US shelters see increase in surrenders – and one animal ‘returned in droves’

Shelters are overwhelmed as pet owners grappling with inflation surrender their dogs, cats - and guinea pigs

The great pet adoption boom peaked in April and May 2020 with nearly one in five US households, or 23 million, giving animals new homes during the pandemic, according to the ASPCA. But as our return to a sense of normalcy has coincided with historic inflation rates, pet owners are forced to re-evaluate their priorities.

Pet food costs have outpaced general inflation by 0.6% (9.1% versus 8.5% in total Consumer Price Index last month) and a single surprise veterinary bill can launch 42% of pet owners into debt, according to a recent Forbes study. As a result, shelters around the US are seeing an increase in owner surrenders and a steep decline in adoptions with no sign of improving.