The emigration route to the United Kingdom and other countries may be a Noah’s Ark for some Hongkongers, but it’s bad news for the many pets they leave behind, as animal shelters raise alarms about a surge in abandoned animals in the city.

Ivy, who runs an animal shelter in the New Territories suburb of Pat Heung, said her venue has become host to more than 140 animals – well above average – ranging from cats, dogs, turtles, birds and even goats.

Many of them are aging pets left behind by families who have left the city for good. “My place is already overcrowded ... where can they go?”, said Ivy. “Perhaps to the AFCD (Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department)? Death, being put down, is their only way out.”

During a visit by an Apple Daily reporter to the shelter, Ivy said the departure of their masters has left some pets depressed. “She hides in the corner all day and refuses to eat,” she said of “Tsin Tsin”, a 12-year-old Chinese mix-breed dog. Every month, Ivy witnesses several pets enter her shelter, many of them old and frail. “Honestly, why don’t they (masters) wait a bit more before leaving...These pets can’t live for much longer anyway,” she said.

Some emigrants, however, go to great lengths to take their pets with them. The pet relocation company Pet Holidays has dealt with dozens of pet relocations every month since the United Kingdom launched its immigration program for Hongkongers.

Some of the company’s new clients, planning to move to Taiwan and Canada, have paid out thousands of dollars for the pet relocation application, relevant tests and costly air ticket, said Fanny Leung of Pet Holidays.

Leung recalled that one family spent HK$100,000 (US$12,870) on a private jet ticket for their pet because no other transport was available.

A pet owner identified herself as Joyce is among those refusing to leave their companions behind. She plans to migrate to Taiwan later this year, and has spent some HK$23,000 to apply for “visas” for her two cats.

“The main thing is that I need them more than they need me,” Joyce said. “I feel like I’m making a choice for them and it will impact the rest of their life. Therefore, I have to be very cautious in every step I take.”

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