News and Reports

Animal shelters across the country are still dealing with the aftermath of ‘pandemic pets’ – animals that were purchased during the pandemic.

Shelters have experienced an increase in surrenders since the pandemic, and the animals that are being surrendered often suffer from behavioural and health issues, explained Barbara Cartwright, CEO of Humane Canada, Canada’s national federation of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCAs) and humane societies. 

This means that animals are staying in shelters longer before being adopted.  

“Since the pandemic, shelters are experiencing a flood of surrenders,” Cartwright said in an interview with rabble.ca. “The specific things we’re seeing post pandemic is that the top drivers of surrender are health and behavior issues.”