Economy Forcing Families To Give Up Pets

By Jeffrey Smith, News On 6

CLAREMORE, OK -- The economy is forcing some to make tough decisions with their family budgets. Because many Green Country families are being forced from their homes by the mortgage meltdown, they're doing something they once considered unimaginable.

If people have to leave their homes or save every penny they've got, certain luxuries go by the wayside. And increasingly, those luxuries include man's best friend.

The effects of the housing mess are everywhere. But inside the cages at the Claremore animal shelter, the nightmare really hits home.

"A lot of people cry. There are some that try to be strong and not cry and just leave and not talk about it," said Shelter Supervisor Jennifer Cummings.

Cummings says she's seeing a growing trend in people releasing their pets and the phone keeps ringing. She says when she started three years ago, maybe one person a week would release their pet. Now, six or more come through the door to say goodbye.

"They're being moved into apartment complexes or different kinds of housing where they cannot have pets, so they do have to release their pets here at the shelter," said Cummings.

This year, the shelter has taken in 719 animals. They have adopted out 242. That means for every three that come in, only one is going out.

"Our pantry has dwindled. A lot of people are using us now, so we don't have as much as we did," said Cummings.

Animal control officers take damaged bags of food from Wal-Mart to help stock their shelves.

Wal-Mart workers say they're seeing a difference in how pet-owners shop.

"If you got the higher priced food, you're going to go to the cheaper and of course the people who were buying the cheaper, they can no longer afford it, they go to people like this, to get what they need," said Wal-Mart Employee Teresa Peek.

And for the animals every little bit counts.

Claremore residents who simply cannot afford food can come and get bags for free. Cummings says it used to be just a handful of people who came in for that service, last week more than 25 pet owners needed help.