Pandemic Pets End Up In Shelters As Owners Return To Office Struggle With Rising Costs

According to Toronto Animal Services, an agency run by the city, there has been a 63% increase in the number of pets landing in shelters this year compared to the same period in 2021. “We’ve been getting a ton of calls from people calling, needing to surrender their animals. It’s been all day, every day since our phone lines opened,” said animal health technician Anneke Miedima. “We have a lot of animals at the shelter right now and we have a long waiting list of people trying to get their animals in.” In the first half of 2021, 520 pets were surrendered to the organization. At the same point this year, 845 pets were taken to shelters. Anneke Miedima, an animal health technician, says there are many animals at the shelter and “we have a long waiting list of people trying to bring their animals in.” (Paul Borkwood/CBC) The increase is due to changing lifestyles for pet owners after the pandemic measures are lifted, along with the rising cost of living, says Esther Attard, director of Toronto Animal Services. “The price of food, everything has gone up. That includes the price of pet food. Veterinary care may be less accessible. There are fewer vets. There’s a shortage right now,” Attard told CBC Toronto. “And so people may have a harder time bringing their pets.” Attard says the increase is also due in part to several situations where pet ownership has gotten out of hand in the city, including one case with 80 rabbits in one home and another with more than 200 rats. “Then we have to step up because there are too many at home. It’s not safe for people health-wise to have so many animals,” Attard said. City regulations limit pet owners to a total of six cats and three dogs, according to Attard. He says the city will limit rabbits and guinea pigs to four per household. “That way we can prevent … huge issues around too many animals.” Esther Attard, director of Toronto Animal Services, says the increase is due to pet owners returning to work as the pandemic subsides, along with the rising cost of living. (Paul Borkwood/CBC) For the first time since 2019, Toronto Animal Services hosted a mobile clinic last Wednesday to provide low-cost microchipping, rabies shots, food and pet licensing to neighborhoods across Toronto. “The prices are too high for pets,” said Taeon Chapman, who got his puppy Milo a little more than two months ago and brought him in to be microchipped and vaccinated. “I feel like they’re human, they shouldn’t be overpriced like that. They should be underpriced at an amount that people can actually afford.” Brenda Ford, who has owned her dog Tiki for more than eight years, says it breaks her heart to hear about more animals ending up in Toronto shelters, surrendered by their owners. For the first time since 2019, Toronto Animal Services hosted a mobile clinic last Wednesday to provide low-cost microchipping, rabies shots, food and pet licensing to neighborhoods across the city. (Craig Chivers/CBC) “Affordability is very difficult,” Ford said. “If you’re going to get a pet, you have to realize that it’s almost like having a child.” Back at the shelter, Miedima says Toronto Animal Services is doing everything it can to support pet owners facing financial hardship. “We are here to help and we are not the enemy,” he said. Toronto Animal Services says it uses mobile clinics to help owners keep their pets. (Craig Chivers/CBC) “Everyone always wants the best for their animals and obviously we want the best for them too. So we’re very strong in saying we want the best outcome.” Attard agrees. “It’s all about being in the community, connecting with people and being more available that way as a resource instead of having people bring their pets to a shelter,” she said. “Because it’s a lot harder to get animals back on their feet than it is to help them stay where they are.”

title: “Pandemic Pets End Up In Shelters As Owners Return To Office Struggle With Rising Costs " ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-12” author: “Melissa Oates”

According to Toronto Animal Services, an agency run by the city, there has been a 63% increase in the number of pets landing in shelters this year compared to the same period in 2021. “We’ve been getting a ton of calls from people calling, needing to surrender their animals. It’s been all day, every day since our phone lines opened,” said animal health technician Anneke Miedima. “We have a lot of animals at the shelter right now and we have a long waiting list of people trying to get their animals in.” In the first half of 2021, 520 pets were surrendered to the organization. At the same point this year, 845 pets were taken to shelters. Anneke Miedima, an animal health technician, says there are many animals at the shelter and “we have a long waiting list of people trying to bring their animals in.” (Paul Borkwood/CBC) The increase is due to changing lifestyles for pet owners after the pandemic measures are lifted, along with the rising cost of living, says Esther Attard, director of Toronto Animal Services. “The price of food, everything has gone up. That includes the price of pet food. Veterinary care may be less accessible. There are fewer vets. There’s a shortage right now,” Attard told CBC Toronto. “And so people may have a harder time bringing their pets.” Attard says the increase is also due in part to several situations where pet ownership has gotten out of hand in the city, including one case with 80 rabbits in one home and another with more than 200 rats. “Then we have to step up because there are too many at home. It’s not safe for people health-wise to have so many animals,” Attard said. City regulations limit pet owners to a total of six cats and three dogs, according to Attard. He says the city will limit rabbits and guinea pigs to four per household. “That way we can prevent … huge issues around too many animals.” Esther Attard, director of Toronto Animal Services, says the increase is due to pet owners returning to work as the pandemic subsides, along with the rising cost of living. (Paul Borkwood/CBC) For the first time since 2019, Toronto Animal Services hosted a mobile clinic last Wednesday to provide low-cost microchipping, rabies shots, food and pet licensing to neighborhoods across Toronto. “The prices are too high for pets,” said Taeon Chapman, who got his puppy Milo a little more than two months ago and brought him in to be microchipped and vaccinated. “I feel like they’re human, they shouldn’t be overpriced like that. They should be underpriced at an amount that people can actually afford.” Brenda Ford, who has owned her dog Tiki for more than eight years, says it breaks her heart to hear about more animals ending up in Toronto shelters, surrendered by their owners. For the first time since 2019, Toronto Animal Services hosted a mobile clinic last Wednesday to provide low-cost microchipping, rabies shots, food and pet licensing to neighborhoods across the city. (Craig Chivers/CBC) “Affordability is very difficult,” Ford said. “If you’re going to get a pet, you have to realize that it’s almost like having a child.” Back at the shelter, Miedima says Toronto Animal Services is doing everything it can to support pet owners facing financial hardship. “We are here to help and we are not the enemy,” he said. Toronto Animal Services says it uses mobile clinics to help owners keep their pets. (Craig Chivers/CBC) “Everyone always wants the best for their animals and obviously we want the best for them too. So we’re very strong in saying we want the best outcome.” Attard agrees. “It’s all about being in the community, connecting with people and being more available that way as a resource instead of having people bring their pets to a shelter,” she said. “Because it’s a lot harder to get animals back on their feet than it is to help them stay where they are.”