(WJAR) — Rhode Island’s housing crisis is now driving another dilemma—an increase in surrendered and abandoned pets.
Animal shelters statewide are grappling with the issue as unclaimed strays are released from their homes or even left inside after their owners move.
The number of unclaimed strays at the Cranston Animal Shelter is up 50% this year.
Animal Control Officer Leanna Garzone says they’ve taken in 81 dogs between January and June, roughly half of which are unclaimed strays.
“I think a lot of it has to do with housing, affordability, economics, people not knowing what to do when they have an animal they can’t care for anymore,” Garzone said.
About 80% of the dogs taken in by Cranston also have medical issues.
Some have never seen a veterinarian before, adding additional expenses for the shelters.
“Most of them will come in with ear infections, skin infections, and that’s another reason why these animals are being left behind,” Garzone said.
While medical issues may be a contributing factor to animal abandonments, the state’s housing crisis has also intensified the issue.
High home prices have forced people into the rental market, where pets aren’t always allowed.
“It’s a difficult time for dogs and people who have them right now,” Rhode Island SPCA dog manager Hugh Tucker said.
For every application the RISPCA gets to adopt a dog, they receive six to 10 new surrenders.
“We will never fully be able to keep up with the pace if you’re looking at the scale of 10 to one,” Tucker said.
Cats are in a similar situation.
“End of the month and first of the month are generally the worst time for surrenders,” RISCPA cat and small animal manager Olivia Warburton said.
Warburton said the problem has skyrocketed over the past two years.
“There’s a lot more cats being left in apartments, a lot more animals being left outside,” Warburton said.
They’re also seeing an increase in owners showing up unannounced to try and surrender their pets.
“Unfortunately, with the housing the way it is in Rhode Island right now, there’s already not enough places for people to go, and then on top of that, there’s even less places for people who have pets to go,” Warburton said.
It puts the RISCPA in a difficult situation when owners try and surrender a pet without going through the process, as they don’t always have capacity for more animals.
“Everyone needs a little help and that’s what we are here for, but at the end of the day there’s only so much we can do,” Tucker said.
Tucker says if you go through the process, they will help you, but he cautions people against just abandoning their pets.
“We have seen it where someone will put in a surrender request, we are not able to get to that dog immediately, and then wouldn’t you know a dog that matched that exact description of the application we received is found on the side of the road,” he said.
If that happens, the owner can face abandonment charges.
“It can lead to criminal charges for the owner,” Garzone said. “We first have to prove that they truly are the owner and that they did do what we think they did.”
If you plan to move to a location that may not accept pets, Tucker recommends planning sooner rather than later. “If you think you might need to rehome your dog, start as soon as you have that inclination.”
If you wait too long, getting your pet into a new home, or even a shelter, may be difficult.
“Ask for help. Call your local Animal Control Officer,” Garzone said. “Your local animal control can help you; they can help provide you with the resources to get that dog the right placement in the right care.”
Some municipalities rely solely on donations for their animal shelters, but Cranston budgets for abandoned animals.
This past year, the city invested $35,000 for everything from food to vet care, but animal care is so expensive they still must fundraise on top of that.
“Sometimes we will reach out through Social Media and do fundraisers,” Garzone said. “As a municipality, we do have a limited budget versus some of the rescues in the state of Rhode Island.”