It appears to be ubiquitous, sadly, that people are surrendering or abandoning their companion animals. This is a tragedy for the animals themselves, because they become bonded to their families, or to certain members of the family, and to other animals in the household. It’s also heartbreaking for other animals who they lived with, and for children who have no say in the matter. The companion animals may suddenly find themselves inside a kill shelter, which is terrifying to a dog or cat - they know what kind of place it is even before they step fully inside. I have seen it myself. Not only do they have fear of what will happen to them, but they are heartbroken that their family put them in a strange place and they don’t understand why. They are confined in a tiny cell-like room, sometimes with no bedding, no stimulation, affection, no treatment of medical conditions, lots of agitated barking, no walks in the park..
Some animals are dumped on the street, in a park, in a box on the side of a road, or in a crate in a remote area, left to die. Some are even left behind when a person or people move out or are evicted, with tragic consequences. These people may not know that there are options, besides the city shelter.
It is better to find solutions to keep your family member, in every situation, whether due to allergies, or the pets don’t get along, or you need to move, etc.. Allergies can be managed - it is even possible to become non-allergic just by acclimating yourself to being around a cat or dog (vacuuming, brushing, and air purifiers help, too). When pets don’t get along, there are calming diffusers, there are environmental changes you can make, be sure to do proper introduction when a new animal is brought into a home . See Jackson Galaxy’s Youtube videos for a wealth of helpful information and his line of natural products such as Stress Stopper, as well. When moving, always look for pet-friendly housing. You can talk to a counselor at the humane society about issues you’re having with your animal in order to resolve it. Financial matters can also be solved, by using low-cost vets, asking for payment arrangements, getting Care Credit for vet visits; there are charities that help with expensive medical bills. There is FreeCycle where free pet supplies are given; there are pet food pantries; you can do a fundraiser, and other such things. There is just so much help out there, for people to keep their pets. (I personally find that homeopathic medicine is less expensive in the long run, and cures deeply many health, as well as behavior, issues.)
I always advise people who think they must give up their animal, and this includes rabbits, birds, hamsters, turtles, ferrets, as well as cats and dogs, to email as many as possible reputable no-kill rescues (75-100+) by copy and pasting email addresses into the BCC line, from the Mayor’s Alliance and Chewy’s list of rescues. There are hundreds of rescues listed there, and there are breed-specific rescues, and sanctuaries for old animals, rabbit rescues, parrot rescues. https://www.animalalliancenyc.org/need-help/groups/ AND https://www.chewy.com/g/animal-shelters-and-rescues I have been doing independent rescue for 30 years and always have had success doing this; at least one rescue will offer help for a needy animal, sometimes more than one. Do check out the rescue first before bringing or sending an animal there. I’ve even found homes for a hen, a rooster, a turtle, parakeet, pigeon, and many dogs, puppies, cats and kittens, even cats with FeLv. If the rescue is out of town or upstate, there are trustworthy people willing to transport the animal if you are not able.
