Montreal SPCA reports record high in pet abandonments: over 2,000 so far this year
Posted August 7, 2025 3:43 pm.
Last Updated August 7, 2025 4:09 pm.
Quebec animal shelters are overflowing, with abandonments up 32 per cent compared to last year in Montreal alone.
Since January, more than 2,000 animals have been surrendered to the Montreal SPCA, a record high for the organization at this time of year.
CityNews)
“Every summer at the SPCA, it’s our high season,” said Sophie Gaillard, Director of Animal Advocacy, at the Montreal SPCA. “But this year, we are really experiencing a record in terms of animals who are abandoned at our shelter.”
“Unfortunately, this is part of a trend we’ve been seeing over the past few years,” added Gaillard. “So, for the past five years, we’ve been seeing a steady increase year after year of the number of animals surrendered to our shelter and this year is the record so far.”
SPCA says several factors play into the rise in abandonment including the economic situation, where people can no longer afford their pet, as well as the housing crisis, with many unable to find a home that allows pets.
“We have so many animals, it’s putting a lot of strain and pressure on our resources,” said Gaillard. “So we’re trying to get animals out of the shelter into loving homes, but we’re also spending a lot of energy trying to get to the root causes of these issues because we can’t simply be just reacting to this ever increasing surrender rate. We really have to try to get to the cause and figure out what can be done to prevent animal surrenders in the first place.”
CityNews)
The Montreal SPCA is calling on the community for support by either adopting an animal or becoming a foster home temporarily. The SPCA also encourages Montrealers to make donations.
