For the first time since opening in 1979, RSPCA South Australia's Lonsdale shelter has been forced to turn-back people wanting to surrender their animals. The charity has exceeded its capacity, both in terms of space and personnel to care for the animals.
The shelter can accommodate 300 cats and kittens, but is currently housing 542. The 128 dogs and puppies, too, is well above the shelter's capacity-to-care model, which allows for a maximum of 80 canines. Transportable buildings and office space are all being used to house animals.
The freeze on accepting animals from members of the public begins today and will continue until the numbers in care decrease to the shelter's capacity-to-care maximum numbers. People wishing to surrender animals will have the option to go on a waiting list. (Further advice on options can be found at – https://www.rspcasa.org.au/services/pet-surrender/)
The only animals that will be taken in at the shelter will be those coming via the organisation's inspectorate and rescue team. Animals coming in via animal management officers from Onkaparinga, Marion and Holdfast Bay councils (with whom RSPCA SA has contractual arrangements to fund care and rehoming) will also be accommodated.
RSPCA SA CEO Marcus Gehrig said the decision has not been taken lightly, describing the situation as a perfect storm that has led to enormous numbers of animals arriving at the shelter in the past 12 months.
"We currently have 1413 animals in care across the state - that is 357 (34%) more than we had at this time last year, and more than half of them are at our Lonsdale shelter," Mr Gehrig said.
"Our shelter staff and volunteers have been overstretched for months, and the huge toll it's taking on them as they strive to ensure every single animal receives the care it needs, is unacceptable.
"We are an underfunded charity – this is a crisis where we have to act now because we're simply out of room."
The huge number of animals in care is attributed to the following factors:
- South Australia's rental crisis, with 178 animals surrendered to RSPCA SA in the past 12 months due to owners' inability to secure pet-friendly rental accommodation (Total surrendered - 1796)
- Tighter local council cat management laws, resulting in more stray cats being trapped and brought to the Lonsdale shelter from across the state
- Other welfare organisations closing their doors to stray and surrendered animals due to capacity constraints, resulting in more animals coming to RSPCA's Lonsdale shelter
- Ongoing indiscriminate breeding resulting in colonies of stray, semi-owned cats
- Ongoing failure of some cat owners to abide by current laws and desex their pets
- An increase in major seizures of animals by RSPCA inspectors from squalid animal hoarding situations, with felines the main species involved
"We're doing all we can to rehome animals, and we're adopting animals at record numbers, but every day the incoming number is significantly exceeding the outgoing number," Mr Gehrig said.
"For example, last week we rehomed 68 animals, but we had an additional 122 come in.
"We find new homes for nine out of every ten animals that come to us, and as a responsible rehoming organisation we will continue to rehome every animal in our care that has the prospect of a good life ahead and that doesn't pose a risk to public safety.
"I urge our community to help us through this crisis by giving an animal a home and using whatever resources are available to them to find homes for animals they can no longer care for.
"More broadly, we need more local councils to follow the lead of Onkaparinga, Marion and Holdfast Bay councils in recognising their responsibility under the Dog and Cat Management Act to manage stray cat populations in their districts.
"The adoption of recommendations made in the RSPCA/Animal Welfare League Cat Management Plan is critical.
"And we need the current review of the Residential Tenancies Act to urgently address South Australia's pet-friendly rental accommodation shortage, for the welfare of humans and animals."
