The Worse the Economy, the More Stray Dogs and Cats

It is easy to tell the state of the economy in America by stepping out the door of my home on the ranch in central New Mexico. Stray cats and dogs appear from nowhere and many make the ranch their new home when the economy is down. Sadly, it is our pets that are the first casualties of the poor economy.

Not all strays are abandoned:

Local shelters and animal control units are usually on a tight budget. Animals that are dropped off may be euthanized if a new home is not found for the pet dog or cat. Some people think the pet will have a better chance of survival if it is turned loose in the wild. Those people are very ill-informed. Domestic pets will be hunted by wild animals, face harsh conditions such as freezing temperatures, no water and are very ill equipped to feed themselves. A pet dog or cat may also wander off from their home and get lost. For stray pets that have microchips or collars, they may be found and returned to their homes.

Helping a Stray Dog:

When Zeke appeared during the middle of an icy February night, he was nearly deaf and blind. Age had taken its toll on him, yet there was something about the huge dog that followed me about my chores that I could not ignore. It was easy to tell he had been someone's beloved pet, but his physical condition said he had been lost or abandoned for quite a while. He still had on a collar but no tags. The regular avenues of checking neighborhood bulletin boards, and talking to the local vet, animal control and friends to see if anyone was missing a German Shepherd all turned up empty. There were no dogs at the ranch when he showed up as a stray, so he was adopted into the family. Other options were turn him into a local shelter or to try to find a new home for him. If you do decide to adopt a stray dog, be sure to take him to a vet for a check-up. The veterinarian can tell you the stray dog's age, breed, and any medical issues you may need to take care of before you introduce him to any other pets you may have.

Helping a Stray Cat:

Stray cats have always turned up at the ranch. The strays are usually tom cats who are checking out the neighborhood. Tom cats will usually stay a week or two and then return to their homes. One thing you can do to keep you male cat from becoming a stray is to have him neutered. This usually curtails a male cat's need to go tom catting around. The female cats that show up at the ranch are usually abandoned and will stay. Many times, the females are pregnant and it is not unusual to find a new cat at the food bowl who is about to drop a litter of kittens, especially if the economy is down. The bad thing is, these cats are usually shy and will disappear from sight as soon as you catch a glimpse of them. The best thing you can do for your cats is to have them spayed and neutered. If you do catch a glimpse of a stray cat that you want to help, the best thing you can do is set out dry cat food and be sure there is fresh water available.

The poor economy has caused our stray pet population to flourish. There is the German Shepherd that now calls the ranch home. Two tom cats are there for a visit, sans collars or friendliness and a long haired female looks like she will be dropping her kittens soon. Unfortunately, as wild as she is, I will not be able to help her and she will be on her own to have her kittens. With a lot of luck, I will be able to help her family to find homes, if they survive long enough and I can catch them.

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