About 30 Montreal families were left without permanent shelter this weekend after the city's traditional July 1 moving day.

There are more than 40 adults and 58 children temporarily being housed in residences, motel rooms and at a YMCA.

More than 60,000 Montreal households moved to new residences on Saturday, an annual ritual that dates back to 1973, when a change in provincial law stipulated that rental leases in Quebec must have a fixed one-year term, from July 1 to June 30.

At this time last year, only 13 families were unable to find a place to live.

Meanwhile, the Front d'action populaire en réaménagement urbain — a lobby group for tenants rights — is urging Quebec Municipal Affairs Minister Nathalie Normandeau to provide emergency rent supplements for all families left temporarily without lodging.

The tradition of moving on Canada Day is also hard on pets, because it's getting harder to find a landlord who will allow cats and dogs.

Montreal's animal shelters are overflowing with abandoned animals this week.

"[There are] literally hundreds — hundreds of cats. We have two shelters, and the other is full, too. Yesterday alone, we must have received 50 to 60 cats," said Montreal SPCA director Pierre Barnoti on Monday.

Barnoti hopes all the cats and dogs will be adopted, but only by the right kind of owner. The last thing he wants is to see the same animal back at the SPCA next year.

With files from the Canadian Press