Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Detroit, Michigan's Economic Woes Extend to the Canine World

The ever-increasing economic woes in the United States have everyone worried.  People are worried about losing their jobs, finding jobs if they already have, losing their homes and how they will pay their bills.  But, there are more victims of the economic downturn than just the people.

In many large cities across the United States, family pets have fallen victim to the financial crisis in the United States.  One of those cities is Detroit, Michigan.  Detroit is suffering through extreme economic hardships and it is thought there are as many as 50,000 to 100,000 stray and homeless dogs in Detroit.  For whatever reason, the animals are now living on the streets and in abandoned houses and buildings fending for themselves.  With just 23 Animal Control officers in Detroit, the dogs far outnumber those who bear the responsibility of catching them and helping them find new homes.

One woman, a producer who has worked with Discovery Channel, Monica Martino, and some of her friends and colleagues have focused on Detroit and have started an organization, Detroit Dog Rescue to help the stray dogs find the loving homes they deserve.  Monica Martino developed a story idea for a program focusing on Detroit's stray dog issues.  She proposed the idea to the city of Detroit but they passed on it, which came as a big surprise to her.  Ms. Martino would like to work with the city of Detroit and even try to extend the rescue efforts nationally to assist other cities such as Cleveland and Los Angeles with the growing problem of dogs displaced by the hard times facing the United States.

Below is video of an interview Ms. Martino gave to NBC's Today Show about the problem facing Detroit and her wishes for Detroit Dog Rescue.  Hopefully, Ms. Martino's efforts will succeed and the canine friends in the United States will get the help they so desperately need.


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