Shelters increasingly taking in neglected pandemic pets

The number of neglected dogs and cats seized by the National Animal Welfare Inspectorate (LID) increased significantly last year by 15 and 22 percent, respectively. The inspectorate blames pandemic pets. “People impulsively bought an animal for companionship but did not consider the care and costs after the crisis,” the Inspectorate said in its annual report.

People who bought a puppy or kitten during the coronavirus pandemic no longer have time for them now that their life is back to normal. Or they underestimated the costs. A vet consultation starts at a few tens of euros and can quickly run up to a few hundred euros if medication or additional examinations are required. Specialist care for a cat or dog can cost thousands of euros.

“A visit to the vet is an impossible financial barrier, especially for owners with the lowest income,” Marc Jacobs of the Inspectorate told NOS. And with the recent high inflation, the prices for everything, including a visit to the vet, have increased. Instead of expensive treatment, owners opt for the cheap option of taking the animal to the shelter.

The increase in confiscated dogs and cats is also due to backyard breeders, who sold animals en masse during the pandemic but have now seen demand plummet. They are left with unwanted pups or kittens, which are often left to their fate.

Last year, the Inspectorate seized 200 animals from breeders. However, individual owners also neglect their pets. For example, the Inspectorate seized 15 dogs from a home in Utrecht last year. Some were kept in old rusted cages. The rest were allowed to roam the house but wore diapers because they were rarely taken outside.

Immediately after the pandemic, the number of dumped rabbits and guinea pigs increased significantly. The number of dumped or confiscated rodents was comparable to previous years. More dogs and cats were confiscated in 2023. The number of neglected birds confiscated doubled.

That is mainly due to one case. A Ridderker man was keeping 360 pigeons in his house. “The ground floor was barely habitable due to the thick layers of droppings from dozens of flying pigeons and the penetrating ammonia smell.” The pigeons were confiscated. According to the Inspectorate, the owner loudly protested and called the measure excessive.