Dogs, cats and rabbits will be available for adoption for $29 – a significantly reduced price – from Friday to Saturday.

The East Bendigo shelter currently has about 60 animals up for adoption, but has many more cats in quarantine waiting for a new home.

Shelter supervisor Simon O’Loughlan said at capacity, the Piper Lane site had about 160 animals, but at some stages over the past month numbers were up around 200.

“We’re undergoing significant growth at the moment with our animals,” he said.

“We’re hoping to clear this adoption area so we can move more of our cats down.”

The number of cats in the adoption area is limited to keep it as stress-free as possible for the felines, but with such a short breeding cycle and many pets not desexed, they come in as fast as they go out.

In one day, Mr O’Loughlan said, the shelter transferred 15 cats to another RSPCA site, only to have 25 homeless ones brought in by the public.

“We are under severe pressure with our cats,” he said.

The usual adoption procedures will apply across the weekend to ensure each animal is matched to the right family.

“During the promotion, even though the animals are cheaper, it’s our job to make sure the dog or cat is suited to the home it’s going to,” Mr O’Loughlan said.

“Our aim is to match the person to the animal, not just to adopt to anyone coming in.”

The RSPCA’s normal vetting procedures will apply and every animal that is adopted out will be desexed, microchipped, vaccinated, health and behaviour checked – at a cost to the organisation well above $29.

“It’s more important that we find good homes for them than break even,” Mr O’Loughlan said.