New research shows that housing-related pet relinquishment is one of the most common reasons for pets being surrendered to shelters. In plain English, that means that many tenants or unhoused folks often feel they have no choice but to give up their furry friends.

From 2019 to 2023, pet surrenders due to lost housing increased, while those involving landlord restrictions or conflicts declined. Over that same period, cat surrenders went up while dog surrenders fell.

So, while a pet-inclusive approach to housing may be gaining ground, housing insecurity is growing worse and has devastating consequences for both people and their pets. This points out the need for state and federal policies that recognize the value of the human-animal bond.