Pets being turned in to shelters are declining - help us understand why
Berkeley, California (Thursday, May 06, 2021) - If you’ve found a lost pet, had your pet go missing, or adopted a pet in the Bay area within the last five years, we want to hear from you.
Complete an online survey to help Berkeley Animal Care Services better understand animal sheltering trends in the Bay Area. Your feedback will help us match our services to the needs of pet owners our community.
We’ve seen a sharp decline in the number of pets entering our animal shelter since the COVID-19 pandemic began. Berkeley Animal Care Services took in 844 dogs in 2019 and only 517 in 2020. We saw a similar drop in cats - we received 358 in 2020, 146 fewer than the year before. Other shelters in the region and across the country are experiencing the same trend.
We want to understand what’s behind the decrease in these numbers, and whether there are opportunities we can build on to minimize the number of pets entering shelters going forward.
Thank you for your participation, and please share this survey widely.
About Berkeley Animal Care Services
Berkeley Animal Care Services operates an open-admission municipal shelter providing safe haven to homeless pets in cities of Berkeley, Albany, Emeryville, and Piedmont and provides field services for the cities of Berkeley and Albany including spay and neuter of feral cats, removal and care of injured wildlife, and investigating cases of animal cruelty or neglect.
We offer a variety of services to support Berkeley pet owners including behavioral consultations for new adopters, providing pet food and supplies to owners in need, and veterinary services to unhoused community members.
