Animal shelters taking in more homeless pets due to owners’ housing issues, officials say

The Animal Rescue League of Boston has been seeing increasing numbers of pets being surrendered due to their owners’ housing issues.

It happens when a landlord or property management company suddenly implements a “no pet” policy or stops allowing certain breeds of dogs or ones that are over a certain weight. It can also occur when people have to move to a less expensive situation that doesn’t allow pets, or if they become homeless themselves, according to officials at the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

“Pets are family, and when people struggle, so do their pets,” said Dr. Edward Schettino, the president and chief executive of the Animal Rescue League of Boston.

In 2023 the Animal Rescue League of Boston took in 329 animals due to housing-related reasons, and in 2024 that number increased to 372, officials said.

Animal Rescue League of Boston officials said only 39 percent of rental units in Massachusetts will accept dogs, and those that accept pets without breed or weight restrictions is just 7 percent. Many renters also report that having to pay monthly pet rent is a “is a barrier to housing,” officials said.

According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 14 percent of pets in the United States end up in shelters due to their owners’ housing-related problems. The numbers that the Animal rescue League of Boston has seen recently is well above that national average, as 29 percent of surrenders in 2024 were due to housing reasons, officials said.

Owners who lose their homes or find themselves in a living situation where they can no longer keep their pet sometimes turn to other avenues for giving up their animal, officials said.

“We have also seen a number of instances where pet owners in crisis are making rash decisions, leaving animals outside of shelters or veterinary offices out of desperation,” Schettino said. “These are pet owners who simply don’t know what to do, don’t know what resources are available to them and likely believe they are acting in the best interest of the animal.”

On top of rising housing costs, the costs of owning a pet have also gone up. The ASPCA has found that the annual average cost of owning a dog to be $1,400 in 2024 ($3,200 in the first year), compared to $875 in 2010; and the annual average cost of owning a cat is $1,200 ($1,900 in the first year), compared to $670 in 2010, officials said.

The Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has also seen their local intake numbers rise.

Dogs:

• 2021: 527
• 2022: 682
• 2023: 1181
• 2024: 1437

Cats:

• 2021: 1806
• 2022: 1964
• 2023: 2729
• 2024: 3341

Those numbers represent “a mix of surrenders and strays that were never claimed,” said MSPCA spokesperson Sara-Rose Brenner.

“We’re still pulling together numbers for this year, but early indications are that the increase is continuing for both species,” she said.

Officials at the Animal Rescue League of Boston said legislation has been filed that, if passed, could help tenants with pets maintain stable housing, and the Animal Rescue League of Boston is rebuilding its facility in the South End to expand its capacity.

Schettino said the Animal Rescue League of Boston also offers pet food and supplies, temporary pet housing, and other services.

“We’re committed to supporting pet families through housing instability, financial hardships, and other challenges,” he said.

Emily Sweeney can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @emilysweeney and on Instagram @emilysweeney22.