Sign of the Times – The Foreclosure Dog

This is a sad sign of the tough foreclosure market across the country, the Foreclosure Dog. There has been a large upturn in the  amount  of dogs that are being turned into animal shelters across the country as people are forced to give up their homes and the ability to care for their pets.

Both dogs we have had over the years are pure bred mutts. They did not come from a pound but instead from friends who do animal rescue. I am a dog lover and think that having to make the brutal decision to get rid of the family dog because of economic problems must be an absolutely miserable experience.

If you are in a position to adopt a dog their are many in the local animal shelters. And some may be foreclosure dogs.

Last week, the Franklin shelter recorded its own record number — 360 dogs in a building meant to hold 250. About half were surrendered because of their owners’ economic problems.
In December 2005, when foreclosures were lower in the county, only 12 owners surrendered their dogs. Last December, 209 were turned in, 28 of which came during the four days before Christmas.
Franklin County Commissioner Mary Jo Kilroy said foreclosure dogs tell the bigger story. “That’s an incredible marker when you’re giving up a member of your family,” she said. via The News Journal