Support-seeking and rehoming pathways differ by surrender circumstances among pet owners

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Animal Behavior
• Shelter Management

Background:

• Animal shelters strive to reduce intake through pet retention and alternative surrender methods.
• Factors influencing owner decisions for pet support services and surrender pathways remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify distinct groups of pet owners based on their surrender circumstances.
• To analyze factors influencing pet retention support service utilization and surrender method selection.

Main Methods:

• Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to categorize pet owners (n=452) who rehomed a pet in the past five years.
• Owners were grouped based on reasons for surrender and length of ownership.
• Qualitative analysis explored desired support services.

Main Results:

• Three owner classes emerged: Owner Hardships (n=215), New Acquisitions (n=194), and Behavioural Incompatibility (n=43).
• Classes differed in seeking assistance, surrender pathways (shelter vs. self-rehoming), and reported concerns.
• New Acquisitions favored shelter surrender, while Owner Hardships predominantly self-rehomed; Behavioural Incompatibility often attempted shelter surrender before self-rehoming.

Conclusions:

• Pet owner surrender is heterogeneous, influenced by surrender reasons and ownership duration.
• Targeted support services, including behavioral, veterinary, and temporary care, are desired by owners.
• Acknowledging this heterogeneity is crucial for effective animal shelter intake diversion strategies.