The cost of living has soared around the world as the effects of the pandemic
and the Ukraine war push up the price of food, fuel and other essentials. It is
not just the food that we eat that is now costing more, prices for pet food and
other products for domestic animals have also jumped. The cost-of-living
pressures are a large factor as to why Australians are giving up their pets. But
people are also having second thoughts about pets they adopted during the
pandemic. What are your thoughts LiveTribers? Why are more Australians giving up
their pets?
I would not give up my pet for any reason. If I had to save money, I would do it
elsewhere, rather than give up my pet. People should think very carefully about
giving somebody an animal as a pet. People should choose a pet for themselves.
We have had to adopt a number of kittens that were abandoned as Christmas
presents. People get them for their children, but then later the novelty wears
off. A pet is a pet for life, not just for a Christmas or birthday present.
I think the pet the had during the pandemic is now a problem for them as they no
longer have the time to devote to the pet and the pet then misbehaves because of
lack of attention. Things have changed.
Perhaps we require a licence to own pets - where all the relevant questions
regarding one's capacity to meet the needs of their care for their entire
lifespan could be considered seriously? People often do not give due
consideration to their decision to have a pet, considering their own needs
paramount to the other animal. Sad, indeed.
I think it is very sad that some Australians are giving up their pets because of
the rapidly rising costs. I know my budget has been affected but, fortunately,
because my dog is small it isn't as bad as for owners of large dogs. I
supplement her food with leftovers, carrot and other vegies which helps.
Mental health has suffered a lot with covid, the war and now the cost of living,
and pets are great stress relievers, but bills, mortgages and rent need to come
first. Very sad :(
It's getting too expensive to keep pets, especially for older people. Also if
you have to take the pet to the vets it costs a fortune. People are struggling
to afford it these days.
I have had four cats until recently - I have two now. The cost of looking after
them in the way they deserve is astronomical. The cost of litter has jumped 70%
and their food just keeps going up every week. I don't believe the supermarkets
can justify the price increases. They are just gouging.
Cost of pet food + food humans consume is becoming expensive. Bills, rent,
Mortgages, fuel are going up too fast. Wages don’t want to move to help with
living. Pets are family. If we can’t look after them this is why people have
to get rid of their pets. They can’t afford to look after anymore. It’s sad
very sad to see pets leaving home.
Having a pet is a lifetime commitment, not something to be taken lightly or for
your convenience because of a lock down or boredom. Before considering getting a
pet, think about the next 10-15 years of your life. Can you commit to providing
a home, food, shelter, health care, training & love for the animal? If the
answer is no or you're unsure then you're not ready for a pet & should not get
one. It is the pet that suffers in the end, being abandoned. I see so many
advertisements for pets claiming they are moving & can't take the pet with them
it makes me wonder if they would abandon their children in the same manner. I
would never even consider doing this, if our pets can't come with us then we
just don't go. The cost of living has increased but there are ways of reducing
food costs for your dog. Ours are fed a mix of wet & dry dog food along with dog
meat, a bag of cooked cheap frozen vegetables & a little cooked rice or pasta. I
also save our vegetable peelings & offcuts (not pumpkin skins or anything toxic
to dogs) & toss them into the pot with the dog vegetables & rice to cook. This
was recommended to us by a reputable breeder 14 years ago, all our dogs have
been fed like this since & have had happy healthy long lives.
The costs of vet bills are excessive there should government audits to ensure
that there's no price gouging.
Pets are a lifetime commitment. I know as I hav two aged cats
Yes. It is not only cost of living pressures. In Qld., there is a shortage of
tick anti-venom & the cost is sky high. The ticks are a big problem this year.
Vet bills are enormous, so Fidos are being taken to shelters in increasing
numbers.
With busy lives returning post pandemic people have less time to nurture &
provide the care requured to pets. Added to that the cost of living increasing
meaning people need to decide feed self, paybills, roof over their heads vs
adding in cost of pet food, vets and stretching themselves financially
I don't know anyone who got a pet during the pandemic and I don't know anyone
who has given up their pet in recent times. I am distressed by owners who are
giving up their pets now that lockdown is over for them and they are back at
work with less time to look after a pet. They don't appear to be good planners
if they didn't think ahead about what would happen once life returned to
"normal'. I feel very sorry for those people who have had to give up their pets
because they can no longer afford to feed them. I understand that this can
happen - prices in supermarkets have gone up much more than the 10% or so that
economists said would be likely to happen. I can't believe how much the price of
some products has increased. Pet food has increased in price definitely. The
cost of taking your pet to the vet has also increased. Overall keeping a pet
must be more and more difficult for people on low incomes and on fixed incomes.
It is a very sad situation.
This is so sad! The cost of providing for a pet is definitely going up, I have
personally noticed this with the food bill each week, and as one other commenter
mentioned vet bills are ridiculous. But pets are so much more than an animal,
they are comfort and therapy whether we realise we need it or not. They provide
companionship and unconditional love, amusement, exercise and can be
conversation starters. I guess people are giving them up because of the cost as
a main factor and some people who adopted during lockdowns have found that they
no longer have the time to devote to a pet. As a family with an extremely tight
budget I sympathise on that score, we a going without other things to continue
to provide for our pets - there’s no way I could give them up, we love them
too much, so we’ll continue to struggle through and hope that costs ease
sooner rather than later.
The costs rising definitely contribute towards people giving up their pets, I
also think it’s the lack of proper research involved when selecting said pet
Think it’s a combination of those reasons, but mainly think people were lonely
during lockdown, now they don’t need them they’ve given them up, selfish
really. We had to give our cat up years ago. She kept attacking my son who was
barely 1 at the time. It was unfortunate.
Definitely the cost of living is a major factor. The increase in fuel, food etc
has a massive impact on our daily lives. Although I know people love their pets,
as they are a part of the family, they also have to take into account the rest
of the household and unfortunately pets at times are not of paramount
importance.
In my case I had to find another loving home for my dog as I could no longer
give her the life she deserved to have. I had a 3 month stay in hospital
followed by shorter stays. Thankfully there was a lovely couple who offered to
adopt her. My dog now has a boyfriend and has four other small dogs and 2 cats
to keep her company. The man and woman in the household also use computers so
she's still got the opportunity to 'help' them with their computer keyboards.
Cost of living is definitely a factor in this issue but also people were
isolated from the rest of society and that made a pet more attractive but people
were not thinking of the consequences or burden they may impede on them selves
there would be more underlying factors that are viable too one other being
disciplinary issues being in lockdown and isolation you couldn’t get your dog
or pet to services outdoors like walking services and training academies and so
fourth if your at all a pet lover or have worked around animal shelters or care
facilities and so fourth you experience all kinds of reasons why people do this
but one things for sure we need more people’s awareness around educating and
informing and perhaps stricter rules and regulations on adoption or purchasing
of live animals of all species not just exotic and endangered species but a
whole bunch of things need to be put in place as when we start to get more feral
species it endangers our protected wildlife and animals
It's definitely because of the rise in cost of living. I have a cat and the
price of cat food has jumped by $3 $4 even $5 ... not cents which is usually the
way it does increase.
It's sad and unfair. I cant imagine the pain of giving up your pet because you
can't afford to feed it and yourself and pay your bills.
Money is the root of all evil and such high price increases is just greed and
not nessasary.
I see on the news tonight people are running out of petrol on highways etc
because of the price increase. I know my cars tanks on empty.
When people were imprisoned in their homes during the " pandemic" they were
lonely and required the company of a pet.
Now the "covid pandemic " which is really the influenza rebranded because the
flu allegedly vanished during the pandemic is almost over people realise they
don't need all the maintenance of a pet so they get rid of them.
Cost-of-living pressures are a large factor. Quite a few people are also having
second thoughts about pets they adopted during the pandemic. During the pandemic
we saw a rise in taking in pets as it was seen as away to avoid being lonely or
wanting that connection with something new. However, now financial pressure is
leaving people in desperate a desperate state.
People have to realise, when adopting a young pet they are committing to at
least 10 years of ownership and care. Life has many ups and downs, hardships
and inconveniences, but that pet is part of the family, and shouldn't be just
given away or surrendered thoughtlessly.
The rising cost of living is having an impact on many households, but I also
believe many impulse pet purchases made through the Covid lockdowns is now
having an impact on many households as individuals are returning back yo work
outside of their homes, leaving many pets stranded at home on their own and
families returning or abandoning these pets. Either way not a great outcome for
many pets an an issue that needs to be addressed.
The power elites of this world are making it harder and harder to make a decent
living for the humans. How are we supposed to pay for food and vet care for our
pets?
Many used pets to get out and about during Covid as this was allowed. Once no
longer required the typical throw away society got rid of them. Nice people -
NOT.
Yes there is a cost to owning a pet but this should be recognised when taking
one on. You can feed a pet cheaply and it does not require expensive dog food.
Vet fees can be expensive but again if your dog is well cared for these should
be minimal.
A lot of people adopted pets during the covid lock downs so they get out of the
house and take pets for a walk to parks and socialize and now since lockdowns
have finished and people have returned to their normal jobs and lives they no
longer have the time to care for them along with rising costs.
The cost of living is rising, inflation is happening. More and more people are
looking for part time work outside of their full time jobs to support their
families. They might find it hard to support themselves, their children, and
then on top of that , their pets.
Yes we're all struggling, I walk my friends pets for them as they're older and
no longer can. I will never give my fluffbag away. Luckily my children and I
share the responsibility of our fluffybaby.. Yes vets are expensive, yes food
is expensive yes it's hard to get accommodation with a pet luckily I qualified
for vetpay. So I can pay an expensive vet bill and pay it back. And we
routinely cut-down on our things just so my doggo can stay with us. He's
already lived with my mum and my sister. He will stay with us, he's 11 now and
has as much spunk and character as both my children.
During lockdowns in Melbourne I observed many more people with dogs taking their
animals for a walk. By the end of lockdowns I was sure the dog population was at
a par with children with many people having 2 dogs out walking. Having had a dog
in the past that i nick named the million dollar dog I did not even consider
getting a dog. Animals are so so so expensive to keep and especially if they
have diseases or terminal illnesses. So, I am sure in this financial climate a
lot of people are financially stretched because of the cost in keeping animals
and some of the purchase prices as well.
Not a responsibility to be taken lightly. Too many people jump into pet
ownership without thinking if they can afford it. Makes me sad and angry to see
abandoned pets because people don't organise their budget before buying/adopting
Unfortunately some people got a pet when they were working from Homeduring
Covid19 , not considering what is going to happen , once they go back to work
outside of Home, combine that with the ever escalating costs of food , petrol
etc. the poor pets have no chance of keeping their Home .
I have 3 cats and a dog. 2 of the cats are rescues and 1 cat and the dog are
like me at the end of their lifespan. I treasure them but have to seriously
consider euthanasia for them because on a fixed income it's getting to I eat or
they do. It's all well and good to say if you can't afford pets don't have them
but when they came into my family I could afford them.
I think the excitement of owning a new puppy or kitten causes new owners to
overlook or not think about the ongoing expenses related to raising a pet.
More should be done about informing the new pet owner of these costs at the time
of purchase.
Everything is so much more expensive. I have always had pets but will need to
make sure I do not acquire more in future as I am now on a limited income. I do
not have the financial reserves to deal with a pet getting sick. I have one
elderly horse left. The cost involved in regular trimming, drenching, dental
care especially is huge. I love the horse, she has earned her care in her old
age and will not part with her but the burden is enormous. People also have a
hard time finding accommodation and pets are not welcome in rentals. That could
change. People going back to work probably also no longer want the pet for
company. Pretty short sighted and unfair to the animal
If they didn't really want or love the pet then it's probably better to give it
up now. However, I do feel sorry for the pets as they are abandoned twice.
The initial Sugar Hit of a new pet combined with buyers remorse reality and
outrageous veterinary charges have brought the hard truth about caring for,
training and owning animals.....not for the poor and ignorant!
I think it is not only the cost of living it is other factors too. Here in Perth
WA often the food that people want to give their pet on a regular basis is not
available due to the transport issues with the floods in the eastern states. The
RSPCA do not help out with food for pets which does not help. Another factor is
because of low wages etc if the pet needs treatment by a vet the costs are way
out of peoples reach, also people like me, who do not drive and may have had a
pet whilst their partner was alive and could take the pet to a vet now find they
cannot do that and so have to surrender their pet rather than have the pet
suffer. More compassionate and available home visiting vets would help as would
vets stating up front that they would have payment plans available if they are
needed because the pet owner is under enough stress with having to take their
pet to the vet without having to beg for a payment plan.
