Lockout Of Workers’ Pets Averted Free Dog And Cat Food Offered Until Kaiser Aluminum Dispute Ends

One of the longest and largest labor fights in Spokane history is putting out the family pet.

The Spokane Humane Society, alarmed by locked-out Steelworkers dropping off their pets because they say they can no longer afford them, is offering help.

The board of directors in April voted to give free dog and cat food and cat box litter to Steelworkers until the 8-month-old dispute with Kaiser Aluminum ends. The action was taken after a handful of families relinquished their pets, citing money problems.

“We’re not making a labor relations statement but this is a time when families are going through a tough time and they need their pets,” said Joe O’Shaughnessy, executive director of the Spokane Humane Society.

“This is something we can do for the animals and for people.”

Over the winter, the Spokane County Animal Shelter also reported an increase in well-cared-for family pets being dropped off by Steelworkers. Although they have not had any more reports, director Nancy Sattin said that many people do not disclose why they are relinquishing their animals.

SpokAnimal C.A.R.E., which provides animal control for the city of Spokane, has had no reports.

“That doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen, it means no one has said it,” said Gail Mackie, executive director.

Pet owners who are experiencing personal problems and the cost of pet maintenance are two of the top reasons cited for relinquishing a pet, according to the American Humane Society Association.

In a recent publication, the association listed the other top reasons for giving up pets: moving; landlords not allowing pets; too many pets in the household; an inadequate facility; and no home available for littermates. Other common reasons for dog owners to give up pets is that they have no time for the pet; a pet illness and biting.

Cat owners, on the other hand, cite allergies, house soiling and incompatibility with other pets.

The Spokane Humane Society is offering the Steelworkers surplus pet food it receives from the Spokane Food Bank and other sources, including dented cans and damaged containers salvaged from grocery stores.

O’Shaughnessy hopes the gesture will ease the stress on Steelworker families, especially children.

“I think it’s even more of a strain if you have a pet who is part of the family to take them away. It intensifies the hardship children might be going through.”

But it also affects the animals. Although the Humane Society is likely to keep an animal until a home is found, the longer a pet is in a shelter the greater the chance it will become sick or depressed.

“They don’t know what they did wrong. They won’t come to the front of the kennel and bark and wag, they stay in the back,” he said. “It’s a lot tougher on the animal and actually makes them more difficult to adopt.”

Since 2,100 Spokane Steelworkers were locked out of the two Spokane Kaiser plants in January, workers have drawn unemployment benefits plus strike pay. But many are spending hundreds of dollars a month on medical benefits and tuition for retraining. Others had used all their savings in the early months of the strike, which started Sept. 30. Others had simply lived paycheck to paycheck.

“People are selling cars, they’re selling their houses, but it’s terrible that they’re giving up their pets,” said Steelworker Dan Sampson who is also a dog trainer.

The offer of help is posted at the Spokane union halls and the web sites of Local 338 and Local 329 in Mead.

“It’s a wonderful thing because these families need their pets right now. Pets are one thing that can help people’s lives feel stable,” said Steelworker Carol Ford.

For more information, contact the Spokane Humane Society at 467-5235.