The State of Pet Adoption Report 2023-2024 - Other Species Adoption Insights

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Stats via PetRescue.com.au from 1st July 2023 to 30th June 2024.

Overall observations and trends

While fewer in number, the 24 species of pets available for adoption on PetRescue, other than dogs and cats, are equally as loved as the individuals they are. Below are some trends and points of interest about these very special pets.

115 PetRescue member organisations cared for and adopted out pets of other species in the 2023-24 financial year. RSPCA branches across the country adopt out more than half of the pets of other species on PetRescue, at 1,270 pets in the 2023-24 financial year. 

Placement restrictions for the adoption of pets other than dogs and cats do not appear to negatively impact this cohort. This could be due to a variety of factors that we cannot determine with this data, including:

• Differing pet adoption and placement practices of member organisations when advertising pets other than dogs and cats, with potentially fewer blanket restrictions based on species

• Cultural differences in adopter expectations for pets other than dogs and cats

Compared to dogs and cats, adoption listings for other species of pets have been much slower to increase over time, although they are still following an upward trend, from approximately 200 pets per month in 2000 to approximately 220 pets per month in mid-2024.

This increase is mostly driven by increasing numbers of rabbits and guinea pigs made available on the platform over time, with quarterly adoptions of both species more than doubling since 2018. 

Interestingly, adoptions of species of pets other than dogs and cats were not notably impacted by the pandemic.

Of the 2,351 ‘other’ pets who found homes via PetRescue during this time, the most popular species were rabbits (922), and guinea pigs (837), followed by chickens and ducks, ferrets, rats and mice, and pet birds. During this financial year, one turkey, one alpaca, one donkey, and a bonded family of three goldfish all started their new lives with new people to love them. 

The faces of larger farm animals were also frequently featured on PetRescue with 49 cattle, 41 horses, 40 sheep, 20 pigs and 20 goats all finding love with new families. The seven reptiles adopted via PetRescue during this period included: Children’s pythons, a Major Skink, a Central Bearded Dragon, a Murray River Turtle, and a Pygmy Bearded Dragon. 

Many bird species can be found on PetRescue as pets, including but not limited to - conures, cockatoos, cockatiels, Eclectus and Alexandrine parrots, Corellas, budgies and a Macaw. Exotic and native pet birds have the shortest average days to adoption of all types of pets; 4 and 7 days, respectively!

In Victoria alone, approximately 3,500 new private wildlife licenses were issued in the 2023-24 financial year, out of a total of 8,074 licences, potentially indicating a growing demand for native and exotic pets. This is consistent with research findings indicating an increase in the keeping and trade of exotic pets and wildlife, which has raised concerns about unregulated trading of these pets and could indicate an area in which PetRescue could positively impact the welfare of these pets.   

Adoption numbers for other species of pets followed the same state-based patterns as cats and dogs, with Victorian members finding homes for the most pets in this cohort, followed by QLD and NSW. Of note, it is illegal to keep rabbits as pets in Queensland, so despite being the most popular ‘pocket pet’ in Australia, there were no rabbits listed in the state. 

No pets other than dogs or cats were placed by any organisation in the Northern Territory, and few Tasmanian and South Australian PetRescue member organisations placed pets other than dogs and cats during this financial year. Both median and average days to adoption fell in the 2023-24 financial year for ‘other pets’ in all states including the ACT, with the exception of average time to adoption for other pets in QLD, which rose by more than 380%, indicating that ‘long stay’ pets are waiting significantly longer for their homes in the state. 

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