The number of dogs and cats being surrendered to animal shelters has sharply increased in various U.S. states, including North Carolina, Minnesota, and New York. For example, the "Charlotte-Mecklenburg" shelter has seen a 43% rise in surrenders this year compared to last year. The reason is singular—financial hardship.
"People who are forced to move often cannot afford to keep their pets. They surrender the animals they’ve raised. This decision breaks them," says Megan Larson, a representative of the Ruff Start shelter in Minnesota.
In major cities like New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, some shelters have temporarily stopped accepting new animals because they are overcrowded. In some places, pets of deported citizens are also arriving at shelters.
Experts describe this situation as a "perfect storm": rising costs, a shortage of veterinary services, under-socialized animals from the pandemic period, and restrictions on keeping pets in rentals—all these factors together are creating a dire situation.
