More people surrendering pets than ever, says Sudbury, Ont., animal rescue group
CBC
A Sudbury, Ont., pet rescue organization is getting six to 10 calls each day from people who want to surrender their cats and dogs.
Jill Pessot, director of Pet Save, said it's the worst situation she has seen in her 23 years working in animal rescue.
Pessot said Sudbury has always struggled with cat overpopulation, but now the dog population is a problem as well.
"And we kind of saw it coming as COVID began," she said.
"They're called the COVID dogs. And that's because of the period that they're born in. Pre-COVID, you know, we would get five or six inquiries a day for dog adoptions or puppy adoptions. That skyrocketed to 30, 40 a day."
But Pessot said that high demand during the first two years of the pandemic has died down. Many people who got pets when they were home more often have since surrendered cats and dogs after returning to their pre-pandemic schedules.
"Our kennel has been full for two years straight," Pessot said.
"Normally we house four to five in house and have a few in foster care. And now we're up to 40, 50 dogs at a time."
Pessot said she has had to pay other kennels in the region to care for some animals people have surrendered.
She's also had breeders contact her because they are unable to sell their dogs now that demand is lower.
"The only way for us to get out of this problem is to stop breeding," Pessot said. "Everybody needs to stop breeding."
Barb McNamara, who manages the dog division with the SAINTS animal rescue organization in Sudbury, agreed the situation has gotten bad.
"City shelters are filled. This is awful," she said.
In an email to CBC News City of Greater Sudbury spokesperson Riley Adams said the city's shelter is nearing capacity "with many adoptable dogs."
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