By Julie Hauserman

Little Millie is a Bichon Frise mix with bright eyes and a fluffy white face that's easy to love. Until recently, she was a pampered pet with loving owners and a secure home. Now, at 13 years old, Millie's life in Roanoke, Va. has taken a radical turn.

Like thousands of people around the country, Millie's family lost their home when they could no longer afford the payments. They moved to an apartment that doesn't allow pets, and then had to make the wrenching decision to relinquish Millie to the local animal shelter, the Roanoke Valley SPCA.

Millie's life took an unexpected turn when her family lost their home.© Roanoke Valley SPCA

Millie now waits for a new family to adopt her at the shelter, one of 25 shelters and rescue organizations that have received grants through a new program at The Humane Society of the United States that helps provide for pets caught in the foreclosure and financial crisis.

The program was created in response to a sharp increase being reported by shelters in the number of families who can't afford to keep or feed their pets.

Arnold Baer, special initiatives director for The HSUS, recently traveled to Roanoke to present a grant check to the SPCA. The money will support the group's "Pets Eat Too" program, a partnership with the Local Office on Aging's Meals on Wheels program, and to Manna Ministries, which runs a food pantry for the working poor.

"We were very happy to help," Baer said. "The Roanoke Valley SPCA has a number of great programs, and they saw the need to help people and pets who have hit hard times and, in some cases, lost their homes.

Foreclosures Go Up, Shelters Get Busier

From coast to coast, animal shelters are filling with pets like Millie. Basic costs are rising, people are losing their jobs, and foreclosure rates have risen 60 percent.

The Roanoke Valley SPCA has seen a 15 percent increase in the number of pets relinquished by their owners in the past year. Animal control officers found one dog living in a car with her owner because a bank foreclosed on their home.

The grants range from $500 to $2,000 per organization. Eligible organizations include registered 501(c)(3) non-profits or a municipal animal control agency eligible to receive restricted funds. Preference is given to groups that have a cooperative agreement with other agencies in their community such as a food bank or other community service agency.

Feeding the Hungry

Some 18,000 pounds of pet food are needed each year to feed the hungry companion animals in the Roanoke Valley, said Kathy Perdue, director of marketing for the Roanoke Valley SPCA.

"The side benefit to feeding hungry animals is that we may be allowing people to keep their animals instead of having to give them up," Perdue said.

Volunteers for the Meals on Wheels program found that many cash-strapped seniors were sharing their meals with their pets, denying themselves valuable protein in the process. Donations from individuals, businesses, and groups like The HSUS are now paying for pet food, which volunteers deliver to seniors along with their Meals on Wheels.

Two Roanoke cats, Mama Kitty and Gonzales, are in the same boat as Millie. They are nine and 10 years old, and have always lived in the same house. Their owner also had to give up her home and move to an apartment that didn't allow pets. Today, the kitties await adoption at the Roanoke Valley SPCA.

"We're doing everything we can to make them comfortable, but it isn't always easy for nine- and 10- year-old cats used to having a window of their own," Perdue said.