Bad economy hitting pets, too

The strain of tightening household budgets has hit man's best friend, as more New Yorkers are seeking help -- including foster parents -- for their pets.

Many New York City pet rescue and foster care services say that in the last three to six months there has been a flood of requests from pet owners.

"We're getting a lot more people who have lost their jobs, become homeless or are evicted from apartments," said Joyce Friedman, co-coordinator of Safety Net, a city-sponsored program that helps financially struggling pet owners.