Frankie The Law Dog

The Housing Foreclosure Crisis is Leaving Many Pets Homeless

Hard Times for Pet Owners Can Mean Hard Times for Pets

Although some experts say the American economy is slowly showing signs of improvement, there are still many people out of work or otherwise facing financial hardship.  And in many instances, family pets are suffering the consequences.

Since the economic meltdown began in early to mid 2008, animal shelters around the country have seen a surge in people having to give up their pets because they have to move.  Sadly, there has been a corresponding drop in adoptions because people cannot afford to take on the financial responsibility of pet adoption.

Some shelters have been forced to turn abandoned or unwanted animals away because they simply lack the facilities or funding to care for them.  This situation leads to more pet abandonment and euthanasia.

How to Help Overburdened Animal Shelters

If you can’t adopt or foster a shelter animal, there are still ways to help.  Several reputable charities work to assist animal shelters in various ways to provide housing and medical care for so-called foreclosure pets.   The following organizations utilize over 80% of their revenue for program activities:

• American Humane Association.  This group is offering Foreclosure Pets Grants which go directly to shelters so they can help pet owners in need and provide housing and medical care for displaced animals, so the shelters never have to turn an animal away.
• PetSmart Charities Rescue Waggin’ Program.  The Rescue Waggin’ partners with local animal welfare agencies to help save the lives of homeless dogs and puppies.  Since the program began in 2004, it has helped save more than 30,000 dogs.
• Petfinder.com Foundation.  This organization “works with shelters, rescue organizations and animal welfare organizations across the country to ensure that no adoptable pet is euthanized for lack of a good home.”

Study of Dog Flu Will Focus on Helping Animal Shelters Limit Transmission of the Illness

The ASPCA has announced what it is calling a “groundbreaking study” of the canine influenza virus, an extremely contagious respiratory illness and one of the viral causes of so-called “kennel cough.”

Canine Influenza is a Newly Emerging Disease

Dog Flu is Easily Transmitted Among Dogs in Close Quarters

Dog flu, known as the H3N8 virus, originated in horses and migrated to dogs.  According to the ASPCA,  it has been spreading across the United States since about 2004.  The virus is easily transmitted between dogs in close contact with one another, and dogs housed in shelters are especially vulnerable.

Dr. Scott Weese of Ontario Veterinary College’s Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses notes that there is currently only a conditionally licensed vaccine available for canine influenza.  Further, there is no reliable test available to veterinarians for diagnosing the disease.

Goals of the ASPCA Canine Influenza Study

The ASPCA’s three-year study of dog flu will seek to accomplish the following goals:

• Examine the spread of canine flu among shelter dogs.
• Determine whether dogs can be tested for canine influenza prior to entering the main shelter population.
• Analyze how the virus changes or mutates over time.

The ultimate goal of the study is to aid in the development, improvement and use of vaccines to prevent the disease.

How is Canine Influenza Spread?

The disease is a highly contagious respiratory virus that is spread via respiratory secretions.  This means that it is usually transmitted in droplets created by coughing and sneezing.  According to the ASPCA, because this is a newly emerging disease, there is no natural or vaccine-induced immunity.  Thus, although dogs housed in close quarters with a lot of other dogs are the most vulnerable, all dogs are susceptible.

The study is funded by the Morris Animal Foundation and will be conducted by Dr. Miranda Spindel, ASPCA Director of Veterinary Outreach, and Dr. Gabriele Landolt of Colorado State University’s Department of Clinical Sciences.

Pets Can Come Down With H1N1 Swine Flu

A cat in Iowa recently made headlines when it contracted swine flu.  The news also made pet owners, already apprehensive of contracting H1N1 themselves, fear that their pets may run a high risk of getting sick.  Worse, pet owners worry that they could spread the flu to their beloved pets.  It seems that two of the three people in the cat’s home had shown flu-like symptoms before the cat became ill.

The good news is that the Iowa cat that got sick with the H1N1 swine flu has recovered.  The bad news is that two ferrets that contracted the same ailment have died.

What Are the Chances My Pet Will Get Swine Flu?

Can My Pet Get H1N1 Swine Flu?

Fortunately, Canadian veterinarians say that the risk of one’s pet getting sick from swine flu is fairly low.  Dr. Scott Weese of Ontario Veterinary College’s Centre for Public Health and Zoonoses states, “Considering the large number of infected people and the presumably large number of exposed pets, the risk of transmission to pets appears to be extremely low.”   As CTV reports:

The main reason is that animals and pets have different respiratory systems. To get a little more technical about it, they have different receptors on their cells, and flu viruses that have adapted to spreading well between humans just don’t seem to infect the cells of other species very well.

And interestingly, there have been no reports of swine flu in dogs, rabbits or rodents.  The one pet species that appears to be most at risk of contracting H1N1 is the ferret, which has cell receptors similar to those of humans.  But as Dr. Weese notes, a low risk of infection does not mean no risk.  So animal owners should take the same basic precautions to prevent spreading infection to their pets as they do (or should do) with respect to other people, including:

• Frequent hand washing.
• Frequent use of alcohol-based sanitizers.
• Avoiding contact with one’s pets if one is sick or coughing.
• Seeking veterinary care if the pet gets sick.

“Dog Flu” is a Bigger Threat to Dogs Than Swine Flu

A bigger threat to dogs than the swine flu is the so-called “dog flu,” or canine influenza, that first appeared in horses and migrated to dogs.  Known as H3N8, the canine flu can sicken dogs but does not seem to infect humans.  According to Dr. Weese, most cases of canine flu are mild; however, as with flu in humans, canine influenza can cause serious or even fatal infections.  It seems to occur most often with increased exposure to other dogs, as in kennels, shelters and greyhound racetracks.

Some of the symptoms of canine influenza may include:

• Cough
• Fever
• Decreased appetite
• Decreased activity levels
• In severe cases, pneumonia

If any of these symptoms appear, one should seek veterinary care for the dog as soon as possible.

Vaccine for Canine Flu is Available

There is a vaccine available for canine influenza that can reduce the incidence and severity of the disease.  However, similar to the flu vaccines available to humans, it offers no guarantee the dog will not contract the ailment.  Furthermore, unless the dog is subject to a high-risk environment, such as a kennel, shelter or dog racetrack, a vaccination may not be necessary.  Whether or not to vaccinate one’s dog against the canine flu is a decision that should be made after consulting one’s veterinarian.

Will Dog Owners Soon be Able to Deduct Pet Care Expenses?

U.S. Representative Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) has introduced the Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (“HAPPY”) Act – H.R. 3501.  If passed, the HAPPY Act would amend the IRS Code to allow a deduction for pet care expenses.

HAPPY Act Would Give Pet Owners a Tax Deduction for Certain Expenses

The HAPPY Act, H.R. 3501, Would Help Families by Allowing a Tax Deduction for Pet Care Expenses

H.R. 3501, if passed, would give an individual taxpayer an allowable deduction for the amount of the taxpayer’s “qualified pet care expenses” for any “qualified pet.”  Qualified pet care expenses would include “amounts paid in connection with providing care” for the pet, including veterinary care.  Expenses associated with acquiring the pet would not be deductible, however.

The maximum allowable deduction under the proposed legislation would be $3,500.

A “qualified pet” is defined in the bill as any “legally owned, domesticated, live animal.”  Animals used for research or in connection with a trade or business will not be considered qualified pets.

HAPPY Act Would Encourage Responsible Pet Ownership

Most pet owners want to do the best they can for their furry family members.  But with pet care costs rising all the time, providing routine care such as regular heart worm medication and flea and tick preventatives can be a financial burden.  Add in the cost of veterinary care for illnesses, and some families have a difficult time giving their pets everything they need.

The HAPPY Act would encourage responsible pet ownership by allowing pet owners a tax deduction of up to $3,500 for expenses associated with caring for their pets, including veterinary care.

The ASPCA Supports H.R. 3501

The ASPCA has issued an “Advocacy Alert” asking animal advocates to support the HAPPY Act, H.R. 3501, by contacting their U.S. representative and urging him or her to support and cosponsor the bill.