A recent study in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, “Housing-related companion animal relinquishment across 21 animal shelters in the United States from 2019-2023,” analyzes animal shelter intake records from 21 shelters in the U.S. to evaluate the frequency of housing-related pet relinquishments between 2019 and 2023. The study finds that 14% of animal relinquishments during this period were for housing-related reasons.
The report examines five different subtypes of housing-related relinquishment: unspecified housing reasons, pet-related restrictions, landlord issues, housing loss, and pet owners experiencing homelessness. The analysis finds that between 2019 and 2023, intakes due to housing loss increased while intakes due to landlord issues and pet restrictions decreased. The authors suggest that this could indicate a shift toward more pet-inclusive housing policies as well as growing housing insecurity due to rising housing costs, eviction rates, and homelessness. The report also analyzes outcomes of shelter intakes and finds that pets relinquished by unhoused owners were less likely to have a live outcome from an animal shelter. Most relinquished pets were adopted or transferred to rescue organizations, with only 4% eventually returning to their owners.
The report provides insights into the impact of housing issues on pet surrender rates. The housing stability of pet owners, who make up 72% of renter households according to the Humane Society of the United States, is influenced by varying laws and regulations regarding pets in rental housing, as well as the national affordable housing crisis. The report’s authors cite NLIHC’s Gap report, which finds a shortage of 7.3 million homes that are affordable and available for extremely low-income renters and reveals that moderate and severe rent burdens disproportionately impact BIPOC-headed households. Monthly pet rent – a common pet-related policy – adds an additional cost to already cost-burdened households and makes it more difficult for families with low-incomes to have pets. The authors recommend changes to pet restrictions and fees in rental housing policies, while also calling for broader policy advocacy to address housing affordability at the state and federal levels.
Read the article here.