Dogs surrendered to RSPCA shelters in New South Wales (NSW) are the least likely to make it out alive, new national figures show.
The latest RSPCA Australia Annual Statistics report had live release rate for dogs in NSW at 69 per cent in 2024-25, the lowest of any state or territory and well behind the national average of 80 per cent.
Greencross Vets senior veterinary nurse, Kristen said anxiety has become the number one issue she sees in dogs coming into her clinic.
“We noticed a big influx of puppies with anxieties during and after Covid,” Ms Apokourastos said.
“We felt it was due to the constant stimulation of having owners at home and then the sudden loneliness once people went back to work.”
Source: RSPCA Australia, Report on Animal Outcomes 2024-25
Over 2,768 dogs were euthanised while in RSPCA care during the reporting period, with almost six in ten euthanasias being caused by behavioural issues.
Ms Kristen said that nearly every week her veterinary clinic sees at least one instance of canine anxiety. In addition to receiving medication for anxiety, many require specialised training.
She pointed to a recent case of a Weimaraner puppy who came in with anxiety, ADHD and what she described as the “equivalent of autism in humans”.
“It could not be handled or communicated to and was severely in need of a strict medication regimen,” Ms Kristen said.
She said the puppy would ultimately need extensive training and a new home environment to have any chance of recovery.
In July 2025, University of Adelaide School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences animal welfare academic, Dr Susan Hazel, told The Conversation that separation issues were affecting a substantial number of dogs across the country.
Ass Prof Hazel explained that there has been sufficient documentation regarding the extent of the issue.
“Between 14 per cent and 29 per cent of dogs experience anxiety when separated from their owners,” she said.
“What is important is the quality of interaction while they’re at home, and how well you can meet your pet’s needs emotionally/physically, and the length of time they will be away from you.”
Source: McDowall, Hazel, Hamilton-Bruce, Stuckey, and Howell, “Association of Socioeconomic Status and Reasons for Companion Animal Relinquishment,“ Animals, 2024.
Note: Based on 46,820 relinquishment records from five Australian shelters across NSW, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia. Cats accounted for 59.4 per cent of cases and dogs for 40.6 per cent.
According to Ms Kristen, the most common reasons people surrender dogs are very seldom because of the animal.
“Costs of owning a dog over time, inability of the owner to make the commitments required to own a dog, especially if the dog becomes large or has high levels of energy when it matures,” she said of the reasons why people surrender dogs.
In 2022, the NSW Office of Local Government drafted a report on companion animal rehoming prepared by the Centre for International Economics, which stated that around 9 per cent of dogs entering NSW Pounds were euthanised; however, they also noted that the rate of euthanasia has been trending downwards over the last ten years.
Additionally, RSPCA NSW indicated that both staffing and behavioural assessment capacity were extremely limited within the organisation.
Ms Kristen said the most common mistakes were treating a dog as an impulse purchase, underestimating the cost, and giving puppies to children without thinking through who would actually care for them.
Ms Kristen said prospective owners should sit on the decision for weeks, research the breed, speak to vets and experienced trainers, foster first where possible, and budget for the dog’s full life — including pet insurance.
RSPCA Australia releases the national animal statistics each year. It is anticipated that the state-by-state results for 2025-26 will be published during the next reporting period.
Additional Reporting: Jasper Leung
