Investigation of individuals' perception of pet adoption and the effect of animal criteria on adoption

Pet adoption is the assumption of full responsibility for an animal. Social preferences directly affect the adoption rate and preference. The main channels used in adoption are shelters, breeders, neighbors and friends with pets, but there is no precise data on how and why an animal is preferred when adopting an animal from a shelter. The main purpose of the study is to determine the adoption perception and preference parameters of individuals who adopt animals from shelters. Three hundred four participants were included in the study who adopted cats or dogs from the shelter between June 2023 and January 2024. 26.6% of the individuals included in the study were male, 73.4% were female, and proportionally, the age range in which the highest number of adoptions occurred was over 45 years old with 33%. In addition, it was determined that 18.2% of the individuals were between the ages of 18-25, 18.2% between 26-35 and 21.9% between 26-45, and 43.1% of them owned cats and 56.9% owned dogs. While the rate of cat adoption was higher among women, men preferred dog adoption. As a result of the study, it was revealed that the feeling of pity was dominant due to the poor health status of the adopted animals and this situation affected the adoption behavior of women. Although fear / excitement / nervousness behaviors are exhibited in the first encounter, it differs from other studies in terms of adoption. It was revealed that the training of shelter staff is a key point in adoption.