The biggest animal refuge in New York has taken a sad step.
Rocky, an 11 -year -old senior dog rendered by its owner, became the 1000th animal for New York Carers, which announced on July 18, that its three shelters stopped accepting dogs, cats, rabbits and other critters, except in case of emergency.
The graying puppy was held in a cage in a peaceful desk inside the location of Brooklyn – VIP treatment considering hundreds of other dogs in the refuge were in tight districts that were never intended to overflow.
“We are in the company to take care of the animals that come to us, and we want to help people with their pets, but when we have 1,000 animals to take care and the ability to host them that does not meet this need, we are in a difficult situation,” said the president and chief executive officer of ACC, Risa Weinstock, at NBC News.
Even with the refuge that explodes practically to seams, the staff had exceptions. Weinstock said that after making the announcement to suspend the contributions, 200 animals were accepted in their shelters which were either a public security risk, or sent by city agencies. The situation is so disastrous that New York intervened on Friday with $ 1 million to help ACC.
“But we ask the public to work with us to slow down what is happening,” said Weinstock said.
As the cost of living and pet care increases, animal shelters across the country are critical of an influx of pets awarded, often due to the price associated with their care. Last year, around 5.8 million animals completed facilities last year, according to the national database of non -profit refuge refuge.
Although there was a decrease of 1% of shelters from 2023 to 2024, the levels remain high. In 2019, 55% of refuge dogs had “live results”, which means that they were adopted or returned to their owner. This number fell to 50% in 2024, with around 334,000 euthanized canines.
“It has been difficult for several years for animal shelters,” said Tori Fugate, group’s communications director.
In Arizona, animal shelters find pets abandoned in car parks or on the side of the road. In Virginia, an over-capacity refuge went to social networks to call for an urgency adoptions. And in Tennessee, a refuge said that he “drowned” in rescue dogs, forced to stack kenils on top of each other to provide space.
According to Fugate, the increase in the cost of living and a shortage of affordable housing obliges many animal owners in America in difficult circumstances.
The price of pet care has increased spectacularly. A report by the Bank of America Institute has revealed that since 2019, services prices such as veterinary care and grooming increased by 42%, with the cost of goods such as food and 22%treats. Pet insurance is also expensive.
This led animal owners to withdraw animals related transactions: card expenditure in pet stores dropped from 4% from April 2024 to April, while spending in veterinarians dropped by 1% during the same period.
“The main reason for the delivery of animals is:” I cannot afford it “. Veterinary care is expensive, food is expensive, I mean, just the cost of human living is expensive, “said Weinstock.
The shelters are working to provide new resources to persuade owners of review animals or delay the delivery of their pets. ACC in New York offers free food, vaccine clinics and good veterinarians – “Everything we can do to help you keep your pet,” said Weinstock.
“Even if it is only an animal, the dog of a person, who we said,” If we give you food for a month and you can pay your electricity, would that help you take your dog, cat or rabbit at home? ” And they say yes, and they leave with their children and they cry because we were able to keep this animal with them, it’s a good day, ”she added.
The number of refuge animals also found that the chronology of animals in these facilities is changing.
“The duration of the stay, so the time that animals spend in the refuge, increases from year to year,” Fugate told NBC News.
“We can stay a dog here, a cat, a guinea pig, a rabbit, could be three days, and it could be more than a year,” said Westock.
Weinstock said euthanasia remains the “last, last, last choice”.
“Our goal is that if there is nothing wrong with them in a behavioral or medical way, and that they are not a security risk, they will stay here, and we will market them whenever we get,” she said.
The solution to reduce overcrowding of returned animals is not easy. Weinstock said it forced the community to intensify pets – but also to government resources to combat the deep causes of pets.
Friday, the mayor of New York, Eric Adams, announced that the city would invest $ 1 million in ACC.
“In many ways, our pets take care of us and our loved ones, and it is important that we also take care of them,” Adams said in a press release.
The mayor, who is re-elected this year, encouraged New Yorkers to adopt ACC and said that funding was intended to hire 14 other staff members for their location and meet their daily needs.
For those who want to help, “people could promote, people could donate, they could volunteer, they can network, they can amplify our message,” said Weinstock. But she added that her team is supposed to be a resource to the community during difficult times, not a solution to more important problems at hand.
“People who bring their animals are out of options,” said Weinstock. “”They are not by compassion.
