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Venezuela's mass food shortage caused by economic and political crises have lead people to kill domestic animals like dogs and cats for food. Some have to cut meals and lose weight unintentionally. According to new research, the country's living standards continue to decline with their sagging economy.

The oil price crash in 2014 and policies by Venezuela president have led to mass food shortage and other products according to a report by CNBC News. The rate of inflation has been predicted by International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reach 1,642 percent by the end of the year. The country has also experiences 80 percent currency collapse in the last year. Two pounds of sugar or corn flour cost $2, while two pounds of premium meat costs $1,000.

Venezuela Living Conditions Survey (ENCOVI) 2016 revealed that around 81 percent of the country's households are now living in income poverty. In 2015, it was already a staggering 75.6 percent. The survey looked into 6,500 families.

Around 9.6 million people in Venezuela eat only two or less meals a day. As a result 74.3 percent of the population has lost an average of 8.7 kilos or 19 pounds of weight. Extreme poor families have reported more weight loss than that.

The mass food shortage in Venezuela has gotten so bad that remains of animals like anteaters, cats, dogs, donkeys, flamingos, horses and pigeons are found at city dumps. Robert Linares, a waste disposal worker, said in a report by Miami Herald, that they sometimes find animal's heads, guts and legs. The practice has gone out of control that he remains of dog that has been skinned and dismembered are found on the streets.

Venezuela was once a wealthy country. Now, citizens are often seen looking for discarded or spoiled food in the garbage. Eating three times a day is now a luxury in Venezuela.