This month’s Data Bites shows that while the pandemic resulted in a sharp decrease in animal cruelty complaints, they are now on the upswing once again, increasing from 678 in 2020 to 830 in 2022. They were at a high of 972 in 2016.
The data also show two interesting trends: 1) the decline in complaints related to animals in hot cars and 2) the increase in abuse and abandonment complaints.
(In response to a public disclosure request, the Seattle Animal Shelter (SAS) provided the raw data we analyzed. SAS used to collect and publish shelter statistics thanks to a donation from Maddie’s Fund, but the project appears to have ended in 2017).
Declining ‘Animal in Hot Cars’ Complaints
Seattle Animal Watch’s position is that animal cruelty is an invisible issue in the city. Pre-COVID data affirms this position by showing that animals in hot cars, a highly visible circumstance, was the primary animal cruelty complaint received by SAS, the division that provides animal services to the city.
The prevalence of public awareness campaigns most likely contributed to the decreasing numbers we see from 2016 to 2019. The dramatic decrease in 2020 was clearly due to the pandemic and social isolation. Under lockdown, fewer people were going into work and running errands. Fewer cars meant fewer animals in the cars. Having said that, it is interesting that the numbers have not rebounded as of yet despite the end of social isolation and historic heat waves of 2021 and 2022. Further research is required to determine if these numbers are affected by the lingering effects of COVID or if SAS is simply coding these complaints differently.
Increasing Abuse and Abandonment Complaints
A recent Seattle Times article noted that violent crime in Seattle is decreasing with the exception of homicides. At the same time, complaints about animal abuse and abandonment have significantly increased since 2020. This past year of 2022 shows the highest number in the 2016-2022 period. Has violent crime actually decreased or did the pandemic move some of it indoors? We will conduct additional analysis regarding the types of animal abuse and their severity.
As for the sharp increase in abandonment numbers, various shelters in Washington State and across the country are experiencing a sharp increase in animal surrenders. Even though we do not have SAS’s surrender statistics at the moment, it may be experiencing the same increases. If so, the surrenders are likely due to a combination of return to work, economic hardship, and the glow of the “pandemic pet” wearing off. It is plausible the abandonment numbers are part of this trend as they are essentially people giving up their animals, just outside of a shelter system.
