With the R-word in full-on over-usage across the US, the news media is grasping for any kind of story to prove that we’re really truly, honest-to-God suffering. With this American penchant for black news to back up our basest fears, some outlets are using pets to illustrate the economy at its worst.
If last year was all about low quality pet food ingredients this year it’s foreclosure abandonment. This, along with news of pet food expenses driving pets into the streets to join the teeming minions in our overcrowded shelters, means the stories aren’t pretty.
It’s gotten so that even The Wall Street Journal and American Public Media's Marketplace report on these stories with the same cheekiness they handle the so-called lipstick-indicator and hemlines—as if pets are on the same level as our feminine household frivolities.
Meanwhile, Leona Helmsley’s post-mortem bank account shows an $8 Billion credit in the line item titled, “Fluffy.” Hopefully this unbelievable chunk will end up in some well-managed shelter system’s coffers. Can you see HSUS’s Wayne Pacelle peeing himself to get ahold of it? I can.
I visited a bunch of veterinary clinics in the Bay Area a week or two ago and heard very mixed reports about veterinary spending. Some hospitals were up, some were down, some were sideways. Admittedly my sample was only a half-dozen hospitals but if you could draw any conclusions it's that you can't draw any conclusions about the impact of a supposed recession on pet care spending, at least in Gubernator territory.
I can only comment of what I've seen in the mail service. Advertisement spending/solicitation way, WAY down! Subscriptions to magazines & local newspapers falling off. Parcels (on-line orders & ebay) volume down. Vacation hold requests about the same, but for shorter periods.
Patrons commenting about fuel oil fills & worries for next winter and the increase at the gas pumps & grocery stores.
I have not heard of an increased influx of rescues in our regional club, and/but have not fielded very many puppy inquiries either!
As a USPS employee, we've been told for every PENNY increase in fuel translates to $ 6 million dollars/day in expenses. I forsee a 5 day delivery week becoming necessary to hold the line on prices. (JMopinion)
Re: Wayne Pacelle, peeing to get ahold of the $$. He already is. He was on TV the other night talking about how much good the $$ could do.
Problem is: The HSUS is about forwarding the cause of animals legislatively, for the most part, they don't save a animals lives. They are movers and shakers in the cause of better treatment for animals -- and I applaud them for that. But if it was Helmsley's intent that this money help individual animals, it would be better put to use to support shelter organizations and sanctuaries, like Best Friends.
Patrons commenting about fuel oil fills & worries for next winter and the increase at the gas pumps & grocery stores.
I have not heard of an increased influx of rescues in our regional club, and/but have not fielded very many puppy inquiries either!
As a USPS employee, we've been told for every PENNY increase in fuel translates to $ 6 million dollars/day in expenses. I forsee a 5 day delivery week becoming necessary to hold the line on prices. (JMopinion)
Problem is: The HSUS is about forwarding the cause of animals legislatively, for the most part, they don't save a animals lives. They are movers and shakers in the cause of better treatment for animals -- and I applaud them for that. But if it was Helmsley's intent that this money help individual animals, it would be better put to use to support shelter organizations and sanctuaries, like Best Friends.