As inflation and housing costs soar, so does overcrowding in Savannah's dog shelters
At the height of the pandemic, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported that 23 million Americans adopted pets. It was an enormous indication that people were trying to battle the social isolation that came with lockdown in the form of man's best friend.
But as inflation skyrocketed and housing and rent costs increased, Savannah shelters have seen an increase in owners giving up their dogs, turning what was a silver lining into a high number of surrenders.
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From May to July, Chatham County Animal Services had 217 owner surrenders. In 2021, during that same time period, the number of surrenders totaled 128. Dr. Jake Harper, director of Chatham County Animal Services, pointed toward owners being forced to move and surrender their dogs because of high costs of living.
“A lot of these [surrenders] are people moving because their rent's been raised,” Harper said. “One of the surprising ones that I've heard is a lot of landlords are going from pet fees to adding a pet rent. A lot of times people aren't able to afford those things, and they can't afford to keep their dogs.”
According to Savannah housing market trends, Savannah rents have increased 0.6% over the past month, and have increased sharply by 15.3% in comparison to the same time last year. Currently, median rents in Savannah stand at $1,221 for a one-bedroom apartment and $1,406 for a two-bedroom. And rent continues to increase with little sign of slowing.
When owners are looking to surrender their dogs to the county, it's common for them to put down a simple reasoning such as financials, but Harper said they try not to push too much. Instead, they try to find solutions that don’t result in another dog being forced to leave its home.
“Our first response is, ‘Hey, why are you doing this? Have you reached out to different rescues for help? Because they're more mobilized to actually get up and help them. Have you reached out for help? Have you talked to friends or family to help? When they finally tell us, ‘We don't have any other options, then, ‘OK, bring them here.’”
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One Love Animal Rescue is a non-profit organization that helps abandoned, neglected, abused and unwanted pets in the Savannah area by partnering with shelters, rescue groups and the community to facilitate the adoption of these animals into permanent and loving homes.
Made up of volunteers, the rescue has experienced a strain due to the increase in surrenders. The rescue doesn’t have a physical shelter, instead partnering with local shelters by taking in dogs when they’re at capacity. On average, the rescue gets 40-60 requests per month to take dogs, but they only get about five new fosters a month.
“You can see how unbalanced that is,” said Pamela Peterson, a volunteer with One Love. “And there's just such a need, so we have to say no a lot. That's really hard, because I wish we could save every dog but we just literally do not have a place for them.
“People are having trouble finding affordable housing in Savannah and then furthermore, affordable housing that will also allow them to have their pet. So, I think that's one of the biggest categories: budget constraints with gas going up, groceries and the cost of owning a pet, or just not being able to find a place where they can live that they can afford with their pet.”
Dogs can become integral parts of a family for years. Peterson recalls helping a family who’d had a 13-year-old dog they were forced to surrender due to the inability to find a home that would house their dog within their budget constraints.
“It's sad for them, it’s sad for us, and the dog’s confused because they've always lived in a home and then they end up at the shelter. It’s really heartbreaking.”
Admission to shelters can be stressful for dogs. They commonly experience feelings of depression, fear, anxiety and anger, going as far as refusing to eat or drink. The experience becomes even more daunting when the days go by and they're still stuck in a kennel.
When volunteers at One Love are unable to place a dog with a home, the next step is to take them to Chatham County Animal Services. The flip side is that once Chatham County Animal Services, a traditional animal shelter, has reached its 126-kennel capacity and can’t find a home for the dog, there is the possibility that the dog will be euthanized.
“Euthanasia is the last resort,” Harper said. “There is no set timeframe. We have a capacity to care for animals. And when we start reaching that capacity, that's when we start having to make decisions.”
Harper and Peterson said the biggest thing people can do to help is support local shelters and consider fostering a dog until it's adopted.
“Support these rescues that are out here doing the work on the ground. They're out there talking to people. They're out there trying to help people as much as they can,” Harper said.
Laura Nwogu is the quality of life reporter for Savannah Morning News. Contact her at LNwogu@gannett.com. Twitter: @lauranwogu_
This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: Savannah dog shelters overcrowded due to inflation, housing costs
