Prey Maxwell looked painful when he left his beloved dog hanks at an animal shelter in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial hub.

"I can't take care of him. I can't afford the way I should feed him," he said.

He was a two-year-old American Eskimo barked as his master turned around and walked out of the St. Mark Animal Rescue Foundation in the suburbs of Aja in Lagos.

Mark Afua, the veterinarian and chairman of the rescue center, brought Hanks into a large metal cage, many of the single-story buildings designed for dogs, cats, snakes and other animals.

Hanks walks around in a cage - Dr. Afua tries to calm down the distressed fluffy-haired dog.

Online media strategist Mr. Maxwell was recently laid off. His job search means he is never at home and therefore unable to take care of Hanks.

He told the BBC: "I'm trying to get everything I'm going to do. I don't even have time (to take care of Hanks) because I'm always looking for a job."

The 33-year-old’s decision is difficult to make, but it’s the decision of many pet owners in the face of rising cost of living in Nigeria.

Since President Bora Tinub came to power two years ago, the most prone countries in Africa have been hit by high inflation and have canceled long-term fuel subsidies.

According to the U.S. Bureau of National Statistics (NBS).

After that, inflation dropped to 24%, but that means prices are still rising, just not as fast as before.

The economic tightening means that some companies must shrink in order to keep operating costs up and bring young people like Maxwell into an already saturated labor market.

Animal rights activists and animal shelters say they have seen unprecedented abandoned animals, which is the cost of caring for pets out of control.

Prices of pet food and veterinary care have risen more than 100% because of certain things, especially drugs being imported - local currencies are down against the dollar.

"About 10 years ago, when we started this project, we really didn't have anyone given up on their dogs because they couldn't feed them," Dr. Afua told the BBC.

"Currently, we have dropped 10 animals in one month."

Some, like Mr. Maxwell, handed their pets to adoption shelters, while others simply abandoned the animals.

Animal brutality sportsman Jackie Idimogu is my dog ​​and me-the dog community in Lagos that often helps refocus pets, and she says she has noticed the change.

"Now they don't even have that patience (find a new owner). They just tied the dog to the outpost on the road or they just released it on the road."

The 32-year-old said 50% of her income as a furniture maker and interior designer now continues to care for her four dogs.

"I spend about N250,000 per month on pets ($158; £117)" she said, adding that this includes walking dogs a person and caring for them when she is not there.

But Ms. Idimogu said she couldn't stand giving up on them.

"As a single lady, I don't have my own kids. My dog ​​is my kid. I think I'm any difference between a dog mom and a human mom. I don't think I'm giving up any baby for any reason."

Instead, she chose to adapt to her lifestyle – like jewelry, expensive hairstyles and spa visits, there are fewer luxury items, such as chicken, yogurt snacks and car rides.

“I used to be very flashy, but now I have to lower the pitch because of the dog.”

The same goes for Amartya Odanokende.

He spends about $160 a month for five big cats and some kittens food, plus $7 for 10 kg of cat nests. Since he bought the Prussian cat in 2020, he said his spending has increased by 100%.

This "sky maintenance cost" is a problem and he is worried about debt.

Lagos sales director Iyke Elueze is also working hard to take care of her 10 dogs.

He told the BBC: "I used to use a special food. At that time it was only about 30,000 naira. The same dog food was 165,000 naira."

He attributed his first dog, Hennessey, to saving lives while struggling with depression - he wanted to get rid of some animals, though, as he now needs to prioritize his toddlers.

But the 36-year-old fears his dog will eventually be eaten - because they are considered delicious in certain areas of southern Nigeria.

Celebrity Chef and Guinness's record-breaker Hilda Baci has come under fire on social media after acknowledging a dog-themed menu.

"I was cautious about adopting my dog. I didn't want my dog ​​to end up in the pot of any other person," said the father of two.

Frustrated by the situation, Mistura Ibrahim, a young tattoo artist in Lagos, who is a mission to help cats after saving two soon-to-be-killed cats, finds it difficult to find new homes for others who continue to rescue others.

“I called cats from the past and they said they really couldn’t afford the ability to keep cats.”

She no longer feeds cats canned meals and chooses to give them food from her own plate.

Her advice is to take pet benefits seriously: "It's like having a baby. If you can't afford it, don't take your kids to the world."

For Dr. Afua, who uses profits from veterinary practice to fund shelters, it is becoming increasingly difficult to accommodate unwanted animals.

"We tried to help these animals get homes quickly, but I was careful (about) the houses they went to so they didn't come back. Some animals never find a home due to previous abuse."

Now, with the care of St. Mark’s Animal Rescue Foundation, there are currently more than 60 dogs that are twice as capable - would he turn down animals?

"I have no heart. When I speak, I have dogs and cats everywhere. My office and home are full - I still make room for the next one."