US Shelters Struggling to Keep Up as Pet Owners Surrender Animals in Batches

Increase in animal surrenders to US shelters; one animal was "returned in droves." As a result of pet owners giving up their dogs, cats, and guinea pigs due to inflation, shelters are overflowing.

The only shelter in New York that takes in guinea pigs is ACC. Last year, it collaborated with the group Voters for Animal Rights to build support for a proposal that would outlaw the selling of guinea pigs in pet shops in New York. The hard part of the work is already done because the measure has gained the required supermajority vote, but the city council is holding up the last stage of approval. The ACC is hoping against hope for a hearing soon. Overall, shelters are in need due to a lack of personnel, a lack of veterinary services, a decline in adoptions, and a decline in foster care interest.

Despite increasing surrenders, total consumption has not increased from pre-pandemic levels. However, there has been a sharp decline in adoptions, which worsens the overcrowding problem. We always have a large population, says Hansen. This is mainly because a backlog of animals needs to be spayed and neutered around the nation due to pandemic shutdowns that slowed or stopped services entirely.