"Surrender." The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines that as “giving up or handing over. To give up completely.”
For the purpose of this column, we are referring to the shocking trend of surrendering pets.
Barrie’s Street Cats Rescue is seeing, on average, one to two per day, every day. Executive director Carol Snow also says it has been increasing in the last couple of months.
Similarly, BarrieToday reported 26 mother cats and kittens were left, in cardboard boxes, on the porch of Aldergrove Animal Clinic on July 28.
I’m sure the majority of veterinary clinics, pet rescues and SPCA locations can share stories just like this.
Snow says she can’t quite figure out why it is happening now.
Are these so-called COVID cats?
I assumed there might be a number of surrenders after the world re-opened. When we were all locked down and many people were working remotely, it prompted people to adopt a pet. As things got back to normal, some people realized they no longer had the time to give to a pet.
Actually, the answer is no.
Snow says Street Cats never saw a tremendous uptick in adoptions at that time, nor surrenders as things returned to normal.
So, what are the reasons being given for giving up a pet?
Snow says the most common reasons are these:
1. The owner has gone into long-term care and can’t take the pet with them and no other family member wants it. Understandable.
2. We just had a baby. But why not introduce the animal to the infant and watch the bonding?
3. We got a dog. So what?
4. We are moving. So buy a cat carrier.
5. I got a new job. And that impacts your cat how?
6. Somebody is allergic. That’s what Benadryl is for.
7. The cat has gotten sick and we can’t afford medical bills. Rethink your budget or ask for a payment plan.
8. My boyfriend/girlfriend moved in and doesn’t like cats. What’s your hurry?
While Snow is both a professional and a diplomat who doesn’t pass judgment, I have tons of judgment to pass.
Honestly, there are very few excuses I could accept as legitimate.
Escaping a violent or dangerous home, of course, is understandable, but the people I have zero empathy or respect for are those who consider a cat to be disposable.
I am going to hazard a guess that most of the surrenders come because the cat is no longer convenient.
Most people don’t think ahead. A cat, if you are lucky, could live 20-years plus. That’s a commitment.
Life happens. We all get busy and family situations change. Money gets tight. It doesn’t mean you toss away a family member.
Yes, a pet is family. If you don't understand that, maybe the cat is better off without you.
Snow agrees there are no easy answers.
“We are strict with adoptions so that things like this don’t happen in the future," she said. "We try to advise and educate about the importance of pet insurance. One injury can add up to thousands of dollars in vet bills.
"We ask people who have one cat already to consider if they really need two or three. People often think with their heart and not their head," Snow added.
I personally accept the title “crazy cat lady,” but I truly could not imagine giving up my pet. I know I would exhaust every possible option. I couldn’t live with myself any other way.
Snow says cats do suffer when abandoned. They do bond with their owner. They do recognize their person. Most surrendered pets stop eating and self-isolate. They get depressed and scared. They lose trust in humans.
As you can tell when it comes to this issue, my claws are out.
On a positive note, after a fire destroyed the former home of Street Cats Rescue, the rescue will soon be moving into a facility on Truman Road in south-end Barrie and taking all of their beautiful cats with them.
