Why Pets Are Surrendered: DC, VA Animal Shelters Share Experiences

VIRGINIA/DC — Years ago, some local animal shelter staffers had fears about an uptick in pet surrenders after the holidays, when pets may be given as gifts. A few animal shelter operators in the Northern Virginia and DC region said post-holiday surrenders are not a strong concern this year, but people still turn in pets regularly for a number of reasons.

In Fairfax County —Virginia's most populous locality — there isn't a noticeable uptick in animal surrenders after the holidays, according to Fairfax County Department of Animal Sheltering director Reasa Currier. But animal shelters typically get more interest from adopters during the holidays.

"We definitely see more traffic into the shelter leading up to the holidays," Currier told Patch. "I think many families think about using their increased time at home to forge a bond with a new pet."

The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria sees the same trend, as pet surrenders happen year round.

"I think historically, animal welfare organizations did have some fears related to that," said Joanna Fortin, director of community programs at the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria. "I don't think we see a huge uptick in returns shortly before or after the holidays."

That's even true for Washington, DC's sole animal shelter operator, Humane Rescue Alliance, which remains busy with animal intakes and declining adoptions. The animal shelter sees a "I bought a puppy buyer's remorse" throughout the year, although it is not common.

"For a lot of years, we've sort of believed that people get pets for Christmas, and then they have buyer's remorse and return them," said Kate Meghji, the chief operating officer at Humane Rescue Alliance. "And the truth is, is that nationally, and I was just confirming with our data, that's just not the case. Our average return rate is between 3 and 6 percent. The national average is between 7 and 11 percent."

Meghji noted the fears of animal shelters about post-holiday pet surrenders caused some to suspend adoptions around Christmas years ago.

"Or they'd make you come back after the holiday, or they'd make you jump/crawl through all these hoops. And what happened as a result of that is that we drove people away from adopting from shelters to other sources to acquire them, because we know that if somebody wants to get a pet, they're going to get a pet," said Meghji. "And so I would much prefer they get a pet that is vaccinated and sterilized and microchipped."

Sometimes, gift givers may not know if their family or friend can take on the responsibility of a pet or what would work in their household. For families who are unsure if they should gift a pet, the Animal Welfare League of Alexandria's Fortin suggests alternatives.

"We do sometimes have folks reach out that are interested in helping out a family member as a gift," said Fortin. "While we don't necessarily discourage that idea … what we usually encourage folks to do is to sponsor the adoption fee for the person or come with them, get them supplies."

Families that are uncertain about taking a pet home can always visit the shelter before adopting, according to the Fairfax County Animal Shelter's Currier. The animal shelter has trained staff with knowledge on what pets will work in families' households and recommends all people living in the household meet the potential pet to make sure they're comfortable with an animal. Any dogs living in the household are required to meet a potential dog before adoption at the Fairfax County Animal Shelter.

"You can come in as many times as you want," said Currier. "[Some] people come in several times before choosing a pet."

Animal Shelters Stay Busy

The holidays are typically quieter for animal shelters than the summer, when baby kitten and other baby animal seasons increase animal intakes. But still, the animal shelters may be consistently busy due to a few factors.

Humane Rescue Alliance, which was founded in the 1890s as an act of Congress to do animal shelter and humane law enforcement services, also runs services in New Jersey. But the DC animals account for about half of transfers to the New Jersey program. A decline in adoptions contributes to that.

"For DC in particular you know, our intakes are not yet quite what they were before COVID. But they're only almost 30 percent below what they were pre-COVID for adoptions," said Meghji.

Meanwhile, the Fairfax County Animal Shelter had a 20 percent increase in animal intakes in 2023. But Currier says the animal shelter still sees a lot of adopters coming in.

The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria's Fortin says the animal shelter has "quite a few" pets now, even though the warmer months are typically busier.

"When we have space during the winter, we do often work with a lot of transfer partners to bring in areas that are still experiencing high numbers of animals in their shelters," said Fortin. "We've had a number of transfers in the last few weeks, and we have more scheduled."

Reasons for Animal Surrenders

Animal shelters have seen recent trends on why pets are being surrendered or not adopted.

Currier sees three reasons for recent animal surrenders: difficulty to find inclusive housing, especially for large dogs, the financial costs of owning a pet, and behavioral issues.

With housing, renters at some communities may find restrictions on dogs above 40 pounds and bans on specific breeds.

Cost is also a struggle as families prioritize their necessities amid inflation. Currier says pet owners are facing veterinary care costs that have increased 10 to 15 percent, putting pet ownership out of reach for some.

The other reason for surrenders is behavioral concerns. Currier says pets adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic may not have received much socialization, and pet owners may struggle with the cost of trainers to address behavioral issues.

The Humane Rescue Alliance's Meghji says the economy and other factors also contribute to adoptions being down at DC's animal shelters.

"Housing is a big one and the cost of veterinary care. These are all things that have really impacted our communities and have certainly contributed to why pets are being surrendered but also why people aren't adopting to take on these sort of financial responsibilities when they're struggling to pay their bills and feed their families," said Meghji. "And so DC has definitely struggled to keep up with intakes."

Tips for New and Potential Pet Owners

For pet owners who choose to adopt from their local animal shelters, these facilities can be resources beyond the time adoption papers are signed and pets are taken home. Resources beyond animal adoption services help pets thrive in their new homes and help them avoid being re-homed.

For new pet owners, animal shelter staff encourage patience with animals who have spent time in animal shelters.

"None of us really know what animals have experienced before they've come into our care, and so you have to be patient," said Meghji of the DC Rescue Alliance. "Go ahead and get an appointment set up with your veterinarian within a week or two of adoption, just to go ahead and establish that relationship. Get any vaccine updates that need to happen if it's a dog, get them on flea and heartworm prevention. And just like with children, pets benefit from a routine and from structure so establishing that from the beginning."

The Fairfax County Animal Shelter has a pet resource center to connect pet owners to resources to help them keep their animals. That includes helping pet owners worth through common challenges that cause pet surrenders, like financial difficulties and behavioral issues.

"We completely understand all of these challenges with pet ownership," said Currier. "We want to be a source of support for families that may be facing difficulties with any of these items."

Currier also says families who aren't ready for the responsibility of a cat or dog can look at other pets, such as reptiles, rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters.

The Animal Welfare League of Alexandria's Fortin says while bringing home a pet is an exciting time, it can also cause anxiety for the pet. She recommends keeping the home calm and quiet, having a quiet space for a pet to have when they're overwhelmed, and monitoring interactions between the pet and others. The animal shelter has resources for pet owners, including tips for success with new pets, as well as a behavioral team on staff to help pet owners.

"We do run an animal shelter but we are much more that a shelter and adoption services," said Fortin. "We work hard to connect with community members before they get to a point where they feel a need to rehome a pet."

The Humane Rescue Alliance's Meghji encourages local residents to "spoil" their pets for the holidays and make a donation to animal shelters if possible. The animal shelters encourage financial donations or volunteering to walk dogs or pet some cats.

"The joy that we get from the animals in our lives is priceless," said Meghji. "And my personal hope is that every human gets that opportunity to share that love and to share that bond, because the animals need it too."

Adopt from DC Region's Animal Shelters

• Washington, DC: Humane Rescue Alliance
• Arlington County: Animal Welfare League of Arlington
• City of Alexandria: Animal Welfare League of Alexandria
• Fairfax County: Fairfax County Animal Shelter
• Prince William County: Prince William County Animal Services Center
• Loudoun County: Loudoun County Animal Services
• Stafford County: Stafford County Animal Shelter
• City of Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County: Spotsylvania Animal Shelter