by Cynthia Wall

Created on: July 16, 2009   Last Updated: July 18, 2009

Providing for your pet goes way beyond falling in love with a cute face. The best protection against having to surrender a pet is to make sure you have the means to support any animal you buy or adopt. Even if your job seems secure at the time, make sure you have an emergency fund that will cover you and your animal friends in case of job loss. Sounds like good advice, but unfortunately, many people who already own pets have been blindsided by our economic downturn. Here are some alternatives that will help to keep or give your pet the forever home it deserves.

Keeping Your Pet is of course the most desirable solution. The two main costs to pet ownership are food and veterinary care. Your local animal shelter or animal rescue league may be able to help you with food from their inventory of donated items. With the loss of a job comes humility and this may be the time to ask friends and family with help in feeding your pet or in getting it needed veterinary care. Be up front with your vet about your situation so that the lowest cost treatment can be chosen. If you're unemployed and have free time, perhaps you can trade work with a veterinarian or animal shelter or pet store in exchange for food or services.

Re-homing your pet may break your heart but if you can guarantee that the animal is going to a loving home, the sorrow will be less. There are several avenues to pursue.

1. Breed Rescue groups will often take a purebred (or mostly purebred) animal and use their network of nationwide contacts to find it a new home. All of the work of checking out the references of the new owners will be done by them so you don't have to worry.

2. Return to breeder. Many purebred animal sales come with a lifelong return guarantee. Responsible breeders do not want to see their animals wind up in a neglectful situation.

3. Return to shelter. Many animal shelters make you sign an agreement that if you are unable to care for the adopted animal that you will return it. Before you choose this option though, you need to speak with a pet adoption counselor at the shelter. The possibility that your pet will be re-adopted will depend upon how crowded they are; the age and health of your pet; its sociability; and whether or not it is a breed in demand. The counselor will be upfront with you about the odds and you may very well decide to try to keep the pet yourself before choosing this alternative.

4. Contact everyone. Make colorful flyers of your pet and post them in local

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>