Canberra's veterinary staff and animal rescue volunteers are witnessing two extremes of post-pandemic pet ownership.
While pensioners go without food for their beloved soulmate pets, others opt to euthanise designer COVID puppies because they have become "inconvenient", one rescue worker says.
After an influx of emaciated dogs were handed into RSPCA ACT, the shocked organisation begged Canberra pet owners struggling with money to ask for support.
But Canberra's tightly connected rescue community say while they are receiving many more requests for help, finding support is easy as one phone call.
Pets put down as costs go up
Everyone in the veterinary community is familiar with economic euthanasia, vet nurse and president of Pet Crisis Support ACT Nicky Hunt said.
"A lot of people who come in who have their pet with a treatable condition but are unable to afford treatment. They think that the only option they have to euthanise that pet because they don't want them to suffer," she said.
"It's more common than people realise."
Ms Hunt said it could be hard for vet staff to know when pet owners were lying about their animal's behaviour or condition.
"We have to take that at face value [but] the dog may just be an inconvenience to some people or they can't afford it," she said.
"Especially after COVID, they buy these crossbreed Oodle dogs, and they say, 'We bought it because it's supposed to be hypoallergenic and it's shedding and my child's allergic to it'.
"[That's] where we try and steer them away from a decision to just put an animal down because it's not convenient anymore."
Pet Crisis Support ACT started when Canberra vet Dr Eloise Bright noticed clients were asking to put down healthy animals because they couldn't afford medical treatment, Ms Hunt said.
The organisation offers free and subsidised pet medical care for people on Centrelink payments.
Ms Hunt said this year the group saw three times more applications for help since starting in 2009.
"Cost of living and cost of care is going up, and we have seen a massive increase in applications for help," she said.
Pensioners go hungry for their pets
While emaciated dogs made headlines last week, Ms Hunt and Rainbow Paws president Natarsha Lawrence said they were more likely to see hungry pet owners who go without so their animals were fed.
Rainbow Paws provides free pet food and other goods for Canberra pet owners.
They distribute pet food to 16 community pantries and directly deliver food to people who cannot access a pantry.
"[That] is why we deliver food to pantries, so that way if they need food, they can go get some for themselves and some of their pets as well," she said.
Ms Hunt said she saw people go without their own medications so they could pay for their pets' vet care.
While many people just need some help to get through a temporary financial situation, others may decide they cannot afford to keep their animal long-term.
There are multiple organisations in the ACT and surrounds who take in rescue pets, and many will "move mountains" to ensure animals aren't put down, Ms Hunt said.
"If I was looking to surrender a dog, then the rescue groups will be the first ones I would go to because, as I said, they'll move mountains," she said.
"They have them in foster homes, and then they put a lot of work into rehabilitation, getting them fit and out for adoption to try and get them their forever home."
These rescues include the ACT Rescue and Foster group, which takes dogs, Canberra Pet Rescue for cats and the Rabbit Sanctuary for bunnies.
The RSPCA, Domestic Animal Services (Canberra pound) and Queanbeyan pound also take surrenders.
Surrender fees, which can put people off reaching out, are sometimes waived, Ms Hunt said.
Ms Lawrence said the Canberra rescues, pounds and the RSPCA were interconnected and worked together, often with local vets.
"Just contact someone, and we all work together, and we will figure out a way to help," she said.
Where to seek help
RSPCA ACT
- Surrendering and rehoming
- Vet care
- Dog and puppy training support
- Investigates animal cruelty
- Cat boarding
- Domestic violence support for pets
- Desexing
- Dental care
Rainbow Paws
- Subsidised and emergency pet boarding
- Desexing
- Vet care
- Referrals for free pet food, collars, bedding etc
- Pet food delivery
- Contact: info@rainbowpaws.org, rainbowpaws.org
ACT Pet Crisis Support
- Medical bills
- Desexing
- Euthanasia (including in-home)
- Emergency vet care
- Medication
- Vaccinations
- Contact: actpetcrisis@gmail.com, www.actpetcrisis.com
Pets and Positive Ageing
- Helping elderly people with dog walking, grooming and ageing
- Transporting pets to medical appointments or emergency care
- Advice on pet friendly aged care homes
- Emergency boarding
- Contact: 0427 975 500, info@petsandpositiveageing.com, petsandpositiveageing.com
ACT Rescue and Foster
- Surrendering and rehoming puppies and dogs
- Contact: enquiries@fosterdogs.org, surrenders@fosterdogs.org, fosterdogs.org
Canberra Pet Rescue
- Surrendering and rehoming kittens and cats
- Pet food, bedding, leashes, collars, dog toys, medication and more
- Subsidised vet bills
- Contact: CanberraPetRescue@gmail.com, www.canberrapetrescue.org.au
Best Friends Pet Rescue
- Surrendering and rehoming all animals
- Contact: +61 490 064 900, info@bestfriendspetrescue.org.au, bfpr.org.au
Rabbit Sanctuary
- Surrendering rabbits, guinea pigs
- Boarding rabbits, guinea pigs
- Contact: www.rabbitsanctuary.com.au
Canberra Dog Rehoming List
- Helps you rehome dogs and puppies
- Contact: Facebook page
Domestic Animal Services
- Surrendering and rehoming dogs (fees can be waived)
- Contact: 13 22 81, dogcontrol@act.gov.au, www.cityservices.act.gov.au
Queanbeyan pound
- Surrendering and rehoming any animal
- Contact: 02 6285 6269, animalinfo@qprc.nsw.gov.au, www.qprc.nsw.gov.au
Pets In The Park
- Vet care for pets whose owners are experiencing homelessness
- Contact: canberra@petsinthepark.org.au, www.petsinthepark.org.au/home
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