DUMPED PETS FACE DEATH SENTENCE
Animals put down for no reason
THOUSANDS of pets are abandoned each year in Toowoomba through no fault of their own and many are being killed as a result.
Most Toowoomba residents who dump their dogs and cats, do so for no reason.
A total of 2657 pets from our region were handed to the RSPCA from October 21, 2015, to June 29, 2017. Just 116 of the animals were reclaimed, 1766 were adopted and 240 were put down.
THOUSANDS of pets are abandoned each year in Toowoomba through no fault of their own and many are being killed as a result.
Most Toowoomba residents who dump their dogs and cats do so for no reason, NewsRegional analysis of Queensland animal surrender data shows.
A total of 2657 pets from our region were handed to the RSPCA from October 21, 2015, to June 29, 2017.
NewsRegional analysis of RSPCA surrender data shows 1958 local pets were abandoned without reason in the 20 months.
Unwanted, former stray, moving, can’t afford, owner health, too many cats and no time were the other top excuses.
Aggression, over protective, impulse buy, separation anxiety and barking were the least common excuses.
Just 116 of the animals were reclaimed, 1766 were adopted and 240 were put down.
Each abandoned animal costs the RSPCA about $25 a day to look after.
Last year, the RSPCA rolled out technology designed to reduce surrenders and save it money in the long term.
The technology has reduced pet surrender rates by 22 per cent.
RSCPA Qld Toowoomba Animal Centre manager Cassie Ellis said the portal was a simple online tool providing a personalised experience tailored to a person’s specific pet and its problems – for example escaping or having unwanted litters.
Ms Ellis said the portal gave users helpful solutions and resources that empowered them to seek alternatives to abandoning their pets.
“The centre tends to be full of animals all the time,” Ms Ellis said.
“The portal will help with this by giving people options for fixing issues or rehoming instead of bringing them into the shelter to us.”
RSPCA Queensland spokeswoman Ronelle Reid said as well as reducing costs, the portal would ease the strain on Toowoomba RSPCA staff and resources.
“These surrenders also place a strain on our staff and increase the wait time for owners who may urgently need to surrender their pets, such as in the case of a terminal illness diagnosis,” Ms Reid said.
The surrender portal is at www.rspcaqld. org.au/whatwe-do/findhomes-for-animals/ surrender-your-pet. NewsRegional