Australian Animal Shelters Buckle Under Cost-of-Living Pressures as Pet Surrenders Increase

The cost of living crisis is also delaying owners in seeking behaviour and veterinary care.

A cat waiting to be adopted looks out of its cage at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) Shelter and Veterinary Hospital in Sydney, Australia, on April 1, 2020. PETER PARKS/AFP via Getty Images

Shelters across Australia are under increasing strain, with operating costs rising dramatically and cost-of-living pressures increasing surrendered animals and reducing adoptions.

Managing Director of the Sydney Dogs and Cats Home, Melissa Penn, said some shelters are operating at or beyond capacity, and many are struggling to secure staff.