Adopting a pet is a big commitment, and many Americans are apparently dropping the ball. The BBC reports that shelters across the U.S. are seeing higher than average rates of returns. This comes about a year after the same shelters saw a spike in adoptions as people faced lockdowns due to the pandemic. As people begin returning to the office and resume traveling, it apparently means they feel they can no longer care for their adopted furry friend. One shelter worker told the BBC that the animals got used to their new homes and routines, and so being returned can be “so hard” for them. Still, not all shelters are having the mass-return issue, and one woman says she credits her shelter’s adoption process for that, as it stresses that pet adoption is “a lifelong commitment.”