so it will be better to be proactive and secure your pet's future. Spaying and neutering help minimize the number of foreclosure pets. Find time to do this to your domestic animals if you cannot afford more than one pet.

These procedures do not cost much and you can even ask your local shelter whether you can have your pet neutered or spayed for a discount. If you can afford it and are willing to do it, adopt a pet or two. Shelters for foreclosure animals are mostly overwhelmed and you can help by adopting or by simply contributing pet supplies or a little money to your local shelter. Every little thing counts and you may be surprise that what you consider a little thing is actually a big deal for these foreclosure pets.

Everyone has seen the infomercials that display suffering pets as shelters from the Humane Society to local animal rescue organizations urge viewers to save the life of a pet in need. These infomercials are enough to bring a tear to your eye, especially if you are a pet lover.

Over the last few years the increasing number of foreclosures and abandoned homes has led to an increase in the number of abandoned pets. Not only are many of these pets left alone without food, but they are often trapped inside the abandoned home and are therefore unable to search for food or a new home. As a result, these abandoned animals are often left to die as they are unable to obtain food or water to survive.

Although some nonprofit organizations like No Paws Left Behind have saved many animals from abandoned homes, the number of animals that are not found until they are dead is definitely increasing as many homeowners are unable to stop foreclosure on their homes and are left with nowhere to go.

In addition, many shelters are reaching or have reached capacity and are unable to take in more animals due to the increase in abandoned pets. For example, many animal shelters across Wisconsin are nearing capacity and have been receiving more animals than they can maintain.

It is apparent that foreclosure rates have definitely had a toll on everything from struggling homeowners to their helpless pets. As many homeowners are forced to abandon their homes and may even face homelessness, they are unable to care for their pets and often leave them with the abandoned property. When pets are trapped inside these abandoned homes, the only hope they have is that someone will find them and care for them before they die.

It is essential that anyone facing foreclosure should understand the resources available to them when it comes to finding a new home or a safe shelter for their pets. If you are facing the foreclosure process then make sure to find a shelter or a new home for your pet by contacting organizations like No Paws Left Behind.

In the end, pets are being abandoned in homes undergoing the foreclosure process and are left trapped inside without food and water. Homeowners facing foreclosure should reach out to local shelters, friends, and family members and try to find a home for their pets before leaving them abandoned and trapped inside distressed properties.

In the United States, the word “recession” may not be on everyone’s lips, but it is sure is on everyone’s mind. Unfortunately, the number one reason for the economic problems, the foreclosure crisis, has yet to be addressed and, as of today, there are still a significant number of homeowners at risk of losing their homes due to mortgage default.

If you think about the situation of these distressed borrowers, you might certainly feel sympathy, but, at the back of your mind, you know there is a big chance they can survive this hardship and move on. But what about the pets which get left behind? Can they move on?

Sadly, foreclosure pets are considered to be collateral damage in this housing mess. Many have already died because their owners were too distraught over the repossession of their homes they forgot another living creature is relying on them to survive. Even with laws against such acts of neglect, the number of animals abandoned to die of starvation and exposure to harsh weather has been increasing at an alarming rate.

What You Can Do

You might think there is really not much you can do about these foreclosure animals, but the mere acknowledgement they exist is enough. It would help to spread the word about them in the hope of finding someone who would like to volunteer their time and resources helping out the local animal shelters. Most of these shelters lack funds and manpower to take care of the rescued dogs and cats and they would welcome all the help being offered to them.

Now, there is also the matter of teaching responsible pet ownership. Telling people about the sad fate of these animals and encouraging them to become good owners will surely go a long way in reducing the number of pets dying from abandonment. Help people understand there are choices available and it is only a matter of finding which option will work best for everyone, especially the helpless creatures.