High Inflation Is Prompting Pet Owners To Surrender Pets To Animal Shelters
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Some pet owners are struggling to keep up with costs as high inflation is hitting their wallets hard, and some of them are having to give up their pets.
Animal shelters across the country are seeing more pets being given up because some people now cannot afford to keep them.
"We're seeing more people that need help," said Bailey Deacon, the Director of Community Engagement at the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter or BARCS.
But many of the pet owners who go to BARCS are discovering that they don't want to give up their four-legged friends.
"We were really able to focus on programs that would help those pet owners when they get to our door or before they get to our door so they're not walking away and leaving their animal surrendered at the shelter," Deacon said.
In 2020, the shelter created programs to try to prevent pet intakes like free health clinics that they bring to neighborhoods across the city where they provide care and supplies.
"They get the vaccines they need. They get vouchers for free spay and neuter," Deacon said. "We bring food. We bring collars."
BARCS is also offering to board pets for people in crisis who may be facing evictions or other emergencies but do not have a place for their pets.
Deacon said that their programs have kept their intake numbers low and also kept pets in their homes.
"Keeping them together is the best option and we're trying to move it to be the only option," she said.
To find out more about how to donate to BARCS or how to get help, visit BARCS.org