Shelters Worldwide are Overflowing – Why?

Shelters worldwide are overflowing – why?

Some of you reading this will have thought about surrendering your pet to a shelter and then discovered that most shelters are full and cannot take.This is not just a Malaysian problem – worldwide shelters are full.

Why do owners want to surrender their pets? Many now find that the cost of keeping the animal is not sustainable. Inflation is rampant around the world post-Covid and this is part of the issue – many people simply can no longer afford their pet. Skip down to “What it costs….” to see our estimates of costs of keeping a cat or dog here in Malaysia.

You want to have a cat or dog, but can you afford it?

Before adopting, think seriously about whether you can afford it – not just for now, but over the years that your pet will live.

Food – there is a huge range, generally the more it costs, the better it is for your pet. You need to also realize that sometimes your pet may have medical problems, such as allergies or gastrointestinal issues, which require specialized food – again more costly

Supplies – toys, collars, leashes, treats, shampoos, brushes, probiotics, litter, beds, flea/tick prevention, heartworm medication, dog licenses, etc

Vet bills – initial vaccinations, neutering, annual booster, random illnesses

Grooming – some pets can be home groomed, but not all. You may think you can handle this but it is time consuming and procedures like nail clipping and ear cleaning can be difficult for owners to handle

Boarding – you may be lucky and have family members or friends who will take care of your pet (for free), but if not boarding can be expensive.

For the first year of your pet’s life food costs will be less than in subsequent years (adult pets eat more than young pets), and if there are no major health issues, vet bills should be comparitively low in the first year. As your pet ages for sure there will be some health issues, so costs will increase.

What does it cost to keep a pet in Malaysia?

These calculations are estimates as it’s not possible to know what health issues your pet may incur, what the inflation rates will be, etc, so this is only a guideline. There is a huge range of pet food – the better the quality, the higher the price. Our estimates below are based on average prices.

Our calculations are based on:

• having a dog for 12 years (medium size)
• having a cat for 15 years
• annual inflation of 3%
• boarding for two weeks per year
• adopting a pet at the age of two months with one vaccination already done by the shelter.

DOGS:

So we estimate that the first year of owning a dog is likely to cost in the region of RM8,000. Taking into account inflation and a life span of 12 years, your dog will cost you something like RM160,000 over its life.

First year for a dog:

For 12 years of the dog’s life:

CATS:

And for a cat, the first year is likely to cost in the region of RM4,000. Taking into account inflation and a life span of 15 years, your cat will cost you something like RM85,000 over its life.

First year for a cat:

For 15 years of the cat’s life:

Options if you want a pet but cannot afford it

Consider fostering an animal from a shelter. Giving a cat or dog a temporary home can be very rewarding. Read about fostering here (link to our website page on fostering). Volunteer at a shelter to get your pet “fix” – also rewarding. (link to our volunteer page)

Options if you really can no longer afford to keep your pet

Think of options to raise funds like posting in websites like petfinder.my, especially if you are seeing the lack of funds as a temporary problem, or your pet needs medical treatment that you simply can’t afford. For big medical bills, do discuss with your vet if the clinic will consider a payment plan.

Don’t expect shelters to take your animal, most are overflowing with unwanted and abandoned animals. It’s just not possible to take them all in. Try family & friends who may be able to take your pet. Or try websites like petfinder.my to find another home for your pet.

Consider cutting back on other expenses that will enable you to keep your pet – example, do you really need a family holiday, it costs a lot plus you would need to board your pet. Your pet is a family member too.

Giving up your pet to a shelter should always be a last resort. It is traumatic for the animal and finding new homes is becoming increasingly difficult.

Last thought…..

If you decide you can afford a pet, do take the time to introduce all family members to the animal before committing. Make sure they are comfortable with the animal. Maybe get the family members to volunteer at an animal shelter first – for one thing, that’s one way of being sure no family member is allergic to cats and/or dogs. If you are planning to adopt, all family members must be on board with the plan. If you expect your children to help with the care, make sure they understand what is expected of them.