Despite Recession, Pets Not Forgotten

Amid the barrage of recession-related media coverage, a few heartwarming tales of animal devotion have emerged.

An organization called Rescue Bank, led by Houston businessman John Kane and girlfriend Elizabeth Asher, amasses pet food donations, which are then distributed for free to small animal shelters and animal rescue groups across the United States, reported the Houston Chronicle. After Hurricane Katrina, Kane noticed most funding going to “large, well-known animal welfare groups,” and he decided to take action to support smaller organizations.

In Berlin, an abandoned night school has been converted into the city’s “soup kitchen for pets,” according to Agence France-Presse. The “free pet food buffet” has been operating since the middle of October, allowing financially struggling Germans to keep their pets. The organization leading the project is called Tiertafel, or “animal dining table,” and plans to build 30 more soup kitchens for pets.

The recession is also making some pet owners realize how much their pets mean to them. According to CNN, “dark times may be a good time to start looking after a dog.” Dog charity manager Richard Moore told CNN, “With the love and the care, the relationship that a dog can bring to you at a depressing time like this, is incredible. I have six dogs and certainly when coming home at night they put a smile on my face.”

In October, British and American shelters reported being flooded with an unusually high number of requests for horse adoptions, as more horse owners lost the financial ability to properly care for the animals. Furthermore, pet owners across the United States were being forced to give up domestic pets like cats and dogs due to financial concerns. The foreclosure crisis also resulted in pet-owners having to move away from their pet-friendly residences into places less welcoming to animals.