Why Are There So Many Animals In U.S. Shelters?

During periods of extreme change and isolation during the pandemic, many of us turned to animals for comfort. 

Shelters were actually reporting a scarcity of animals in 2020 as people across the country cleared the shelters in search of a new companion.

But that no longer appears to be the case. To kick off 2022, Best Friends Animal Society reports there were 100,000 more animals in shelters in January than the same time last year. This adds to the millions of animals waiting in shelters each year. 

It’s easy to assume that heightened animal adoption during the pandemic is coming back to bite. But an adoption manager at a dog rescue in Chicago says things are just back to normal.