Jul 29, 2008 11:02 am US/Pacific
'Furclosure' Victims Want To Move In With YOU!
Mortgage Meltdown To Blame For Overcrowding At L.A. Shelters
VAN NUYS (CBS) ―
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Bonita, an 11-year-old German Shepherd-Chow Chow mix, was surrendered by her owner last week.
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Can I be a part of your family?
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As much as I hate hospitals (and let me be clear, I find the combination of suffering and germs truly unbearable), there are few things more depressing than animal shelters these days. Impacted with fuzzy friends sitting behind bars and "surrendered by owner" signs, they have become one of many starkly painful indicators of these trying times. This is no longer just an economic downturn or a debate over whether we're experiencing a recession; the mortgage meltdown is robbing Los Angeles residents of their homes, pride, and most devastating for some, their pets. The city, desperate to curb the influx of animals at its shelters, is urging landlords of "no-pet" properties to be sensitive to tenants' needs at this time. Still, the number of pets being dropped off at local shelters is up a staggering 21 percent. While authorities are striving for "no-kill" facilities, there has been a 28 percent increase in the number of pets euthanized so far this year.
Web producer Sarah Wulfeck and I recently ventured to the East Valley Animal Care Center in Van Nuys to get a first-hand look at the "fur-closure" crisis. Minutes after our arrival, we ran into a father and his two young sons who were dropping off their three dogs. As hard as it was for the boys to relinquish their faithful companions, the pain in their father's eyes was even more telling. Sarah and I stood back at a distance, stunned and speechless. She was quite wise to suggest that we leave our wallets in the car, so we wouldn't be able to purchase a pet. If I had room to take in more animals, Dippy and
Buttons (both rescue cats) would have welcomed home dozens of brothers and sisters that night. We were also saddened to catch up with Bonita, an 11-year-old German Shepard-Chow Chow mix that was turned in last week. We were hoping
Suraya Fadel's emotional
report had led to her adoption, but there she was, now merely #A0966312. Shaking, scared and wet from outdoor sprinklers that keep the many dogs cool in the summer heat, Bonita seemed to be begging for a new home. Sadly, glancing around at the cages housing more than 300 dogs and cats, it's apparent that some of them will never make it out of the shelter.
But just as hospitals experience the highs and lows of birth and death in the same day, there were some visitors looking to start a new life with a pet in need. As some children bid their best friends farewell, others were looking for a companion that could be with them through kindergarten, not to mention first dates, driving and possibly even college. If you have the room, less than $100, and tons of love to give, you can give yourself -- and your family -- memories to last a lifetime. If you are even considering purchasing an over-priced pooch that may have come from a
puppy mill, take a trip to your local shelter. As much as you give to a pet in need, you get back tenfold, especially when you become the best friend your new pal just lost.
If you are interested in adopting Bonita or any of the other animals at the
East Valley Animal Care Center (14409 Vanowen Street, Van Nuys), call 1(888)4LA-PET1. Please let CBS 2/KCAL 9 know if you welcome a new pet into your home:
jmmcbride@cbs.com.
Jenn McBride
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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