Animal shelters are seeing an increase in people abandoning pets as the coronavirus pandemic lockdowns and restrictions come to an end and people enter back into the workforce.
During the pandemic, the pet industry was one of the few sectors that saw its industry boom as people reached out to shelters for something to cuddle with and take care of in quarantine, Bloomberg reported Monday. (RELATED: California Animal Shelter ‘Floored’ By Response After Putting Out Emergency Call For Foster Homes Amid Coronavirus)
Lockdowns around the world led to a pandemic boom for the billion dollar pet industry. Now, as Covid restrictions lift and workers return to the office, animal shelters are seeing an increase in pet parents abandoning their pets. Take a look. pic.twitter.com/jfchl7LEAX
— Bloomberg Quicktake (@Quicktake) May 9, 2021
In the United Kingdom during the early days of the pandemic, there were reportedly more than 400 buyers for every pet advertised according to Pets4Homes, the outlet noted. (RELATED: Watch This Herd Of Cows Help Police Take Down A Car Thief Suspect [VIDEO])
And now as England has lifted its COVID-19 restrictions more shelters are noticing a trend that their “pandemic pets” being “given up.”
“I think that’s going to happen as people gradually return to the offices, people start thinking about taking holidays as well,” Peter Laurie Chief Executive with Battersea dogs and cats home shared with the outlet.
“I think very sadly, we’re going to see people returning their dogs and cats,” he added.
The report noted that one shelter has seen the number of dogs and cats returned doubled in the last few months.