Arizona Nonprofits Rescue Pets Abandoned in Repo Properties
The growing number of repo properties in Arizona has wreaked havoc not only on the lives of homeowners but also on their pets that are often left behind when their owners lose their properties to foreclosures.
Volunteers and workers of pet rescue nonprofit organizations in Arizona are seeing an increasing number of abandoned pets in foreclosure houses. They tried to find space for the growing number of abandoned pets in shelters or foster homes. Adding to the problem of nonprofits is the significant decline in donations.
The no-kill animal rescue group, Lost Our Home Pet Foundation received an increase in the number of reports of abandoned pets. The group is serving real estate people who discovered and reported abandoned pets in foreclosure houses.
Similarly, the Arizona Humane Society noted a 100 percent rise in calls reporting animal abandonment for the past two years. According to the nonprofit organization, the number of animal abandonment calls is set to match the figures of last year.
Other nonprofit organizations, such as Paws and Claws Animal Rescue based in Phoenix and Friends for Life Animal Sanctuary in Gilbert have also reported a dramatic decline in pet-food and cash contributions. The organizations attributed the decline in donations to the economic downturn and rising unemployment rate.
Pet rescue groups have scheduled several fundraisers to help boost their financial coffers. Industry experts said that many people are refraining from shelling out cash. They noted a big difference in the amount of donations they received last year, blaming the languishing economy which forced many companies around the state to cut back. They also blamed the worsening repo properties crisis on the growing number of abandoned pets.
The Lost Our Home has been spending an average of $6,000 monthly on the health care of animals. The nonprofit pointed out that the costs of veterinary care have steadily risen every month. It also noted that many pets have arrived on the shelter sicker and in immediate need of medical attention. Many of these pets have been abandoned and deprived of food and water for a long period of time.
To cope with the drop in donations, Friends For Life cut back on some of its expenses, such as health care and training. But as more pets are being abandoned on repo properties, the nonprofit is worried that it needs to cut back more to accommodate all of them.
