While the pandemic was in full force, many people got through the lockdown and feelings of isolation with the help of a furry friend. As life began to pick back up, adoption rates started to go decrease.

Animals can be great companions to have around, but they come with a cost and commitment.

“They are gonna require care through their whole lives. They’re gonna require regular veterinary care. They’re going to require food and of course, plenty of toys,” said Lynne Meloccaro, executive director of Dutchess County SPCA.

Meloccaro said adoption rates were strong throughout the pandemic, but the economy and lack of pet friendly housing are now making it difficult to find homes for animals.

“It costs a little more to take care of a pet now,” Meloccaro said. “When all other aspects of the cost of living have gone up, sometimes people feel like they unfortunately need to make a choice between their pets and other expenses that they need to worry about.”

That didn’t stop Liz Hilton from adopting her yorkie, Gucci, back in August.

After losing the two senior dogs Hilton adopted in 2020, she knew she needed to take in another dog.

“Ours was just a matter of, it was time to start looking for a new family member, but I think the economy can play a big part in it for some people,” Hilton said.

If you are going to adopt a pet, Hilton said it is important to understand the commitment that comes with it.

“You have to be able to take the time and patience to train the animal, to just get it used to you,” Hilton said.

Melocarro said the Dutchess County SPCA, along with other shelters in the area are pretty full right now, and that’s due to how many kittens were born this year.

“We’ve had many, many more kittens born outside in the wild then we have in the past, and that’s partly due to the pandemic because trap-neuter-return paused during the pandemic, so many more cats became mother cats,” Meloccaro said.

According to Melocarro, these kittens can’t survive in the wild, so they are brought in with hopes of being adopted. She said the SPCA tries to help people come up with solutions, so they are able to take care of their pets if they are struggling.

Hilton is encouraging anyone with the means to care for an animal to adopt.

“To help these animals that for whatever reason don’t have a home anymore, they’re wonderful,” Hilton said.

In the next part of this two-part piece, we’ll take a look at how a sanctuary in Dutchess County is dealing with returns of farm animals.