During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Americans nationwide rushed to buy puppies to keep themselves entertained during the indefinite lockdown. However, now that most restrictions have been removed, citizens are back to work and school. This means countless puppies are being abandoned in the streets, seen as a temporary form of entertainment rather than a serious responsibility.

Animal shelters across the country are overflowing with animals because of the massive influx of abandoned pets. Catawba County, North Carolina, for example, is a shelter that is barely able to maintain the level of new animals they receive each week. Jenna Arsenaulet, the Animal Services Manager of Catawba County, stated that they “took in 100 animals in six days.” But, this is not the only county in North Carolina experiencing this issue. The Wake County Animal Shelter is begging residents to adopt pets from them. There are only 75 kennels for dogs and 42 spaces for cats. As of Monday, 110 dogs and 76 cats are being housed at the shelter in Raleigh. All cats and dogs are available for reduced adoption fees. One can adopt a senior dog for $25 and a cat for any price.

This issue calls us to reflect on our intentions before finding a new pet. It is incredibly important that we “adopt, not shop” for our pets, especially when animals are being left behind daily. In addition, we must consider the hard work of having a pet. They are not temporary sources of amusement, but real lives that must be respected.