During the midst of New Zealand's cost-of-living crisis and the wake of multiple Covid-19 lockdowns, animal rescue organisations are experiencing an influx of people offloading animals that they can no longer care for.

The Auckland Council's Animal Management department reported, in its 2021-22 annual report, that 268 dogs were relinquished to their three Auckland shelters in that time period. This was an increase from 186 in the previous year.

"Over the last year we have seen an increase in the number of people looking to give up their pets, with our three animal shelters consequently running at capacity," said manager of Animal Management at Auckland Council, Elly Waitoa.

"There are several factors that have caused people to give up their pets, including a return to the workplace following the end of Covid-19 restrictions, landlords clamping down on dogs at their properties and a higher number of puppies being born, both inside and outside of the shelters, due to reduced veterinary capacity for desexing during lockdowns," she said.

SPCA general manager of operations Sue Kinsella said "many SPCA centres are near capacity and have been for some time, due to the large influx of animals, particularly dogs and puppies. Kitten season is also approaching which will put even more pressure on our centres".

Kinsella said that the reasons owners are being forced to give up their pets "can vary depending on the area, but we mainly put it down to pet owners not desexing their animals. We understand desexing comes at a cost, such as the vet bill, travel or veterinarian availability.

"This is challenging for our SPCA teams as we have to put animals that are sick, injured, and vulnerable or inspectorate related, take absolute priority... having a constant influx of animals can put a strain on our resources," she said.

Kinsella also addressed that the lack of pet-friendly rentals is a contributing factor to the organisation's overflow of animals, saying "Lack of pet-friendly rentals is an ongoing issue for pet owners and some approach our centres asking if we can take their pets as they are unable to find a suitable rental".

SPCA support rally in Waipukurau during New Zealand's 2020 Covid-19 lockdown. Photo / Ian Cooper

SPCA reported days before New Zealand's first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 that more than 800 animals were adopted after putting out a plea for help.

Pets during the Covid-19 pandemic played a critical role in terms of people's mental health. However, due to the restrictions of the country's lockdown, owners were unable to socialise pets, especially dogs, as frequently as needed.

With normality returning, pets are now suffering from distress and separation anxieties with owners not being around as much.

"New Zealand's [Covid-19] lockdowns saw many owners welcoming puppies into their homes without realising just how big a responsibility dog ownership is. Unfortunately, as the dog has grown, many have found that they don't have the time, capacity or knowledge to provide for the dog's needs and are sadly no longer able to keep their pet," said Auckland Council's Elly Waitoa.

"We are urgently seeking fosters to help ease capacity so we can allow more animals into our centres during this time," said Kinsella