People in New York City have a strong affection for their pets, particularly dogs. When you go outside in the city during the day, you will definitely see people walking their dogs.
Animal advocates have informed FOX 5 NY that the high cost of living in the city is not only causing people to leave, but also making it difficult for them to keep their pets. As a result, animal shelters in NYC are experiencing a crisis due to overcrowding.
“According to Katy Hansen, director of marketing & communications for the Animal Care Centers of New York City, many people are unable to afford living in New York City.” “Living in New York City is too expensive for most people.” “If you don’t have enough money to live in New York City, then you won’t have enough money to take care of a pet, unfortunately.”
Hansen said in an interview with FOX 5 NY that the city now has a very high rate of pets being given up or left behind, which is concerning. Hansen says that Animal Care Centers are supposed to have space for 185 dogs, but they currently have over 300 dogs under their care.
The amount of time animals stay has also increased. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it took an average of five to seven days. Now, it has increased to 15 to 20 days. Hansen said that just like with groceries or back-to-school supplies, inflation is causing the costs to increase beyond what people can afford.
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“We are aware that inflation has had a significant impact on the middle and lower class.” And when it comes to taking care of pets and buying pet food, the prices increased even more than the general rate of inflation. In fact, the cost of pet food went up by around 30%. If you’re already struggling to make ends meet and the cost of food and services increases by 30%, what options do you have? Your salary will not increase by 30%. “And then people began bringing their pets,” Hansen said.
The problem is not limited to New York City. It is available across the entire country. In 2023, National Animal Welfare Statistics reported that 6.5 million animals went into shelters, and slightly more than 6 million animals came out. From 2022 to 2023, the number of animals waiting to leave shelters went up by 177,000.
The ACC had previously stopped accepting new pets because they had too many pets being given up or abandoned. However, pets still keep coming in. “We have open admissions.” “We accept all of them, even when we are closed,” Hansen said. “Even though we had limitations, we managed to accommodate thousands of animals.”
The staff at the ACC have had to use hallways to house dogs due to limited space. They are using cages that are typically used for cats. People are worried about what will happen during the summer months when more pets are abandoned or given up.
“It is also difficult for the staff.” “Even though our shelter population is almost double, we have the same number of staff,” Hansen said. “We are unable to spend as much time with each animal as we would like. This causes stress for the animals because they are not able to get out as much.” When people are stressed, their immune system becomes weaker, which can make them more likely to get sick. So it’s like having multiple problems that keep getting worse and piling up on each other.
Hansen said that despite the many challenges, the community’s support and various initiatives like the foster program and partnerships with over 300 rescue groups are helping to reduce some of the pressure. The ACC is planning to open two new facilities in Queens and Manhattan. However, Hansen emphasized that the top priority is ensuring that people in New York City can afford to take care of their pets.
“In the long run, what we really need is to have affordable veterinary services that require minimal care for New Yorkers,” Hansen said. “It’s likely that both private and public help is needed for this, as people care a lot about their pets, but taking care of them can be very costly.”
Hansen said that even though it can be difficult to afford a pet in New York City, the benefits of having a furry friend at home are priceless. “The love of a pet is truly unmatched.” And simply having another person living in your house. I can help you feel safe. And it’s comforting to know that when you come home every day, there’s someone excitedly wagging their tail. “It makes you feel a lot better,” she said.
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