By Ruth aka Kattaddorra
Many families are being hit by austerity and are finding it hard to manage on the money they have coming in, but WHY are the cats in the family the first to lose their homes?
Hardship is being endured by some people, mainly unemployed people, but here is the worst thing about this, most of the people who say they can’t afford to keep their pet cat any longer can still afford to smoke and they have a TV, a computer and other non essentials.
- Do they really need a huge TV set with subscriptions to Sky TV?
- Do their children really need a computer each?
- Do they need to smoke? Drink alcohol?
Are material possessions and their own pleasures worth more to them than a living breathing animal? It seems so!
Just this week one person said that if things didn’t improve, the cat would have to go, not the dog, no, he didn’t cost as much to feed as the cat. It makes me wonder what the dog is being fed on. But in reality the truth is that the dog is more valued than the cat!
My heart aches for that poor cat soon to be homeless through no fault of her own and for all the other cats being cast out of the family too. They must be frightened and bewildered, in a strange place with no home comforts and not much chance of being adopted out because all Animal Sanctuaries are overflowing right now.
How can people add to this terrible situation by relinquishing their pets….. part of the family? Surely even if they don’t have an expensive lifestyle or possessions they could give up, they could budget for cheaper meals for the family and have enough to spare to feed their cats.
Yes, dogs are being relinquished too but not half as many as cats. Why are cats seen by some people as second class citizens?
Those people don’t give a thought to how the Shelters afford to feed more and more animals every day and pay their vets bills. Shelters get no free veterinary treatment from charities like the PDSA, which people on a low income can get.
Then when/if times improve will those people go back to the Shelter and reclaim their pet if he hasn’t been adopted? I doubt it, they will probably get a new pet, the old one forgotten.
The ‘I can’t afford to feed it’ excuse has taken over from the ‘my child is allergic’ excuse. Food banks for pets would be one solution but would some people take advantage and claim free pet food when they could well afford to buy it if they budgeted more wisely and cut out luxuries?
I think some would, because I’ve seen unemployed/unemployable people here getting free bags of groceries from food banks and returning home laughing, with a cigarette lit in their mouth. I think the only reason a pet should EVER be relinquished for good is that the caretaker is physically unable to care for him/her any longer
I personally would eat dry bread for every meal rather than part with our cats.
Yes that’s it Ruth,the be all and end all of it luxuries come before pets.
Yes Micheal you’d be broke with your cat like I would with my cats if I lost my job.The old folk I go in and see to are the same it’s the younger generation who have to have the modern stuff they think is essential and alright if they get a job and can afford it but some expect to have it all given and they put that stuff before their animals.
There are a lot where I live don’t work don’t want to work say they can’t afford to feed their pets and going to get rid of them.
It upsets me I don’t mind helping the old folk out but why should I help those young and fit but I do if I can because I put their pets first like they should but I can only do so much.
Vicky, don’t view those things anymore, for your own wellbeing. I haven’t and I feel like crying just from your description.
Facebook won’t suddenly change and gain integrity or scruples.
Sometimes, the only thing we can do is protect ourselves and do what we know is right.
The fact that a social networking site like Facebook allows animal sales groups, pages and profiles in the first place is utterly ridiculous. People see an opportunity to let their animals breed because they know these places exist to advertise the litters, yes Gumtree (I LOATHE Gumtree) has been doing this a long time but in Facebook people see an easy way to reach people in their area and make a quick sale. Seeing the same people time and time again advertising animals makes me sick, Facebook needs to put a stop to people doing it, any animal advertising on there should be banned.
OMG! I can’t even begin to go to those sort of sites. I would be infuriated!
I might become one of those “crazy cat people” and stalk like demented Woody!