The truth about cats and dogs

As homeowners are forced to vacate their homes because they are no longer able to pay their mortgages, many pets are landing in animal shelters. Others are simply left behind.

With an influx of pets arriving at shelters and the reports of abandoned animals growing, animal welfare protectors say the effects are enormous. Many pet owners simply show up at shelters and say they are “moving,” offering no specifics.

Workers, real estate agents and well-meaning neighborhoods are discovering pets chained up or left to their own devices in abandoned houses. Those who are lucky are turned over to shelt...