Canadian pet rescues ‘begging for help’ amid high costs of care

One Alberta rescue agency says pets are being left on their front door as owners struggle to pay for the costs of pet care.

Deanna Thompson says she often feels like she’s screaming as loud as she can in a room full of people and no one can hear her.

That’s how she describes running the Alberta Animal Rescue Crew Society (AARCS), which has been receiving high volumes of surrendered pets since March.

“I really feel that way some days where we have been begging for help, (saying) ‘we’re full, we’re full.’ And it’s like, at some point, it’s kind of falling on deaf ears,” Thompson told Global News.

She says the number of animals in need far outweighs the capacity of both the shelter and the animal welfare industry as a whole.

Thompson, who is AARC’s executive director, adds that while the shelter is still taking in pets, there are times staff have to turn them away.

“Basically, if one gets adopted, another one can come in,” she says.

Thompson says she doesn’t know the exact number of pets AARCS  is taking in this year compared to previous years, but the number of pet owners asking for help has been especially high through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“COVID’s just lingering with us. And as an industry, as people, it’s just really had an effect on how we manage,” she says, adding that volunteering and fostering is also down.