Australian cat and dog breeders are being inundated with inquiries amid COVID-19 lockdown
Wannabe pet owners are being encouraged to be patient with cat and dog breeders amid the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown, with limited litters available and waitlists extending into next year.
National
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And you thought surgery waiting lists were long – the waiting list for some purebred pets will stretch into next year.
Australian dog and cat breeders have been bombarded with requests from wannabe pet owners in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
Breeders told News Corp confirmed potential pet owners could see themselves waiting anywhere from three months to the start of next year for a furry new friend.
With self isolation allowing people more time to devote to pets, inquiries have skyrocketed.
In response, breeders are currently heavily screening all requests to sift genuine interest from those only wanting a puppy or kitten out of boredom while on lockdown.
Owning a pet is a life commitment and breeders, along with the RSPCA, are concerned with what will happen once owners return to work.
Despite concerns isolation also provided a good window for new owners and pets to bond.
The Australian National Kennel Council said the most popular dogs in the past six weeks were:
• Staffordshire Bull Terriers;
• Labrador Retrievers;
• German Shepherds;
• Golden Retrievers;
• Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.
Closely followed were French Bulldogs, Rottweilers, American Staffordshire Terriers and miniature Schnauzers.
Australia’s national cat registry, Australian National Cats Inc, said the most popular cat breeds registered since January were: Ragdolls, British Shorthairs, Bengals, Sphynx and Burmese.
Demand for these kittens had tripled since January.
Tonkinese, Persian, Siamese, Scottish Fold and Russian Blues were also popular.
Breeder Rebekah Darmody, from Affinity Ragdolls, said she had received a minimum of a dozen inquiries for kittens per day.
“I do not breed my girls back-to-back, and going into the cooler months … we will not likely have kittens until later this year or even next year,” Ms Darmody said.
Staffordshire Bull Terrier breeders Erica Schelfhorst in Victoria and Edwina Lipyeat in South Australia said they had waiting lists ranging from three to nine months as well.
Dachshund Club of Queensland President Mark Yardley said breeders had even cancelled prearranged mating meet-ups due to the coronavirus pandemic and restrictions.
“People have to be patient and work with breeders,” he said.
Petbarn said it had seen a significant increase in dog and cat adoptions in stores nationwide, while working alongside adoption partners RSPCA and Savour-Life Adopt A Dog.
Dog adoptions have been up 59 per cent in QLD, 48 per cent in SA, 18 per cent in WA and NSW, and eight per cent in Victoria.
This is compared to figures in January and February.
In the past six weeks, cat adoptions have been up 31 per cent nationally – up 42 per cent in QLD, 44 per cent in NSW, 23 per cent in Victoria, 18 per cent in SA but down 5 per cent in WA.
For those who are genuine about owning a pet, Greencross Vets Chief Vet Officer Dr Magdoline Awad said lockdown provided owners the perfect opportunity to bond.
However, before making decision to adopt or buy, Dr Awad encouraged potential new owners to research the breed and pet they desire as well as thoroughly consider their living situation and whether it would be suitable for a pet upon returning to work.
“They still need all the preventive care, and you need to feed them appropriately, house them appropriately and provide them with enrichment,” Dr Awad said.
“You need to consider all of that … and with pets are living longer, you really need to make sure you think things through before adopting an animal.”