The Utah Humane Society reported more than 100 furry friends were abandoned last year, a significant increase compared to past years.
2023 has been a tough year for some shelters in the state. West Valley City Animal Shelter and Salt Lake County Animal Services reported being overwhelmed with pets waiting to be adopted. Most of these animals were stray dogs or lost pets.
“Animal Control encountered numerous dogs tied to poles in public areas with notes asking for homes,” said Lisa Weiss, Animal Care/Community Outreach Coordinator for Weber County Animal Services. Ta. “We recently found four 10-week-old puppies left behind in a wire fence on our front porch in sub-zero temperatures without blankets or coats.”
These puppies have since been adopted. But for some animals, the road to adoption can be long and difficult.
According to Guinn Shuster, director of marketing for the Utah Humane Society, when an animal is abandoned at the Utah Humane Society's doorstep or an organization is notified that an animal has been abandoned at another location, the first step is to He said he should contact local authorities. . Then there's something called a stray hold, where you keep the animal for a period of time when you can't pick it up.
In many cases, Salt Lake County Animal Services will approve the Utah Humane Society to serve as a trap for stray dogs on the premises. “We often work with many other shelters in the state, but when animals aren't being adopted there and they lack resources or are overcrowded, we bring them here. We're moving him because it's a very busy area and there's a lot of traffic,'' Shuster said in an interview Tuesday at the Utah Humane Society's Murray facility.
Although animals cannot verbally express their emotions, abandoning an animal can have a negative impact on the animal through its actions.
“Changes in the environment and daily routine can cause a lot of stress for animals,” Shuster said. “If an animal that has been used to being in a home environment is now outdoors or in a shelter environment, it can be very stressful for them.”
A dog named Smokey barks at the Utah Humane Society shelter in Murray on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. Officials say Utah has a high rate of pet abandonment.
Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
In addition to stressing the animal, abandoning the animal is also illegal. Utah law states that “if you intentionally, willfully, recklessly, or with criminal negligence fail to provide the animal with necessary food, water, care, or shelter without legal privilege; He is found guilty of abuse.'' While the person is in custody. Abandoning an animal under human care. ”
The main reason people abandon animals in Utah has to do with housing. Shuster said housing insecurity and the difficulty of finding affordable apartments that accept pets are big reasons why animal abandonment rates have increased.
Currently, the Utah Humane Society sees more dogs being abandoned due to housing issues than cats. “It's much easier for people to find rental apartments for small animals and cats than for large dogs.”
Shuster said that in addition to more dogs being abandoned than cats, the types of dogs currently being abandoned are purebred golden retrievers, pointers, springers and other purebred dogs. .
“The vast majority of animals surrendered to us are never returned to their adopters,” Shuster explained. This means more people are surrendering their dogs from breeders than ever before. She added that people who adopted pets during the COVID-19 pandemic did not appear to make up the majority of animals abandoned last year.
There are resources available to pet owners who are experiencing financial hardship.
“These are people who are economically disadvantaged and are already receiving services, maybe people who are on food stamps or Medicaid. We have a low-cost spay/neuter clinic that is open to the public. '' Shuster said. “But we also have a special program called the SNIP program, which gives you additional discounts on spaying and neutering and vaccinations if you receive some of these additional services.”
Local pet food banks are located throughout the state, including the bank operated by Salt Lake County Animal Services and the bank known as Rough Haven Pet Pantry. The Utah Street Dawg Crew also provides free supplies for the animals. Ruff Haven Crisis Sheltering provides crisis shelter for these animals. The Utah Humane Society sometimes assists with emergency surgeries.
Best Friends Animal Society has a list of additional resources pet owners can turn to during times of financial hardship.
“We also have a pet rescue program here because we want to keep families together,” Shuster said. Utah Humane Society can help you find resources to provide loving care for your pet during difficult times.
Utah Humane Society Social Media Coordinators Maddie Cushing and Savannah Forbush play with Domingo at the Murray shelter on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Officials say Utah has a high rate of pet abandonment.
Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News
Shuster said there are other options if your situation requires you to keep a pet.
The Utah Humane Society has added a private pet rehoming page to its website. “When you list your pet with all the information, people actually contact you directly, so there's no middle man involved. You don't have to go through us,” Shuster said. “That page gets hundreds of views every day.”
Ruff Haven Crisis Sheltering also offers rehoming.
If you live in a rental property and your landlord says your pet must be removed from the property, the Utah Humane Society can work with you to release the animal and notify your landlord of a delivery date. , Shuster said. .
With animal abandonment on the rise and some shelters struggling with overflowing animals, there's one thing you can do: adopt a pet.
Before getting a pet, Shuster says it's important to reevaluate your lifestyle. “Perhaps you're adventurous and ready for an active companion to go hiking with or have a couch potato to watch Netflix with.” Observing different animals and breeds can help you understand You can find an animal that fits your lifestyle.
If you're going to be in the mountains all day, an Australian Shepherd might be the best choice for you. Or, if you prefer to stay indoors, a cute cat might give you more speed.
Once you've identified the type of animal that's right for you and researched the breed, it's important to go meet the dog, cat, or rabbit. “We always encourage people to meet this animal,” Shuster said. “Because even if you have a purebred German Shepherd that you think will behave a certain way, they may not behave the way you would expect a German Shepherd to behave.”
However, it is also important to check whether you are ready for deployment before you do so.
Let's say you're not sure if you're ready to adopt. Spend time with a friend's animal, see if you can take on the responsibilities that come with raising an animal, or consider becoming a foster parent.
“Fostering is a great short-term commitment for people who can't take their pet home permanently, but can take it home for a few weeks,” she says. “This allows shelters to free up space for animals to be moved and adopted within the same amount of time.”
