No puppy love: post-lockdown lifestyles and cost of living are driving Australians to surrender their pets

Animal shelters nearing capacity are encouraging people to adopt by slashing fees and hosting events to make room for other animals in need

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The end of Covid lockdowns and the spiralling cost of living have left animal shelters overflowing, with organisations now forced to host adoption drives and slash their fees in an effort to get more animals out of shelters and into their forever homes.

This was in stark contrast to the high adoption rates and shelter shortages across Australia during the early days of the Covid pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.