Remember when everyone was adopting pets during the pandemic? Dogs were flying out of shelters faster than toilet paper off supermarket shelves. We were all stuck at home, lonely, and looking for a furry friend to keep us company. It was a beautiful time for animal shelters, with so many dogs and cats finally finding homes. But now, just a few years later, the story has taken a devastating turn.
Fast forward to 2023 and 2024, and we’re seeing record numbers of pet abandonments. Yep, those same pandemic puppies that brought so much joy are now being dumped at shelters in shocking numbers. According to the RSPCA, 2023 was a record year for pet abandonments, and 2024 is shaping up to be even worse. On average, two animals are abandoned every single hour in the UK.
Let that sink in—every hour, two pets are left homeless.