Don’t Forget The Pets
People are not the only ones left homeless by foreclosure. Nearly three-quarts of all American households include a family pet, according to No Paws Left Behind and when families face tough economic times, it is often the animals who fare the worst. It is believed that as many as 4 million Americans and 1.25 million pets my lose their home in the current economic crisis.
“In an eforst to help families coping with the devastating foreclosure process, we are bringing awareness to the growing trend of abandoned pets and offering possible solutions,” said Cheryl Lang, founder of the non-profit No Paws Left Behind and president of Intergrated Mortgage Solutions. “We founded No Paws Left Behind to provide homeowners facing foreclosure with a resource for finding alternative housing for their pets during this difficult time. Through visiting our website, borrowers are provided with an array of housing options for their pets, whether a no-kill shelter or temporary foster care. No Paws Left Behind will also provide monetary assistance for pet deposits required by new landlords.”
No Paws Left Behind’s mission includes drawing attention to outdated legislation preventing the removal of pets from abandoned properties prior to the completion of the eviction process as well as educating homeowners on their options when facing foreclosure. A link on the website also allows visitors to sign a petition advocating changine the laws regarding abandoned pets at the national level. The website also includes helpful information from the American Humane Society for both homeowners and lenders. The most important piece of advice for homeowners is not to leave pets when a home is vacated or abandoned. It may be weeks or longer before a lender is legally able to enter the property and it is unlikely pets will survive that long without food or water. For lenders the most important advice is to listen for any sounds of abandoned pets whenever they visit the property and to make inquiries among neighbors as to whether or not the owners had pets and where those pets may be. If pets are suspected to have been abandoned inside the property lenders should contact local animal control officers immediately for assistance.
The problem of pets being abandoned along with houses recieved considerable attention from bloggers earlier this year when photographs of emaciated animals were widely circulated online. Since the it is likely the problem and the number of abandoned pets has only increased. Unfortunately, USA Today reports that no one keeps track of the actual number of pets left behind when homes are forclosed upon.
Animal shelters and agencies throughout the nation are doing their best to keep pace with the problem. Many organizations are suffering from shrinking budgets as well as growing demand for their services. Still, if someone you know is facing foreclosure or suspects a neighbor has abandoned a pet along with the home, there is always room in the shelter for one more. And if you are looking for organizations to make charitable donations to this holiday season don’t forget local shelters.