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Recent Entries

• Take the Nonprofit Stress Test
• A New Era for Philanthropy?
• No, Not A Retreat!
• Dogging Questions
• Cleansing and Renewal

Recent Comments

• By Ellen Ende from the entry 'Take the Nonprofit Stress Test'
• By David from the entry 'American Pride'
• By Mary from the entry 'American Pride'
• By Car Accident Claim from the entry 'American Pride'
• By love me from the entry 'American Pride'
• By Cash Gifting from the entry 'American Pride'
• By sergio from the entry 'American Pride'
• By Victor from the entry 'American Pride'
• By Road Accident Claim from the entry 'American Pride'
• By Kathline from the entry 'American Pride'

My entire life, with the exception of my college years and a brief time living in an apartment, I have had a dog. I frankly cannot imagine life without Maddie, Kismet, Hershey, Snowbear or Bebe. They have provided daily joy, and in times of sadness, sickness or loneliness they have provided comfort.

What happens when a person wants a dog but can’t afford one? Or, what happens when a person who once could afford a dog no longer can? For some people the answer is simple. If you can’t afford a dog, then you can’t have one. But to others the answer is less straightforward.

Those people who cannot or can no longer afford a dog might benefit most from a dog’s companionship. Could there be new options to resolve this issue?

Today I welcome guest blogger, Robin Starr. Robin has spearheaded the development of the country’s finest SPCA facility, spoken passionately as an advocate for animals, and endured gracefully the controversy that comes with her role. Cynics try to frame animal issues by comparing spending on animals with spending on the human condition as an “either—or” question. Robin lends her voice to those of us who prioritize the symbiotic relationship between people and their pets.

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Late one evening, after an event at the Richmond SPCA, a man arrived at our building highly agitated about his young dog who was terribly ill.  He begged for our help.  We ran out to his car with him and saw a puppy of about six months old on the back seat.  The puppy was in dreadful condition with the recognizable symptoms of parvo virus, an often fatal but preventable disease that primarily affects puppies.  It seemed unlikely the little dog would live.  We explained that we did not have a full service veterinary clinic and that our Director of Veterinary Services had gone for the day.  We urged him to go to the nearby Veterinary Emergency Center (VEC).  He then said, through his tears, that he could not afford veterinary care for his dog.  He left saying that he would go to VEC anyway.

The horribly sick little dog and his distraught, loving owner haunted me for weeks afterward.  This was far from the first time that someone had come to our doors wanting veterinary care for their beloved pet and saying that they could not afford to go to a private office.  Our clinic staff was always deeply pained by having to send them away knowing that there was no good answer for them. 

The easy response to this dilemma is to simply say that people who cannot afford the cost of caring for a pet should not have one.  That is a popular theory even among people in the animal welfare field.  But “easy” quite often does not mean “right.”  Having a pet undeniably improves the quality of life for most people.  Should people of modest means be prevented from having the unconditional love and companionship that pets bring to our lives?  An even tougher question is raised for us when the pet owner acquired the pet when economic times were good but now is having trouble providing for that pet because of a job loss or other hardship related to the downturn in the economy.  Is it fair or ethical to suggest that such a person should simply abandon the pet that they love and treasure? 

My own answer to both of those questions is a definite no for several reasons. The joys that pets bring to our lives should not be denied to people of modest means.  During these tough financial times, many people are struggling with threatened or actual job losses, diminished incomes and fears about their futures.  More than ever, they need the haven of love and comfort that a beloved pet provides them.  In addition, during hard times, we should help families to stay together and pets are family members too.  Lastly, healthy and sweet pets are losing their lives all over this country for the lack of a home. It is crucial to saving their lives that we not eliminate all of the good and loving homes that folks of limited financial means could provide to them.

For these reasons, we are now providing wellness clinics for the pets of low income families at the Richmond SPCA.  We began in February to hold monthly clinics at which we have provided basic exams and access to preventative care and medications at very low cost.  The response of our community to this service has been overwhelming.  We had more calls for appointments than we could come close to providing at the monthly clinics.  So, in October, we will begin providing these low cost wellness clinics weekly for the pets of low income families.  This service is a part of our Project Safety Net which provides an array of supportive programs to help pets stay in the loving homes they have.

Had that distraught man who came to us with his dying puppy been able to bring his dog to one of our wellness clinics, the puppy could have been inoculated against the parvo virus.  If our weekly clinics can help to prevent other people from losing their best friends like he probably did, then we will have helped both pets and people to have a better quality of life during tough times. 

Robin Starr ( )