Latest news with #animalShelters
CNN
a day ago
- General
- CNN
LA shelters see increase in pets surrendered due to immigration raids
After an increase in deportations and self-deportations, dozens of pets have been surrendered to the Lancaster Animal Care Center and other LA County facilities. CNN's Veronica Miracle finds out how the shelters are prepared to cope if more abandoned animals show up at their doorstep.
Yahoo
04-08-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Some animal shelters in Canada are seeing more pet surrenders — because their owners can't afford them
A woman who can't afford her pets after her husband's death, despite working two jobs. A couple forced to downsize due to the financial strain of cancer. An owner who can't pay for the treatment for her cat's urinary condition. These are just a handful of the stories that Calgary Humane Society heard last week from pet owners forced to give up their furry family members. "People having to surrender due to cost of living and cost overall — it's been literally every single intake we've done this week," Sally Johnston, director of community services, told CBC News. As costs creep up in Canada, some animal shelters and humane societies say they're seeing a worrying trend: More Canadians surrendering their pets because they simply can't afford them anymore. Others are seeing increased demand for their services like pet food banks. CBC News reached out to organizations across Canada. More than half said that they're either seeing pet surrenders go up, or hearing more people cite the cost of living for why they're parting with their pet. Calgary Humane Society has had around 200 pets waiting for intake at any given time over the last two years. Five years ago, it had no wait list at all. Last year, B.C. SPCA handled 906 pet surrender requests, but in the first half of this year alone, it's already seen 800. Ontario SPCA has seen a 16 per cent increase this year so far. Cost-related factors accounted for 76 per cent of pet surrenders at Calgary Humane Society in 2024, and for 72 per cent of surrenders this year so far, Johnston said. "When I look at our intake numbers, I really see that for the most part, people surrendering is not a choice. They're kind of forced to." In June, Montreal SPCA put out a call for donations, which the organization relies on. It, too, saw more than 2,000 pet surrenders in the first six months of 2025, an increase of 32 per cent from the same period last year, said Sophie Gaillard, animal advocacy director. Between 2015 and 2020, surrenders were on a steady decline at Montreal SPCA, she said. But over the last few years, that trend has reversed: "This year, it's really a record increase in animal surrenders." A perfect storm Veterinary care, housing and the overall cost of living have been rising, staff at the affected shelters say, and there is also a shortage of veterinarians. All told, it's a "perfect storm" for an increase in pet surrenders, Gaillard says. Finding and affording pet-friendly housing is one of the biggest problems for owners right now, according to shelters and humane societies. Several told CBC News that they tend to get an influx of surrenders right before the end of the month, as people prepare to move into a new place that won't accept their pet. That struggle also disproportionately affects low-income people, Gaillard said. In Quebec, landlords were cleared to implement a record rental increase this year, exacerbating an existing housing crunch. Meanwhile, Montreal SPCA is pushing for Quebec to follow Ontario's example and ban no-pet clauses in rental agreements. "These are really gut-wrenching scenes for us to witness … on a daily basis, people who arrive at the SPCA in tears, in distress," Gaillard said. "They are forced to surrender a family member, essentially, just to be able to put a roof over their heads. It's really an inhumane decision that we should not be forcing people into." For its part, the Toronto Humane Society said it hasn't seen a notable increase in surrenders. But it said more pet owners are accessing its pet food bank and attending community days to receive donated pet toys and items. From March to the end of December in 2024, the non-profit gave out juts under 5,300 bags of pet food, but it's already dispensed about 5,600 bags in just the first six months of 2025. "We're keeping track of how many people are coming in requesting food," said Lauralee Dorst, director of community animal welfare, "and it's usually because they can't afford ... the rising cost [of] food in regular pet stores." Troubling trend, staff say Pet surrenders aren't a new phenomenon, but Johnston says it's troubling to see more people having to consider parting with beloved pets because of financial burdens. She urged pet owners to reach out to their local humane societies before they reach a breaking point, as many shelters have supports such as programs for seniors, pet retention programs or discounted veterinary care. "The sooner that we engage with these folks and come up with these solutions before they even have to consider surrender, the more likely we are to prevent it all together."
CBC
04-08-2025
- General
- CBC
Some animal shelters in Canada are seeing more pet surrenders — because their owners can't afford them
A woman who can't afford her pets after her husband's death, despite working two jobs. A couple forced to downsize due to the financial strain of cancer. An owner who can't pay for the treatment for her cat's urinary condition. These are just a handful of the stories that Calgary Humane Society heard last week from pet owners forced to give up their furry family members. "People having to surrender due to cost of living and cost overall — it's been literally every single intake we've done this week," Sally Johnston, director of community services, told CBC News. As costs creep up in Canada, some animal shelters and humane societies say they're seeing a worrying trend: More Canadians surrendering their pets because they simply can't afford them anymore. Others are seeing increased demand for their services like pet food banks. CBC News reached out to organizations across Canada. More than half said that they're either seeing pet surrenders go up, or hearing more people cite the cost of living for why they're parting with their pet. Calgary Humane Society has had around 200 pets waiting for intake at any given time over the last two years. Five years ago, it had no wait list at all. Last year, B.C. SPCA handled 906 pet surrender requests, but in the first half of this year alone, it's already seen 800. Ontario SPCA has seen a 16 per cent increase this year so far. Cost-related factors accounted for 76 per cent of pet surrenders at Calgary Humane Society in 2024, and for 72 per cent of surrenders this year so far, Johnston said. "When I look at our intake numbers, I really see that for the most part, people surrendering is not a choice. They're kind of forced to." In June, Montreal SPCA put out a call for donations, which the organization relies on. It, too, saw more than 2,000 pet surrenders in the first six months of 2025, an increase of 32 per cent from the same period last year, said Sophie Gaillard, animal advocacy director. Between 2015 and 2020, surrenders were on a steady decline at Montreal SPCA, she said. But over the last few years, that trend has reversed: "This year, it's really a record increase in animal surrenders." A perfect storm Veterinary care, housing and the overall cost of living have been rising, staff at the affected shelters say, and there is also a shortage of veterinarians. All told, it's a "perfect storm" for an increase in pet surrenders, Gaillard says. Finding and affording pet-friendly housing is one of the biggest problems for owners right now, according to shelters and humane societies. Several told CBC News that they tend to get an influx of surrenders right before the end of the month, as people prepare to move into a new place that won't accept their pet. That struggle also disproportionately affects low-income people, Gaillard said. In Quebec, landlords were cleared to implement a record rental increase this year, exacerbating an existing housing crunch. Meanwhile, Montreal SPCA is pushing for Quebec to follow Ontario's example and ban no-pet clauses in rental agreements. "These are really gut-wrenching scenes for us to witness … on a daily basis, people who arrive at the SPCA in tears, in distress," Gaillard said. "They are forced to surrender a family member, essentially, just to be able to put a roof over their heads. It's really an inhumane decision that we should not be forcing people into." For its part, the Toronto Humane Society said it hasn't seen a notable increase in surrenders. But it said more pet owners are accessing its pet food bank and attending community days to receive donated pet toys and items. From March to the end of December in 2024, the non-profit gave out juts under 5,300 bags of pet food, but it's already dispensed about 5,600 bags in just the first six months of 2025. "We're keeping track of how many people are coming in requesting food," said Lauralee Dorst, director of community animal welfare, "and it's usually because they can't afford ... the rising cost [of] food in regular pet stores." Troubling trend, staff say Pet surrenders aren't a new phenomenon, but Johnston says it's troubling to see more people having to consider parting with beloved pets because of financial burdens. She urged pet owners to reach out to their local humane societies before they reach a breaking point, as many shelters have supports such as programs for seniors, pet retention programs or discounted veterinary care. "The sooner that we engage with these folks and come up with these solutions before they even have to consider surrender, the more likely we are to prevent it all together."
ABC News
28-07-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Australians are working more than ever. But skipping breaks isn't healthy
Do you ever feel like it's tough to take a break at work? If you're busy, or in the zone, it can be easy to do. But what happens if we consistently don't take our breaks? "At a basic biological level, your body will slowly start to break down," Kira Schabram, assistant professor of management and organisation at Pennsylvania State University, tells ABC Radio National's This Working Life. Dr Schabram likens the impact of not taking enough work breaks on the body to "deferring maintenance" on important infrastructure. "So you can defer maintenance for quite a while," she says. "But at some point, you're going to have a catastrophic breakdown." So, how do we snap the no-break habit, and achieve a healthier work/life balance? Australians are working more hours than ever before, according to a recent report by the Productivity Commission. But that hasn't equated to an increase in productivity. Dr Schabram says the main reason why many of us don't take enough breaks is internal, "the sense that I can always give more". This is combined with external pressures like demands from a manager or client. She says that many of us equate breaks with slacking and believing our work is "too valuable". A study that examined people who work at animal shelters, co-authored by Dr Schabram, found that workers who viewed work as "their calling" were often the ones who wouldn't take breaks. "A lot of them feel this moral compulsion to keep working, to keep self-sacrificing. And that profession has a really high turnover rate because of it," she says. The research found that staff who took breaks and viewed work as a team effort were more likely to thrive. "A lot thought, 'I care more than anyone else, I have to keep doing this'. Whereas others thought: 'We're in this together, so I can rely on other people to take over when I clock out'." Vanessa Miles, an organisational psychologist, says there are three categories of symptoms to look out for when you are due for a break: She suggests that when these symptoms appear, you can apply a strategy called "habit stacking". Habit stacking is a technique to help individuals build new habits by attaching them to existing routines. "For example, every time you go to put the kettle on, you might do a quick body scan," Ms Miles says. She explains this could involve taking a moment to check for any tension in your body. It could also include applying the 5-4-3-2-1 exercise, which consists of asking yourself a series of questions. "What are five things that I can see right now? What are four things I can hear? Three things that I can touch? Two things that I can smell? And one thing that I can taste. Really simple," she says. "You're just taking a couple of seconds, but the habit stacking is what actually encourages you to do it because it's anchored onto something that you're doing already." Dr Schabram's research identified three different strategies workers use to take breaks. The first is taking "hidden breaks", when employees step away from work in secret. "People recognise they need a break, and they also understand that there's too much pressure for them to look busy, so they feel they have to hide it," she says. Her research found that hidden breaks are common, but lack any benefit. "People don't come back from those breaks feeling more restored … and they often express negative emotions," she says. The second strategy involves employees finding a compromise in their work schedule so they can take a break when they need to, and have more autonomy over their workflow. Dr Schabram says that for a long time, it was believed the only effective work break was a "complete break", such as a walk or doing a leisure activity. But research has shown that employees are more productive when they have autonomy over their schedules. "Compromise strategies really seem to be maximally effective, and individuals aren't just more productive afterwards. They also report greater well-being," Dr Schabram says. The final break strategy is status, which means people take their break without compromising or hiding it. This can be implemented by leaders in workplaces to define the culture around breaks. "As a leader, taking overt breaks and role-modelling that's OK can make all the difference," Dr Schabram says. So if you're starting to snap at colleagues who chew loudly in the office, or you have a neck ache that won't go away, it's probably time to implement more breaks in your day. Feeling tired after returning to work? Mel Kettle is a leadership communication strategist and she uses work meetings to achieve this. "When I have meetings, I try to schedule them for 25 or 45 minutes so that I can have a break in between," she says. "I will always aim to keep 30 mins free between meetings so I can go for a walk or just take a break when I need to." When it comes to changing our mindset, Dr Schabram says we need to ask ourselves what type of break we need. "The way I would suggest you think about breaks is [to ask yourself]: 'What is depleted?' And what are you trying to refill with that break?'" Depending on your answer, you may need to start small by implementing micro-breaks, says Ms Miles. "You don't have to go for half-hour walks every time you take a break. Just a short, frequent break of two to three minutes is effective too." She adds that looking at your schedule and finding natural points in your day is key to retraining yourself. But more work breaks may not be the solution. For those experiencing the symptoms of burnout (exhaustion, inefficacy and cynicism), Dr Schabram says a "transformative break" may be needed. "You have to do that off the treadmill." Whatever your needs may be, Ms Miles says it's important to prioritise things that make you happy.
CBS News
30-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Riverside County promises more funding and staff for animal shelters
Riverside County leaders boldly pledged to hire more staff and add more funding to animal shelters to help them become "no-kill" facilities. Currently, over a thousand dogs lack the space to comfortably live while waiting to find loving homes. "When there's overcrowding like that, there's high stress. The barking levels go up," said Daylin Valenica, a programs manager at the Riverside County Department of Animals. "It limits the staff's ability to maintain a safe, enriching, caring environment for the animals." Valencia said the county's shelters are 220% over capacity, meaning four or more dogs are forced to be housed in kennels meant for just one or two. "We really need the community to help us with volunteering, with fostering, with adopting," he said. Without the help, some of the dogs would be euthanized. The county said it's a last resort they're desperately trying to avoid by temporarily waiving adoption fees and extending shelter hours. "Save more lives," Valencia said. "That's the goal. That's the ultimate goal." To alleviate the situation, the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution committing to the goal of becoming a no-kill community for shelter animals. The department is expected to ask the county for $5 million for more staff, space and programs. The main issue is the disparity between adoptions and abandoned pets admitted into shelters. Valencia said it's critical for people to give shelter dogs, who have already been through a lot, time to acclimate to their new environment and relax into their personality. "They have the ability to love again and trust again," he said.
