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Pet owners are letting go of their dogs and cats at mind numbing rate.

This is just another sign of how this recession is affecting the U.S. household. A household is more than just a legal guardian and 1.2 children, but also includes the family pet.

Shelters are seeing this on a consistant basis, pet owners coming in, forced to make a decision that they feel is is not in their control. Quite often they feel the pressure and anxiety of household debt looming over their heads. This is an unfortunate derivative of our existing times.

Examples of people making the choice of getting out of debt, or taking care of a beloved member of the home have been showing up all over our cities. From people turning in their dogs and cats in order to pay for medical bills, to people killing their pets so they can afford to keep from falling behind on credit card debt and keep their head above water. The economic downfall is making it ever more hard for some people to justify shelling out as much as a thousand dollars annually or more on the vet care and food for their dogs and cats.

The population expansion at animal shelters around the nation shows how the feeble economy is also shrinking the pool of likley adopters.
The recoil effect has been population explosion of shelters resulting in a faster rate of pets being put to sleep, and quite a few shelters turning away people looking to surrender dogs and cats. Of the estimated 6 million to 8 million dogs and cats sent to animal shelters every year, over half are put to sleep what is left is placed.

Having to make the decision to surrender a family pet can inflict deep emotional scars on a household, more so on the children who have no understanding of economic strain. We cannot expect them to recognize the tough choice their parents have to make, giving up their family pet to ensure after they pay their bills and credit card payments they can be fed and clothed.

The only other option for many people other than giving up their family pet is to dig themselves out of debt. Debt settlement can help families lower their monthly house hold expenses eliminating their need to make the tough decision to allow their pet to be put to sleep. The more people understand that there are options; the less stress will be put on the local shelters trying to deal with this issue on a daily basis.

Another option is to find a person or family member able to temporarily adopt your family pet. This would allow you to be at ease knowing they are well taken care of and loved. This would allow you to take time and create a debt relief plan putting them in a position to once again make their pet a part of the household again.