Are Pets Losing in the Bad Economy?

When I think about how pets are being effected by the economy, I see a lot of different things happening.

On the negative side, shelters and rescue organizations are filling up because families can no longer afford to care for their pets. Vets are seeing more patients that can't pay for proper medical care, especially in emergency or high cost situations. I've also seen a glut of large dogs in shelters because they are expensive and their owners can't afford their costs. Foreclosures are also causing a flood of dogs to be surrendered to shelters.

Some high-end pet boutiques have closed their doors because pet owners can't afford to spend big bucks on supplies.

On the other hand, when I go to PetSmart, it's packed with people buying toys, treats and supplies for their pets. We've had a difficult time booking boarding for our dogs over the holidays. Boarding kennels are fully booked.

And people are still buying Christmas gifts for their pets. This may be because pet gifts are often much cheaper than gifts for people. Discount stores like Target and Walmart have significantly expanded their pet sections to include more "designer" and "upscale" items at discount prices.

A recent consumer survey conducted by Trone shows that 40% of those surveyed said they'd pay less on groceris than pet expenses.

I see this as two extremes. Folks that can afford the overall expenses of pets will continue to spend money on their animals, albeit potentially a little less than normal. The people that can't afford their pets at all will surrender their pets to a rescue or shelter. But there is really no middle ground.

It's a sad situation and I hope that folks that can't afford to keep their animals do the right thing by surrendering them to a no-kill shelter or rescue group. GoodDogz.org is also happy to help put pet owners in touch with groups that may be able to help them out.