Hey Reader,
Meet Rupert - an adorable rescue Husky mix who I am currently fostering through a local rescue here in Winston-Salem called AARF. My partner and I rescued Rupert and his sister at a construction site where they had been abandoned with a single bowl of water. Trapped behind a wall of construction fencing, by the time we found them they were in pretty rough shape - matted, malnourished, and thirsty.
The sad part? Rupert's story isn't uncommon. By the end of 2023, animal shelters took in 250,000 more animals than they had in 2022 (source) with a driving factor being inflation or the rising costs of pet ownership. We all know that owning a pet is expensive, but when you are strapped with stagnant wages amid rising costs in pet food and vet care (not to mention rising costs for your own food and healthcare), owning a pet can quickly become a financial burden.
As a foster, I've heard all the common jabs including, "you can't tell me they couldn't cut their expenses elsewhere!" or the oh so famous, "If they can't afford a pet, they shouldn't have gotten one in the first place!" As much as it pains me to see the hurt that an abandoned pet carries, I also try my best to provide grace to their former human(s). I remind myself that they probably did try to cut expenses first and this abandonment was likely a last option. I remind myself that the cost of owning a pet - even one to two years ago - was cheaper than it is now and it is likely they could afford a pet at the time.
Now, of course, there are those who abandon their pets because the pet is too much to handle or they simply don't care for it anymore and for those folks I do find myself offering a little less grace. But, I hope this serves as a small reminder about how our relationships with money have a ripple effect that goes beyond us and our species. Which is why when we make an economic decision, we have to be forward thinking and understand the long-term implications associated with that decision.
As for Rupert - he is a lucky fella. Not all abandoned dogs are rescued in time. But Rupert's story is just one in a national crisis. Shelters are at capacity and inflation is still on the rise. While the fight against inflation is bigger than all of us, there are some things we can do to help the Ruperts out there:
- Volunteer with or donate to a local rescue or shelter.
- Consider becoming a foster through a local rescue or shelter.
- Share information about local resources via your social media.
Lastly, if you have a pet of your own, take some time to think about what future costs may await you as your pet grows. Personally, I account for this through a Sinking Fund where I tuck away an extra $15-$20 a month to cover any unexpected costs related to my pups. It may not seem like a lot up front, but over time it adds up and helps me not stress out when those unexpected costs arise.
Thank you for taking the time to read this newsletter and be a part of the Faithonomics community. Together, we can (and will) do amazing things.
With Wild Imagination,
-Rayce (& Rupert)
P.S. Enjoying the newsletter? I appreciate a shoutout on your socials as I work to grow Faithonomics' audience. Be sure to tag me (@raycelamb) and Faithonomics (@faithonomics)!
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Nominate A Podcast Guest
We have begun to secure guests for the Fall Season of the Faithonomics Podcast! Starting August 14th, we will return to interviewing faith-inspired authors, creators, entrepreneurs, and social impact leaders. Do you know a faith leader doing creative an interesting work? Nominate them below!
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Updates From Our Family Of Brands
Our Waitlist Is Open!
The Doers Creative - a platform to help faith inspired doers bring their bold ideas for good to life - is going under a big refresh and will reopen on Monday, August 5th. Explore our new landing page and join the waitlist by clicking the button below (by the way, it's FREE).
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New Episode!
This week on the Faithonomics Podcast, Rayce introduces us to the third stage of the My Money Mosaic framework where we begin to design our My Money Mosaics to shape our lived realities. Rayce also previews three My Money Mosaic styles to guide our design.
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Save The Date
Saturday, July 20th from 3 - 6 pm
We are once again participating in The Big Chill Fundraiser supporting The Shalom Project of Winston-Salem. Join us in Bailey Park on July 20th to enjoy some of Rayce's homemade Sugar Mama Ice Cream -Cinnamon Ice Cream with Moravian Sugar Cake Crumble. Can't make it? Help us reach our donation of $500 and Rayce will send you the recipe to try on your own!
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