Last updated: 22 Jul, 2019
Published on: 7 Oct, 2013
Busting the overpopulation myth with facts
Every year, approximately 190,000 pets remain unclaimed in Australia’s pounds and shelters. That’s roughly 110,000 dogs and 80,000 cats left homeless every year1. But there are promising signs this could easily change and hard facts to bust the common myth that there are not enough homes for the homeless.
A recent study showed that over 80% people indicated they would be likely, or very likely, to obtain a pet from an animal shelter or rescue organisation in the future2.
If we could simply entice these people to act on their words and choose a rescue pet over other sources, we’d have a potential market of over half a million homes each year for our nation’s rescue pets3.
Help us bust the overpopulation myth and inspire others to adopt by downloading and sharing our awesome infographic...
By saving one life you can help us save them all
Driven by the notion that there is a home for every pet and enough love to save every life, we’ve made it the mission of PetRescue.com.au to connect pet-seeking families with adorable adoptable rescue pets.
When you search the PetRescue website for a rescue pet, you are taking your first puppy steps to change the world – and your life – for the better. To help guide you in the right direction to find your new best friend, here are some essential reads:
More good reasons to adopt - Check out seven super reasons to adopt a rescue pet and find the answers to your adoption questions by reading our online advice article, Why Adopt?
Who to adopt from - What’s the difference between a pound, a shelter and a rescue group? Find out who’s who in rescue and choose a rescue group you can trust and build a rapport with by reading Who's who in rescue?
How to start your search - This is the fun bit! Using the search function on the PetRescue homepage, you can start looking at suitable pets available for adoption. Check out our search and selection tips and find out how the whole adoption process works in Your how-to guide to PetRescue.
Every month, more than 4,000 Aussie families find their best friend on the PetRescue pages. Think of it like an Internet dating website – we help you find a great match! Start your search now.
1. A state-wide analysis of council data collection systems for seizures of cats and dogs in NSW 2010/2011 revealed 24,000 dogs and 11,000 cats were left unclaimed in NSW pounds (35,000 pets in total). Additionally, the RSPCA in NSW sees 11,000 unclaimed dogs and 16,000 cat intakes (27,000 pets in total) every year. Approximately 30% of Australia’s population reside in NSW, so based on the RSPCA and pound stats, we can estimate the following:
(62,000/3.3)*10 = ~ 190,000 pets nationally
(35,000/3.3)*10 = ~110,000 dogs nationally
(27,000/3.3)*10 = ~ 80,000 cats nationally
2. ‘What do current and potential Australian dog owners believe about shelter practices and shelter dogs?’ a study by Mornement, Coleman, Toukhsati and Bennett (2012)
3. The Australian Companion Animal Council – Contribution of the pet care Industry to the Australian Economy 2010.