Townsville City Council’s Animal Care and Adoption Centre has adopted out 47 animals since being open by appointment only since Monday, 30 March.
The appointment-only model has led to the high number of adoptions while adhering to social distancing restrictions to help slow the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
A Council spokesperson said both staff and members of the public were responding well to the new opening conditions.
“Operationally, staff members have adapted to the new conditions, and have been enjoying being able to spend one-on-one time with clients who have made an appointment to adopt an animal,” the spokesperson said.
“We’ve found that the people making appointments are serious about adopting an animal.”
The spokesperson said the success of the adoptions meant there were only a small number of animals available for adoption.
“We only have four dogs and 30 cats waiting for homes at the moment, which is a huge decrease in our typical numbers,” they said.
“We’ve also had a greatly reduced number of stray dogs and cats coming into the Centre, which is fantastic. This has largely been helped by more people being at home during the day to keep an eye on their pets.
“We’ve also heard stories about the community stepping in to help reunite escaped animals with their owners – this is fantastic, and prevents them from being impounded by Council.
“Council is providing free registration for dogs and up to two cats to assist pet owners during the current climate. Registering your animal is simple – just visit the Council website or call 13 48 10.”
The Animal Care and Adoption Centre is open by appointment from 9am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturday. The Centre is closed on Sundays and public holidays.
