A dog named Summer (L) looks out from a kennel at Monika鈥檚 Doggie Rescue, a no-kill shelter where the founder says they are pushing capacity as people return pets adopted during coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic lockdowns, in Sydney, Australia, August 31, 2022. REUTERS
SYDNEY 鈥� Australian animal shelters are overflowing, and the wait to return animals can be as long as eight months as pet owners return to work and face rising costs.
鈥淚n all the 20 years that I鈥檝e been in rescue I have never seen it like this,鈥� says Monika Biernacki, founder of Monika鈥檚 Doggie Rescue from the shelter in Sydney鈥檚 northern suburbs.
鈥淭he number of animals in the pounds and shelters that are just desperate to get out. The number of calls, emails, texts that we get here of people wanting to surrender their animals and it鈥檚 just never-ending鈥� It鈥檚 heartbreaking,鈥� she added.
Caring for a pet is getting harder and more expensive, said Biernacki, who started her no-kill shelter in 2001.
The price of pet-related products rose 12% in the first half of the year, twice the pace of human food and beverages, government data show. A shortage of rental homes also makes it harder to find pet-friendly housing.
High school teacher Holly Medcalf bought her dog Opi during the pandemic and has spent almost A$4,000 ($2,700.60) in vet visits.
鈥淵ou have all these really nice ideas鈥� and then in reality, it鈥檚 so much pressure and hard work,鈥� she said.
Many who bought pets as lockdown companions are now realizing the responsibilities they entail, says Stephen Albin, chief executive of the New South Wales Animal Welfare Society.
鈥淐OVID was a really weird time and especially in Australia, where we had lengthy lockdowns. I think quite a few people just wanted companionship so they went and got a pet, they got a companion but they didn鈥檛 quite understand what it takes to keep a pet,鈥� he said.
($1 = 1.4883 Australian dollars)