Animal shelters nationwide are continuing to deal with a heartbreaking and unprecedented increase in owner surrenders, putting an incredible strain on their resources. This trend is happening all over the country. Shelters and rescues from Minnesota to New York City are sounding alarms over record numbers of animals being surrendered as people face an avalanche of economic crises.
Megan Larson, a transport coordinator with Minnesota’s Ruff Start Rescue, brought some surprising information to light. Her organization has been hit with a staggering 1,496 applications for owner surrenders in just the past few months. On certain days, Ruff Start Rescue has experienced up to 22 applications. More recently, the surge of animals has created an immediate need for foster homes. Today, the organization cares for more than 1,000 pets and is supported by a network of 600 to 700 active fosters across Minnesota.
The situation mirrors trends seen nationwide. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control experienced a 43% increase in owner surrenders over the previous year. Don’t take our word for it—all they got was 1,292 applications over that almost two-year window. Similar patterns have shown up in other cities. In New York City, the Animal Care Centers reached a “breaking point” and stopped taking in animals due to “critical capacity concerns.”
Animal welfare advocate Cesar Perea went on to elaborate on the complex and varied reasons for this increase in owner surrenders. “The economic hardships, that’s a big contributor to the increase in shelters being full,” he stated. He was even more specific when he explained that economic instability—like loss of employment—usually go hand-in-hand with increased surrender rates.
“There are times when the economy has taken a dip or we’ve had a lot of job layoffs; and 100%, you’re going to see that significantly (in owner surrender cases),” – Anonymous
In Los Angeles County, the issue has grown urgent. Since the beginning of June, more than two dozen animals have been surrendered by their owners facing deportation. It again emphasizes the way that broader societal problems come to bear on issues of animal welfare.
Not every owner who surrenders their pet is doing so by choice. Melissa Knicely, a longtime advocate in the field, felt for those faced with having to make this gut-wrenching decision.
“This is a very devastating decision that these people are forced to make. People don’t want to do this,” – Melissa Knicely
Organizations such as Ruff Start Rescue strive to offer resources and options for people making difficult decisions. Christopher Valles, with Ruff Start Rescue, put specific emphasis on their goal to keep families and their pets together when it’s feasible to do so.
“We do try to provide (the pets) food, medical treatment and support … just so we can have retention in the home,” – Christopher Valles
While these measures are commendable, the reality is that the number of surrenders continues to exceed resources. Larson noted their mission to find every animal in their care a loving adoptive or foster home. Right now, they desperately need more locals to become fosters.
“We just need more fosters for those, and we could take some of these incredible dogs,” – Megan Larson
The growing number of owner surrenders is due to the stigma around shelters. Larson acknowledged that there is still a widespread misconception among the public that shelters are where animals go to be killed on demand. This misunderstanding can lead loving pet owners to give up hope and not seek help or consider alternatives to surrendering their pets.
“Sadly, a lot of people still think of them as the ‘dog catchers’ and assume every animal there will be euthanized,” – Megan Larson
As we reported earlier this year, when Chicago’s office of animal care and control sounded the alarm. They posted about increasing animal intake and capacity issues on Instagram. The level of urgency from everywhere—from state departments of transportation to advocates to the public—indicates that there is a real hunger for this change at the grassroots community level.