By Aneeka Simonis
HOMELESSNESS and housing issues in Cardinia Shire are the leading causes as to why pets are being surrendered to the pound.
Sadly, more than 70 family pets in the area were taken from their home and handed over to the RSPCA in 2015-’16.
For the most part, pets were surrended due to owner circumstance, not due to poor temperament as can be the impression of some pets surrendered by their owners.
More than half of the pets relinquished in Cardinia Shire were dogs, surrendered because their owner was homeless, moving, lived in too small a house or had unsuitable fencing.
Six dogs and two cats were given up because their owner said they did not have enough time to meet their pet’s exercise or social needs.
Other reasons included owner death or inability to cover vet care or the costs of basic needs.
RSPCA CEO Dr Liz Walker stressed state-wide statistics show human circumstance was the overall leading cause of animals being surrendered, dispelling the myth rescue pets are “damaged goods.”
“Overall, just 9.5 per cent of owners who brought their dogs and cats to RSPCA Victoria for re-homing said that problem behaviours – such as barking, aggression, destructiveness, chasing or inappropriate toileting – were the reason,” Dr Walker said.
