The SPCA is calling for a "collective community effort" to have animals desexed amid a surge in animals in their care over the summer months.
The animal rescue organisation has seen an increase of animals in their shelters over December and January, with centres seeing an increase of up to 450 more animals over the same time last year.
Almost 4,000 animals are currently being looked after in 35 SPCA centres across the country, with thousands more being housed in foster homes, SPCA chief executive Andrea Midgen said today in a press release.
Midgen says while the number of animals being looked after is always high over the summer months, the past two months have been challenging.
“We always see a surge in animal numbers over the summer months as that’s when a lot of animals are breeding," she said. "However, the rise of unwanted animals is frustrating because it’s so preventable."
She said it was "all hands on deck over the holiday period due to the sheer numbers of animals needing our help."
Midgen is now calling for a collective community effort to see the number of animals needing care become more manageable.
“A simple operation at the vet is all it takes. As a country we need to start taking desexing more seriously," she said.
"It is the only way we are going to bring these numbers down and ease the pressure on all animal rescue groups, including SPCA."
Almost 240,000 animals have undergone desexing surgery in the last financial year to prevent unwanted litters as part of the SPCA's popular Snip 'n' Chip campaign.
Midgen says this year looks set to break all SPCA desexing records, with major desexing campaigns planned across the country.
Midgen says it's understood other animal charities are also struggling with the sheer numbers of unwanted animals needing care, and says all groups need to work together.
"Animal welfare is a community issue and we all have a part to play," she said.
"Only by changing the scale of the problem can we hope to improve animal welfare outcomes and reduce the overwhelming number of unwanted animals that end up in the care of animal rescue organisations across the country."
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