Animal Welfare Professionals

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Our adoptions are down with both cats and dogs. I am taking in less animals, trying to help people with placements at other shelters or resources to rehome. Most of our dogs are over 50 pounds. We are also seeing returned adoptions with people moving. It is all so very frustrating! I am pushing hard for fosters (day out, weekend, short-term, anything!).

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Our adoptions are down with both cats and dogs. I am taking in less animals, trying to help people with placements at other shelters or resources to rehome. Most of our dogs are over 50 pounds. We are also seeing returned adoptions with people moving. It is all so very frustrating! I am pushing hard for fosters (day out, weekend, short-term, anything!).

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Our adoption numbers for both dogs and cats are down. Rental housing in our area is also drastically changing, with most changing their policy to not allow pets, causing many returns. 

Best, 
Kelsey 
NC 

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

We are along the Gulf Coast Texas  so it's never great, but our cat adoptions have increased, and our dog adoptions have decreased. We have some really nice 50lb+ dogs who we can't understand why they are still here. 

Additionally, we have seen a dramatic increase in  owner surrender requests, animals dumped in our parking lot, tossed over the fence and even being dumped during shelter hours when staff is there. It's like someone pulls up, and watches for staff and jumps out the second they see staff enter into one of the buildings to dump the the crate or tie the dog to the fence. 

It's very frustrating. 

Ann
Texas

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

We are along the Gulf Coast Texas  so it's never great, but our cat adoptions have increased, and our dog adoptions have decreased. We have some really nice 50lb+ dogs who we can't understand why they are still here. 

Additionally, we have seen a dramatic increase in  owner surrender requests, animals dumped in our parking lot, tossed over the fence and even being dumped during shelter hours when staff is there. It's like someone pulls up, and watches for staff and jumps out the second they see staff enter into one of the buildings to dump the the crate or tie the dog to the fence. 

It's very frustrating. 

Ann
Texas

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

At snip we have seen increase of abandonment of both cat and dogs.    The adoption rate is low.   We get comments all the time. Oh I would love a pet but I dont want to pay that much on an adoption fee.  It's maddening- our adopt fee doesn't even cover the cost to prepare an animal for adoption.   We are such a small shelter grants are even hard to get, so that we can off set the loss from the adoption fee.   I also feel we are at an disadvantage even with the Maddie grants offered due to being so small we don't have the man power to have everyone attend the weekly meetings or everyone participate the forums.   

We are along the Gulf Coast Texas  so it's never great, but our cat adoptions have increased, and our dog adoptions have decreased. We have some really nice 50lb+ dogs who we can't understand why they are still here. 

Additionally, we have seen a dramatic increase in  owner surrender requests, animals dumped in our parking lot, tossed over the fence and even being dumped during shelter hours when staff is there. It's like someone pulls up, and watches for staff and jumps out the second they see staff enter into one of the buildings to dump the the crate or tie the dog to the fence. 

It's very frustrating. 

Ann
Texas

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

We are along the Gulf Coast Texas  so it's never great, but our cat adoptions have increased, and our dog adoptions have decreased. We have some really nice 50lb+ dogs who we can't understand why they are still here. 

Additionally, we have seen a dramatic increase in  owner surrender requests, animals dumped in our parking lot, tossed over the fence and even being dumped during shelter hours when staff is there. It's like someone pulls up, and watches for staff and jumps out the second they see staff enter into one of the buildings to dump the the crate or tie the dog to the fence. 

It's very frustrating. 

Ann
Texas

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Our adoption rate is null.  Our foster rate is null - in the last five years, we have never had puppies grow on our property, but we currently have three liters 6-9 months old and still with us.   It is very frustrating, we receive up to eight calls a day asking us to take a dog, and we can't...  One of our last adoptions came back to us with a serious foot injury.  We have vetted the family, but they still failed.  Now the sweet dog is back with us, learning to walk again.  

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Our adoption rate is null.  Our foster rate is null - in the last five years, we have never had puppies grow on our property, but we currently have three liters 6-9 months old and still with us.   It is very frustrating, we receive up to eight calls a day asking us to take a dog, and we can't...  One of our last adoptions came back to us with a serious foot injury.  We have vetted the family, but they still failed.  Now the sweet dog is back with us, learning to walk again.  

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

This is the state we're in, too...nobody wants to foster and nobody wants to adopt. We're not even getting inquiries. We're all volunteer and smaller, and we do dogs that are giants, seniors and special needs, so that's where it starts. However, we've had great success with placements in the past. But now, more than ever, we are at a point where we're stuck. It's discouraging, heartbreaking, frustrating...you name it. We have incredible, fantastic, out of this world great dogs...crickets. Yet the requests to take them keep rolling in nonstop. 

Our adoption rate is null.  Our foster rate is null - in the last five years, we have never had puppies grow on our property, but we currently have three liters 6-9 months old and still with us.   It is very frustrating, we receive up to eight calls a day asking us to take a dog, and we can't...  One of our last adoptions came back to us with a serious foot injury.  We have vetted the family, but they still failed.  Now the sweet dog is back with us, learning to walk again.  

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Annette,
 Although we are not a dog/cat rescue we are seeing the same issue with our small animal adoptions. Surrenders of rabbits, guinea pigs, birds are up and adoptions are very low. We keep our adoption fees very low and never make up the cost of neuter/spay and care. We are having to turn away animals and have a waiting list for surrenders. Recently we started a pet food bank program in our rural area to help keep pets at home and are partnering with other local rescues to offer free spay/neuter and microchips to program participants.

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

We are a Northern Colorado canine rescue and have steadily increased our adoptions each year of our 11 years in existence. In the past four years, we've had 8 to 20% increases each year.  About 80% of our dogs are pulled from communities outside the state with partner organizations and transported here. We keep a close eye on adoption returns, and when those numbers start to climb, we reach out to fosters and kennel volunteers to give them encouragement and resources to find better matches and the return rate generally decreases within a month. Last year we adopted out 2,160 dogs and our average adoption fee is $400 for adults and $500 for puppies. We are currently processing over 5,000 adoption applications each year and every applicant gets a virtual home visit prior to meeting dogs. Our organization is entirely volunteer-run and volunteer-led, with about 300 total volunteers and about 150 that are active at any given time. We have two kennel facilities that can house about 60 dogs in the state and generally have 50 to 100 in foster at any given time. As with several others who have responded, we have never been successful in finding help writing and submitting grants. Our adoption fees don't cover our costs, and without generous donors, we couldn't succeed. If we had someone who could actually develop our donor outreach, that would be incredible. 

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Linda -

Thank you so much for your response.  I am absolutely wowed by your results.  I wish that you could bottle your secret sauce for the rest of us!  I visited your website and wish that you had a gallery showing your kennel capabilities.   I'd love to see them and often wish that we had short-term kennel capability.  Although we focus on MN cats and dogs only,  there are times when we can't tag highly adoptable dogs due to a shortage of open fosters.  Can you tell me your adoption radius?   Are your adopters from Northern Colorado?  I'm so intrigued and just thrilled to hear that you are on a growth path and able to help so many.

We are a Northern Colorado canine rescue and have steadily increased our adoptions each year of our 11 years in existence. In the past four years, we've had 8 to 20% increases each year.  About 80% of our dogs are pulled from communities outside the state with partner organizations and transported here. We keep a close eye on adoption returns, and when those numbers start to climb, we reach out to fosters and kennel volunteers to give them encouragement and resources to find better matches and the return rate generally decreases within a month. Last year we adopted out 2,160 dogs and our average adoption fee is $400 for adults and $500 for puppies. We are currently processing over 5,000 adoption applications each year and every applicant gets a virtual home visit prior to meeting dogs. Our organization is entirely volunteer-run and volunteer-led, with about 300 total volunteers and about 150 that are active at any given time. We have two kennel facilities that can house about 60 dogs in the state and generally have 50 to 100 in foster at any given time. As with several others who have responded, we have never been successful in finding help writing and submitting grants. Our adoption fees don't cover our costs, and without generous donors, we couldn't succeed. If we had someone who could actually develop our donor outreach, that would be incredible. 

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

I am a small rescue in the San Francisco Bay Area but I do communicate and have connections with other rescues and shelters. Adoptions have been slow since last fall and even slower, attitudes have changed, and litter exploding everywhere. Litters are being euthanized, and Owner surrender is at an all-time high. Many residents and rescues have no access or 6 months to wait for Spay and neutering. I hear whispers of small outbreaks of distempers. Many  Municipals have to contract out spay and neuter for their own animals.  SF bay area is such a big and dense area and that depends if you want to count central Valley like Sacramento, Bakersfield, and Fresno.  I've been doing rescue for 16 years, it has changed a lot from 3 years ago.  

I have hope that things will get better though!!

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Same thing is happening in the Atlanta, GA area slow adoptions, dogs being returned to shelters and rescues, attitudes have changed so that dogs are even valued less, litters exploding everwhere .  Our group goes out and signs people's pets up for altering and then raises the money and then we try to get the animals in as soon as possible before the people change their mind or move but you just cannot get an appt asap have to wait weeks or more      it is so sad for the animals and the people trying to help them

I am a small rescue in the San Francisco Bay Area but I do communicate and have connections with other rescues and shelters. Adoptions have been slow since last fall and even slower, attitudes have changed, and litter exploding everywhere. Litters are being euthanized, and Owner surrender is at an all-time high. Many residents and rescues have no access or 6 months to wait for Spay and neutering. I hear whispers of small outbreaks of distempers. Many  Municipals have to contract out spay and neuter for their own animals.  SF bay area is such a big and dense area and that depends if you want to count central Valley like Sacramento, Bakersfield, and Fresno.  I've been doing rescue for 16 years, it has changed a lot from 3 years ago.  

I have hope that things will get better though!!

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.

Our adoptions are also down for all animals on property. We are trying to do mange intake at our shelter by helping citizens hold on to found pets before they drop it off at our facility. We have the citizen send us a picture of the found/lost pets and we do a courtesy post. We also have a waiting list for our owner surrender as well.  As of right now, most of our dogs are over 50 pounds and some behavioral as well. We are pushing for foster every day and it's been tough. We also have been trying to get rescues to pull some of our dogs to see if changing environment would help the get adopted. 

In the last 4 years,  we have experienced exponential growth in the number of cats adopted through our organization.  Dog adoptions, however, are basically flat.  Those involved in the dog division have, at various times, given feedback as to the reason(s).   For instance:  easier to foster a cat than a dog, seasonality, lack of foster and/or mentors, litters of kittens impact numbers.   For these and other reasons, I would not anticipate the Dog Division to match the Cat Division's numbers.   However, I would anticipate that we could have an expectation for incremental growth.  

What are others seeing in their organizations?  Increase, decrease or flat?  Thank you in advance for your feedback.