FEEDING FIDO: Pets Move to Shelters as Families Tighten Budgets

By Sheila Helmberger

As families work harder than ever to make ends meet and keep food on the table, many northland pets are paying the price, too.

Michelle Villeneuve, co- manager, Star of the North Humane Society in Grand Rapids, Kit Belcher, executive director of the Beltrami Humane Society in Bemidji, and Janet Larson, office manager at Heartland Animal Rescue Team (HART) in Brainerd say their facilities have seen definite increases in animals brought in during the past few months. As families struggle to keep balanced meals on the table, taking care of their pets has become overwhelming for some. Food and veterinary care can add financial burdens that a number of pet owners, unfortunately, are unable to meet.

The decision to give up a family pet is not an easy one.

“It’s very tragic,” said Belcher of the Bemidji facility, “Animals are like their kids to most animal lovers.”

“We’re finding some people have had to make a decision between feeding their animals and taking care of themselves and paying their bills,” said Villeneuve of Star of the North. “We don’t pry,” she said, “but sometimes people are very honest about their situations.”

Fundraisers and donations are responsible for a great portion of the operating expenses at the facilities. So far, Larson said they’ve been able to keep up with the expenses. An arrangement that allows shelters to transfer animals from one to anther as need arises and space allows helps when one becomes too full. And some days are lucky ones, “Yesterday we had five adoptions in one day,” Larson said, adding, “Donations are always, always appreciated."

Belcher said unfortunately there has been a great increase in animals that are just abandoned, too. The problem has become a big one in all three communities.

Villeneuve urged pet owners to not just abandon pets if they’re unable to feed them. “Try friends or family, advertising, contact us and get on a waiting list. People think if you drop off an animal they’ll find food and that’s not always the case.”

Cold temperatures in Minnesota winters make abandonment dangerous. Belcher said they have seen litters of kittens brought into the shelter that have frozen to one another. “We have had community members abandon animals at our doorstep, which is illegal. We’ll prosecute those if we need to. We get them just left on the door step. A couple of weeks ago someone left five puppies in a box. We’ve had cats in boxes and dogs tied to trees. Some people have no alternative. Family is unable to help and they can’t find anyone to take them in. We can help them find homes, but the public can find homes on their own sometimes with a little bit of effort, too.”

“If there is an urgent emergency need,” said Belcher, “We’ll work with pet owners. “I just want to see the animals taken care of and by responsible people,” she said.

Villeneuve said they have been fortunate and able to adopt out a lot of their animals. Larson said HART in Brainerd has seen a pick-up in adoptions also, 36 in the first 15 days of February, but Belcher said the numbers of people willing to adopt pets has dropped at their facility. Larson said the situations at each shelter change day to day. They never know how many animals may come in and how many may leave.

Finding help for pet owners to keep and feed their own animals may get easier if Villeneuve has her way.

“We’d rather have the pets stay in their homes and have the owner be able to keep them,” she said, explaining a partnership she hopes to form with the food shelf, “We get a lot of donations and we certainly need them, but other people need to feed their animals, too. We’re working on a way for people to get pet food from the food shelf or from here at the shelter to keep them together.”

With spring right around the corner, this may be the perfect time to adopt a family pet if you’ve been thinking about it and can afford a new, four-legged family member. Contact any of the facilities to visit the residents who are patiently waiting for a good, loving home. If you are unable to adopt, a monetary donation is much appreciated as is any time donated to helping out at the shelters.

In Brainerd: Heartland Animal Rescue Team, (218) 829-4141

In Bemidji: Beltrami Humane Society, (218) 751-7910

In Grand Rapids: Star of the North Humane Society, (218) 245-3732