'They don't have anywhere for their pet to go': More Calgarians forced to give up their dogs (2024)

Calgary animal advocates say the increased costs of living, combined with a housing crisis, are forcing pet owners to make tough decisions between their needs and those of their pets.

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Melissa David, founder and executive director of Parachutes for Pets, said while her organization works tirelessly to give people peace of mind, some days it seems “almost unachievable”.

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Clients typically have struggles and barriers when it comes to their own medical needs, David said.

“They’re already a lot of times on disability, low-income, pensions, or fixed-income. So, now they’ve been asked to stretch that money even further — their housing has gone up, their medications have gone up — and a lot of times their sole support system is their pet.

“Pet food has gone up exponentially, as has vet care, and it’s just very scary for them,” she said.

On average, the organization’s social work team takes 88 calls a day during business hours. David said a lot of times, clients will jeopardize their own health and end up in the hospital because they decided to prioritize their pet over themselves.

The common denominator right now, she said, is safekeeping — when a client has lost their housing or they’re about to lose their housing.

“They don’t have anywhere for their pet to go because there’s no pet-friendly shelter in Calgary, and even the shelters that we do have are quite full on a daily basis, so they do have to go there early to get a spot.”

Approximately 30 to 40 percent of calls a day pertain to vet care at the non-profit.

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When looking for a new pet, it’s important to be honest about the inevitable costs, David said. “If you owned a pet a few years ago, the pet world has changed, so don’t assume those costs are the same. Do some research — pets need vaccines; pets need to be spayed and neutered.”

Looking to adopt a cat, but feeling the pinch of inflation

Many people have pulled back on adopting animals for the same reason they are relinquishing their pets: they are worried about their financial situation.

Leah Simister was and is still looking to make a cat a part of her life. Her only setback, she said, is that she cannot afford it.

During the pandemic, Simister’s situation changed from having a roommate to living solo.

“I was living with a roommate who had a cat and loved that cat so much that I wanted my own, but the numbers didn’t make sense when I had to cover rent all by myself.”

Simister has been a supervisor for seven years at the same company, but said inflation has outpaced pay.

“I wasn’t looking for a brand new kitten; I was looking for an older, mature cat from a rescue — a chill cat to hang out with,” she said.

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The adoption fees were very reasonable, Simister said, but it wasn’t until budgeting food, litter, annual vaccines, and pet insurance that it became clear bringing home a pet wasn’t an option for her.

“I think it’s more of a millennial thing — buying better food for pets, not just the cheapest kibble; whether it’s wet food or probiotic supplements, the food costs are high.”

For now, Simister said catsitting for friends and family and using her artistic abilities to demonstrate her affinity for felines will have to suffice.

“I have Snapchat, and it’s full of people who just send me pictures of their cats doing stuff throughout the day, and in return, I will draw pictures of their cats and send them back because I don’t have a cat to send pictures of.

“I will not go and volunteer at the shelter because I can just see myself failing immediately and bringing something home,” she said with a laugh.

“It’s a surprisingly big driver to finding a new, better, higher-paying job where I can afford a furry roommate.”

‘Window of pet-friendly places in the city is narrowing and narrowing’

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In the current competitive housing market, many landlords have imposed stricter rules limiting or banning pets, particularly certain breeds and larger dogs.

According to Anna-Lee Fitzsimmons, director of public relations at the Calgary Humane Society, the one thing that the organization cannot get on top of is the dog population.

No-pet housing is the number one reason for surrenders at the moment — and second to that is the cost of care, including medical care and unexpected medical needs of an animal, Fitzsimmons said.

“People that rent are having a hard time finding affordable homes that allow pets, and the window of pet-friendly places in the city is narrowing and narrowing.

“We just had a dog actually get adopted by somebody who was renting. The renter had permission from the landlord to adopt the dog; they brought the dog home, and only a few days later, the landlord changed their mind and said, ‘no, we decided we’re not comfortable with a dog’, so that person was forced to bring the dog back to the shelter,” Fitzsimmons said.

The scenario is all too familiar at the shelter: a lease up for renewal with an increase in rent forcing the pet owner to move as they can no longer afford to stay where they are. “And then they are struggling to find a new home that allows an animal for an affordable price.

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“We have always triaged a waitlist when we take in animals here, just to make sure the most urgent or emergency situations get here first. But that waitlist, where it used to be 12 to 15 dogs sitting on a waitlist that was triaged over a course of a few weeks, now we have upwards of 200 dogs on that waitlist.”

Fitzsimmons said the number of kennels at the facility is limited, as are the foster homes, making it challenging to keep up with the demand.

“The need for surrender has definitely increased since 2020, specifically with dogs over any other species,” she said.

“When we used to say ‘we are at capacity and we need to close our doors’, at one time that was news because it was so rare for our organization to be at capacity. Now it’s all the time — we are always at capacity, there is never a point in time where we don’t have a dog on our waitlist.”

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‘It was either feeding the dog or myself’

All too familiar with the plight of securing pet-friendly housing, 27-year-old Brandon Montague said he had to move back home about a year ago with his dog and his cat.

“The price of dog food has gone up so much now that it was either feeding the dog or myself — it went from around $70 a month to close to $140 within four months.

“I chose to move back home so I could still afford everything and afford to feed Bandit and Cheeto at the end of the day,” Montague said, adding that he wants to be able to give his pets the best life they can possibly have.

“I just wanted to make sure I was able to afford pet food, vet bills, and all of the extensive stuff that comes with owning a pet. The cost of everything going up is just astronomical.”

If moving back in with family is an option for individuals with similar circ*mstances, Montague believes that might relieve some of the financial strains that come with pet care and housing, given inflation.

“If you have an animal, the price of rent almost doubles anywhere; it can add up quite quickly.

“I definitely see myself staying with family right now for the next little while. Just the price of rent with a dog, it jumps up so crazy, and I don’t know how anybody can afford that, to be honest,” he said.

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“I was paying $1,300 a month; when I moved out, the rent went up to $2,300 a month because it was pet-friendly.”

That was within a three-month span.

Currently, the social enterprise co-ordinator at Parachutes for Pets says he is grateful for the opportunity to assist other pet owners.

“Thankfully, I ended up getting a job with Parachutes to be able to help more people in my situation who come to collect dog food so they can stay with their animal,” Montague said.

We know the rising costs of groceries, mortgages, rents and power are important issues for so many Calgarians trying to provide for their families. In our special seriesSqueezed: Navigating Calgary’s high cost of living, we take a deep look into the affordability crisis in Calgary. We’ve crunched numbers, combed through reports and talked to experts to find out how inflation is impacting our city, and what is being done to bring prices back to earth. But, most importantly, we spoke to real families who shared their stories and struggles with us. We hope you will join the conversation as these stories roll out.

This week: Scrimping and Saving: Food Insecurity in Calgary

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• • ‘Food insecurity is at a crisis point’: Advocate argues policy changes are needed
  • You just can’t afford to be a single parent anymore’: Working mom struggles to afford necessities
  • Why has shrinkflation run rampant and when will it end? Plus, 11 startling examples
  • ‘My bills keep growing. But my income isn’t’: Senior stretches $35 a week grocery budget
  • ‘Guess what folks? Food isn’t getting any cheaper’: Inflation, sadly, is nothing new

Still to come:

• May 27 to 30 – Priced Out: The Rising Cost of Housing
• June 3 to 4: The Cost of Doing Business

Our series so far:

• Feeling the sting of Calgary’s cost of living? Tell us how you’re managing
• Calgary’s affordability advantage slipping away
• Squeezed: Adults remain with their parents, stretching dollars and pooling resources
• Braid: Inflation is pure poison and Liberals continue to fuel it with spending and taxes

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