We know economic pressures are high, and families nationwide are struggling. They live in constant fear of being able to feed themselves and their families, let alone their dear companions. Various organizations and shelters report a significant rise in demand for pet food assistance, reflecting the tough choices many families face due to financial struggles.
Kirsten Peek, then with a local animal shelter, brought attention to a key concern. She said that economic hardship pushes so many more people to give up their pets. It surprised her to learn that thousands of animals would soon be surrendered. Not to mention, hundreds of thousands of furloughed workers are having a hard time keeping their pets fed and healthy.
In October, Zeus’ Rescues experienced a record spike in demand for pet food. They gave out twice as much as they normally do to keep up with this increasing demand! Michelle Cheramie, the founder of Zeus’ Rescues, experienced a dramatic increase in need for pet food. This spike is the highest level of violence she’s seen in her 20 years on the job. Executive Director Angela Chapman told us that in her community, more and more families were turning to their pet food pantry for assistance. The figure jumped to 125, far exceeding the typical 75 to 100 families served per month.
For too many families, the fear of having to give up their pets is a nightmare that’s recently become reality. Sarah Lungwitz is one such individual who has been anxious about her ability to care for her three animal companions: a cat named Bambi and two dogs, Spike and Chloe. She cited her interrupted Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments as a top concern. This issue has resulted in her dire financial precarity.
“I don’t even make enough money for all my bills let alone groceries,” – Sarah Lungwitz.
Lungwitz opened up about how she has learned to put her own needs behind that of her pets.
“We do know a lot of people will feed their pets before themselves,” – Sarah Lungwitz.
She stressed that for millions of Americans, pets serve as much-needed emotional support animals. That makes the prospect of needing to return them all so much more daunting.
Kandi Finch is a dog groomer at a local nonprofit. She’s preparing for an increase in demand for pet food assistance as more families come into financial crises.
“We’re expecting, at least in the short term, that there’s going to be a surge,” – Kandi Finch.
In addition to organizations like Zeus’ Rescues, many food pantries have begun stocking their shelves with pet food to help those in need. Feeding Missouri’s, Kim Buckman underscored the human significance of this effort.
“We’d rather help them with their food than have to surrender a pet,” – Sarah Lungwitz.
The challenge doesn’t stop with her though. Katie Saari, who was recently laid off for health reasons. To ensure that her two dogs were well-fed, Chloe turned to a food bank for assistance. Pet owners are more concerned than ever about ensuring the needs of all beings are met. This worry is symptomatic of the burden we are all feeling in these difficult times.
That economic pressure, combined with growing demand, has led many shelters to begin looking closely at their budgets. A Louisiana community shelter grapples with hard choices. With demand constantly increasing, they’ve had to consider pulling funds from animal medical services to buy more pet food.
“It’s something that you can feel, this state of panic,” said Paula Shaw, senior director of the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association, an animal welfare advocacy group.
“People are exceptionally panicking. I don’t know what a better word would be,” – Paula Shaw.
Our current wave of anti-pet landlordism has once again highlighted how a bad economy can do double harm by separating humans from their animal companions. Every day, families are doing everything they can to keep the lights on. Unfortunately, pet owners are increasingly relying on community resources to keep their homes and feed their pets.
