![]() ![]() RSPCA Victoria says it has received more than 61,000 applications for pets since April 2020 and demand for cats and dogs consistently outstrips supply. Fears that people would give up their pandemic pets have so far proven unfounded, although the biggest test will come when people in Sydney and Melbourne go back to the office for good. Joe ArmaoĪnd the good times seem likely to keep rolling. The organisation says most people are hanging onto their lockdown pets. The RSPCA’s Lisa Calleja with rescued dog, Myrtle. Pet Circle earlier this month cemented its place as Australia’s latest billion-dollar valued “unicorn”, while home meal-kit maker Marley Spoon launched a pet food delivery service in October after spying the spike in pet ownership. Pet care companies have, of course, flourished. There is no national figure for how many animals have been adopted over the past two years, but according to pre-COVID-19 figures quoted by the RSPCA, Australians have about 29 million pets and spent $13 billion on them in 2019. Sadly, the dog later died at an RSPCA centre.Australians have hung on to the lockdown pets they adopted in record numbers during the pandemic, with the number of animal surrenders to the RSPCA dropping or stabilising across every state despite the end of lockdowns. The puppy was reportedly dumped as part of a council clean-up in Penrith.Īccording to the RSPCA, it was 8C outside, with a 1C wind chill, when the puppy was found alive. In June, RSPCA appealed for information after a 10-day-old puppy was found in an Esky on the front lawn of a vacant Western Sydney property. Reports of pets dumped at shelters, and even council collections, have emerged during the same post-pandemic period. “I don’t think it’s going to change in the near future.” Dumped out of desperation And they certainly haven’t seen any reduction,” she said. ![]() “We’re typically about 12 months behind what we’re seeing happen through the US and the UK in terms of post-pandemic impacts on shelters. Ms Penn said global trends suggested the spike wasn’t going away soon. It’s most important to remember to purchase animals fitted to your lifestyle.” “I’m hoping the situation will stabilise. ![]() They are boisterous and great, but those people might want to look at a dog that’s a bit more docile and needs less exercise,” he said. “You wouldn’t want to have a working dog in a small unit. He urged people to consider how pets match their lifestyle and living arrangements before committing. He said the queue to surrender pets could be between 8-18 months long, with foster homes working hard to “soak up” demand. “We have seen an increased demand in our shelters and … queues to surrender,” he said. Since the pandemic there has been a dramatic increase of people surrendering their animals. Three-year-old Teddy is one of a large number of surrendered dogs. Offer available for a limited time only > Want to stream your news? Flash lets you stream 25+ news channels in 1 place. They played a critical role in people’s mental health (but) once things started opening up, they realised the responsibilities of looking after pets, especially when working away from home,” Mr Albin told News Corp.īut for some, it seems pets are no longer needed as people head back to work and back into society. “People got companion animals during the pandemic. The Leagues’ CEO, Stephen Albin, believes the rising cost of living and the community’s emergence from the Covid-19 pandemic has created the perfect storm. NSW’s Animal Welfare League has also reported a 70 per cent increase of the amount of cats being dropped off and a 40 per cent increase in surrendered dogs. Ms Penn said cost of living pressure and rent restrictions played a role in the increase. The embattled establishment, which was recently denied $9 million in government funding for new facilities, was already approaching breaking point before the spike. “And that can be things like staggering going back to work instead of going from being at home 24/7 to not being home at all – getting the animal used to you going away and returning.” ![]()
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