The economy sucks. People are losing their jobs left and right. Prices seem to be going up on just about everything while at the same time people have less money to spend.

I saw a news story on TV last week about how crowded our local animal shelters are–people are giving up their animals because they say they can no longer afford to keep them.

When people lose their jobs and houses and say they can barely keep food on the table for their families, it makes sense that they would consider finding their pet a new home. They’re just trying to do what’s right…right?

I sure hope so. I just wonder how many people who are surrendering their pets are just doing so as an easy way out. I wonder how many are choosing keeping cable TV and eating out five nights a week over keeping their dog.

Back when the mortgage crisis was first recognized as an actual crisis and scores of people were abandoning their foreclosed homes, many also abandoned their pets–just left them in the houses like an afterthought.

I really don’t want to get all preachy and self-righteous…I can’t stand it when people do that. My whole point here is that times really ARE tough for just about all of us, but once you’ve made a commitment to take care of an animal for the rest of its life, dropping them off at the shelter or just abandoning them really shouldn’t be an option, unless it’s the ONLY option.

Downgrade your cable TV package (I promise you’ll survive without seeing The Price is Right in high-definition). Make dinner at home. Skip the movie theater.

If you’ve made all the sacrifices and really, truly can’t afford to care for your pet any longer, then at least you’ll know you’ve tried everything to make it work.