Years after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, San Francisco is facing a significant and distressing challenge. Its animal shelters are overwhelmed with a growing number of abandoned, surrendered, and stray pets. The daily influx of dogs and cats has exceeded available shelter space, leading to heartbreaking consequences, including a rise in euthanasia. The origins of the crisis lie in the early pandemic period when people, confined to their homes, sought companionship by adopting