San Diego animal shelters have received more than a dozen pets from people who were deported this year — nine at the San Diego Humane Society and four at the county’s Department of Animal Services.
That’s likely an undercount because neither shelter system asks about people’s immigration status. The shelters only know this information if people include it in the intake forms.
“There could be more because it’s such a sensitive situation that it may be that we have pets in our care, and we don’t know the full story,” said Nina Thompson, director of public relations at the San Diego Humane Society.
Cata, a 4-year-old pit bull mix recovered from a home in Mira Mesa in October, was left behind after her owner was deported, according to a neighbor who contacted the Humane Society.
Thompson said it’s important for people worried about deportation — or those considering self-deporting — to have an emergency plan for their pets. It could be as simple as having a friend or relative ready to care for the pet.
The last time the Humane Society encouraged people to have a pet emergency plan in place was during the COVID pandemic, she added.
While shelters won’t turn any animals away, Thompson said keeping a pet with a friend or relative is a much better outcome.
That’s because shelters throughout the county are overcrowded.
The Human Society’s Escondido campus is at 173% capacity. They are so full that two dogs share a kennel meant for one.
People who may not be ready to adopt and try to foster a pet for a couple of weeks during the holidays, Thompson said.
“It would be a great help for us just to get an animal out of here for a temporary time and let them decompress in a home setting,” she said.
