Addiction is a disease that can leave an incredible amount of pain and destruction in its wake. Families are torn apart, friendships shattered, and marriages crumble. There’s no shortage of stories from former addicts about the chaos addiction brought to their lives, and how it impacted their friends, family and coworkers as much as it affected them in many cases. What’s far understated, however, is the impact addiction has on our pets. That’s right: your dog, cat, bird, reptile, or just about any pet you could imagine is affected by your addiction in more ways than you may realize, and it’s almost more devastating to come to this realization because our sweet companions don’t understand what’s happening.

Listed below are four major ways your pets are affected when you struggle with addiction:

  1. Not being fed – When someone struggles with an addiction, chances are their finances are a wreck. Money is flowing out the door for drugs or alcohol, and not much else. That means pets aren’t being fed if their owner isn’t buying them food.
  2. No access to clean water – When you’re stoned out of your mind, you’re not going to remember to fill up the water bowl regularly. Most pets simply sit with a completely dry bowl, waiting for their owner to stop getting high and care for them because they don’t have a choice.
  3. No proper medical care – This ties back into the first one. If there’s money problems, chances are if a pet gets hurt or becomes ill, their owner won’t be able to afford the care they need for their pet.
  4. Simple neglect – By and large, our pets want to be around us, they enjoy interacting with us and having our attention. When we’re under the influence of drugs or alcohol, we’re not capable of giving them the attention and love they deserve.

The animals we keep as pets are often bright spots of joy in our lives. We love them and they love us, but when addiction has a hold on you, that bond can be forever altered. Pets are among the most innocent victims in addiction, simply because they didn’t choose to be brought into the house of someone struggling with an addiction. They have no control over their situation. If you’ve been battling addiction to drugs or alcohol, if nothing else motivates you to try and get yourself help, think about that sweet dog you have, who would probably like nothing more than to simply go on a walk.

 

At The Springboard Center, we know that you and your family need a treatment provider you can trust. Incorporating the best of practices we have created a meaningful program to restore health and dignity with quality care and counseling. Call us today for information on how we are serving the Permian Basin: (432) 620-0255