With the cost of living rising in the U.K., many Britons are having to part ways with their pets to save money.
The Bank of England has warned that a recession is likely later this year and the country is reeling from rising energy bills. The figures released on Friday showed that the U.K. economy shrank between April and June.
The cost of owning a pet food plus hundreds in vet bills is no longer manageable, according to pet and animal shelters.
The surge in demand for pets during the COVID-19 epidemic has led to a significant reversal of the trend, as people were isolated in their homes and lonely.
One center, Woodgreen, said its applications dropped to hundreds per month, down from tens of thousands per month during the height of the lockdown. Animal shelters are worried that the drop in demand will eventually result in a drop in donations.
Adam Clowes, Operations Director of Dogs Trust, told Reuters that the cost-of-living crisis has crept up a lot more quickly than people expected.
The average U.K. household fuel bill has gone up more than 50% this year due to the war in Ukraine that affects global oil and natural gas supplies. Another increase is due in October when the average bill is projected to hit $4,3000 a year.