If the grotesque images of oil-soaked wildlife weren’t depressing enough, now the economic impact of the BP oil spill is landing large numbers of pets on welfare death row. Full article in the New York Times.
Pet ownership is a luxury that our finances cannot always sustain, especially in an age when global environmental and economic calamities can reverberate through small and distant communities. How would Australia’s population of 5.5 million cats and dogs withstand a severe economic downturn?
Tags: animal shelter, animal welfare, BP, cat, dog, euthanasia, oil spill, vet, veterinary, welfare
Visit any third world country and you will witness the suffering of domestic pets along with the human population. When it comes to feeding and providing for immediate family or pets it is not hard to work out that pets come off second best. The BP oil disaster will have reverberations around the world affecting the health of the planet, which in turn effects people, health, jobs and the future well being of all living things. Owning a pet is a financial burden and the decision to acquire one should never be taken lightly. In times of economic instability pets will ultimately suffer as can be attested by the rising rate of pet surrender.
A severe economic downturn would be a tragedy for these creatures. As I work in an animal shelter (pets for life) on the North Coast NSW,it seems to take alot less than a tragedy for people to surrender or dump their cats/kittens on our doorstep. Shelters are already full all year round and thousands of loving pets are euthanased, this is without an economic tragedy.
I’d hope, no matter how bad a downturn, we wouldnt end up with the tragedy we see in the developing word here in Australia. But you’re right Lesa, welfare agencies are already snowed under with 10′s of thousands euthanased every year. In a way, developed nations sanitise the situation: those chronically homeless are often euthansed, while the equivalent animal in other cultures may be let roam the streets and fend for itself.
While there’s no doubt economic prosperity has lifted the quality of lives of many animals, the benefits are grossly inequitable. For animals, depending on their location and species at birth, some are lucky and enjoy long, healthy and carefree lives, we all envy, while others die miserably of starvation or are ‘harvested’ for human consumption.
It’s a tragedy that animals, both the domesticated and those living wild in dwindling habitat, are so profoundly impacted by man’s economic system to which they are oblivious. As the economic souffle continues to rise, its timely to consider how we may cope if it fails us.