A recent survey found 59-percent of adults are just getting by each pay period and research from the Federal Reserve found that 4 in 10 Americans couldn’t afford a $400 emergency. Any unexpected expenses in these conditions could signal financial disaster while also jeopardizing the care for companion animals. 

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, ASPCA, found that forty percent of low-income pet owners surrendering an animal to a shelter said they would have kept their pet if they’d had access to affordable veterinary care. Thirty percent said the same if they received free or low-cost pet food while 33-percent would have kept their pets had they had access to pet friendly housing.  

ASPCA also learned the primary reason for surrendering companion animals is the “lack of access to affordable options for pet care and retention” and suggests there is an immediate need for programs that reach pet owners both at the time of surrendering animals, but also ideally before that time.