Should Dogs and Cats be Given as Gifts?

Area of Science:

• Animal welfare science
• Shelter medicine
• Human-animal bond research

Background:

• Many animal welfare organizations prohibit pet adoptions as gifts, based on an unfounded belief.
• This policy may hinder the goal of increasing live-release rates for shelter animals.
• Existing literature on the topic is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of receiving dogs and cats as gifts on owner attachment.
• To determine if gift adoption is associated with a higher risk of pet relinquishment.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for animal shelter adoption policies.

Main Methods:

• A brief survey was administered to pet owners.
• Data collected included information on how the pet was acquired (as a gift or not).
• Respondents reported on their self-perceived love/attachment to the pet and whether the pet remained in the home.

Main Results:

• Receiving a dog or cat as a gift was not significantly associated with lower self-perceived love or attachment.
• There was no significant association between gift adoption and whether the pet was still in the home.
• The study found no increased risk of relinquishment for pets received as gifts.

Conclusions:

• The common belief that pets should not be adopted as gifts is not supported by evidence.
• Allowing gift adoptions may help increase live-release rates without negative consequences for animal welfare or owner attachment.
• Shelter policies should be re-evaluated based on scientific findings to optimize pet outcomes.