Sure, where it is just about a guarantee that they will be killed. I honestly don't know what I would do if totally desparate for survival - but I doubt I would take them to a shelter - mainly because most don't - shelter that is.
posted by whims
2 months ago
You are asking people to be responsible adults and think beyond their own wants and needs. With the exception of a few, these are people who would go out and buy a house they clearly could not afford.
I believe people who do that are not really thinking. I believe they think the animals will immediately be put down or cost them a lot of money to have them taken in. I think it's one of those "oh well, they can survive on the streets or someone will take them". I'm sorry for everyone...
I think people who lost their homes because they were irresponsible are the exception, at least here in Michigan. Job loss here is huge and causing lots of people to not only lose their homes, but file bankruptcy. These people seem to be continually trashed on eons; lets stop assuming that most people are losing their homes because they're irresponsible, and leave open other possibilities and give them a break; they're suffering enough.
Its possible some of those people came home to find themselves locked out and their pets inside. This recession is affecting people who under ordinary circumstances would and probably have been successful responsible people. They may have been working two or three lowpaying jobs just to survive for a long time. Sometimes people just wear out. We understand that machines need oil and maintenance but we expect people to keep on functioning no matter what happens to them. (Lost your child to an illness just go back to work and figure out how to pay off the medical bills. diagnosed with cancer and no insurance==keep on working to pay the bills, ooops you missed a house payment when you were hospitalized too bad.) do you get the picture?
I am a social worker and these things are happening to good people. I am very sad for the left behind pets but it makes me wonder what the owners are experiencing. Some are probably living in their cars. some have parceled out their kids to relatives and just can't ask them to take in the animals too.
