Keeping Pets (Dogs And Cats) In Homes
This study is the first part of a three-part study to understand issues of companion animal retention. This first phase seeks to better understand why people choose not to live with companion animals by interviewing U.S. adults who have never lived with a cat or dog and those who lived with a cat or a dog previously but not in the past year.
Executive Summary, Conclusions:
- “Dogs are more likely to be considered as a future pet than cats. Previous dog owners were more likely to consider adding a dog to their household while previous cat owners were not as likely to consider adding another cat to their family. In addition, those who have never owned a dog or cat as an adult say they are more likely to consider owning a dog rather than a cat (this is especially true if they had a dog as a childhood pet vs. if they had a cat as a childhood pet).”
- “Fewer owners acquired their prior pet from shelters or rescue organizations than from friends, family, and neighbors. In dramatic contrast, our respondents now say they are most likely to procure any future pets through humane groups, shelters, and rescue organizations.”
- “The leading barriers preventing current ownership are cost, lifestyle, cleanup, and grief over the loss of a beloved pet. For previous dog and cat owners, lifestyle issues include a lack of time to care for the animal and travel away from home; the expenses of veterinary and general care also inhibit future ownership. Many previous owners of dogs and cats indicated that they were still grieving the loss of their pet, and this was a factor in their not obtaining another animal. This grief was noted even though twelve months or longer had passed since the prior pet had left the family. More than one-third of non-owners noted a general dislike of cats as the main reason why they do not currently own one; only 12 percent of non-owners indicated a general dislike of dogs.”
- “Those who owned a dog or cat within the last five years, but currently do not own one, were more likely to consider adding another dog or cat to their household. Beyond this five-year mark, however, the likelihood of pet ownership drops sharply as people cited lifestyles that were no longer conducive to support a dog or cat in the household. Interestingly, older people were not as receptive to adding a dog or cat to their homes despite research showing the health and emotional benefits of pet ownership (including increased exercise and companionship).”
- “There are marked demographic differences between those who would consider owning a dog and those owning a cat, suggesting different adoption and retention strategies.”