Nationwide, animal shelters have been overcrowded and overwhelmed, with data showing length of stay for dogs going up, while medium and large dog adoptions are going down.
At Mecklenburg County’s publicly-run animal shelter, the shelter recently announced it is halting pet surrenders to alleviate the crowding.
Much of the burden could come from the rising costs of pet ownership. Pet owners are having their wallets squeezed as they already grapple with an affordability crisis.
Pet care has skyrocketed over the years and over 1 in 5 pet owners currently carry over $2,000 in pet-related debt, according to a 2025 MetLife Pet Poverty Report. A report from the Bank of America Institute found that since 2019, prices of services like veterinary care and grooming have gone up 42%, with the cost of goods like food and treats surging 22%.
Veterinary medicine has advanced over tdecades, providing better outcomes for pets — yet owners end up footing higher bills. Veterinary prices rose faster than inflation in 2025.
On this episode, we look at the issues shelters are facing, the myriad of financial challenges pet owners are dealing with, and how major advancements to veterinary medicine also come with a price.
GUESTS:
Melissa Knicely, communications and outreach manager at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control
Dr. Jan Hawkins, diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Surgery and head of the Department of Clinical Sciences at the College of Veterinary Medicine at North Carolina State University
Clara Ottati, reporter at WFAE
