What are people thinking?

I recently read an article in the Chicago Tribune about how foreclosures are leading to a rise in abandoned animals. The animals are either left to fend for themselves in abandoned houses, along the side of the road, or dropped off at shelters (the lucky ones). On a visceral level, one could say that anyone who has to give up an animal simply because they can't make their mortgage payment evidently can't afford an animal and shouldn't have one in the first place. But, the chain of events that might lead up to a foreclosure are not that simple, so people shouldn't be instantly condemned for making the decision to give up their pet.

What they should be roundly condemned for is abandoning their pet and leaving it in danger, possibly to starve or freeze to death, or get injured or killed. There are alternatives. It doesn't cost anything to drop an animal off at a shelter, even though that isn't a guarantee of a happily ever after ending. Also, it may be possible to find a temporary home for the animal (maybe even a neighbor who knows your animal) until you get back on your feet or find a new place to live that takes animals. Many shelters and rescue groups have foster care programs which provide a better living environment than a cage at a shelter.

Under the law in most states, pets are treated like personal property. Obviously, this isn't the case with Phoebe and Jake. It really makes me sad when animals through no fault of their own suffer because humans make bad decisions.