SA animal shelters overflowing as cost-of-living, rental crisis pressures prompt more people to surrender dogs

Jackie is just one of the many who found themselves forced out of their homes – with nowhere for their beloved dog.

Dogs in pens at SEAWL, which is at capacity. Picture: Facebook

Rising numbers of dogs across the state are being surrendered as cost-of living pressures surge and renters are unable to secure housing for themselves and their furry friends.

The RSPCA’s SA branch said it no longer accepts surrendered dogs because its pens are full with strays taken under council contracts.

Dusty Paws Dog Rescue said their organisation had been “slammed” with surrender requests in the past few weeks alone, while the South East Animal Welfare League is at capacity for dogs and has a minimum two-month wait for people wanting to surrender a dog.

Jackie McCarthy with her Great Dane Moby, 7. Picture: Karen Petstar Photography

Jackie McCarthy, 58, lost her rental home in January after the owners decided to rebuild, but moving in with her mother meant she had make the “heartbreaking” choice to find somewhere else for her Great Dane Moby, using Safe Pets Safe Families.

“I literally could not get anything because you have to be truthful and say I have a dog, a big dog, so it’s doubly hard,” Ms McCarthy said.

“So I had to put him in foster care – it’s so sad, it’s not fair for his foster mum to take care of him forever, so I might have to put him up for adoption.”

The elderly dog has been in Ms McCarthy’s life since he was seven weeks old, and the Daw Park woman is worried about him “starting fresh with another family”.

“I’m sure a lot of people don’t want to surrender their dogs … our pets are a part of our family unit and our lives,” she said. “I’m absolutely heartbroken.”

SEAWL is at capacity for dogs and is struggling to accept new surrenders. Picture: Facebook

An RSPCA spokesperson said their organisation has “pretty much stopped accepting owner surrenders in most cases” because they were already struggling to manage the large number of stray dogs they receive from councils as part of contractual agreements.

“There’s no doubt that a lot of pet surrenders right now are due to the housing crisis, with it being hard for anyone – let alone someone with pets – to get rental accommodation,” the RSPCA spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for SEAWL in Mount Gambier said people giving up dogs cited the cost of living, vet costs and housing suitability.

“For example, jumping fences, chasing cats or barking,” the spokesperson said. “(Surrenders due to) unavailable pet friendly rental options have highly increased.”

Better Renting chief executive Joel Dignam said the rise in surrenders “makes sense”.

Recent law changes give tenants more rights to own a pet, but Mr Dignam said those reforms didn’t assist renters applying for a property.

“They help if you’ve gotten in to a place and want permission to get a pet,” Mr Dignam said.

He believed many renters were parting with pets to “boost their efforts” to avoid “discriminating” landlords.

“I suspect there are cases where renters apply for a property and the application isn’t even getting looked at twice once they’ve got a pet,” he said.

Dusty Paws Dog Rescue said dogs were being surrendered because people are “having to move into houses that aren’t pet-friendly, homelessness or job commitments”.

“Also behavioural issues or people not doing breed research before getting that once-cute puppy,” the spokesperson said.