Data and facts about how shelters can expand their adoption pipeline.
Jump to: Overview | Acquisition Source | Shelter Acess | Social Media
Highlights
Overview
Dog Acquisition Source
Jump to: Stated Preference (U.S.) | Social Desirability on Stated Preference (U.S.) | Acquisition Source by Income (U.S.)
Stated Preferences for Source in the U.S.
External link:
Bir C, Widmar NJO, Croney CC. Stated Preferences for Dog Characteristics and Sources of Acquisition. Animals. 2017; 7(8):59. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani7080059
Preferences
| Class 1 | Class 2 | Class 3 | |
| “Adoption Only” | “To Each Their Own” | “Homes for the Homeless Dogs” | |
| Demographics | n = 103 | n = 195 | n = 209 |
| Gender of respondent | |||
| Male n = 254 | 17% | 50% | 33% |
| Female n = 253 | 23% | 27% | 50% |
| Age of respondents | |||
| 18–34 n = 133 | 15% | 39% | 46% |
| 35–54 n = 182 | 16% | 41% | 43% |
| 55–88 n = 192 | 28% | 36% | 36% |
| Income of respondents | |||
| Lower income n = 334 | 20% | 38% | 43% |
| Higher income n = 173 | 21% | 40% | 39% |
| Education of respondents | |||
| No college degree n = 298 | 21% | 38% | 40% |
| College degree n = 209 | 19% | 39% | 43% |
| Region of residence | |||
| Northeast n = 92 | 24% | 36% | 40% |
| South n = 185 | 23% | 37% | 40% |
| Midwest n = 117 | 20% | 39% | 41% |
| West n = 113 | 13% | 42% | 44% |
| Respondent owns a pet | |||
| Yes n = 316 | 20% | 32% | 48% |
| No n = 191 | 21% | 49% | 30% |
Related data from the same study (Understanding Adopter Preferences)
Research Summary | Back to Top
Social Desirability Bias on Stated Preferences for Dog Acquisition
External link:
Bir C, Olynk Widmar N, Croney C. Exploring Social Desirability Bias in Perceptions of Dog Adoption: All’s Well that Ends Well? Or Does the Method of Adoption Matter? Animals. 2018; 8(9):154. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani8090154
Stated Preferences
Sources Not to Be Used to Acquire A Dog
| Statement Regarding Dog Acquisition | Number of Respondents (n = 767) | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Are there any locations or methods you would NOT use to obtain a dog | ||
| Adoption (shelter or rescue organization) | 79 | 10% |
| Breed them myself | 241 | 31% |
| Purchased directly from a breeder (on site where dogs are bred/kept) | 242 | 32% |
| Purchased directly from a breeder online (via the breeder’s website) | 352 | 46% |
| Purchased from online retailer | 425 | 55% |
| Purchased from pet store | 324 | 42% |
| Stray | 153 | 20% |
| Gift from friend/family member | 90 | 12% |
| Other (i.e., parking lot) | 226 | 29% |
Beliefs Regarding Dog Acquisition
| Statement and Agreement Level by Number of Responses and % 1 (agree) to 7 (disagree) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The only responsible way to acquire a dog is through shelter/rescue | 124, 16% | 110, 14% | 119, 16% | 162, 21% | 92, 12% | 62, 8% | 98, 13% |
| All dogs should be spayed/neutered | 208, 27% | 93, 12% | 94, 12% | 160, 21% | 63, 8% | 51, 7% | 98, 13% |
| There is a dog overpopulation problem in the U.S. | 225, 29% | 103, 13% | 86, 11% | 169, 22% | 61, 8% | 52, 7% | 71, 9% |
| Dogs in pet stores come from irresponsible breeders | 119, 16% | 99, 13% | 96, 13% | 228, 30% | 93, 12% | 53, 7% | 79, 10% |
| Breeding of dogs for sale is socially irresponsible | 121, 16% | 79, 10% | 97, 13% | 203, 26% | 97, 13% | 71, 9% | 99, 13% |
| People should be able to buy purebred dogs | 259, 34% | 105, 14% | 94, 12% | 134, 17% | 65, 8% | 48, 6% | 62, 8% |
| People should have choices as to where/how to obtain dogs | 245, 32% | 143, 19% | 99, 13% | 120, 16% | 67, 9% | 40, 5% | 53, 7% |
| Shelter dog populations would decrease if people stopped buying purebred dogs | 158, 21% | 87, 11% | 77, 10% | 199, 26% | 77, 10% | 75, 10% | 94, 12% |
| Every shelter/rescue dog is adoptable | 164, 21% | 113, 15% | 95, 12% | 161, 21% | 85, 11% | 69, 9% | 80, 10% |
| Importing of dogs for sale is irresponsible | 241, 31% | 105, 14% | 81, 11% | 163, 21% | 63, 8% | 57, 7% | 57, 7% |
| Importing of dogs for adoption is irresponsible | 188, 25% | 95, 12% | 101, 13% | 164, 21% | 71, 9% | 72, 9% | 76, 10% |
| The sale of dogs is socially irresponsible | 104, 14% | 66, 9% | 83, 11% | 191, 25% | 109, 14% | 96, 13% | 118, 15% |
Dog Acquisition Sources and Rationale
| Statement Regarding Dog Ownership or Care | Number of Dog Owners (n = 446) | % |
|---|---|---|
| How have you acquired a dog? | ||
| Adoption (shelter or rescue organization) | 178 | 40% |
| Bred them myself | 17 | 4% |
| Purchased directly from a breeder (on site where dogs are bred/kept) | 90 | 20% |
| Purchased directly from a breeder online (via the breeder’s website) | 25 | 6% |
| Purchased from online retailer | 11 | 2% |
| Purchased from pet store | 38 | 9% |
| Stray | 59 | 13% |
| Gift from friend/family member | 134 | 30% |
| Other (i.e., parking lot) | 30 | 7% |
| Reasons for acquiring dog in that manner | ||
| Impulse buy | 44 | 10% |
| Reputation of the breeder | 43 | 10% |
| Reputation of the rescue/shelter | 66 | 15% |
| Previous experience | 74 | 17% |
| Wanted a specific breed or type of dog | 133 | 30% |
| Cost | 52 | 12% |
| Guilt | 12 | 3% |
| Peer Pressure | 11 | 2% |
| It was the right thing to do | 208 | 47% |
| Dog came with pet insurance | 14 | 3% |
| Dog came with training/education | 24 | 5% |
| Dog came with health guarantee | 35 | 8% |
Classifying Respondents by Demographics and Stated Preferences
| Share of Preferences | Class 1 “Municipal Animal Shelter First” | Class 2 “Adoption is Great!” | Class 3 “Breed Matters” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adopted from a pet store | 1% | 22% | 1% |
| Adopted from a municipal animal shelter | 66% | 23% | 14% |
| Adopted from a breed rescue | 21% | 19% | 33% |
| Adopted from a privately-owned shelter | 11% | 19% | 13% |
| Adopted from a breeder | 1% | 17% | 39% |
| Class Probability | 62% | 29% | 9% |
Related data from the same study (U.S. Owned Dogs)
Research Summary | Back to Top
Acquisition Source by Income Level in the U.S.
External link:
Kremer T, Neal SM. Where Do They Come From and Where Do They Go? Socioeconomic Patterns in Dog Acquisition and Rehoming. Animals. 2024; 14(9):1378. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14091378
Source of Dog Acquisition
| Source | American Veterinary Medical Association 2017-2018 | Best Friends Animal Society 2022 | American Pet Product Association 2017-2018* | American Pet Product Association 2021-2022* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adopted—shelter/rescue/pet store | 28% | 39% | 44% | 40% |
| Friend/relative/another individual | 37% | 27% | 35% | 31% |
| Breeder/pet store | 28% | 23% | 29% | 30% |
| Found/stray | 5% | 5% | 4% | 4% |
| Previous pet | 2% | NA | 1% | 4% |
Acquistion Source by Income Level
| Income Group | Friend / Family | Found & Rescued | Previous Pet | Purchased | Shelter / Rescue | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| < 15k | 43% | 13% | 9% | 18% | 15% | 3% |
| 15k-35k | 37% | 12% | 9% | 18% | 20% | 3% |
| 35k-50k | 34% | 12% | 5% | 24% | 24% | 1% |
| 50k-75k | 28% | 10% | 5% | 29% | 26% | 2% |
| 75k-100k | 25% | 11% | 4% | 34% | 28% | 1% |
| 100k-150k | 24% | 7% | 4% | 35% | 31% | 1% |
| 150K+ | 19% | 7% | 3% | 37% | 32% | 1% |
Odds Ratio:
| Income Group | Friend / Family | Found & Rescued | Previous Pet | Purchased | Shelter / Rescue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <15 k (baseline) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 15–35 k | 0.8 | 0.96 | 0.97 | 1.05 | 1.45 |
| 35–50 k | 0.67 | 0.87 | 0.54 | 1.42 | 1.83 |
| 50 k–75 k | 0.5 | 0.75 | 0.53 | 1.89 | 2.04 |
| 75 k–100 k | 0.42 | 0.79 | 0.4 | 2.34 | 2.02 |
| 100 k–150 k | 0.4 | 0.46 | 0.35 | 2.43 | 2.53 |
| 150 k+ | 0.3 | 0.52 | 0.31 | 2.73 | 2.74 |
Related data from the same study (Reducing Shelter Intake)
Research Summary | Back to Top
Shelter Access
Jump to: Pilot Program in California
Pilot Program in OCAC, California
External link:
Mavrovouniotis, M. L. (2024). Comparison of the Number of Dog Adoptions in a Pilot Program That Restored Limited Visitor Access to Kennels: A Community Case Report. Journal of Shelter Medicine and Community Animal Health, 3(1). https://doi.org/10.56771/jsmcah.v3.85
Program Impact
| Time Slot (Jul 19 – Nov 7, 2023) | Non Pilot Days (MTuThFSu) | Pilot Days (WeSa) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midday (11am-2pm) | 227 | 124 | 351 |
| Afternoon (2pm-5pm) | 227 | 178 | 405 |
| Total | 454 | 302 | 756 |
| Afternoon as percent of total | 50% | 59% |
| Time Slot (Jul 19 – Nov 7, 2022) | Non Pilot Days (MTuThFSu) | Pilot Days (WeSa) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Midday (11am-2pm) | 230 | 115 | 345 |
| Afternoon (2pm-5pm) | 213 | 98 | 311 |
| Total | 443 | 213 | 656 |
| Afternoon as percent of total | 48% | 46% |
| Time Slot (Jul 19 – Nov 7) | 2022 | 2023 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| WeSa 2pm-5pm | 98 | 178 | 82% |
| All other opening hours | 558 | 578 | 4% |
| Total | 656 | 756 | 15% |
| WeSa 2-5pm as % of total | 15% | 24% |
Research Summary | Back to Top
Social Media
Jump to: Overview of Shelter Posting | Use of Descriptive Adjectives
Overview of Shelter Posting
External link:
Morrison R, Maust-Mohl M, Ferry T. Exploring Factors That Influence Public Engagement of Adoptable Pets on Facebook. Animals. 2024; 14(22):3217. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14223217
Social Media Posting Trends (2019 and 2020)
- Photos were the primary medium used (89%).
- Videos were less frequently used (14%).
- Most posts featured one animal (77.9%).
- Dogs were rarely shown in cages (5.8%), while cats were more commonly depicted in cages (23.1%).
- Few photos or videos showed animals with humans (19%) or toys (cats: 10.9%, dogs: 7.7%).
- Most dog breeds were listed as unknown (60%), while most cat breeds were listed as domestic short hair (80.31%).
- Negative tone was rarely used (2%).
- 18.2% of posts were updated to indicate adoption.
User Engagement
- Species: Dog posts consistently outperformed cat posts in terms of likes and shares.
- Year:
- 2019 posts received significantly more likes.
- 2020 posts received significantly more shares.
- Gender: No significant difference in engagement was found between male and female animals.
Research Summary | Back to Top
Use of Descriptive Adjectives in Online Profiles
External link:
Nakamura M, Dhand NK, Starling MJ, McGreevy PD. Descriptive Texts in Dog Profiles Associated with Length of Stay Via an Online Rescue Network. Animals. 2019; 9(7):464. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9070464
Descriptive Adjectives and Length of Stay (LOS)
| Personality Adjective | Predicted Back-Transformed LOS Means | Ratio of Means (95% CI) | p-Value | |
| Present | Absent | |||
| Only dog | 35.17 | 22.38 | 1.57 (1.41, 1.75) | <0.001 |
| Friendly | 30.68 | 25.65 | 1.20 (1.15, 1.25) | <0.001 |
| Make you proud | 16.19 | 48.52 | 0.33 (0.23, 0.47) | <0.001 |
| Obedient | 32.45 | 24.25 | 1.34 (1.22, 1.47) | <0.001 |
| Dominant | 35.96 | 21.88 | 1.64 (1.36, 1.99) | <0.001 |
| Intelligent | 31.02 | 25.37 | 1.22 (1.12, 1.33) | <0.001 |
| Timid | 30.96 | 24.06 | 1.22 (1.10, 1.35) | 0.0002 |
| Sensitive | 32.70 | 26.26 | 1.36 (1.06, 1.74) | 0.0158 |
| Restless | 14.32 | 54.97 | 0.26 (0.15, 0.45) | <0.001 |
| Proud | 33.39 | 23.57 | 1.42 (1.07, 1.87) | 0.0147 |
| Independent | 23.44 | 33.58 | 0.70 (0.57, 0.85) | 0.0004 |
| No cats | 34.16 | 23.04 | 1.48 (1.11, 1.98) | 0.0078 |
| Thorough | 34.13 | 23.06 | 1.48 (1.03, 2.13) | 0.0346 |
| Happy-go-lucky | 33.84 | 23.26 | 1.45 (1.08, 1.95) | 0.0127 |
| Eager | 26.52 | 29.68 | 0.89 (0.82, 0.98) | 0.0126 |
| Lively | 25.71 | 30.61 | 0.84 (0.73, 0.97) | 0.0162 |
Aggregated length of stay (days) for the four most common breeds (Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Australian Cattle Dog, Jack Russell Terrier, and Labrador Retriever), by the presence and absence of selected adjectives (n = 20,198 dogs).
| Personality Adjective | Predicted Back-Transformed LOS (Days) | p-Value | ||||
| Breed | ||||||
| Australian Cattle Dog | Jack Russell Terrier | Labrador Retriever | Staffordshire Bull Terrier | |||
| Gentle | Present | 44.75 | 22.87 | 23.42 | 32.23 | <0.01 |
| Absent | 36.71 | 24.90 | 20.14 | 26.96 | <0.01 | |
| Active | Present | 42.15 | 23.84 | 25.11 | 32.43 | <0.01 |
| Absent | 38.97 | 23.90 | 18.79 | 26.8 | <0.01 | |
| Quiet | Present | 45.44 | 23.21 | 22.18 | 32.64 | <0.01 |
| Absent | 36.15 | 24.54 | 21.27 | 26.63 | <0.01 | |
| Energetic | Present | 54.46 | 29.09 | 22.68 | 33.60 | <0.01 |
| Absent | 30.16 | 19.58 | 20.8 | 25.87 | <0.01 | |
Length of stay (days) of the four most common breeds (Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Australian Cattle Dog, Jack Russell Terrier, and Labrador Retriever), by breed and the presence and absence of selected adjectives (n = 20,198 dogs).