MONTREAL – Canada Day in Montreal has long been associated with "moving day," characterized by discarded household items on sidewalks and the sight of people struggling with heavy furniture through the city's notorious staircases. This period typically sees an uptick in the number of animals abandoned at shelters. However, the Montreal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) has recently reported a shift in this trend.
Unlike previous years, the SPCA is not witnessing a significant increase in animal surrenders around July 1. Instead, the organization attributes this change to a decline in the number of residential leases that end in June. As a result, pet abandonment is occurring more consistently throughout the year, rather than peaking during the summer moving season. Laurence Massé, the SPCA’s executive director, indicates that the number of surrendered pets is on the rise, primarily influenced by economic challenges and a scarcity of pet-friendly rental properties.
In the first four months of 2025, the Montreal SPCA recorded 1,212 surrendered animals, reflecting a 26 percent increase from the same timeframe in 2024. The previous year, the shelter noted a total of 3,000 surrenders. Before July 1, the SPCA was already caring for almost 200 animals, which included nearly 100 cats, 27 dogs, 39 small animals, and 25 wild animals. Massé revealed that their facilities were operating at 112 percent capacity for cats and 118 percent for dogs.
Massé stressed the organization’s commitment to never abandon an animal, stating, “We’re going to open our offices, we’re going to find a foster family.” Despite fears of a surge in pet abandonment following the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent rise in pet adoptions, the anticipated wave of surrenders did not materialize. However, the increase in animal abandonments continues to be attributed to multiple factors.
One of the primary challenges is the prevalence of no-pet clauses in rental leases. Massé highlighted that while 52 percent of households in Quebec own pets, only 4.2 percent of landlords allow dogs in their rental units. This discrepancy makes it exceedingly difficult for pet owners to find suitable housing. The SPCA has advocated for changes in the Civil Code to abolish these no-pet clauses, although attempts by opposition party Québec solidaire to enact related legislation in 2023 were unsuccessful.
Martin Messier from the Quebec Landlords Association argued that landlords would be more amenable to allowing pets if they were permitted to charge deposits for potential damages caused by animals. He emphasized that issues with pets often stem from irresponsible pet ownership rather than the animals themselves, saying, “We want to make sure that we have a building in good condition.”
In 2015, Quebec redefined the legal status of animals as sentient beings, but the laws surrounding no-pet clauses remained unchanged. Lawyer John-Nicolas Morello, who leads a non-profit focused on animal law advocacy, shared that the SPCA has initiated a court challenge against Quebec's no-pet regulations, although a hearing for this case is still several years away.
Other regions, including France and Ontario, have successfully invalidated such no-pet clauses in residential leases. Morello's organization backs the SPCA challenge and has developed a manual to facilitate better communication between landlords and tenants regarding pet ownership in rental agreements.
Financial considerations are becoming increasingly influential in the decision to surrender pets. Massé noted a rise in surrenders attributed to economic hardship, exacerbated by current inflation rates. Many families are struggling to afford food for themselves, let alone for their pets. To address this issue, the SPCA offers programs providing essentials like food, litter, and toys to financially challenged pet owners.
Massé concluded by stating, “Behind every surrender, there’s often a financial reason.” This ongoing trend highlights the complex challenges faced by pet owners in Montreal as they navigate housing, financial pressures, and care for their animals.
