Maxwell, now caught in a frantic job hunt, admitted he barely has time for himself, let alone for his pet.

The skyrocketing cost of living in Nigeria has plunged many citizens into deep poverty, leading a growing number of Nigerians to abandon their pets as they can no longer afford to feed or care for them.

The St Mark’s Animal Rescue Foundation in Ajah, Lagos, has seen firsthand the emotional toll of Nigeria’s economic crisis, not just on people but also on their pets, according to a BBC report.

Preye Maxwell, an online media strategist who was recently laid off, tearfully said goodbye to his two-year-old American Eskimo dog, Hanks, as he surrendered him to the shelter.

“I can’t afford to take care of him. I can’t afford to feed him the way he should be fed,” Maxwell said, his voice breaking as he turned away, leaving the barking dog behind.

Maxwell, now caught in a frantic job hunt, admitted he barely has time for himself, let alone for his pet.

“I’m trying to get whatever I have to do to survive. I don’t even have the time now [to look after Hanks] because I’m always out looking for jobs,” he told the BBC.

His painful decision is becoming increasingly common in Nigeria, where a rising cost of living is forcing many to give up their pets.

Since President Bola Tinubu assumed office two years ago and removed a longstanding fuel subsidy, inflation has soared.

According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), inflation jumped from 22% in May 2023 to a 28-year high of 35% by December 2024.

Although it has since eased to 24%, according to the NBS, prices of commodities continue to rise, straining household budgets and prompting companies to downsize.

Dr Mark Afua, a veterinarian and chairman of the St Mark’s Animal Rescue Foundation, confirms a noticeable surge in the number of pet owners surrendering their animals—a trend the centre has not seen in the past decade.

“About 10 years ago when we started this project, we really didn’t have people giving up their dogs because they were unable to feed the dogs,” Dr Afua explained.

“Right now, we have 10, 12 animals being dropped in a month.”

The cost of imported pet food and medication has more than doubled, driven up by a weakened naira. Many pet owners simply can’t keep up and some have been forced to abandon their animals altogether.

Jackie Idimogu, an animal cruelty campaigner and president of the Lagos-based dog lovers’ community, My Dog and I, says she has witnessed this heartbreaking trend far too often.

“Now they don’t even have that patience [to find new owners]. They just tie the dog out to a post on the road or they just unleash it on the road,” Idimogu told the BBC.

Despite the financial strain, Idimogu, 32, refuses to part with her four dogs.

“I’m spending roughly N250,000 ($158; £117) every month on pets,” she said, noting the costs include dog walking and caregiving services.

“As a single lady, I have no kids of my own yet. My dogs are my babies. I don’t see any difference between myself as a dog mum and a human mum. I don’t think I have it in me to give up any of my babies for any reason whatsoever.”

To cope, she has scaled back on personal luxuries.

“I used to be flashy, but now I had to tone down because of my dogs,” she said, citing fewer spa visits and more modest hairstyles.

The financial burden is shared by cat lovers like Amartya Odanokende, also known online as “Jason the Cat Guy.”

A passionate feline advocate, Odanokende spends about $160 (about N253,000) a month feeding his five adult cats and kittens, plus $7 (over N11,000) on litter.

Since adopting his Prussian cats in 2020, his monthly pet expenses have doubled.

“The skyrocketing maintenance cost” is a serious concern, he admits, adding that he fears going into debt.

The squeeze is also being felt by pet owners like Iyke Elueze, a sales executive in Lagos trying to care for 10 dogs.

“There’s a particular brand of food I used to use. It was just about N30,000 then,” he said, adding that the same brand of dog food is now N165,000.

Celebrity chef Hilda Baci previously came under fire for featuring dog meat on a menu.

Ibrahim has cut costs by feeding her cats leftovers from her plate instead of tinned meals.

Her advice, “It’s just like having a child. If you can’t afford to have a child, then don’t bring a child to the world.”

Dr Afua continues to shoulder the burden of rising abandonments, funding the shelter with profits from his private veterinary practice.

The centre, built to house about 30 dogs, now cares for over 60.

“We try to help the animals get homes quickly but I’m careful [about] the homes they go to so they don’t come back. And some animals will never find homes because of previous abuse,” he said.

Asked if he would ever turn an animal away, he shook his head, and said, “I don’t have the heart to. As I speak, I have dogs and cats everywhere. My office and home is full – and I still make room for the next.”