Pet rescue sees an increase in abandoned ‘pandemic pets’

"Now that's some people are going back to work... a lot of those animals are coming in and being returned."

WEST FARGO, N.D. –They are called pandemic pets.

Rescues in the area are seeing an influx in abandoned animals.

As pandemic restrictions are lifted throughout the metro, many people may be returning back to school or even work and that raises some concerns amongst new pet parents.

As people were quarantined throughout the start of the pandemic, many sought to add a new addition to their homes to help curb their boredom during isolation.

One local rescue in the area is reaching capacity limits as they continue to take in what they call pandemic pets.

“It sounds like everybody wanted animals especially because of the pandemic a lot of people were like well I’m home, I’m stuck at home so lets foster these pets, lets adopt these pets and now that’s some people are going back to work and starting to pick up on their social lives again a lot of those animals are coming in and being returned,” Kritter Krazy, Reptile and Exotic Rescue Founding Director Tasha Gorentz said.

Gorentz says many of the pets were adopted out of impulse and adds it’s important to do some research to find which one fits your needs.