Tales & Tails of New York

 

 

 

 

The uncertain and rocky economy is having very negative affect on companion pets.

 

Apparently, Nightline aired a piece recently about the high numbers of cats and dogs being abandoned to pounds due to people losing homes, jobs or simply finding themselves in severe financial crunch.

 

In New York City, we are also witnessing a dramatic increase in the numbers of pets dumped in area shelters, as well as an alarming decrease in the numbers of adoption inquiries.

 

Running a small rescue group, I used to average between 20 and 30 calls a day, inquiring about animals we have for adoption (most of the calls were for dogs).

 

Those calls have now dropped to less than a dozen per day. (So far today, there haven't been any and it is past 1PM!)

 

That is extremely troubling in terms of how many adoptions and rescues we can accomplish.

 

One has to consider that of adoption inquiries that come into any organization, only a very small percentage of them result in actual adoptions.

 

Most calls are simply seeking information or shopping around and "testing the waters" so to speak.

 

As late as last year, any time we had a healthy, friendly small dog for adoption, we would be swamped with adoption inquiries.

 

We rescued "Jimmy," a delightful and totally charming, 8lb Chihuahua/Shiba Inu mix over a week ago.  Though posted on three popular adoption sites, we have had less than a handful of adoption inquiries on him, none of them so far, resulting in an adoption.

 

During normal economic times, Jimmy would have been already adopted.

 

I haven't been particularly "worried" over Jimmy's failure to garner adoption offers.

 

He is such a gentle, loving and well behaved little dog, that fostering Jimmy is actually a pleasure for me.

 

Even the cats seem to feel comfortable around Jimmy.  Their normal tendency to keep safe distance from little foster dogs is totally absent this time around.

 

Indeed, the biggest "problem" in fostering Jimmy is trying to manage him and two or three cats on my lap at the same time!

 

My lap just isn't that big. ;)

 

There is also a nice harmony and compatibility between my dog, Tina and Jimmy.

 

Jimmy doesn't "challenge" Tina's alpha role in any way.  The two dogs have similar energy levels and similar needs for human attention.  There are no jealousy or territorial issues between them.   Both dogs wait patiently by the door when I leave the home and both are there to greet me when I return.

 

Jimmy is a total little sweetheart.  He even gives hugs!

 

I have to try to emotionally guard against becoming too attached to Jimmy.

 

But, while its easy to lapse into total complacency and comfort with Jimmy here, I have to confess to not even opening the numerous email "Alerts" yesterday from Jesse at the Manhattan shelter.

 

There were at least five of them, all of the subject headings remarkably similar:

 

 

The message was the same with "Medium Sized Dogs," "Lovable Pitties," "Cats"  and even Mom cats with litters.

 

The latter is especially troubling this time of year.

 

Usually, the moms and kittens don't start flooding into the shelters until May.

 

Yes, its a blue economy or perhaps even a "recession."

 

And it seems the first place we are seeing that is in the overcrowded wards of our animal shelters -- and the sharp declines in calls to save or adopt the animals, whether in shelters or through rescue.  -- PCA

 

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