Tamsen Kingry, chief executive of the Richmond SPCA, with her dog, Bart, whom she adopted during the pandemic. (Photo by Ash Daniel)
According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, an estimated one in five U.S. households — roughly 23 million families — adopted a cat or dog during the pandemic. Now that people are leaving their homes more regularly, whether for work or play, some have wondered if a rise in shelter census counts are due to families returning their newly adopted pets. But a recent SPCA report says data from the first half of 2022 shows that the rate of animals being surrendered by owners is similar to the rate in 2019 and 2021. We spoke with Tamsen Kingry, chief executive officer of the Richmond SPCA, to find out what’s happening locally.
Richmond magazine: Has there been a surge this year in animals being returned to shelters?
Tamsen Kingry: Certainly it has been reported that returns have been up. That is not something we have observed at the Richmond SPCA, and we haven’t seen any data to indicate that is happening regionally. Our return rate is around 10.5%, which is very consistent with pre-pandemic statistics. What we saw happen during the pandemic is that return rates stayed pretty static. With so many folks working from home during the pandemic, there was an initial surge in adoptions, and guardians were able to form really strong bonds with pets at home. Those strong bonds contributed to there being a lower rate of return.
RM: What are the most common causes for someone to return a pet?
Kingry: The most common reason has to do with housing insecurity: evictions, moving, homelessness, issues with a landlord. Then there are behavior issues, which may mean that a particular pet isn’t the best fit for that family. Then there are allergies. We currently offer a boarding program where, if someone is facing a temporary situation of housing insecurity, Richmond SPCA will take care of their pets so they can be reunited later. Typically, this is for periods of less than three months, and we really work one on one with individuals based on their particular set of circumstances. Any time a pet is adopted, we provide resources to guardians for the lifetime of that pet. Our free behavior hotline will work with people to help them manage or change behaviors at home. The hotline is available to all members of the community, no matter where they adopted their pet.
RM: Is fostering a pet a good path to adoption?
Kingry: We place 1,000 homeless cats and dogs into foster care over the course of a year. Foster care is wonderful because it allows us to expand our capacity beyond the four walls of the shelter. Some people enter the foster care relationship knowing this will be a temporary placement — a few days to a few weeks — where they are providing a loving and safe home. Others enter the relationship expecting a temporary situation and then fall deeply in love with the pet and can’t imagine not being with the pet forever. We see either case as a success. Some of our foster care advisers serve as ambassadors, with the understanding that they will try to find the pet a permanent, safe home. They are very invested in that outcome.
RM: How can a family assess whether they should adopt a pet?
Kingry: Any time you adopt a pet, you have to recognize it’s a lifetime commitment you’re making. You’re opening your heart and home to a new companion who will take time to acclimate to the family. Sometimes the fit isn’t really right. Organizations like the SPCA are prepared to support you in finding the right match and making the placement a success. If the fit isn’t right, we’ll work with you to find an animal that is better suited for your family. We’re looking for matches that are the best ones for both the pets and people.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
