The Humane Society of the United States launches campaign to address the pet poverty crisis exacerbated by inflation

More Than a Pet campaign will raise awareness and provide solutions to keep pets happy, healthy and in their loving homes

WASHINGTON, May 8, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- As inflation pushes prices higher, many families across the country are struggling to afford veterinary care, food and supplies for their beloved pets. Nowhere is this more acute than for families who were already experiencing systemic poverty. According to the latest consumer price index, the cost of pet products and services is up by more than 9% year over year. With more than 20 million pets living in poverty—a number three times greater than the number of pets entering shelters every year—this is a long overlooked national crisis. People are often forced to choose between meeting their own needs and the needs of their pets, and too often they completely lack access to veterinary care, pet inclusive housing, and other vital pet resources like food and supplies. No family should ever be in this position.

To address this issue, the Humane Society of the United States has launched a new campaign called More Than a Pet, with the help of five campaign partners ADM, Smalls, Ollie, Motel 6 and TQL. The mission of the campaign is to raise awareness and provide solutions to increase access and keep families and their pets together, happy and healthy. Grammy-winning musician Mya is also supporting the campaign along with her dogs Tango, Jemma and Jax and her cat Journey.

Kitty Block, president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, said: "Everyone deserves to experience the love and companionship of a pet. But the welfare of companion animals is inseparable from the well-being of their families, and unequal access to pet care and resources is an overlooked national crisis. By helping people access the pet care they need, we embrace the human in 'humane.' We believe everyone should have the opportunity to experience the joy, love and comfort that pets provide, and every family should be able to get the food, supplies and medical care their animal needs."

Over the past 20 years, the HSUS has helped nearly half a million pets and their families by providing veterinary care and supplies at no cost, through its Pets for Life and Rural Area Veterinary Services programs. Families like Janis and her two dogs in Idaho rely on the services of local Pets for Life partners like Better Together Animal Alliance. Janis' senior Chihuahua, Baby, saw a veterinarian multiple times to address severe eye and ear issues. Her poodle mix Freeda received a much-appreciated bath and grooming.

As Janis shared, "It takes a community sometimes. I am so grateful for Pets for Life. I don't know what I'd do without them."

Without these services, families like Janis' are often forced to make difficult choices about sacrificing their own needs, even food and medications for themselves, to prioritize care for their pet. More Than a Pet will build on the legacy of Pets for Life and Rural Area Veterinary Services to help more families like Janis'.

As part of More Than a Pet, the HSUS is offering these tips for people to support their communities:

• Advocate for keeping pets and their people together by signing the HSUS petition to close the pet equity gap. Your voice can make a big impact for all animals.
• Volunteer with the Humane Society of the United States' Pets for Life and Rural Area Veterinary Services programs, which increase access to pet care for underserved communities.
• Donate pet food to your local shelter or pet food pantry.
• If you know of a neighbor in need, offer to help drive them to a veterinary appointment, foster their pet temporarily or provide a bag of their pet's favorite food to help close the access to pet care gap.
• The HSUS is inviting the public to show their support for this campaign by sharing why their animal companion is #MoreThanAPet to them, at humanesociety.org/morethanapet. Campaign partner Smalls is donating a bowl of food for every photo shared, up to $1M, to pets and their families in need.

Learn more and get involved.

Photos/video available for download

Launching in May 2023, the Humane Society of the United States' new More Than a Pet campaign honors the love people have for their pets, celebrates and protects the human-animal bond and aims to show that this bond transcends race, ethnicity, geography and socioeconomic status. Through programs like Pets for Life and Rural Area Veterinary Services, the HSUS supports hundreds of thousands of people and pets who do not have access to veterinary care and pet essentials. A key part of this work is to bring equity in access to pet care for underserved communities and increase diversity in the animal welfare movement, efforts which are long overdue and necessary to recognize the human in humane. Together with corporate partners, More Than a Pet raises awareness and funds for these critical programs and the HSUS' work to fight for all animals. Learn more at humanesociety.org/morethanapet.

Founded in 1954, the Humane Society of the United States fights the big fights to end suffering for all animals. Together with millions of supporters, we take on puppy mills, factory farms, trophy hunts, animal testing and other cruel industries. With our affiliates, we rescue and care for tens of thousands of animals every year through our animal rescue team's work and other hands-on animal care services. We fight all forms of animal cruelty to achieve the vision behind our name: A humane society. Learn more about our work at humanesociety.org. Subscribe to Kitty Block's blog, A Humane World. Follow the HSUS Media Relations department on Twitter. Read the award-winning All Animals magazine. Listen to the Humane Voices Podcast. 

SOURCE Humane Society of the U.S.