ST. LOUIS — As the government shutdown drags on, many are worried about putting food on the table. Some have to grapple with feeding a pet on top of that.
With the shutdown nearing its 40th day, animal shelters like CARE STL are packed with dogs. Animal advocate Erin Burson said she’s been seeing lots of families returning their dogs because they can’t afford to feed them right now.
“For people who might have lost a job because of the shutdown, lost a paycheck, or lost their food benefits… that $80 dollars a month they might have been able to spend on pet food previously, now they need that to feed their children,” Burson said…