![]() "Definitely, they'd come in and decline certain services and, you know, just do the bare minimum.'' Tricia Bolduc, a veterinarian at Franklin's Acorn Animal Hospital. "There are people normally you'd expect to go for preventative care, and they are cutting back on that a little bit,'' said Dr. ![]() Steven Rowell, hospital director of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. "Where in the past they'd say: 'Do anything that it takes,' they are now being more conscious about what will it take and then making those decisions,'' said Dr. "When we first started, people couldn't believe there'd actually be pet food because often times they'd take six or eight cans of tuna and we'd find out they weren't actually eating it themselves - they were feeding the cats because they couldn't afford pet food,'' she said.Īnd some veterinarians have noted more pet owners trying to save money on medical treatments by passing up some options, including diagnostic tests. Linda Pouliot, executive director of the Franklin Food Pantry Inc., said her organization has been struggling to keep up with demand as it serves about 2,200 people, two-thirds of whom have pets. The program will also benefit shelters that help pet owners find homes that allow pets or supply food to disadvantaged homeowners who want to keep their animals. Petco Foundation, the charity arm of Petco Animal Supplies Inc., is establishing a program to provide up to $5,000 in grants to shelters to train, care for or find new homes for pets abandoned during the foreclosure crisis, said director Paul Jolly. A growing number of pet owners are abandoning their pets or surrendering them to shelters after losing their homes or being forced into housing that doesn't allow animals, said Brian Adams, spokesman for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals-Angell Animal Medical Center. The deepening foreclosure crisis also is having an effect. "Nowadays, during the pet food program, I see people who are able-bodied and not able to find a job.'' "In the past, the demographics has been people who are disabled or on disability and senior citizens,'' said executive director Lisa Carter. The facility typically hands out about 5,000 pounds of free pet food a month. In Santa Cruz, Calif., a pet food bank run by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has seen demand spike by about 20 percent just in the past six months. "The line goes all the way down the street'' as pet owners gather once a month for supplies. "We could do it every day if we had enough food, I mean, that's how bad it's gotten,'' Estrada said. ![]() Meanwhile, the number of people seeking service at its discounted veterinary clinic has more than doubled, said Linda Estrada, the group's director and president. The Animal Welfare League in Chicago Ridge, Ill., has seen the average number of pet owners getting monthly rations from its pet food pantry increase by more than 50 percent since last year. ![]() Others are trying to save money by forgoing veterinary care. The rising costs of fuel, food and housing - and the rising tide of foreclosures - have generated a surge in requests for pet food from traditional food pantries and prompted some pet owners to give up their animals.
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