Predictions that dogs and cats adopted during the pandemic would be returned to shelters in great numbers once the pandemic ended have not proven true. Other types of pets are not having the same luck. Advocates for smaller animals are seeing the beginning of a tide of reptiles, birds, rodents and fish being given up.
Source: The New York Times, October 1, 2022. Link. Small animal surrenders spiked by more than 50 percent nationwide in the first six months of 2022, compared to the same period the year before, according to Shelter Animals Count, which collects data from more than 6,00 shelters, though they still remain about 20 percent lower than prepandemic.