The voiceless victims of foreclosure.

It's a sad reality. When people lose their homes, they often have to relocate to a rental property where they can't take Fido, Fluffy or Tweety. This has resulted in an increase in the number of abandoned pets in the Valley.

A group of Valley Real Estate Agents have founded the not-for-profit www.lostourhome.com that helps find homes for animals left behind when homeowners leave their homes. Believe it or not, we often walk into homes where the owner has left a bag of opened dog food and a tub of water along with their dogs, who are probably wondering where everybody went. Lost Our Home has over 100 pets available for adoption.

Maricopa County Animal Care Center receives around 200 animals a day and is the Nation's second largest animal shelter. Visiting the site you'll find all types of animals available for adoption. Dogs, cats, pigs, rabbits, horses, llamas, goats and reptiles...there's probably not a single species that hasn't been affected by our current economy.

Let's not forget our friends without a voice. I invite you to to take part in a couple upcoming fundraisers for our furry friends ~

Arizona Humane Society
What: Pet-a-Palooza and Stadium Stroll
When: Nov. 7
Where: Peoria Sports Complex, 16101 N. 83rd Avenue, Peoria
Cost: Registration for stadium stroll is $25 per walker, and tickets to Pet-a-Palooza are $10.
For more information, visit www.stadiumstroll.azhumane.org
For donations, the Arizona Humane Society has a wish list on its Web site, www.azhumane.org.

Arizona Animal Welfare League and Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
What: Walk to Save Animals
When: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Nov. 14
Where: Tempe Beach Park at Tempe Town Lake, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe
Cost: Suggested minimum donation $25.
For more information or to register, visit www.aawl.org or call (480) 423-1511.