Many Kentucky, Indiana animal shelters at capacity due to people returning 'pandemic pets'
Pandemic pets: the animals adopted during the pandemic to keep people company.
However, as people return to work and life returns semi-normal, local animal shelters say people are returning their pets at an alarming rate.
The Animal Protection Association in Jeffersonville, Indiana, is almost at capacity with 35 cats. The no-kill shelter cannot take in any more cats because too many people have surrendered their animals recently.
Denise Koenig, the communications manager for APA, said there are numerous phone calls and attempted drop-offs every day. Just this Saturday, someone left a cat at the door. Some cats are even being returned after 10+ years of ownership.
"It's just so hard to think how confused they must be, how hurt they must be, how broken they must be," Koenig said.
Kaydee's Promise, a cat fostering organization, is also at capacity. The organization had around 10 cats bought during the pandemic that were returned in the last 10 days. Melanie Connors, the president of Kaydee's Promise, said adoptions are down about 72%.
"When you're out of room, you're out of room," Connors said. "So unfortunately, a lot of these cats and kittens are going to find themselves either in a high kill shelters, or they're going to wind up out on the street."
Louisville Metro Animal Service is picking up more strays this year than in 2020. An LMAS spokesperson said 536 animals have been surrendered in the last month — including both strays and animals surrendered by appointment. This time last year, around 450 were surrendered. That's nearly 90 more animals.
Koenig hopes people realize the decision to get a pet is not just a purchase, but also a promise.
"You're not a getting a disposable item," she said. "You're getting a long-term commitment that you can love for your lifetime, and a cat who will certainly love you for your lifetime."
Louisville Metro Animal Services will participate in an upcoming national adoption event.
LMAS will join the Bissell Pet Foundation to make adoptions free at the Animal House Adoption Center. The event, called "empty the shelters," runs July 9 - 11.
Metro animal services have also waived fees for people picking up their pets for the rest of July.