Pets – A Big Casualty in the Rising Foreclosure Situation
As homeowners lose their homes – even bigger losers can be the family pets. It is difficult if not impossible to find rentals that will take animals, and local rescue groups lack the resources to handle the increased number of pets needing homes.
Sadly, some homeowners have had no choice but to take their pets to kill shelters, or to leave them with their former homes. One pitbull was found dead, tethered to a fence in a Pittsburg neighborhood.
The burgeoning problem of pets left behind has led Contra Costa County real estate agent Cecily Tippery to start another job – rescuing forsaken animals. An especially wrenching law is that pets are considered personal property, and cannot be removed until 18 days after a foreclosure sale. The banks encourage the agents not to feed the animals, but how could you ignore a starving, thirsty, loving pet?
Agents across the country are rallying to help these animals, and to establish no-kill shelters in their neighborhoods.
With foreclosures continuing to rise, it is sad but true that even more animals will be lost in the crossfire.
