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Big Dog Behavior Data: Shelter Animals Count with Hill's Pet Nutrition

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Large brown dog promotion big dog data webinar with Shelter Animals Count and Hill's Pet Nutrition.

13Dec’24

SAC News

Big Dog Behavior: Data-Driven Solutions for Adoption and Retention

Webinar Recap

Large dogs are staying in shelters longer and facing unique challenges in adoption and retention. In our latest webinar, Big Dog Behavior Data, part of the Data Foundations Series powered by Hill’s Pet Nutrition, leading experts Dr. Lisa Gunter (Virginia Tech) and Dr. Erica Feuerbacher (Virginia Tech) shared groundbreaking data and practical strategies for addressing these issues.

Key Takeaways:

  • + Owner Surrender Trends: Data reveals that 87% of owner surrenders lack a detailed reason, but among recorded reasons, household factors—like allergies, size, and breed—dominate.
  • + Behavior Insights: “Behavior” labels can stigmatize dogs unnecessarily, emphasizing the need for better documentation and terminology. Simple tools like dropdown menus can standardize and improve behavior reporting.
  • + Length of Stay: Large dogs now spend twice as long in shelters compared to pre-pandemic levels. Median stays have risen from 11 days in 2019 to 21 days in 2023.
  • + Fostering Success: Field trips increase adoption likelihood by 5x, while sleepovers boost it by 14x. Safety net fostering keeps pets with families, with a reunification rate of nearly 77%.

Watch the Conversation:

Shelter Animals Count is proud to partner with Hill’s Pet Nutrition to empower animal welfare organizations with essential data knowledge and tools. Together, we’ve launched the Data Foundations Series, featuring educational webinars, blogs, and resources designed to help organizations strengthen data-driven practices and make a greater impact in their communities.