There has been an increasing number of reports of abandoned pets in Central Alberta. Local animal shelters and pet rescue organizations are saying that they can not keep up with the demand on the number of pets brought into their facilities.

Jim DeBoon the owner of Klassic Kennels says the economy is one of the factors to blame.

"We are in a situation in North America. where we have a lot more animals than we have homes.  The single biggest unifying driver we can identify is actually the cost of living crisis. With vet bills, animal sustenance, buying your dog licenses and all the other associated costs, people are finding themselves in situations where a lot of people have to choose between feeding their kids or taking care of their dogs or cats The return to owner rate on dogs has dropped, to a situation that I haven't seen in 40 years."

DeBoon says if you are a family in a similar situation there are ways to save pets that can't be kept.

"The answer is to start reaching out to humane societies and rescue organizations. Make calls and make sure your pet can be taken care of. Don't come up with stories and just drop your dog off somewhere. There are also dog food banks, or some humane societies that can help you with feeding your dogs."

One good thing to come out of this situation is that if you are looking for a pet, now is a good time to get one. Shelters are wanting to get the animals out to good homes and right now the supply is outweighing the demand.

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