Animal shelters across the province need help to keep up with increased surrenders. This includes the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society (AARCS), a grassroots animal welfare organization.
AARCS has more than 800 animals currently in care. According to the organization’s stakeholder relations manager, Rachel Cote, they usually are caring for 600 animals.
Over the first week of September, the organization took in 25 dogs and 89 cats. Many animals that find their way to the AARCS are sick or injured and need long-term care.
However, organizations like the AARCS only have so many resources. Without donations, AARCS must shoulder the costs of caring for hundreds of rescue animals.
Donations aside, despite having a large network of volunteers and caregivers, AARCS also needs more hands on deck. In particular, animal shelters desperately need volunteers to foster care animals in their homes until they are ready for adoption.
“Ultimately, every dog or cat we can place in foster, it helps clear up a space here at the shelter for another animal that needs to come in,” Cote told CBC News.
They are being overwhelmed. More animals than usual are being dropped off at shelters for several reasons.
For the tens of thousands of people displaced by wildfires, many have had to put their pets in shelters because they cannot care for them. Now that the wildfire risk has winded down, some of these animals are heading home.
However, an increasing number of people can no longer care for their pets due to the rising cost of living. How can you afford a pet when you can’t even afford to feed yourself?
Unfortunately, these rising costs are passed on to animal shelters that feel inflation’s effects.
According to the Cochrane and Area Humane Society, the costs of caring for a dog in the shelter average $40 per day, while cat care costs $20 per day. Costs go beyond just food but include vet care and facilities costs.
Pandemic Returns
Driven by feelings of loneliness and isolation, many people rushed to buy ‘pandemic pets’ during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
When pandemic restrictions were lifted, many pet owners abandoned their pets at shelters. In some cases, people would even leave their pets at the side of the road.
Many people dropped off pandemic pets because they had to go back to work in the office, and they had no one to care for their pets.
Another common reason for returning a pandemic pet, especially dogs, was because the dogs had developed fear issues or separation anxiety because they could not be appropriately socialized during pandemic lockdowns. Both of these issues take a lot of time and expertise to manage, which is often too large of a burden for many pet owners.
A lack of spaying and neutering also contributes to the growing number of surrenders. Spaying and neutering pets reduce unwanted litters and limit the number of pets entering animal shelters.
“Right now, puppies will sit on websites of organizations, you know, for weeks at a time where a few years ago, something like that would never happen. It’s just there’s so many animals looking for a home,” said R.J. Bailot, executive director of the Canadian Animal Task Force.
Early last month, the Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS) was 150 percent over capacity, with more than 480 animals in its care. Many were pregnant animals, litters, and young animals.
“I’ve been in animal welfare for nearly 20 years, and I’ve never seen it this bad,” said Bailot to CBC News.
So what are you waiting for?
Fostering an animal doesn’t cost a dime. Organizations like SCARS do everything for you, including paying for vet bills and providing pet food and toys. All you need is a big heart to give these animals the love they deserve.
