Animal shelters surge with abandoned pets after owners are detained or deported in ICE immigration raids
Pets’ fates uncertain as owners deported by ICE
- Pets are increasingly being abandoned or surrendered to animal shelters across the US due to their owners being detained or deported by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
- This influx is causing severe overcrowding in shelters, which are already struggling with staff shortages and declining adoption rates, raising concerns about animal welfare and potential euthanasia.
- Animal rescue organisations, including those in South Florida and Nashville, report a significant rise in pets from owners impacted by immigration crackdowns, a situation they were unprepared for.
- Specific instances include pets left behind in Los Angeles and New York City, with some animals found severely neglected after their owners were apprehended.
- The Department of Homeland Security says that ICE does not impound property, leaving the animals' fates uncertain.