Holy foreclosure, Batman!

It’s no secret that foreclosed homes are sometimes occupied by abandoned household pets and illegal squatters.

But 20,000 Mexican free-tailed bats? That’s a new one.

It’s a serious problem that one small community in Tifton, Ga., is apparently attempting to correct. In the meantime, the putrid smell of massive amounts of “guano” (bat feces) has neighbors closing their windows and locking themselves indoors.

Here is one account from Becky Campbell, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, who lives across the street from the modern-day bat cave:

“To go out our front door has always been a big issue during the summer months because the smell has just been breathtaking almost. Even the mailman said he hated to stop at the mailbox because of the smell.”

Bat guano is actually very harmful to humans, containing “a cocktail of pathogens” that can lead to illness and/or significantly exacerbate existing conditions.

An article from Associated Content explains the risks of exposure to bat guano:

“Bat guano can build up in attics and eaves that have been used by bats, and even if the human occupants of the building are not aware of the dung, they can be harmed by it. After guano has lain around for a couple of years, a fungus can grow in it, releasing spores into the air that cause histoplasmosis in humans…. Histoplasmosis can cause serious respiratory diseases in humans, causing fever and chest pains. If left untreated, histoplsmosis can turn into a chronic lung disease that resembles tuburculosis.”

Tru Tech, a local company that was brought in to evaluate the batty conditions, reportedly devised a plan to remove the unwanted nocturnal guests, as well as the costs involved, and sent it to the lender that currently has possession of the repossessed home.

It sounds messy … and expensive.

Something smelled funny on the way to re-key a foreclosed home in Granite Falls, Wash., recently.

It turns out that the scent the locksmith picked up was of at least 31 dead pets who had been abandoned by their financially-distressed owner, according to MSNBC.com.

Perhaps more troubling is the fact that the owner actually lived with many of the dead animals, some of which had been expired for up to six months, as recently as last month.

She tries to explain:

“I just shut down. I didn’t see it, I didn’t want to deal with it…. I spent as much money as I could feeding them, taking care of them, but there wasn’t enough money to go around.”

Shelters apparently would not take the animals, which is an excuse that doesn’t appear to be flying with the local police department. In fact, the owner — who has breast cancer — and her son have been slapped with 31 counts of animal cruelty.

It could have actually been 34, but three cats managed to survive the unfortunate hoarding ordeal.

Looks cute, no? Don’t be fooled.

Some Chicago, Ill., residents are barricading themselves in their rooms and running scared down their hallways to avoid “orangutang-sized” raccoons that are seemingly moving in next door.

And in the curious case of Wilma Ward, breaking and entering:

“I looked down the hallway and I saw a set of eyes, too. They weren’t low. I realized it was a raccoon because my neighbor had seen one around…. The next morning, I went into the kitchen. I had the window up, but I have bars on my window. He or she had clawed the screen and squeezed through the bars in the kitchen. There were some corn curls in a bag on the counter. That was all over the floor [along with] some dry macaroni.”

Chicago Sun-Times reports that vacant/foreclosed buildings are to blame … especially if garbage is left unsealed and food is left behind.

And as the raccoons begin to settle in and get cozy in their new digs, they learn to overcome their fear of people, which is never really a good thing.

In response, the city’s Commission on Animal Care and Control is considering whether or not to restore a “now-abandoned policy” that sends animal control officers out to corral and trap the surly (apparently rabies-free) beasts.

Seems like a no brainer.

Household pets — not just distressed homeowners — are being forced to relocate because of the recent surge in foreclosures throughout the United States.

In many cases, these pets, which include predominantly cats and dogs, are being surrendered to local animal shelters. Unfortunately, there are also a large portion of pets nationwide that are simply being left behind to fend for themselves.

“It’s truly a very sad situation,” says Scott Lanz, founder of ForeclosurePets.org, a Web site that has recently emerged to combat the growing foreclosure pet abandonment epidemic. “Some household pets are just left in garages or backyards with little to no chance of survival. We’ve even heard reports of animals being found dead or near death by neighbors and Realtors® entering the homes. It’s bad,” he says.

Scott — who was compelled to lend a hand because of his love for animals — says that “someone had to do something” because there is simply no reason for it to happen. He runs the Web site in his spare time, hoping to connect the pets of distressed homeowners with “foster” or permanent families.

The ultimate goal, he says, is to provide a free resource that homeowners facing foreclosure nationwide can use as a last resort to ensure that they don’t leave their pets high and dry.

“We know that people in these situations feel like they have no other options and are heartbroken leaving their loved ones behind,” said Lanz. “But the good news is that ForeclosurePets.org can help them find temporary shelters in the area for their pets until they get back on there feet or place them in a new home permanently. There are options!”

Distressed homeowners can upload photos and descriptions of their pets on ForeclosurePets.org, as well as their contact information for potential foster or adoptive families. Likewise, people who are interested in adopting pets or serving as foster families can search for pets in their areas.

The site also offers a lost and found section, forum and other educational tools for anyone to view, learn and help change their current situations, as well as brings overall awareness to this important albeit underreported issue.

“Options are out there,” Lanz says. “There’s no reason to leave pets behind when there are available — and free — resources that can help out. Owners who have pets and are being forced out of their homes are encouraged to visit ForeclosurePets.org. We can help!”

To visit ForeclosurePets.org today CLICK HERE.

“Prince Chunk” — a 44-pound homeless cat that was found meandering the streets of Voorhees, N.J. — has a new home, according to a Yahoo!News report.

The 10-year-old feline was abandoned by its owner earlier this month because of a foreclosure situation. “Powder” — the cat’s real name — was taken in by the Camden County Animal Shelter until a home could be found for him.

It’s a story that captured national headlines due in large part (no pun intended) to Prince Chunk’s rotund appearance. In fact, the cat appeared on “Live with Regis and Kelly” — a major morning program that is beamed into millions of living rooms nationwide.

The unlikely high-profile public relations campaign was apparently effective because more than 400 people expressed their interest to become the adoptive parents of “Prince Chunk.” And one south Jersey family who already has two cats has been selected out of the bunch.

Let’s hope that he doesn’t eat his new owners out of house and home.

Household pets — not just distressed homeowners — are being forced relocate because of the recent surge in Colorado foreclosures, according to DenverPost.com.

Unfortunately, many of the pets such as cats and dogs are being surrendered to local animal shelters, or worse, simply being left behind to fend for themselves.

Here’s a snip from the article:

“Hurricane Katrina, the mobilization for the Iraq war and even the Great Depression taught us that a financial disaster for humans will also become a disaster for their pets.”

The report indicates that efforts are currently underway through grant dollars to help distressed homeowners place their pets with new families. This awareness initiative will hopefully reduce the number of foreclosure pets that are abandoned and therefore susceptible to starvation, disease or predators.

In addition, the Humane Society of the United States is also apparently getting in on the action, recently “offering grants for shelters or rescue groups caring for this new category of abandoned animals.”

For information about you can help or make a donation contact The Rocky Mountain Alley Cat Alliance at (303) 202-3516 or visit the Web site of The Humane Society of the United States right here. To adopt a foreclosure pet click here.