CHICAGO (WLS) — Throughout the Chicago area, more people have been surrendering their pets. It is overwhelming shelters and rescues.

In Chicago, Animal Care and Control reports that in 2024, 2,078 pets were surrendered by their owners. A smaller snapshot shows that in September of this year, 292 cats were surrendered. That’s a five-fold increase from last September.

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In Northwest Indiana, Humane Indiana reports that in 2024, there were 127 owner surrenders with 118 animals abandoned on its property in Munster. So far this year, those numbers stand at 100 and 78, respectively.

Experts and local shelter officials say economic pressures are making it harder to own a pet.

“The cost of food, the cost of veterinarian care, it’s overwhelming,” said PAWS Chicago Founder and Executive Chair Paula Fasseas. “Many people have had multiple pets, and they will come and stand in line at Animal Care and Control and say, ‘We can’t keep them.'”

With shelters overwhelmed with surrenders, fostering a pet, even if you cannot adopt one, is a great way to help.

“Our training is digital as well. So, they can get trained right then and there, on the spot. We’ll pair them up,” said Humane Indiana Shelter & Clinic Senior Director Jessica Petalas. “We desperately need fosters. We’re really looking for kitten fosters, cat fosters, and fosters that are willing to take large breed dogs.”

For more information on how you can adopt or foster, check out PAWS Chicago’s website and Humane Indiana’s website.