There has been a significant jump in how quickly animals are being adopted at the Bendigo Animal Relief Centre.
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Centre operations manager Fra Atyeo said from mid-September 2019 to mid-March 2020, the average length of stay for a dog waiting to be adopted was 10 days.
In the past six months, the waiting time shrunk to four days.
During the latest COVID-19 lockdown three weeks ago, it became fewer than two days.
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Ms Atyeo said the average length of stay for a cat to be adopted started at 26 days and was now eight days.
"What we have noticed is that there is still a high demand for adoptions, so our length of stay for animals is significantly shorter now than what it was previously and before COVID," she said.
"That's because there is a bigger desire for animals and the community want it there.
"We are seeing things drop off a little now but it is still quite strong."
The total number of incoming animals or surrendered animals has not increased.
But Ms Atyeo expects it might grow in the coming months.
"I think we may notice an increase in surrenders more when the ability to travel is opened up once again and we can go up to Perth or Queensland and don't have to worry about changing plans at the last minute due to COVID," she said.
"Even when we can go overseas again that's when these pets that we have obtained during COVID will be a difficult to manage.
"Because it will cost over $40 a day to board a pet, that's a lot of money. We think that may happen when people can travel more, that's when pets may be surrendered."
Ms Atyeo said people thinking about adopting a new pet should look at what type of lifestyle they lived and how a pet would fit in.
"If you have a family who works long hours, who don't get a chance to go out a lot, then cats can be a really good pet as they are low maintenance," she said.
"But if you are an active family who go out camping, or goes for walks and runs in the morning and afternoon and the kids are always outside, then maybe a dog is a better match for them."
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