DAVENPORT, Iowa (KWQC) - As the federal government shutdown stretches on and SNAP benefits remain frozen, some families in the Quad Cities are being forced to make heartbreaking decisions, including giving up their pets.

Staff at King’s Harvest Pet Rescue No Kill Shelter in Davenport said they used to get two to three calls a day from owners wanting to surrender their animals, but in recent weeks that number has grown to between five to 10 calls.

“Unfortunately a lot of times its people who love their pets and want to keep them in their home but they can’t afford to feed them right now between a lot of benefits being cut and the economy,” said the shelter’s Director of Marketing, Melissa Conway.

“We even had someone who was a federal worker who missed a paycheck, she was on maternity le

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