Shelters have seen a significant increase in adoptions in the past year, especially at the SPA de Québec, which has reached a new high, but this may be a consequence of abandonment related to the pandemic.
A total of 3,200 animals housed at SPA de Québec found a new family in 2022, a record for almost 150 years. That’s a 22% increase in adoptions compared to the previous year, when 2,625 animals found a new family. Although smaller, a similar situation is observed at the Montreal SPCA, where 4,018 animals were adopted, or 28% more than in 2021.
These data, which seem positive to say the least, hide a darker side. If there could have been so many adoptions last year, it is due, among other things, to a significant increase in abandonments.
At the SPA de Québec, shelter admissions were up 15% over average, while there was a 9% increase over last year in the metropolitan area.
A phenomenon that will worsen
However, experts had warned the public when everyone rushed to adopt an animal in the first year of the pandemic, emphasizes Sophie Gaillard, acting general director of the Montreal SPCA.
“We see this situation throughout the country. We expect it to increase further in the coming years, now that 52% of Quebecers own a dog or a cat,” she says. Gaillard also believes that the phenomenon will intensify in the coming years, especially with the increase in the cost of living.
“It is a hypothesis, but our fear is that we will eat our black bread for a few years,” laments Félix Tremblay, also in the old capital.
urgent needs
The Director General of SPA de Québec also recalled its need for new premises to meet the growing needs of the population.
“When I come within a hair’s breadth of doing overcrowded euthanasia and have staff on the brink of burnout almost every week, I guess you could say we’re at the forefront of our testimony,” says Mr. Tremblay. The latter wants help from the city of Quebec to build a bigger shelter and hire more staff.
“We have reached our extreme limit,” he says.
