Boomerang Dogs – From Shelter to Home and Back Again
Sad Bernese Mountain Dog (Courtesy: Doanme/Pixabay.com)
More than 23 million American households – nearly 1 in 5 – adopted a pet during the COVID 19 pandemic, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). Now, with the virus and its implications (largely) behind us, Americans who welcomed pets into their homes since the first shutdowns in March 2020 continue to face logistical challenges. As they return to work, many struggle to accommodate the four-legged family members they adopted.
What’s the Problem?
Dog Looking Through a Fence (Courtesy: Alexas_Fotos/Pixabay.com)
The pandemic pet adoption craze highlighted – and exacerbated – a problem that has plagued shelters for some time: the return of adopted dogs. In the U.S., the proportion of companion animals returned to animal shelters within the first six months of adoption ranges between 7 percent and 20 percent. Male dogs are returned more frequently than female dogs. Financial concerns sometimes spur a family or individual to return a pet. Inflation has made owning and caring for a pet more expensive, leaving some owners challenged to afford rising costs.
In the majority of cases (about 56 percent), however, people said they returned dogs because of behavior problems. These issues included:
Aggressiveness toward humans.
Reactivity to other animals.
Destructive tendencies; and
Separation anxiety.
While some adopters tend to give up young and adult dogs for behavior problems; other adopters relinquish puppies chiefly for difficulties in managing them.
What Solutions Exist?
Shelters offer Support Programs for New Adopters (Courtesy: OpenClipartVectors/Pixabay.com)
Many shelters offer pet support programs designed to orient adopters to their new pets’ needs and help them respond when problems occur. Shelter services may include:
Low-cost veterinary care.
Behavior advice and training.
Information on basic pet wellness needs.
Subsidized pet food; and
Information on pet care and boarding facilities.
In many cases, however, although adopters say they are aware of these services, they don’t take advantage of the resources available. Shelters, it would seem, could do a better job of marketing their services and letting new adopters know how to identify situations where the shelter’s expertise and financial support could be helpful.
Being a Smart Adopter
Families and individuals looking to adopt a shelter dog can take specific actions to increase the probability of a successful adoption. For instance:
Young Boy Posting with Dog (Courtesy: Kris/Pixabay.com)
Be realistic about your living situation.
In one study, boomerangs were found to be less frequent in households with outdoor space available for the dog (as opposed to apartment living). Don’t adopt an action-oriented dog like a Border Collie if you have limited exercise space.
Consider other occupants of your home.
Children, cats, and other pets may pose a challenge to some prospective adoptive dogs. Ask the shelter about the history of the animal you are considering and don’t go home with a hypersensitive pooch who needs to be the only small mammal in your household.
Look ahead to possible future family expansion.
Thinking about children? Planning to have grandma move in? Sending your pet-loving daughter off to college? Consider these kinds of possibilities before adoption. Every year, dogs are returned to shelters because the family’s circumstances changed. Contemplate possible disruptions to the family before adding a dog to the mix.
Assess your need for consistent cleanliness.
Dogs shed, slobber and poop. Make sure you are ready for these and other cleanliness challenges.
Observe the dog’s shelter behavior and ask questions.
Watch how the dog reacts to you and its kennel mates. Does it approach, cower, or bark? How does it respond to a leash? Is it treat-oriented or indifferent to food rewards? In addition to what you can notice when you visit, query the shelter personnel. They can tell you a lot about how the animal reacts in different situations, helping you predict what things will be like when you go home together.
Perhaps most importantly, dog adopters should be patient as their new pets adapt to a novel living situation. Some have been forced to adjust from a life outside to a shelter and then to a new home in a few weeks. Confusion, uncertainty, and stress are bound to occur, with possible follow-on behavior issues. Rely on the experts at the shelter and take advantage of all the resources they offer. Your new family member will thank you as she settles into her forever home.