By Emma Bouthillette 

Staff Writer

“I need a new home because my owner could no longer afford me,” Tazia’s pink information card on her kennel reads.

The 8-year-old red-nosed pit bull arrived at the Animal Welfare Society in West Kennebunk nearly two months ago. She is house-trained, behaves on a leash, listens to some commands, is good with cats, other dogs and children and is characterized as “fun and loving,” according to the card.

“When you read her write-up, you think ‘How could someone give this dog up?’” Animal Welfare Society Program Coordinator Gail Crowell said.

Crowell said the shelter has seen pet surrenders due to financial burdens become more common as owners struggle to pay for pet food, toys and veterinary care.

Reasons for surrender such as “could no longer afford,” “surrendered to the animal control officer” or a change in living situation with new landlords that do not allow pets, have increased by 25 percent compared to last year, Crowell said.

“I have my own theories,” Crowell said. “Because of the economic times perhaps it’s easier to say they cannot afford their pet, rather than saying ‘Oh well, I developed allergies.’ The housing aspect is pertinent because having to move maybe means people have gone from owning to renting. It’s hard for people to admit [they cannot afford their pet], but it might be easier now.”

As the economy continued to slide last summer and into the fall, Michele LaVerdiere of Kennebunk found herself behind a woman at a grocery store who was buying one can of cat food with the last dollar in her wallet. Fueled by her passion for pets and seeing a need in the community, she set up various sites in Kennebunk to collect donations of pet supplies and teamed up with the York County Shelter in Alfred to disburse the supplies to pet owners in need, she said. 

“The shelter is giving out 50 to 70 boxes of human food daily. Many of those people have pets,” LaVerdiere said. The shelter often runs out of pet food as it struggles to keep up with the demand as the only one of its kind in York County, she added .

“People are so grateful for the contributions. Some people were feeding their pets oatmeal or going without food to feed them. We can’t keep up with the demand, but we’re keeping animals in their homes and out of the shelters,” she said. 

When people call the Animal Welfare Society and are concerned about purchasing pet food, Crowell said volunteers refer pet owners to the pantry and also have offered resources from the shelter’s supply. Two volunteers delivered two big bags of food after she received a phone call from a Biddeford resident without transportation.

Crowell later received a comment card from the owner that read, “Like so many other pet owners, the economy has made it difficult to make ends meet. So I asked one of your associates if there might be a little extra food to get us through the month of May? Imagine my surprise a few days later when I discovered a huge bag of Purina Special Formula Dog Chow along with three chew toys! This was above and beyond what I expected.”

“When I read that, I thought, ‘Oh, we did a good thing,’” Crowell said. When people call AWS it can offer resources, Crowell added, but once the owners are at the shelter they have most likely made their final decision. 

Tazia, waiting for a new home, isn’t the only surrendered pet at the shelter. Walking down the corridor of kennels, Crowell points out “cannot afford,” “surrendered to the animal control officer” and “owners moved” on multiple cards. In the five rooms of cats, many are there for similar reasons. A 7-year-old tortoise shell longhaired cat named Mysty sits in her own crate waiting for a new home because her former owners lost theirs. 

“People trust us to find their pets a good home,” Crowell said. “It’s such a hard decision in the first place.”

A dog recently adopted from the shelter was found tied to a fence outside where the owners had brought it for obedience classes, Crowell said. When the business tried calling the number their clients had listed, she said the line had been disconnected. 

“It’s just the saddest thing,” Crowell said. “I want to foster some of the pets, maybe for three months to give owners time to get back on their feet, but then I would just be starting my own kennel.”

Some people are turning to other resources to find their pets a home, including listings on Craigslist. A post listed in Waterboro on April 22 said, “Hi my name is Daisy I’m a chocolate lab and looking for a loving home. My family is going through some hard times right now and can’t keep me so please take me home and give me a loving home with lots of care. If you would like to see how beautiful I am please contact my owner and she will send you some pictures of me. Thank you hope to hear from you soon so we can get to know each other soon.”

“Pets are a vital part of the family unit. Having to give them up due to financial situations is a very difficult decision,” Sanford Animal Control Officer Lauren Masellas said. “It is hard for people to reach out for help, but don’t be afraid to call.”

While stray cats have always been a problem in Sanford, Masellas said, more dogs are being found but not being claimed. She said claim rates on stray dogs were nearly 90 percent, but have dropped significantly in the past year.

“Seeing far more ‘stray dogs,’ but quite honestly they’re abandoned. The dogs are less healthy and it looks like they’ve been on their own longer,” Masellas said. 

Masellas said residents still view animal control officers as  “dog catcher,” but some are beginning to view her as a resource who can connect citizens to other resource. She said when she receives phone calls from residents with concerns about providing for their pet she also refers them to the pet food pantry at the York County Shelter.

“There are limited resources and services that take time to access,” Masellas said. “The most important part is to recognize you’re getting into a situation.”

While food is one thing people are struggling to afford, Masellas said people also are struggling with preventative veterinary care. She said local veterinarian Dr. Joel Hokkanen has various wellness clinics throughout York and Cumberland counties with low-cost vaccinations for preventative care. 

Maine State Director for Humane Society of the United States Katie Lisnik said while there are resources for pet food and vaccinations, it is the larger veterinary procedures or anything requiring more regular care that is lacking in assistance. 

“When money is tight already, its just one more thing,” Lisnk said.

“There’s a different population going to food banks today. They’re from all socioeconomic levels. I will go on as long as I can, but I don’t see the need going away. There’s no beginning or end to hunger. It’s constant.”

Staff writer Emma Bouthillette can be reached at 282-4337 ext. 237.

Animal Control Officer

Can be reached by calling local police departments.

Wellness Clinics

9 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 16 at the Kennel Shop in Sanford

3 to 6 p.m. Saturday, May 16 at the Kennel Shop in Saco

FMI, visit www.drhokkanen.com.

York County Shelter

Shaker Hill Road in Alfred

Tuesdays Michele LaVerdiere drops off pet food 

FMI, call Mary Doyle at 324-1137

Kennebunk Pet Food Donation Sites

Studio 41

We Care Cleaners

Café at Layfayette

Anchor Fence

Saint David’s Budget Box

Nature’s Gifts

Cherries

Reigning Cats & Dogs

Animal Welfare Society

Holland Road in West Kennebunk

FMI, call 985-3244.