ANIMAL shelters in the Bendigo region have been inundated with pets over the New Year period.
A higher-than-average number of pets were surrendered by their owners between Christmas and New Year’s, while others were turned away because of a lack of cages.
RSPCA Bendigo shelter supervisor Mark Goodwin said it was the busiest time of the year.
“We’ve had a high influx over the New Year,” he said.
“This time of year our pound is already full.
“A lot of animals come in from people that have to surrender their pets and others from inspectors that find stray pets.”
Pets Haven Shelter founder Trish Burke said the number of calls the Woodend shelter recieved had increased by 15 to 20 a day.
“It just doesn’t stop,” she said. “People were here on Christmas Day wanting to surrender their animals. On New Year’s Day we had one lady wanting to give 10 kittens.
“We had no spare cages, I’m not sure where they could have gone or what happened to them.
“Another person came in to abandon their eight-year-old dog because they were going to their holiday house for three weeks.
“They’ve had the dog for eight years and it’s just horrible they abandon it so they don’t have to take it on holidays.”
The spike in the number of animals given away is typical of the post-Christmas period, when new pets are surrendered and pet owners decide to travel.
A lot of dogs were also collected by the pound after running away from the noise of New Year’s Eve fireworks.
RSPCA Victoria animal shelters manager Allie Jalbert said dogs were especially susceptible to the noise.
“Sadly this New Year’s there have been a lot of dogs strayed and still away from home,” she said.