Data and facts about reasons for shelter intake.
Jump to: Overview | Demographics | Reasons
Highlights
Overview
Descriptive Demographics
Jump to: Online Purchase Demographics and Relinquishment
Impact of Online Purchase and Relinquishment During Pandemic
External link:
Carroll GA, Torjussen A, Reeve C. Companion animal adoption and relinquishment during the COVID-19 pandemic: Households with children at greatest risk of relinquishing a cat or dog. Anim Welf. 2023;32:e56. Published 2023 Aug 18. https://doi.org/10.1017/awf.2023.77
Relinquishment or Those Who Considered Relinquishment
- Geographical Variation:
- USA: 9.9%
- Canada: 6.4%
- Spain: 5.8%
- Italy: 4.4%
- UK: 3.0%
- Demographic Factors:
- Gender: Male participants had a 49.6% increased probability of relinquishment compared to females.
- Age of Pet: For every one-year increase in pet age, there was a 91.5% decreased probability of relinquishment.
- Household Composition:
- Households with children were 4.6 times more likely to consider or have already relinquished a cat or dog compared to those from households without children
| Demographic Variable | Considered Relinquishment (%) | Never Consider Relinquishment (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Species | ||
| Cat | 41.7 | 47.9 |
| Dog | 58.3 | 52.1 |
| Gender | ||
| Male | 66.7 | 49.7 |
| Female | 33.3 | 50.3 |
| Dwelling type | ||
| House with garden | 65.6 | 56.3 |
| House with no garden | 5.3 | 3.6 |
| Apartment with garden | 17.2 | 15.1 |
| Apartment with no garden | 11.9 | 25 |
| Home ownership | ||
| Own | 58.3 | 69.6 |
| Rent | 41.7 | 30.4 |
| Children in the home | ||
| 0 children | 35.1 | 70.1 |
| 1 child | 27.8 | 13.9 |
| 2 children | 32.5 | 11.9 |
| 3 or 4 children | 4.6 | 4.1 |
| Adults in the home | ||
| 1 adult | 7.9 | 12.9 |
| 2 adults | 49 | 47.4 |
| 3 adults | 21.9 | 17 |
| 4 adults | 10.6 | 18.6 |
| 5 or more adults | 10.6 | 4.1 |
| Other pets in the home | ||
| Yes | 43.7 | 40.2 |
| No | 56.3 | 59.8 |
| Martial status | ||
| Married/partner | 65.6 | 54.1 |
| Single | 31.1 | 41.8 |
| Seperated | 0.7 | 2.1 |
| Divorced | 2.6 | 2.1 |
| Education | ||
| Secondary school | 19.9 | 32.5 |
| College/University degree | 51 | 43.8 |
| Master’s degree | 23.8 | 20.6 |
| Doctoral degree | 2 | 1 |
| Other professional graduate/PG degree | 3.3 | 2.1 |
| Employment | ||
| Employed | 69.5 | 63.9 |
| Not working | 14.6 | 14.9 |
| Student | 2 | 2.1 |
| Retired | 13.9 | 19.1 |
| Illness | ||
| Mental | 5.3 | 7.2 |
| Physical | 5.3 | 7.2 |
| Reason for acquisition | ||
| Companionship | 94 | 96.9 |
| Use as a service animal | 5.3 | 0 |
| Training/Competitions | 6.7 | 0.5 |
| Working animal | 2 | 0 |
| Other | 3.9 | 5.1 |
Related Data From Same Study (Acquisition Channels)
Research Summary | Back to Top
Reasons
Jump to: Social Vulnerability & Intake, Outcome | Texas Shelter Intakes & Returns
Social Vulnerability & Intake, Outcome
External link:
Neal SM, Kremer T. Examining the Relationship Between Social Vulnerability and Animal Shelter Intakes and Outcomes: Patterns and Implications. Animals. 2024; 14(22):3166. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14223166
Intake and Outcome by Social Vulnerability
| Social Vulnerability Quintile | Intake per 1000 households | Adoption per 1000 households |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | 11 |
| 2 | 13 | 12 |
| 3 | 18 | 12 |
| 4 | 36 | 14 |
| 5 | 61 | 14 |
Breakdown by Intake Source
| Intake from Social Vulnerability Quintile | Breakdown by Intake Source | |||
| Social Vulnerability Quintile | Overall | Owner Surrender / Return | Seized / Custody | Stray |
| 1 | 8.0% | 11.9% | 4.6% | 6.8% |
| 2 | 8.7% | 11.1% | 5.9% | 8.1% |
| 3 | 11.9% | 14.4% | 9.8% | 11.1% |
| 4 | 24.5% | 25.5% | 27.9% | 23.5% |
| 5 | 46.9% | 37.1% | 51.8% | 50.6% |
| Adoptions to Social Vulnerability Quintile | Breakdown by Intake Source | |||
| Social Vulnerability Quintile | Overall | Owner Surrender / Return | Seized / Custody | Stray |
| 1 | 19.2% | 20.6% | 25.3% | 17.4% |
| 2 | 17.6% | 18.8% | 21.1% | 16.4% |
| 3 | 17.4% | 18.3% | 18.4% | 16.8% |
| 4 | 20.1% | 20.3% | 19.8% | 20.0% |
| 5 | 25.6% | 22.0% | 15.4% | 29.3% |
Breakdown by Social Vulnerability Index Themes
| Intake by Social Vulnerability Quintile | Breakdown by SVI themes | ||||
| Social Vulnerability Quintile | Overall | Household Characteristics | Housing Type & Transportation | Racial & Ethnic Minority Status | Socioeconomic Status |
| 1 | 8.0% | 12.7% | 12.2% | 4.2% | 7.6% |
| 2 | 8.7% | 10.0% | 18.7% | 9.7% | 7.3% |
| 3 | 11.9% | 15.0% | 25.7% | 13.3% | 13.0% |
| 4 | 24.5% | 19.8% | 22.8% | 20.8% | 21.6% |
| 5 | 46.9% | 42.4% | 20.6% | 52.0% | 50.6% |
| Adoptions to Social Vulnerability Quintile | Breakdown by SVI themes | ||||
| Social Vulnerability Quintile | Overall | Household Characteristics | Housing Type & Transportation | Racial & Ethnic Minority Status | Socioeconomic Status |
| 1 | 19.2% | 21.5% | 20.1% | 12.2% | 19.2% |
| 2 | 17.6% | 15.3% | 21.2% | 22.1% | 15.9% |
| 3 | 17.4% | 18.6% | 22.5% | 20.7% | 17.9% |
| 4 | 20.1% | 18.8% | 19.8% | 16.0% | 19.7% |
| 5 | 25.6% | 25.8% | 16.4% | 28.9% | 27.2% |
Breakdown by Animal Type
| Intake by Social Vulnerability Quintile | Breakdown by Animal Type | ||||
| Social Vulnerability Quintile | Overall | Cat Adult | Cat Youth | Dog Adult | Dog Youth |
| 1 | 8.0% | 8.9% | 7.7% | 8.9% | 3.9% |
| 2 | 8.7% | 9.2% | 8.6% | 9.6% | 5.1% |
| 3 | 11.9% | 13.% | 11.1% | 12.8% | 8.0% |
| 4 | 24.5% | 28.5% | 25.5% | 24.2% | 21.0% |
| 5 | 46.9% | 42.0% | 47.2% | 44.5% | 61.9% |
| Adoptions to Social Vulnerability Quintile | Breakdown by Animal Type | ||||
| Social Vulnerability Quintile | Overall | Cat Adult | Cat Youth | Dog Adult | Dog Youth |
| 1 | 19.2% | 18.2% | 19.0% | 21.0% | 15.4% |
| 2 | 17.6% | 17.7% | 17.2% | 19.1% | 13.6% |
| 3 | 17.4% | 18.6% | 15.9% | 18.6% | 14.8% |
| 4 | 20.1% | 21.6% | 19.6% | 19.7% | 19.7% |
| 5 | 25.6% | 24.0% | 28.3% | 21.5% | 36.6% |
Intake Reason and Outcome by Quintile
| Intake Reason | Quintile 1 | Quintile 2 | Quintile 3 | Quintile 4 | Quintile 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Preferences / Time | 30.1% | 25.5% | 24.2% | 27.1% | 22.5% |
| Permanent Change | 7.6% | 8.9% | 7.8% | 6% | 7.7% |
| Medical | 5.3% | 8.2% | 8.6% | 12.4% | 14% |
| Housing | 15% | 15.8% | 19.7% | 22.8% | 25% |
| Cost | 11.7% | 11.4% | 15.5% | 16.3% | 17.2% |
| Behaviour | 30.3% | 30.2% | 24.3% | 15.4% | 13.4% |
| Outcome | Quintile 1 | Quintile 2 | Quintile 3 | Quintile 4 | Quintile 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transferred Out | 12.7% | 19.2% | 17.5% | 20.6% | 28.3% |
| Return to Owner | 16.4% | 14.9% | 15.6% | 13.1% | 10.4% |
| Euthanasia | 10.2% | 10.9% | 12.5% | 13.1% | 13.5% |
| Adopted | 60.7% | 55% | 54.3% | 53.3% | 47.8% |
Research Summary | Back to Top
Texas Shelter Intake & Return
External link:
Hawes SM, Kerrigan JM, Hupe T, Morris KN. Factors Informing the Return of Adopted Dogs and Cats to an Animal Shelter. Animals. 2020; 10(9):1573. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10091573
Reasons for Intake
| Reasons | Dogs (n = 1604) | % of Dog Sample | Cats (n = 1292) | % of Cat Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medical | 29.6% | 29.5% | ||
| Medical needs of animal | 249 | 15.5% | 349 | 27.0% |
| Medical costs | 2 | 0.1% | 0 | 0.0% |
| Urgent medical | 38 | 2.4% | 14 | 1.1% |
| Parvovirus | 186 | 11.6% | 0 | 0.0% |
| Panleukopenia | 0 | 0.0% | 18 | 1.4% |
| Behavioral | 9.2% | 5.9% | ||
| Aggressive toward animals | 27 | 1.7% | 3 | 0.2% |
| Aggressive toward humans | 37 | 2.3% | 3 | 0.2% |
| Destructive tendencies | 12 | 0.8% | 5 | 0.4% |
| Separation anxiety | 7 | 0.4% | 1 | 0.08% |
| Behavior/temperament | 7 | 0.4% | 5 | 0.4% |
| General behavioral support needed | 57 | 3.6% | 59 | 4.6% |
| Personal | 8.6% | 8.4% | ||
| Cannot afford basic care | 22 | 1.4% | 10 | 0.8% |
| Unrealistic expectations | 61 | 3.8% | 24 | 1.9% |
| Moving | 30 | 1.9% | 31 | 2.4% |
| Unwanted offspring of pet | 10 | 0.6% | 0 | 0.0% |
| Medical needs of pet owner | 6 | 0.4% | 14 | 1.1% |
| Allergies | 2 | 0.1% | 8 | 0.6% |
| Behavior/temperament of resident pet | 4 | 0.2% | 18 | 1.4% |
| Death of owner/family member | 4 | 0.2% | 2 | 0.2% |
| Other | 52.6% | 56.2% | ||
| Born in shelter care | 105 | 6.5% | 29 | 2.2% |
| Stray with shelter’s microchip | 14 | 0.9% | 10 | 0.8% |
| Stray | 14 | 0.9% | 20 | 1.5% |
| Breed or species restrictions | 3 | 0.2% | 0 | 0.0% |
| Wellness | 1 | 0.06% | 0 | 0.0% |
| Bottle baby | 28 | 1.7% | 367 | 28.4% |
| Pregnant/nursing | 86 | 5.4% | 118 | 9.1% |
| Shelter space | 592 | 36.9% | 184 | 14.2% |
Related Data From Same Study (Reducing Adoption Returns)