Foreclosure Help Blog

How Will Foreclosure Effect Your Pets?

In the past, many families chose to give up, or abandon their pets due to financial reasons, but today, more than ever, pets are feeling the burden of foreclosure and homelessness. Cats, dogs, birds, and many other animals are becoming victims of foreclosure and being kidnapped from their home and losing their families! When an eviction happens, many times, the homeowners are at work, or not at home. The sheriff and eviction crew will break into the home and proceed to move all the contents of the home into the streets. When pets are home, animal control is called to take the pets and place them in a shelter. In some cases, the homeowners have abandoned the home and the pets are found dead or nearly dead from starvation and neglect! Animal shelters see similar problems when a natural disaster occurs. Pets are abandoned, but many are reclaimed once the disaster of over and the recovery process starts. In a foreclosure situation, the pet owners would have a very hard time recovering with the burden and expense of a pet. With limited space and more animals, shelters are forced to make life and death decisions with the innocent lives of “foreclosure pets”.

If you are facing foreclosure, what will happen to your pet? Most apartment buildings don’t allow pets, or if they do, the added monthly expenses could make the home unaffordable. Additionally, higher deposits for pets are almost always required. Moving into an apartment or rental home after foreclosure is hard enough without a pet, so many people are choosing to take their pet to the animal shelter, or even abandoning them. When homeowners can’t afford to pay their mortgages, how can they expect to buy food, or provide proper medical care for a pet?

Leaving a pet behind when you move out should never be considered an option. There are animal shelters nationwide that will accept and care for your pet when you are no longer able. You may also find a foster home for your pet, where you can re-claim your pet once you are financially stable. By leaving your pet behind, you not only risk your pets life, but you may be charged with animal cruelty and fined up to $1,000!

Fortunately, there are many loving families who are looking for a new pet, so if you are no longer able to care for yours, then you should first try to find a good home for your pet. To do this on your own, you should try to hang flyers on the local bulletin boards or you can use free advertising online or in your local newspaper. If you are not able to find a home for your pet on your own, you can go to the local animal shelter and they can help you find a home, or they will take the pet from you, if you can no longer keep the pet at home.

Of course, with the right help, you should be able to keep your home and your pet, but many families find themselves in a situation where it’s too late and keeping their home is no longer an option. If you are facing foreclosure, seek help immediately, for both your own well being and your pets!