The economic crisis continues to affect everyone, causing more and more dogs and cats to be given up by their families as they lose their jobs and their homes. This means more older pets than ever before are finding themselves in shelters and rescues, where many will live out the rest of their days without a loving family to call their own.

This Thanksgiving, the volunteers at Save-A-Life are counting our blessings! Here are some of the things we are so grateful for:

None of us want to think about it, but what would happen to your dog or cat if you were to die? If the thought of this makes you shudder, you may want to have an official plan.

As our little darlings age, the rules of the cat wellbeing game (that you thought you had finally mastered) change. Hopefully, every kitty will have had regular dental checkups, cleanings and extractions as needed along the way. However, if your double-digit feline hasn't been checked in a while, it's time to make an appointment.

Cat ownership brings much joy and companionship into a person's life. But when kitty begins "missing" her litter box, the relationship between a cat and owner can become strained. Not knowing what else to do, often the owner will surrender kitty to a shelter or rescue. Left abandoned, these troubled cats are usually not re-adopted. Don't let this setback, which is easy to address, prompt you to needlessly give up on your pet.