When I first heard that there was a spike in Covid lockdown pet adoptions reported a couple years ago, especially by Millennials and Gen Z'rs, I wondered if they would quit on these pets and give them up when the "scary" situation ended... and it looks like that is what's happening now.

Although the below article is from Colorado, my understanding is that pet shelters across the country are getting overcrowded from this same phenomenon.

I'm fairly certain that inflation, financial difficulties, and job loss or uncertainty are factors in why people are surrendering their pets as well...but this trend started last year, when costs were just starting to increase.

They should've stuck to adopting stuffed animals and comfy blankets in safe spaces during the lockdowns.

[Note: an embedded video report, photos, and hyperlinks found at linked website article. The article below is from the Spring, but this story is still in the news, and overcrowding continues in these shelters.]

=================

Pet shelters in Colorado are overcrowded again

by Brian Willie, Victoria Carodine• Published on April 30, 2022 • Last modified on May 2, 2022

DENVER — When the pandemic forced Coloradans indoors, many families grew — some by four legs.

In 2020, pet adoption across the Denver metro area skyrocketed as more people spent time at home, seeking company from a furry companion. And when COVID temporarily shuttered business, shelters and adoption centers transitioned to virtual pet adoptions to meet the high demand. But two years in and some shelters like Dumb Friends League are experiencing extreme overcrowding again.

“We have a shelter full of dogs,” said Kate Parker, the vice president of operations for the Dumb Friends League. According to Parker, the organization is seeing an increase in intakes.

The Dumb Friends League, a nonprofit organization that rescues animals in Colorado, offers pet adoptions, community events and veterinary services, has shelters in Denver, Castle Rock and Alamosa. “All three of them are experiencing an extraordinarily high population of shelter dogs,” Parker told Rocky Mountain PBS.

Across their three locations, Dumb Friends League is seeing a 41% increase in strays (both cats and dogs) while dog surrenders are up 15%, compared to 2019. In March, more than 1,100 animals were brought to the organization. “The League traditionally sees a rise in relinquished dogs during the summer, so an increase in spring is cause for concern,” according to a press release.

“So we're not taking dogs from out of the state, we're not transferring dogs in like we have in the past. We are dealing all with dogs here from people in our communities who are bringing them into our shelters,” Parker explained.

While the organization can’t pinpoint one reason for the drastic increase in animals coming into the shelters, Parker attributes financial constraints, major life changes, the return to in-person work, and housing insecurities as contributing factors for pet surrenders.

“We're seeing a lot of different themes,” Parker said, “but it seems like they have mostly to do with the disruption that the pandemic and the economic conditions we're in right now have created in people's lives.”

While many Coloradans obtained a pet during the pandemic, Parker explained that the animals recently surrendered aren’t necessarily ones obtained in spring of 2020.

“We think it's some of that, but also dogs that people had before, but because of what they went through during the pandemic, now the animals don't fit,” she said. Animals that offered comfort and entertainment for folks working from home and quarantining during the onset of the pandemic might require more attention now. “And all that change makes it hard for people to retain their dogs in their homes sometimes.”

Before pet owners get to the point where they have to surrender their animal, Parker wants them to reach out to the Dumb Friends League. With food, veterinary, behavior and training resources, Dumb Friends League staff might be able to help animals stay in their homes, she said.

Now, the Dumb Friends League is hoping to clear out their shelters and get the animals into loving homes.

“Our community is among the best in the country when it comes to caring for pets,” said Dr. Apryl Steele, the president and CEO of the Dumb Friends League. “When we have needed help, our community has responded, and we’re hoping they will step up now.”

Victoria Carodine is the Digital Content Producer for Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach her at victoriacarodine@rmpbs.org.

Brian Willie is the Content Production Manager with Rocky Mountain PBS. You can reach him at brianwillie@rmpbs.org.

When the covid lockdown started and people began to buy pets, even a blind man could see this coming.

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:
Although the below article is from Colorado, my understanding is that pet shelters across the country are getting overcrowded from this same phenomenon.

I know the cat rescue from which we always adopt and to which we send a monthly donation is swamped

Right now, as much as money, they need volunteers and foster homes. My wife and I have discussed fostering, but we really don't have separate space in which to do it, and bringing a new adoptee in informs us that adding them to the general population would mean nearly constant strife.

I live in a two college town. Our shelter is always stuffed, specifically at semester ends. Kids never give a thought to whether they can afford to move with them, or if mama and daddy are in a position to take their “baby” whem they move on.

I was afraid that would happen. We started looking for a dog in 2020, and specifically a German shepherd female. Could not find one for months, each time I made an appt to go see one, she got adopted out. Started getting smart, and filling out the applications first as soon as I saw one we would like. Finally got lucky, and we got a sweet 3 yr old,just gotten evaluated at the shelter for a week, and they held her for me to see first once I explained I had tried at least 6 other times and no dice.
I wondered, as that was when everybody was staying home due to covid, if some of them would be surrendered back. Such a shame, those pets need a good home,
We are very happy with our girl, she’s a sweetheart, can’t imagine why anybody would give her up. Perfect in the house, loving and affectionate.

We got one of our dogs from a shelter during Covid that never would have been around otherwise.
The problem is that so many people are irresponsible idiots.

Another reason why I hate people. Seriously, its a life and commitment, not a freaking Tomodachi.

I just saw this.
https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0601935/m/3300082494

quote:

Originally posted by BB61:
I just saw this.
https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0601935/m/3300082494

BB61 I had seen your thread and had considered posting this story in your thread, but as your thread had more to do with abandoned pets, and this story was about pet shelter overcrowding from surrendered pets I thought there was enough difference to warrant a different thread... but it may be a distinction without a difference.

As reprehensible as I think these pet owners' actions are, at least they are surrendering them and not just abandoning them, although it wouldn't surprise me if there is some overlap in both groups, and if some of the excuses were the same.

I just wanna say good on ya'll that went the shelter adoption route.

Years ago I found a young keeshond pup in our local shelter, and even took my girlfriend to go visit it while we were waiting for the quarantine period to end before the adoption paperwork could begin. The day after I visited the pup the shelter called to tell me that the pup had tested positive for Parvo and they were required to put him down.

^^^

I was told today our local shelters are so full from the scenario listed by you that they will only take strays now. We plan on taking all the information we have to the shelter in case they find who abandoned him. There was another dog abandoned with the one we found. He was found tonight so we are going to try and get them back together at the shelter.

I would have adopted him after our efforts to find him a new family failed but our 80lb furball is NOT happy about "Max" who is only around 20lbs.

Every vet I spoke with during Covid saw this one coming a mile away.

The other shoe to this is that during the strict isolation periods of Covid, most of the dogs we saw were isolated and poorly socialized to other dogs and other people. The result is what we call "Covid puppies," an entire generation of fear biting, submissively urinating, separation anxiety dogs that now get to live with the mistakes of their owners/society for the rest of their lives. And of course, the vets get to live with them as well....

I'll call it the "101 Dalmatians Effect" which was when a bunch of people got Dalmatians based on some cutesy movies. Many of them wound up in shelters or euthanized. I've said it here before, Dalmatians aren't for everybody. This recent surge of unwanted pets is a further example that a lot of people are not forward thinkers (okay, stupid) and these innocent pets will end up paying the price. Sonofabitch, people suck.

Sometimes I hate people so much. I remember in the spring of 2020 when we had 3 dogs, I would walk them 2-3 times a day and remember seeing people in the neighborhood I'd never seen before.

I think we were talking here on SF that this would happen when the scardemic started going away. Of course it would go away this year as it's an election year.

The guitar and bicycle industries must have also seen similar spikes in purchasing and demand. I remember going to GC in August 2020 and the walls were damn near empty. Couldn't get a higher end bicycle without a 4-6 month lead time.

People on the left, I’m convinced, have no concept of history or future. They only know today.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
People on the left, I’m convinced, have no concept of history or future. They only know today.

Yep, no thought of consequence, just live in the now and whatever happens in the future happens.

After losing 2 dogs this year, we're just not in a financial or emotional state to take on another. We lost our 6 year old to cancer in March and our 13 year old to cancer in July. We have the 11 year old left, he's lonely and it sucks but we're just not capable right now.

The truth is that Covid gave a temporary reprieve to the animal shelter world. This was going on before Covid and the problem lessened temporarily during that time.

I've been working a bit with the local county shelter and have seen first hand what goes on. The cause, mostly weak or non-existent spay & neuter laws and mostly the same demographic as the people that over-breed and can't or don't take proper care of their children.

Also, the shelters are full of Pitbull variants. They are especially popular in the demographic described above. This isn't to say the breed can't produce well behaved dogs. They are the hardest ones to adopt out, for a variety or reasons.

College students are part of the problem but a long way from the only problem or the biggest problem.

quote:

Originally posted by 220-9er:
We got one of our dogs from a shelter during Covid that never would have been around otherwise.
The problem is that so many people are irresponsible idiots.

And with no moral obligations . This is something I absolutely hate. To me, my pets are a lifetime.
Assholes..

quote:

Originally posted by Modern Day Savage:

quote:

Originally posted by BB61:
I just saw this.
https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0601935/m/3300082494

BB61 I had seen your thread and had considered posting this story in your thread, but as your thread had more to do with abandoned pets, and this story was about pet shelter overcrowding from surrendered pets I thought there was enough difference to warrant a different thread... but it may be a distinction without a difference.

As reprehensible as I think these pet owners' actions are, at least they are surrendering them and not just abandoning them, although it wouldn't surprise me if there is some overlap in both groups, and if some of the excuses were the same.

I just wanna say good on ya'll that went the shelter adoption route.

Years ago I found a young keeshond pup in our local shelter, and even took my girlfriend to go visit it while we were waiting for the quarantine period to end before the adoption paperwork could begin. The day after I visited the pup the shelter called to tell me that the pup had tested positive for Parvo and they were required to put him down.

Really sorry about that Keeshond you wanted to adopt, They are wonderful dogs, I would love to have one.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
People on the left, I’m convinced, have no concept of history or future. They only know today.

They also seem to NEVER consider the obvious consequences of whatever they might dream up and/or do today either!

I follow several Boxer groups and Boxer rescues and contribute to 2 Boxer rescues. There was a third I contributed to out in CO but since they “went silent” for a few days in memory of George Floyd they haven’t gotten a dime from me.

It’s sickening what people do to these gentle souls.

As far as the subject at hand, these kind of people don’t give a shit about anything but themselves so some animal sure doesn’t matter.