Dogs are the most popular companion animals in Australia with half of Australian households having at least one dog. There around 7.4 million pet dogs nationwide. 

While generally seen as beloved pets, many dogs in Australia lead lives devoid of kindness and compassion. Around one in four pet owners (23%) have surrendered their pet/s to family, friends or an animal shelter when they could no longer look after them, with cost, lifestyle and responsibility being the main factors leading to surrenders. 

Dog breeding

According to the Pet Industry Association of Australia (PIAA), around 450,000 puppies are sold in Australia each year – only 15% of these are sold through registered breeders, the remainder of which are estimated to come from puppy farms. 

Puppy farming is defined by the Australian Veterinary Association as 'the intensive over-breeding of dogs under inappropriate conditions which fail to meet the animals' behavioural, social and physiological needs.'

Each day, sites like Gumtree offer thousands of puppies for sale, and many of these puppies come from puppy factories. Dogs in these farms have been found in horrific conditions, living in barren, concrete pens and denied veterinary treatment. Forced to be breeding machines, adult dogs permanently kept at "puppy farms" are forcibly bred, over and over, regardless of their health. Many dogs suffer untreated health problems such as infections, mammary tumours, hip dysplasia and joint problems.

Across Australia, progress has been made by animal welfare organisations which have managed to secure bans on puppy farming in NSW, South Australia and Victoria. However, these laws often only restrict the number of animals breeders can keep on their property and, since laws have passed, cases of horrific abuse have still been uncovered.

A typical puppy mill does not provide veterinary care, temperature controls, or any other protections for the physical welfare of the animals. Designer dogs and popular purebred dogs are often raised in puppy mills.

Dogs in shelters

110,000 dogs and 170,000 cats enter animal shelters each year in Australia, with around 50,000 being euthanized due largely to overcrowding. Over 264 healthy dogs and cats are euthanized every day in Australia.

Across most of Australia, unidentified lost dogs and cats can be euthanised after just three to eight days. Some pounds euthanise 50% of dogs and up to 100% of cats. Many shelters, including the Lost Dogs Home, will euthanise animals based on the results of behavioural assessment, despite the fact that animals in loud, frightening and unfamiliar environments will often display negative behaviours such as aggression, which may not usually be part of their personality. 

In 2025, a 3-month old Staffy puppy named Murphy was taken to the Lost Dogs Home by his foster carers for a routine appointment. He was supposed to be desexed but, after failing an undisclosed behavioural test, he was instead euthanised, despite his foster carers, rescue organisations and member of Parliament Georgie Purcell pleading for him to be spared. 

In a speech to Parliament, Purcell shared that, in 2024 1065 dogs were killed at the Lost Dogs Home, 611 for behavioural reasons. This means that over half of the dogs killed at one of Australia's largest animal rescue organisations were euthanised because of failing behavioural tests which allegedly involve attempting to frighten animals into aggression.

'Working' dogs

'Working' dogs, including kelpies, heelers, shepherds and border collies are one of the most valuable animals in Australia with some animals selling for tens of thousands of dollars. The image of these dogs is one which is considered typical of Australia, with the iconic kelpie and red heelers featuring in books, movies and songs. 

These dogs are used predominantly for farm work including herding sheep and cattle and as 'livestock' guardians. Working dogs are often bred on farms, and only those who possess the skills to work with sheep and cows remain valuable to the farm. 

The rest end up in pounds or are shot or drowned by farmers. About 40,000 working dogs or mixed working dog breeds are euthanised in pounds each year. This number doesn't include animals killed on farm. 

There is a general rule that farms should not keep two dogs from one litter. Carey Edwards of Australian Working Dog Rescue International (AWDRI) says that this is due to behavioural problems that stem from sibling rivalry. "

"So these farmers only keep one at a time, while the other gets dumped at the pound, drowned or given away to friends and family."

Working dogs are also often used to herd sheep at slaughterhouses. These dogs, generally kelpies, will be kept in cages at the slaughterhouse or in compartments in transport trucks, where they are subject to extreme weather conditions.