Original Article: https://blog.theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/pet-adoption-survey/
There’s no question that 2020 was a difficult year. Now a new study shows how our pets helped get us through it.
According to a national survey conducted by Morning Consult and Money.com, the pandemic helped strengthen the bond between Americans and their animals. Of the 1,384 pet owners who participated in the study, 58 percent of respondents reported a greater appreciation for their fur family — often resulting in extra displays of affection. Now a year after Covid-19 began, 2/3 of respondents would do anything to save their pet’s life — even if they couldn’t afford it.
But the pandemic was more than just a reason to reflect on what’s important in life. According to the report, Covid-19 also caused adoption to soar.
The survey revealed that many people hadn’t owned a pet prior to March 2020, when lockdowns began. Sixty-eight percent of respondents got a pet because they were spending more time at home. Half of respondents specially acquired a pet to keep them from getting lonely. Many other people had just always wanted a pet, and the pandemic presented the perfect opportunity to embrace pet ownership.
But regardless of their motivations, over 1/3 of the people who become pet owners within the past year adopted from shelters or rescues. They also reported being happy with their decision to welcome a rescued pet into their homes.
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This growing trend towards adoption inspired researchers to round out their findings by partnering with Yelp, a crowd-sourcing app, to determine America’s favorite places to adopt in every state. Is your shelter or rescue on the list?
We’re not exactly surprised by the results of this survey, because pets have always helped their humans through difficult times. But we’re absolutely thrilled to see so new pet owners turning to shelters and rescues to find their new best friend – and help save an animal’s life. Adopt don’t shop!
Check out the full findings of the pet adoption survey here.
Source: The Animal Rescue Site Blog
