Ditching breed labels, focusing on match-making adoptions, and amping up foster and transfer programs may reduce euthanasia and returns of dogs from shelters and rescues.
In 2020, an online survey was sent to 898 shelters and rescue groups who had applied for grant funding from the PEDIGREE Foundation within the last six years. The survey contained 169 questions about organizational traits, volunteer roles and training, transfer programs, breed labels, matching programs, and foster programs. Data on live release and return rates from 2011 to 2018 were also collected. A total of 370 organizations participated, representing a 41% response rate.
The results revealed that only 17% had an open intake policy. Along with most organizations limiting their intake, 44% were also breed-specific, meaning they only help a specific breed of dog. There was a large variation in annual budgets, ranging from $5,000 to over $6 million, and human resources, ranging from none to close to 1,000 staff. On average, the organizations had 18 volunteers for every staff member and took in 306 dogs per staff member per year. The mean live release rate was over 90% and mean return rates were 2% for puppies and 6% for dogs.
The study found only modest correlations between outcome success and shelter traits and programs, including the following:
- Poorer outcomes were associated with non-profits with municipal contracts, higher intake-to-staff ratios, and more staff and volunteers.
- Better outcomes were associated with rescues, eliminating breed labels, a longer time between the dog arriving at the shelter and being made available for adoption, and the use of foster and adoption matching programs.
- Programs are associated with positive outcomes more so than organizational traits are.
The surprising finding was the correlation between increased staff and volunteers and lower live release rates, which conflicts with past research. The author suggests that this may be due to a lack of foster programming, as shelters with high numbers of staff and volunteers may have more capacity for animal care on site and not see the need for fostering. Despite emphasizing programs over organizational traits for positive outcomes, the author notes that human resources - paid or unpaid - are needed to run effective foster and adoption matching programs.
Learn more in our library summary here: Shelter Dog Outcomes Related To Programs More Than Resources - Faunalytics
| Faunalytics |
remove preview |
|
| Shelter Dog Outcomes Related To Programs More Than Resources - Faunalytics |
| Ditching breed labels, focusing on match-making adoptions, and amping up foster and transfer programs may reduce euthanasia and returns of dogs from shelters and rescues. |
| View this on Faunalytics > |
|
|
Study covered: Reese, L. (2021). Shelter and rescue programmes associated with higher live release and lower return rates for dogs. Animal Welfare, 30(4), 419–430. https://doi.org/10.7120/09627286.30.4.005
#AdoptionsandAdoptionPrograms------------------------------
Jenna Riedi
Communications Manager
Faunalytics
CO
------------------------------