Pet abandonment and surrender rates have risen sharply following the pandemic pet acquisition surge. Understanding the welfare impacts helps develop appropriate policy responses.
The abandonment crisis creates welfare harm at multiple levels. Animals suddenly removed from familiar homes and people experience acute grief and stress responses. Shelter environments, however well managed, impose significant psychological costs on social animals accustomed to home environments. The barrier to surrender created by full rescue organisations means some owners resort to abandonment in public spaces — a welfare outcome significantly worse than shelter admission. Policy responses include temporary fostering networks to provide relief for struggling owners, subsidised veterinary care to reduce the financial drivers of surrender, and rental housing reform to prevent housing-driven pet abandonment.