This year is shaping up to be another record-breaking year of animal seizures and rescues, according to officials with the New Brunswick SPCA.
Tony Porter, chief animal protection officer, said the last four years have seen a 27 per cent increase in animal protection calls.
“In 2020, we had roughly 3,000 calls, and the number of calls has since climbed each year. To date, we are up 149 calls from this point last year, which means 2024 is on track to be even busier,” said Porter.
He believes the rising number of cases is due to people acquiring more pets during the COVID-19 pandemic when there was an increase of people working from home.
Now, with most of them going back to working in-person, officials are seeing an increase of calls related to abandonment and animals running at large.
The SPCA noted that officers are also seeing cases where animals are negatively impacted by the scarcity of affordable rental accommodations.
Porter said the organization received 365 reports of pets being abandoned in homes, apartments or outside last year, which is more than double the 141 calls received in 2022.
“Times are getting tougher, economic conditions are not easing up,” Porter added. “The last three or four years have put significant pressure on pet owners. They are trying to cope with being able to afford housing, groceries and childcare. Sometimes, animals are not the top priority, and they are not being looked after properly.”
In some situations, he said the animals were found in very poor condition or deceased, and more animals have been left to fend for themselves in the outdoors.
Porter added the organization wants to help people keep their beloved pets in their homes. He encourages pet owners to reach out to family, friends, local animal shelters and the SPCA if they are having difficulty feeding or caring for their pets.
“We want people to reach out to family members to see if they can get any help. It may be hard to ask for help, but no one will judge them for doing that,” Porter said.
“We want people to do the right thing for their pets and we’re here to help as much as possible. That said, we are a provincially mandated enforcement unit and people who willfully neglect or abuse their pets will face enforcement actions.”
Anyone who witnesses examples of animal neglect or abuse is encouraged to report these issues to the New Brunswick SPCA.
