Picture this. The pandemic is at its peak, and the loneliness is starting to get to you. Binging Netflix and stuffing your face with snacks just isn’t cutting it anymore.
So you decide to buy an adorable puppy to keep you company. You forge an inseparable bond and spend the rest of your days together.
Unfortunately, this is just a fairytale for many pets in Alberta. Pet owners who bought pets on a whim during the pandemic are now trying to pass their pets off as strays at animal shelters across the province.
If that wasn’t bad enough, these animal shelters are already packed to the brim with animals that owners abandoned.
During a cold snap in February, someone even left an adult cat outside a shelter. The cat suffered from frostbite and lost both his ears and part of his tail.
In another case, a couple of six-month-old kittens were found in a child’s backpack. The kittens were lucky they were found since the backpack was tossed in a ditch on the outskirts of St. Albert. A cat carrier was also found outside a vet clinic with a pregnant cat and kitten inside.
However, some owners who have tried passing their pets off as strays have been caught red-handed because the animals are microchipped.
“It isn’t the way to do this because an animal is left sitting here for someone that’s never coming…If you can be forward with your information and truthful, then maybe we can try and help connect you with some resources or provide some more education,” Sgt. Brianne Grey from Edmonton’s Animal Care and Control Centre told CBC News.
In Edmonton, lying or providing false information to an officer is a fineable offence. For weeks now, Grey has been dishing out tickets to irresponsible owners trying to pass their pets off as strays.
Not providing a pet with proper conditions is a chargeable offence under the Animal Protection Act of Alberta.
Depending on the charge, an owner could face up to $20,000 in fines or a lifetime prohibition from owning a pet.
However, animal shelters across the province are still filled to over capacity.
“We have no space, we’re running at 110 percent capacity right now, but we can’t say no. Thankfully the world has stepped up, and we have foster homes,” Amanda Annetts from Second Chance Animal Rescue Society (SCARS) told CBC News.
According to Annetts, SCARS receives as many as 15 requests daily for animals in need, whether it’s cats with urinary tract infections or pet owners that simply don’t want their pets anymore.
To put things into perspective, a rescue center in Morinville, roughly 40 kilometres north of Edmonton, was opened to keep up with a surge of abandoned animals. It only took a week for the centre to reach capacity.
Unfortunately, this is the reality for many rural communities like Morinville, where access to veterinary care and pet education is limited. Both of these factors contribute to higher rates of pet surrender and abandonment.
Pets bring us joy, laughter, and companionship. They are no different than children and often require the same level of care. You can’t just abandon them the moment they stop being convenient.
To begin with, anyone who can’t handle the responsibility of owning a pet shouldn’t own an animal. If you are thinking of buying a pet, take a moment to reflect on the decision. Because while this pet may change your life, you are also changing theirs.
