Elizabeth Sailors

Mrs. Brower

Advanced Comp

20 Oct. 2020

Pet Adoption

Many families love to have animals. However, the animal they end up adopting doesn’t

always act like they should; which causes the animals to end up having to go back to square one.

A study in Ontario tried to figure out a way around this and help with pre-adoption tips. Their

study included seventeen participants that all had to be at least eighteen years old. Only dogs and

cats were included in this study. It lasted from June to July 2012. They used three different

humane societies; one in eastern Ontario used a three-to four-page application for cat and dog

adoptions, and the other two in southwestern Ontario used “Meet Your Match” in replacement.

The participants in this study had not yet adopted a dog or cat, but had already gone through

every step they needed to other than the official papers. The interview these three shelters set up

were all roughly the same. Questions asked were things like what traits they do and do not want

in their dog, concerns they had with the adoption, or any bad experiences with animals in the

past. With the results after about a month of data, pre-adoption concerns from the adopters are

almost the exact same reason the dogs or cats end up getting returned. The study shows these

three humane societies, as well as many around the world, that having a better pre-adoption

system could help with reducing the adoption failure rate. Within the one-on-one talk, the

adopters could tell you how they want the dog act; which helps the humane society find the

perfect match for them and their families.

 Everyone has seen the commercials for adopting dogs and cats from the humane shelters;

however, no one talks about what happens afterward, or the failed adoptions. In this study, they

focus on post-adoption. With this, many adopted dogs and cats end up being returned. In a study

that lasted 1 November 2015 through 31 July 2016, an animal shelter in Auckland, New Zealand

tried to figure out a way to at least minimize this problem. The study included sixty-one total

adoptions of dogs older than six months. This shelter began the study by using another

researcher’s questions. Through email or phone calls, the shelter asked the adopters how the

animal was doing in the new environment (in general or with other animals), observed anxiety or

behavioral problems, and any changes in behavior after adoption. However, if the person no

longer had the dog, different questions were asked, such as why the dog was no longer in their

care, and what was the outcome of it. After overcoming the challenges of data analysis and

having multiple staff members take over, the study was finally completed. The most important

fact of this study was the number of behavioral problems that the adopters had. In total, more

than two-thirds of the adopted animals in this study had at least one behavioral issue. These

issues include (but are not limited to) poor manners, destructive behavior, and excessively high

energy. This study helped to provide insight into how they, as an animal shelter, can help

decrease the failed adoptions within their humane shelter. If the dogs are trained better when at

the shelter, then they will easily stay in a loving environment with their new family.

To reduce failed adoptions within their humane society, these studies both had plans in

place. The first study included pre-adoption plans to limit the post-adoption failure rate. This

research study had a sample size of only seventeen people. However, these 17 people could have

adopted either dogs or cats in this process. This helps knowing cats are included, but there aren’t

many people to go on the record for the more accurate data. The second study, however, does
have much more people and a longer duration time to collect data. Almost the only downfall of

the second study is that it does not include cats as the first one does. Overall, the second study

proved more reliable and earned better results.

 Works Cited

Gates, M.Carolyn, et al. “Post-Adoption Problem Behaviours in Adolescent and Adult

Dogs Rehomed through a New Zealand Animal Shelter.” ​Animals (2076-2615)​, vol. 8, no. 6,

June 2018, p. 93. ​EBSCOhost​, doi:10.3390/ani8060093.

O’Connor, Rachel, et al. “Exploratory Study of Adopters’ Concerns Prior to Acquiring

Dogs or Cats from Animal Shelters.” ​Society & Animals​, vol. 25, no. 4, July 2017, pp. 362–383.

EBSCOhost,​ doi:10.1163/15685306-12341451.