US EditionA heartbreaking economic indicator: More people are giving up their pets
4 Articles
4 Articles
In nearly 19 years working in an animal shelter in North Carolina, Melissa Knicely has learned to identify an unofficial but heartbreaking sign that the economy may be getting worse: when the number of people seeking to give up their pets increases. That happened in the late 2000s, when the impact of the financial crisis spread; on other occasions when there were waves of layoffs in the region; and, more recently, when inflation skyrocketed. And…
By Alicia Wallace, CNN In nearly 19 years working at a North Carolina animal shelter, Melissa Knicely has learned to identify an unofficial but heartbreaking sign that the economy could be taking a turn for the worse: when the number of people seeking to surrender their pets increases. That happened in the late 2000s, as the impact of the financial crisis hit; other times when there were waves of layoffs across the region; and, most recently, wh…
A heartbreaking economic indicator: More people are giving up their pets
In recent months, animal rescues and shelters across the country are reporting sharp increases in animals being surrendered, with several of those organizations telling CNN that financial hardship was at the root of those owners’ decisions.
Shelters report a 43% increase in voluntary animal surrenders due to financial hardships suffered by their owners, in what experts call a "perfect storm" in the economy.
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