Md. pets get less routine care in bad economy

ANNAPOLIS, Md. - Last year, Cindy Jenkins heard about a cat roaming the streets after its owners' home was foreclosed upon.

Jenkins added the cat, named Joy, to the two other animals she has taken in.

Jenkins, mindful of layoffs and budget tightening, is worried about the rest of the pet population.

Chesapeake Cats and Dogs, of which Jenkins is a board member, has seen the number of animals in its Stevensville shelter nearly double in the past year. It's getting tougher to find homes for the shelter's 45 cats and 10 dogs, especially if they're in poor health.

"When we have an animal (that needs a home), people will come in and say, 'Oh, that's a nice dog.' But when they find out it needs a $50 medicine every month, people don't want to pay that," Jenkins said. "It's really hard."

In Anne Arundel County, pet owners are skipping annual checkups and elective procedures for their animals, which could prevent more serious illnesses. Yet, they seem to find a way to pay for the more expensive procedures, even if it means turning to payment plans, credit cards or pet health insurance.

While the Davidsonville Veterinary Clinic does not take pet health insurance, Dr. James Pelura III said he works with his clients when expensive procedures are required. In those cases, he has seen more people us credit cards. The clinic also offers payment plans.

"I'm not doing unnecessary surgeries, not wasting my clients' money," Pelura said. "Usually, when something is suggested, it really has to be done. Most of my clients are more than willing to do that."

At the South Arundel Veterinary Hospital in Edgewater, pet owners are getting away from annual wellness tests or blood work for their pets to save on costs. More are looking to pet insurance to cover costs.

"We are seeing them scale back on services that aren't necessarily needed," said Crystal Bentley, an administrator. "We're doing a lot more payment plans (and owners) are still doing what they need to do for their pets. They're making payment arrangements more or cutting back on things."

AT Mobile Pet Vet, Dr. Lisa Beagan travels to the homes of pet owners. For the past few months, Beagan has been advising her clients that even though things like teeth cleaning and dental care can be put off for a while, those procedures are still important for the long-term health of their pets.

"It's been kind of erratic. (Sometimes) I feel like we're not in a recession and the next week, I'm very aware that we are," Beagan said. "In some circumstances, I tell people it's better to pay something now to prevent a bigger illness than it would be if they don't do some of these things."

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Information from: The Capital of Annapolis, Md., http://www.hometownannapolis.com/

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