Sad fallout of the real estate slump? Pets become no longer affordable for some households — and as a result must be given up. Eventually, the pets are euthanized by the county animal shelter.
Here’s a chart of the total number of dogs and cats — yes, puppies and kitties — who paid the ultimate price for the housing meltdown vs. the median selling price (Realtors) of an O.C. single-family home. (Note: 2008 data for pets — in red — in year ending in June 2008; for home price — in blue, second quarter.)
Basically, we’ve seen a 26% jump in the pace of euthanizations and a 22% drop in home prices since end of 2006.
Register Watchdog blogger Teri Sforza reports …
The terrible economy is partly to blame, said shelter spokesman Ryan Drabek. When money gets tight, the expense of a pet can be hard to justify. And when people lose their homes, it can be hard to find pet-friendly new digs. It’s not just a phenomenon here; it’s happening all over the place as the economy tanks, Drabek said. The economy would seem to explain the decline in adoptions as well.
To read the rest of Teri’s report, CLICK HERE!
Other watchdog tales …
- O.C. treasurer sells investment, dodging bullet
- AIG subsidiary parties in style in OC, two weeks after bailout
- CalOptima’s piggy bank shrinks by, gulp, $129 million
- Is incumbent a carpetbagger? Challenger sics DA on the case
- Golf and give (more) to the Boy Scouts!
More real estate news …
This is the only thing about the deflation of the housing market that actually makes me sad.
Those people lack souls.
Children and pets are the real victims.
Older Children Abandoned Under Law for Babies
OMAHA — The abandonments began on Sept. 1, when a mother left her 14-year-old son in a police station here.
By Sept. 23, two more boys and one girl, ages 11 to 14, had been abandoned in hospitals in Omaha and Lincoln. Then a 15-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl were left.
The biggest shock to public officials came last week, when a single father walked into an Omaha hospital and surrendered nine of his 10 children, ages 1 to 17, saying that his wife had died and he could no longer cope with the burden of raising them….
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/03/us/03omaha.html?_r=1&em&oref=slogin
I am glad somebody wrote about this! I do foreclosure property managment and I have come across numerous dead animals (pets) that have been left behind. Horrible!!
it is animal cruelty and should be punished accordingly.
NBI,
This is something we can agree on. The animals are completely innocent, yet pay the ultimate price. Horrific.
Animals aren’t children. We should save our pity for people not animals. I love dogs and cats and I feel sad when people are mean to them, but I feel completely outraged when children (the most defenseless class of society) are abused or neglected. People first, then animals. Don’t mix that up or it’s YOUR soul that’s in jeopardy.
Wrong Josh,
People have choices, animals do not. My soul is not in jeapardy. I have kids and I have pets, and I know the difference. Maybe you should think about this a little harder.