As the USA economy collapses, people are losing their jobs and their savings, so how will they be able to care for their dogs and other pets? If our animals are not trained, socialized, healthy, and inside our homes, what will our streets be like? What kind of increase will we see in number of people bitten, and the severity of dog bite injuries?
The numbers paint a bleak picture. The deficit in fiscal 2007 was $162.8 billion, in 2008 was $454.8 billion, and in 2009 is expected to be $1 trillion.
This week, a joint report by the White House budget office and Treasury Department showed an estimated $56.4 trillion in debts, liabilities and promises for Medicare and Social Security versus a total household net worth of $56.5 trillion. In other words, U.S. debts and liabilities are close to passing the value of the U.S. population’s net worth. (See Federal spending soars 25% before bailout, at the website of the Washington Times.)
The situation is grim and getting worse. This means that we are going to see increasing numbers of dogs and other pets on the street. The population of stray, sick, injured and uncontrolled animals will rise. The number of dog attacks upon people also will rise, because the factors associated with such attacks include lack of training, lack of socialization, poor health, injuries, and roaming in a pack.
We need to plan for the coming tide of roaming, hungry, suffering animals — the other victims of the economic collapse of the United States and nations dependent upon us.