GHS seeing 'significantly higher' number of animals coming in – GuelphToday

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The Guelph Humane Society says it is dealing with a "significantly higher" number of pets arriving compared to what they saw during the pandemic.
Just over a thousand animals have been taken in this year, though many were stray pets, which executive director Lisa Veit said they're "often very successful" in returning to their rightful owners.
"Our return-to-owner rates have been very similar through the pandemic, as what they were pre-pandemic," said Veit.
Broken down, Veit said about 420 pets have been surrendered to the shelter this year, including dogs, cats and smaller animals like rabbits and guinea pigs. 
By comparison, over 600 pets have been placed into adoption this year. The rate has taken a dip over the summer months, which was a common theme pre-pandemic but not so much the last couple years.
Friday and Saturday, the GHS is holding an in-person adoption event, something that hasn't come around that often since the pandemic began.
"(In the summer of 2020 and 2021, people) weren't travelling as much," said Veit. "They weren't going anywhere so summer time was a more suitable time for them to bring home a new pet. 
"But this year, I think we're seeing what we've seen previously, which is often a busy time of year. People are often travelling, so it's not necessarily a time of year that they're looking to bring a pet into their home."
It resulted in the shelter getting close to capacity a number of times over the last month.
But Veit is dismissing any notion that suggests the rise in animals being taken in is because of some sort of "puppy pandemic," saying there is no direct evidence of this, citing a rising cost of living caused by inflation and housing instability as factors impacting the increase.
The hope is with the timing of the adoption event, with summer winding down and fall on the horizon, it is a great time for anyone who was considering adopting a pet to do so.
There are 185 animals in their care at the moment. 
About 60 will be available for adoption this weekend at their new location at 190 Hanlon Creek Blvd., and fees are reduced for dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs.
And while they will return to virtual adoptions after Saturday, the hope is to resume in-person appointments in the fall.
You can pre-book a 30-minute time slot to the "Study Buddy" event online, as the shelter is looking to reduce wait times. However, they do welcome drop-ins too.
The event runs Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
About the Author: Mark Pare
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