
Anderson, Indiana April 7, 2012 -- While many are saying that the economy is on the rebound scores of others will tell you for them it is not. Family, after family are finding it more difficult each week just to keep enough food on the table to feed themselves let alone let alone their pet. Shelters all over the US are being asked to accept pets by their owner's because they can no longer be cared for or feed properly by their owner. Other pets are being dumped by owners without any thought as to what might become of them who find themselves without hope. According to the ASPCA, approximately 5 million to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, and approximately 3 million to 4 million are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats). Shelter intakes are about evenly divided between those animals relinquished by owners and those picked up by animal control. Now there is a glimmer of hope for these pet owners in the Madison County area. A new pet food bank called Ernie's Hearth was opened today on the north side of Anderson, Indiana by Jan Smith. The pantry is named in honor of a pet dog she had fostered. Jan said Ernie helped her to see that there was a major need in the area by owners in caring for their pets. While pet food pantries have been in existence for some times in other areas of the country this is a new service for this area. This afternoon when I arrived at Jan's new pet food pantry the parking lot was filled with the <b>...</b>
Ernie's
Heart
Pet
Food
Pantry
Anderson
Indiana
dog
cat
assistance
shelter
Madison
County
Jan