In search of ponies: Programs help pets stay in homes

It's hard to say when exactly it became a money thing.

At one time, welcoming an animal into the family was as simple as sharing table scraps, extending the existing resources and making room for one more.

But as time went on and society became more commercialized, so keeping pets and products emerged to make their care more convenient.

The machine has never slowed; rather it has gained speed and branched in a multitude of directions, with far more than just the basics being available for pet owners.

Beyond food and health supplies, gadgets and gizmos abound — toys, bedding, clothing, electronics — you name it they make it, and in the process, it became frowned upon to share the family meal with the pet.

In 2013, Americans will spend an estimated $55 billion on their pets, an expected growth of $2 billion from 2012, according to data from the American Pet Products Association.

Of that, more than half goes to food and medical treatment, with the remainder spent on supplies, live animals and pet related services.

The investment is one pet owners accept and some embrace with vigor, loving and sometimes even lavishing their animals.

Yet unfortunately, sometimes the bottom falls out.

Almost 12 million Americans were unemployed as of March, according to the U.S. Labor Department, but the true picture of hard times shows in a further 10 million who are classified as "underemployed," meaning they are working part-time because they can't find full-time employment.

And 18 percent of workers fear they may lose their jobs in the next year, and say they couldn't survive more than four months without employment, a recent Gallup poll reported.

It is said the recession is over and people are recovering, yet basic living is still very hard for many and even a simple trip to the store can ripple through a tight budget.

These are people who very likely have pets, pets they welcomed into their homes when circumstances were better and pets they had every intention of providing homes for the course of their lives.

When referred to as "Pet Food Stamp" programs, it isn't surprising that people get opinionated because it gives the impression that tax payer dollars are involved.

An unfortunate misunderstanding, these programs are funded by donations and geared to help families keep their pets during tough times — founded on the concept of individuals and communities stepping up to help those among them who are struggling to make ends meet.

Jobs are lost, income reductions happen, costs rise and health conditions surface that weren't on the horizon when the fuzzy bundle of joy was welcomed into family.

It doesn't mean the pets are loved any less, but those things can easily lead to a tearful trip to the local shelter, especially when it may be another six months before a good job surfaces or pay raise comes.

And then it most certainly does become tax payer funded.

Enormous effort is spent trying to place pets in good homes, but when an animal has a home, it is a lot easier — and ultimately less expensive for everyone — to help them stay in it.

Sharna Johnson is a writer who is always searching for ponies. You can reach her at: [email protected] or on the web at: http://www.insearchofponies.blogspot.com