Are your adoption listings full of information about a pet’s past? Do you focus on the sad story of how the dog or cat became homeless, or experiences they had before coming into the shelter or rescue group? If so, you’re missing out on the information that gets adopters to choose a pet.

Few things are as controversial in the animal welfare world as free pet adoptions, primarily out of concern that the homes the pets go to won’t be as good as those where the adopter pays a fee. A recent study concludes those concerns are unjustified.

Shelter dogs who receive just 20 minutes a day of simple training get adopted almost 50 percent more often than untrained dogs.

Just how true is the observation that dogs and their owners are often very similar to each other? Whether they resemble each other physically is still up for debate, but a recent European study suggests people and their dogs do frequently have very similar personalities.

If a dog has a good sense of humor, is he more likely to be adopted? If he has good listening skills, are his chances of finding a home greater? If he knows how to play well with others, does the probability of him leaving the shelter with a person who will care for him… Learn More

The owners of most newly-adopted shelter dogs and cats report their pets are doing “extremely well” in their new homes, despite a high incidence of respiratory illness in the first week post-adoption.