Animal abandonment is huge issue across America. According to the ASPCA, 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of that number, 2.7 million animals are euthanized.
There have been so many times when we questioned, why would so many people give up their pets? Apparently, we aren’t the only ones who thought this, and two recent studies, published in the journal Animals and the Open Journal of Animal Sciences, found the shocking reason.
The studies found that in many cases, people give up their animals because they can’t afford their veterinary costs, or because they cannot afford/find affordably, pet-friendly housing.
The author of both studies, Emily Weiss told The Huffington Post that she is hoping that the results from the studies will lead to more efforts to be put towards pet-friendly housing and low-cost veterinary care. “One of the most direct ways to end homelessness of dogs and cats is to keep them at home in the first place. By keeping pets in their homes, we not only free up space at shelters for pets who really need it, but we also keep homes open for the truly homeless dogs and cats that just need an adopter,” she said.
To read more, head over to The Huffington Post.
Have you been apart of animal abandonment because of vet costs or housing issues?
