PetPoint Journal #7: November 9, 2007
Reasons Given for Owner Surrender and Return of Animals to Animal Welfare Organizations
In this edition of the PetPoint Journal, we examine the reasons given by pet owners for both surrendering and returning pets to animal welfare organizations. From 2005 to date, we have through the approximately 1,430,000 intakes of pets through PetPoint recorded over 1300 reasons given by owners for surrendering or returning their pets. Approximately 33% of these intakes were marked "Animal Surrender" and 3% were "Animal Returns". For the purposes of this PetPoint Journal "Animal Surrender" is when a pet is brought in to an animal welfare organization for the first time. "Animal Return" is when a pet is returned to an animal welfare organization by an adopter.
To more efficiently analyze these 1300 intake reasons, we have divided them into 30 category groupings. It is argued here that the 30 category groupings is small enough to be manageable for the purposes of analysis but large enough that it does not undermine details specific to the surrenders/returns as a whole. The table below lists the 30 categories and summarizes the reasons given at intake that help to make up each defined category.
Categories highlighted in blue comprise reasons that highlight human considerations and are generally unrelated to the animal in question.
Categories highlighted in yellow comprise reasons that relate directly to attributes of the animal being surrendered to the animal welfare organization.
Category |
Category Contents - where not self explanatory |
Too many pets |
|
Moving/Deployed |
The pet owner is moving home or job and cannot take the pet or the pet owner has been deployed |
Euthanasia Request |
Euthanasia only - not cremation requests |
Financial/Insurance |
The cost of keeping the pet was too high or they could not get insurance for their home due to the presence of the pet |
Stray/Found/Abandoned |
The animal has been found/abandoned and the finder cannot keep the animal |
Unwanted/incompatible |
Pet owners do not want the animal for any number of reasons, don’t like the animal, think the animal is too dull or doesn’t match the décor (really!) and those whose children were abusive to the animal |
Other |
The catchall category where the reason given at intake is not clear ie. Ask Staff, Other, No reason etc. |
Inability to care for |
The pet owners in this category differ from those in the unwanted/incompatible category as they demonstrate a degree of care for the animal but are overwhelmed by the needs of the animal and have found they had too little time, it was too much responsibility or they simply were unable to care for the pet |
Unwanted litter/pregnant female |
All pregnancy/new born related intakes |
Cruelty/Neglect/Legal Issues |
Animals that have been seized, or involved in legal settlements or have been abused |
Landlord/Rental issues |
|
Allergic to animal |
|
Family health/Death of owner |
|
New baby |
|
Personal/Family Issues |
Divorce, the spouse doesn’t want the animal, lifestyle changes |
Inadequate Space |
|
Data Input Error |
Data is entered as either owner surrender or return but should actually be a transfer |
Animal Health/Age |
Animal health and old age |
DOA |
Dead on Arrival plus cremation requests |
Aggressive with humans |
In this category "Aggressive" is the key word |
Hyper/too active |
|
Escapes |
|
Aggressive with animals |
"Aggressive" and "Kills" are the key words |
Problems with family pets |
|
Problems with children |
|
Not housebroken/litter trained |
|
Feral |
|
Destructive |
|
Behavioral/Barking/Training Issues |
|
Breed/size/shedding problems |
Intakes in this category are a result of a fundamental mismatch between the pet owner and the breed of animal |
Reasons Given for Animal Surrender vs Reasons Given for Animal Return Chart #1
Animal Surrender |
% of total |
Animal Return |
% of total |
Too many pets |
18 |
Unwanted/incompatible |
12 |
Unwanted/incompatible |
10 |
Inability to care for |
11 |
Moving/Deployed |
10 |
Behavioural/Barking/Training Issues |
9 |
Stray/Found/Abandoned |
8 |
Problems with family pets |
8 |
Inability to care for |
8 |
Animal Health/Age |
8 |
Financial/Insurance |
6 |
Allergic to animal |
6 |
Euthanasia Request |
5 |
Moving/Deployed |
6 |
Other |
4 |
Other |
5 |
Unwanted litter/pregnant female |
4 |
Personal/Family Issues |
5 |
Allergic to animal |
4 |
Aggressive with humans |
4 |
Family health/Death of owner |
3 |
Not housebroken/litter trained |
4 |
Landlord/Rental issues |
3 |
Hyper/too active |
4 |
Animal Health/Age |
3 |
Aggressive with animals |
2 |
Personal/Family Issues |
2 |
Destructive |
2 |
Behavioural/Barking/Training Issues |
2 |
Problems with children |
2 |
Problems with family pets |
2 |
Landlord/Rental issues |
2 |
Aggressive with humans |
1 |
Financial/Insurance |
2 |
DOA |
1 |
Family health/Death of owner |
2 |
Not housebroken/litter trained |
1 |
Escapes |
1 |
New baby |
1 |
Breed/size/shedding problems |
1 |
Inadequate Space |
1 |
Stray/Found/Abandoned |
1 |
Data Input Error |
1 |
Inadequate Space |
1 |
Hyper/too active |
1 |
Too many pets |
1 |
Breed/size/shedding problems |
1 |
New baby |
1 |
Escapes |
<1 |
Data Input Error |
<1 |
Problems with children |
<1 |
Euthanasia Request |
<1 |
Destructive |
<1 |
Cruelty/Neglect/Legal Issues |
<1 |
Cruelty/Neglect/Legal Issues |
<1 |
DOA |
<1 |
Aggressive with animals |
<1 |
Unwanted litter/pregnant female |
<1 |
Feral |
<1 |
Feral |
0 |
The chart above indicates that 86% of the animal surrenders to animal welfare organizations are due to the life situation of the human caretaker, with only 14% of the animal surrenders due to specific characteristics of the animals in question.
When the animals are returned the rationale for the return in 45% of situations is specific to the animal in question.
Reasons Given for Animal Surrenders 2005, 2006 and 2007
Chart #2
2005 |
% |
2006 |
% |
2007 |
% |
Unwanted/
incompatible |
13 |
Too many pets |
18 |
Too many pets |
18 |
Too many pets |
12 |
Unwanted/
incompatible |
12 |
Moving/Deployed |
10 |
Moving/Deployed |
10 |
Moving/Deployed |
10 |
Unwanted/
incompatible |
9 |
Inability to care for |
8 |
Inability to care for |
8 |
Stray/Found/
Abandoned |
9 |
Financial/Insurance |
6 |
Stray/Found/
Abandoned |
7 |
Inability to care for |
8 |
Other |
5 |
Financial/Insurance |
5 |
Euthanasia Request |
6 |
Allergic to animal |
5 |
Other |
5 |
Financial/Insurance |
6 |
Stray/Found/
Abandoned |
5 |
Euthanasia Request |
4 |
Unwanted litter/
pregnant female |
4 |
Animal Health/Age |
4 |
Allergic to animal |
4 |
Family health/Death
of owner |
3 |
Data Input Error |
4 |
Landlord/Rental
issues |
3 |
Other |
3 |
Euthanasia Request |
3 |
Family health/Death
of owner |
3 |
Allergic to animal |
3 |
Landlord/Rental
issues |
2 |
Unwanted litter/pregnant female |
3 |
Landlord/Rental
issues |
3 |
Unwanted litter/pregnant female |
2 |
Animal Health/Age |
3 |
Animal Health/Age |
3 |
Behavioural/Barking/
Training Issues |
2 |
Personal/Family
Issues |
2 |
Personal/Family
Issues |
2 |
Family health/Death
of owner |
2 |
Problems with family pets |
2 |
Problems with family pets |
1 |
Personal/Family
Issues |
2 |
Behavioural/Barking/
Training Issues |
2 |
Behavioural/Barking/
Training Issues |
1 |
Not housebroken/
litter trained |
2 |
Aggressive with humans |
1 |
Aggressive with humans |
1 |
Problems with family pets |
2 |
Not housebroken/
litter trained |
1 |
DOA |
1 |
Aggressive with humans |
1 |
DOA |
1 |
Not housebroken/litter trained |
1 |
New baby |
1 |
New baby |
1 |
New baby |
1 |
DOA |
1 |
Inadequate Space |
1 |
Inadequate Space |
1 |
Aggressive with animals |
1 |
Hyper/too active |
1 |
Hyper/too active |
1 |
Problems with children |
1 |
Breed/size/shedding problems |
1 |
Breed/size/shedding problems |
1 |
Hyper/too active |
<1 |
Problems with children |
<1 |
Escapes |
1 |
Breed/size/shedding problems |
<1 |
Data Input Error |
<1 |
Problems with children |
<1 |
Inadequate Space |
<1 |
Escapes |
<1 |
Destructive |
<1 |
Cruelty/Neglect/Legal
Issues |
<1 |
Destructive |
<1 |
Data Input Error |
<1 |
Escapes |
<1 |
Feral |
<1 |
Cruelty/Neglect/
Legal Issues |
<1 |
Destructive |
<1 |
Aggressive with animals |
<1 |
Aggressive with animals |
<1 |
Feral |
<1 |
Cruelty/Neglect/
Legal Issues |
<1 |
Feral |
<1 |
In each of the years under study the intake profile mirrors the profile of Chart #1, with human considerations being the primary reason for animal surrender.
2005 - 80% of the animal intakes to animal welfare organizations are related to the life situation of the human caretaker.
2006 - 86% of the animal intakes to animal welfare organizations are related to the life situation of the human caretaker.
2007 - 86% of the animal intakes to animal welfare organizations are related to the life situation of the human caretaker.
Reasons Given for Animal Returns 2005, 2006 and 2007
Chart #3
2005 |
% |
2006 |
% |
2007 |
% |
Unwanted/incompatible |
7 |
Unwanted
/
incompatible |
11 |
Unwanted/
incompatible |
11 |
Behavioural/Barking/
Training Issues |
6 |
Inability to care for |
10 |
Inability to care for |
10 |
Animal Health/Age |
4 |
Problems with family pets |
8 |
Behavioural/Barking/
Training Issues |
8 |
Inability to care for |
3 |
Behavioural/Barking/
Training Issues |
8 |
Problems with family pets |
8 |
Other |
3 |
Animal Health/Age |
6 |
Animal Health/Age |
7 |
Allergic to animal |
3 |
Allergic to animal |
6 |
Allergic to animal |
6 |
Personal/Family Issues |
2 |
Other |
6 |
Moving/Deployed |
6 |
Data Input Error |
2 |
Moving/Deployed |
4 |
Personal/Family
Issues |
5 |
Problems with family pets |
2 |
Personal/Family Issues |
4 |
Other |
4 |
Moving/Deployed |
2 |
Not housebroken/litter trained |
3 |
Aggressive with
humans |
4 |
Not housebroken/litter trained |
2 |
Aggressive with humans |
3 |
Not housebroken/litter trained |
3 |
Hyper/too active |
1 |
Hyper/too active |
3 |
Hyper/too active |
3 |
Aggressive with humans |
1 |
Problems with children |
2 |
Aggressive with animals |
2 |
Stray/Found/Abandoned |
1 |
Destructive |
2 |
Destructive |
2 |
Financial/Insurance |
1 |
Landlord/Rental issues |
2 |
Landlord/Rental
issues |
2 |
Aggressive with animals |
1 |
Financial/Insurance |
1 |
Family health/Death
of owner |
2 |
Destructive |
1 |
Aggressive with animals |
1 |
Financial/Insurance |
2 |
Landlord/Rental issues |
1 |
Family health/Death
of owner |
1 |
Problems with children |
2 |
Problems with children |
1 |
Breed/size/shedding problems |
1 |
Escapes |
1 |
Family health/Death of owner |
<1 |
Escapes |
1 |
Breed/size/shedding problems |
1 |
Escapes |
<1 |
Stray/Found/Abandoned |
1 |
Stray/Found/
Abandoned |
1 |
Breed/size/shedding problems |
<1 |
Inadequate Space |
<1 |
Too many pets |
1 |
Inadequate Space |
<1 |
Too many pets |
<1 |
Inadequate Space |
1 |
Too many pets |
<1 |
New baby |
<1 |
New baby |
1 |
Euthanasia Request |
<1 |
Cruelty/Neglect/Legal
Issues |
<1 |
Euthanasia Request |
<1 |
New baby |
<1 |
Data Input Error |
<1 |
Data Input Error |
<1 |
DOA |
<1 |
Euthanasia Request |
<1 |
DOA |
<1 |
Cruelty/Neglect/Legal Issues |
<1 |
Unwanted litter/pregnant female |
<1 |
Cruelty/Neglect/Legal
Issues |
<1 |
Unwanted litter/pregnant female |
<1 |
DOA |
<1 |
Unwanted litter/pregnant female |
<1 |
Feral |
0 |
Feral |
0 |
Feral |
0 |
2005 - 18 % of returns are due to situations specific to the animal in question.
2006 - 39 % of returns are due to situations specific to the animal in question.
2007 - 42 % of returns are due to situations specific to the animal in question.
Should you have any questions about this edition please call the PetPoint team at 1-866-630-PETS(7387) or e-mail your questions to journal@petpoint.com. |
