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Slow economy means more animals to shelter
Published November 3, 2009
ANGLETON — More than 150 additional stray pets were picked up in Angleton in the first nine months of 2009 than in all of 2008, and animal control agencies say health problems in animals have increased since the economy began slowing last year.
The Brazoria County Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Lake Jackson has seen strays increase from 727 animals from October 2007 to September 2008 to 802 animals in the same time frame from 2008-09, interim director Cheryl Barnard said. Numbers were higher in 2006-07 at 839 animals, largely due to a high number of cats that June.
The increase is likely due to the economy, Barnard said.
“Our numbers for abandonment have gone up,” she said. “People aren’t able to pay for medications and food.”
Twenty to 30 percent of animals taken in are euthanized, she said.
In all of 2008 in Angleton, 464 dogs and cats were collected, Animal Control Supervisor Yasmin Choate said. From January to September, the city has taken in 648 of the animals. The numbers have grown steadily over the last six months, Choate said.
People who have trouble feeding household pets could qualify for the Brazoria County SPCA’s “Ani-Meals” program, Barnard said. Low-income pet-owners who qualify receive food for their animals, she said. There is no money involved, but the program helps keep pets nourished, Barnard said.
Call the SPCA at 979-285-2340 for information.
“We’re seeing a lot more surrenders and people who can’t care for their animals,” Choate said. “Over the last two weeks, we’ve had five dogs abandoned. In the last two months, we’ve had 18 puppies found at the high school. People tried to give them away, but when they couldn’t, they were dumped.”
The SPCA also will help people find homes for pets they no longer can afford, she said.
“We might be able to help out of they’ll let us know they’re having problems,” Barnard said. “And we may be able to help people place their pets if they’re not able to care for them. We’re always here to help if people come into hard times.”
Spaying and neutering pets is the best way to cut down on the number of animals put to death, professionals agree.
Brazoria County Animal Control has been busy this year, taking in 859 animals from January 1 through the end of July, Livestock Control Deputy Herb Boykin said. That’s about on track with last year’s total of 1,420 animals, he said.
Most strays are cats and dogs, but there are also chickens, guinea pigs, skunks and a variety of other small animals. Many of the strays are very young, or pregnant and abandoned, Boykin said.
The county also has seen an increase in calls about underfed livestock, he said.
“We’re getting more calls for cruelty than anything else,” he said. “They’re not feeding them as well or as much. As their weight goes down, people notice, especially when horses or cows are kept by a road or near a house.”
When an animal is being mistreated, deputies do what they can to rectify the situation, Boykin said.
“Most of the time with malnutrition, it’s somebody who got a horse and didn’t know how to take care of it,” he said. “We contact the owner and try to get them to take care of it. Most of the time, people cooperate. When they don’t, we generally take them to the SPCA or find a rescue group.”
The county has received about 300 calls in the past year from people who believe animals are being kept in substandard conditions. Most of those claims prove to be unfounded, he said.
“Somebody has seen a horse standing knee-deep in mud, or laying down in a field,” Boykin said. “Or there are cows or horses neck-deep in a pond. We go out and hit the air horn and the horse gets up, or the animals are just cooling off. Some calls are legitimate, but most are not.”
Of last year’s 1,420 animals brought to the county, 669 were euthanized and 585 sent to various animal rescues around the state and country. So far this year, 318 have been euthanized and 467 sent to animal rescues.
Rough economy or not, that’s a positive sign, Boykin said.
“We’re just about on the same track as last year, but we’re getting more into rescues than we were,” he said. “Our kill rate is going down and that’s good.”
John Lowman covers Brazoria County for The Facts. Contact him at 979-849-8581.
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Abandoned pets
The number of abandoned pets by area in 2008 and the first nine months of 2009.
Angleton
2008: 464; 2009: 648
Lake Jackson
2008: 727; 2009: 802
County
2008: 1,420; 2009: 859
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GET HELP
• Low-income pet-owners may qualify to receive food for their animals. Call the SPCA at 979-285-2340 for information.
• To find an animal rescue, call Brazoria County Animal Control at 979-864-2366.
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