The Relationship Between Perceived Dog Adoption Profile Accuracy and Perceived Difficulty and Expectations of Dog Ownership
Disciplines
Animal Studies | Other Psychology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Relinquishment is a common issue in dog shelters, with 27% of dogs taken in by U.S. shelters being relinquished by owners in 2022 (Shelter Animals Count, 2022). Common reasons for relinquishment include behavioral issues and owner expectations. These expectations may be set by the shelter on a dog adoption profile. Adoption profiles are descriptions provided by shelters to educate potential owners on a dog’s past, personality, and behavior. There is a gap in adoption research on how the adoption profile sets expectations for owners and impacts their perception of expectations being met. This study evaluated the relationship between the perceived accuracy of the adoption profile, behavioral expectations, and perceived difficulty of ownership using a two-week post-adoption survey. The sample included 32 adopters from Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue. The findings indicated that adopters who rated the adoption profiles as highly accurate were also more likely to agree that the dog met their behavioral expectations (Mann-Whitney U = 129, p = .025). There was no significant relationship between perceived adoption profile accuracy and perceived difficulty of ownership (U = 112, p = .23). These findings highlight the importance of expectations and the adoption profile as factors in successful adoptions.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - Psychological Science
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Allison Martin
The Relationship Between Perceived Dog Adoption Profile Accuracy and Perceived Difficulty and Expectations of Dog Ownership
Relinquishment is a common issue in dog shelters, with 27% of dogs taken in by U.S. shelters being relinquished by owners in 2022 (Shelter Animals Count, 2022). Common reasons for relinquishment include behavioral issues and owner expectations. These expectations may be set by the shelter on a dog adoption profile. Adoption profiles are descriptions provided by shelters to educate potential owners on a dog’s past, personality, and behavior. There is a gap in adoption research on how the adoption profile sets expectations for owners and impacts their perception of expectations being met. This study evaluated the relationship between the perceived accuracy of the adoption profile, behavioral expectations, and perceived difficulty of ownership using a two-week post-adoption survey. The sample included 32 adopters from Mostly Mutts Animal Rescue. The findings indicated that adopters who rated the adoption profiles as highly accurate were also more likely to agree that the dog met their behavioral expectations (Mann-Whitney U = 129, p = .025). There was no significant relationship between perceived adoption profile accuracy and perceived difficulty of ownership (U = 112, p = .23). These findings highlight the importance of expectations and the adoption profile as factors in successful adoptions.