Companion Animal Owners Favor Adoption, Survey Says

The “Hartz Pet Trend Report” surveyed U.S. dog and cat owners about their companion animals and found that 60% of current companion animal owners would prefer to adopt their companion animal from a rescue society over other sources.

In poll findings, 60% of the U.S. companion animal owners questioned said they preferred to get their next companion animal from a rescue organization, while 10% preferred a registered breeder, 4% preferred a companion animal store, and 4% said that the source did not matter. In addition, companion animal owners said that the most important characteristics of a good companion animal are personality (65%), loyalty (20%), and obedience (11%); only 1% cited purity of breed.

Almost half (47%) of all respondents said their companion animal is like a child to them, while 42% liken their companion animal more to a good friend.