Animal shelters in Maricopa and Pinal counties are filling up in part because there’s an influx of residents surrendering pets, according to officials.

In Maricopa County, the amount of residents surrendering or returning pets went up by about 30% over the summer months between May 1 and Aug. 18 year-over-year during that span, according to Daniel Guerrero, a spokesman for the Maricopa County Animal Care and Control Department.

There are many reasons people give up their pets that range from residents being physically no longer able to take care of them to residents moving from the area, Guerrero said.

Last year’s 211 pets returned or surrendered during the summer swelled to 274 in 2025, he said. So far, Maricopa County officials have not had to euthanize any animals due to a length of

See Full Page