Metro shelters see rise in abandoned animals

[Nagishkaw 510]

Lynn Boehmer wanted a companion for her beloved American quarter horse, Champ. And she got him one for just $500.

Champ seemed pleased last week when Boehmer introduced him to Rosie, a 14-year-old Arabian mix. “He just perked up,” she said. “They were nose to nose.”

Boehmer, who lives on 20 acres with her husband in Addison Township, adopted Rosie after visiting Oakland County Animal Control. The agency rescued more than a dozen horses in early September after their owner had stopped feeding them, authorities said.

The horses are among many animals and pets in Michigan who have been left in the cold after their owners lost jobs and homes.

Many animal facilities report rising numbers of surrendered, abandoned or neglected pets. And the number of people willing to adopt may fall short of the need, leaving orphaned animals homeless.

The Oakland County agency has received more than 1,000 surrendered pets and nearly 100 abandoned animals, mostly dogs and cats, since January. Those numbers outpace adoptions by more than 2-to-1.

Owners who turned in pets once complained they were short on time.

“Now it’s ‘I can’t afford (to keep pets),’” said Joanie Toole, the agency’s administration supervisor.

The problem is especially acute among horses, as Oakland County authorities can attest after seizing 13 underfed horses last month in Rose Township. The horses’ owner has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor animal cruelty, authorities said.

Some of the horses could barely stand. A few walked slowly with protruding rib bones.

“They were starving them to death,” said Sgt. Heidi Hawley, who is overseeing the horses’ care.

Nationally, six of 10 horse rescue facilities report they’re at or near capacity, and they turn away more than one-third of the horses brought to them by distressed owners, according to a 2009 survey commissioned by the Washington-based Unwanted Horse Coalition.

“With the economic downturn, we’re seeing the same problem with horses as dogs and cats,” said Jill Fritz, state director for the Humane Society of the United States.

The average yearly cost to own one horse ranges from $1,500 to $2,600, including food, basic veterinary care and boarding.

Rosie and two other horses have been adopted. A stallion, considered valuable for breeding, was relocated to a farm, but agency officials would not disclose the location. The remaining nine have received medical attention and enjoy regular feedings at a local farm, where they will stay until they’re adopted.

Domesticated pets aren’t the only animals affected by the economic downturn. Shelters also report owners surrendering farm animals.

A farmer in Pigeon recently relinquished three cows to Sasha Farm, an animal sanctuary in Manchester that provides lifetime care for unwanted breeds including dogs, horses, goats and cows. After the farmer bottle-fed the cows, he couldn’t bear to send them to slaughter, but they were too expensive to raise as pets.

The sanctuary shelters nearly 300 animals and has received more calls in the past few months about surrendered and abandoned horses. “People just can’t afford to keep them anymore,” spokeswoman Amanda Hitt said. “It’s a pretty sad situation.”

Many surrendered or abandoned pets end up in shelters, instead of rescue facilities. “Death row” is their fate if they’re not adopted within four to 10 days, said Alexandria Whitney, founder and president of Guardians for Animals, a Troy-based nonprofit that manages a network of 25 animal rescue affiliates.

Overcrowding caused by a population explosion among unneutered animals, especially cats and other “dumped pets” — some living in newly vacant homes — is largely to blame, she said.

Whitney said the group hopes to find foster homes for an estimated 3,700 dogs, cats, rabbits and pocket pets this year. That would be a 60 percent jump in adoptions from 2008. Guardians for Animals arranges adoption events at local pet stores and collects donations from pet suppliers to distribute to its affiliates.

Whitney said more Michigan residents should adopt from rescues and shelters, instead of buying pets, and donate food and money to “no kill” rescue facilities where animals are sheltered by foster parents until permanent homes are found.

“People need to be responsible for the pets they take on,” she said.

There are ways to ease the burden on overcrowded shelters, said Michigan Humane Society spokesman Kevin Hatman.

The animal welfare group took in 35,177 surrendered animals in 2009, a 4 percent jump, but a new program launched last year has helped stem the upward trend. Under “Keeping Families Together,” the Humane Society offers overwhelmed pet owners low-cost veterinary care, including spay or neuter surgery, vaccinations and donated food.

The organization only euthanizes animals that don’t pass temperament and health screenings.

While such programs can ease the expense of caring for a pet, new owners such as Boehmer say prospective owners should carefully consider whether to adopt an animal.

“It’s a long-term commitment,” she said. “I didn’t adopt Rosie because she was cheap.”

http://detnews.com/article/20101008/METRO/10080404/1409/rss36

[trillium13 84]

Whitney said more Michigan residents people should adopt from rescues and shelters, instead of buying pets, and donate food and money to “no kill” rescue facilities where animals are sheltered by foster parents until permanent homes are found.

“People need to be responsible for the pets they take on,” she said.

Fixed.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I make a few donations a year to a local humane society. It's a great organization, all volunteers, and no euthanizing of healthy animals.

[Heracles 417]

I make a few donations a year to a local humane society. It's a great organization, all volunteers, and no euthanizing of healthy animals.

Mods, somebody has taken over Spook's account.

[trillium13 84]

I make a few donations a year to a local humane society. It's a great organization, all volunteers, and no euthanizing of healthy animals.

Kittehs (and doggies) say thank you!

[Nagishkaw 510]

[trillium13 84]

That dog is adorable!

[TyandAllie 17]

How odd that I should find this story here as I'm currently trying to help locate one of these horses for someone, found this in a google search.

Didn't expect to find it on VJ

[Nagishkaw 510]

I'm looking for a horse. PM me with details on what you have.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

How odd that I should find this story here as I'm currently trying to help locate one of these horses for someone, found this in a google search.

Didn't expect to find it on VJ

I wish you well in this endeavour. Lots of helpful people here on VJ and most of us love animals.

[TyandAllie 17]

I wish you well in this endeavour. Lots of helpful people here on VJ and most of us love animals.

Warning long, but a nice, happy ending

Now the search is complete I feel comfortable sharing the details. Earlier in the day of my post here a friend posted a link to a CL ad on FB, a lady desperately looking for her 'lost' horse.

She had owned and loved the horse for 9 years, then her husband was posted to Hawaii (Marines) and she had to find a new home for her. She found a family that seemed wonderful, promised a great home, wanted the horse for their daughter.

Later she found out about this seizure and neglect case....it was the people she had placed her horse with. Needless to say she was frantic to know her mare was ok and to try to get her back if possible (she had set up a care situation with a relative in advance), so she posted the CL ad, which my friend saw and posted to FB.

I emailed the lady who placed the ad and told her I would do anything I could to help her find her horse, I am in the horse industry and have a lot of horsey contacts in the area.

I had her create a "FIND ROSIE" FB page for me to pass around (yes, the horse we were looking for was 'Rosie' from the OP's story). Out of that came a link to the article in the OP, from that we could track down her current owner. I called her, explained what was going on and had her call T in Hawaii, which she did, immediately.

The up-shot is that the lady who has Rosie now loves her dearly and provides a wonderful home for her, so much so that T didn't ask for her back, she is relieved beyond measure.

From the CL ad to locating Rosie took less than 9 hours, thanks to facebook