'People are in panic mode': Island animal rescue agencies overwhelmed with pet surrenders

Throughout the pandemic, many workers began doing their jobs from home. In the process, some decided to get a pet. Now that many have returned to the office, animal rescue agencies up and down Vancouver Island are becoming overwhelmed with animal surrenders.

The Victoria Humane Society exists to help abandoned and abused animals. Now a lot of that work is being put aside.

"Because we have to take all these animals in from owner surrenders because people are in panic mode," said Penny Stone, executive director of the Victoria Humane Society.

This past weekend alone, the Victoria Humane Society took in 20 puppies, nine dogs, a ferret and a pig named Mr. Taylor.

Mr. Taylor, the pig surrendered to the Victoria Humane Society, is pictured. (CTV News)

"It was crazy busy," said Stone. "The phone hasn’t stopped ringing and unfortunately it’s just going to get worse."

The rescue has 80 dogs and puppies in care, with a waitlist of 30 to 40 more.

"And that’s the ones we’re taking on the waitlist," said Stone. "We still get, in addition to all that, five to seven calls a day for cats and dogs to come in."

At Amy’s Bunny Barn in Sooke, B.C., it’s the same story. This time, it’s peoples pet rabbits that are being surrendered.