The Capital Humane Society says they are seeing a huge uptick in the number of small animals coming into their facility. “When you look at the first three months of 2020 compared to the first three months of 2022 it’s actually been a 57 percent increase in the number of small critters coming to the organization,” says Interim Director Matt Madcharo.
He tells KLIN News they are seeing a wide range of animals. “We see rabbits, we see guinea pigs, we see small rodents, like mice, hamsters, gerbils and also some reptiles, but also ferrets, chinchillas and everything in between.”
He believes people may not be putting as much value on those smaller animals as pets as they do on dogs and cats. “They are animals and they are pets and they deserve to be cared for and treated as such,” Madcharo says.
He also says they see a more animals being abandoned that were given as Easter gifts. “Some years, a month or two after Easter, we’ve seen a slight uptick in baby ducks or baby chicks or baby rabbits coming into the organization.”
He says it’s best for people to adopt a pet that is the right fit for their home and one they can connect with. “It’s hard if somebody’s doing that for someone else to find the right fit for that person.” He says purchasing a gift certificate from their adoption center is a good way to help someone adopt a pet.