How do people go about making the decision to get a dog, and does this process vary by socioeconomic status?
When making high-value economic or personal decisions, people often go through a multi-step process before making their choice, including recognizing an unmet need or desire, seeking information from others, and making lists of sought-after characteristics. Researchers wanted to know whether a similar approach is followed by people looking to bring a new dog into their life, and if this process differs across socioeconomic groups. Understanding how people make the decision to become a guardian of a new dog can help inform animal shelters about strategies for recruiting adopters, and make shelter adoption more accessible.
Participants for this study were recruited through email advertisements and physical flyers posted at animal shelters and veterinary outreach events, and in public places like libraries, coffee shops, and community centers in the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania. People who had brought a new dog into their life within the past two years were invited to an interview.
Read the full study summary on the Faunalytics website here: https://faunalytics.org/dog-acquisition-across-socioeconomic-groups/