Is Now the Right Time to Adopt a Dog?

©Scott Sheaffer, CDBC, CBCC-KA, CPDT-KA, USA Dog Behavior, LLC

“…I fear there is a darker side.”

Dog adoptions are way up since the beginning of the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic. Adoptions are estimated to be up 200% over the same period last year. People are hungry for companionship as they find themselves locked in their residences for who knows how long. The general thinking amongst these adopters is, “This is the perfect time to adopt since I have a lot of extra time to integrate the dog into my life.”

One could argue this is good news for dog adoptions; I fear there is a darker side.

The Challenge of Adopting Dogs Online

Some rescue organizations are using online services like Zoom and Skype to interview potential adopters. Animal adoption organizations in some areas are even using Uber to deliver the pets to their new owners.

Keep in mind that the dogs being adopted out of foster homes (i.e., individuals who temporarily house pets available for adoption) versus shelter facilities has skyrocketed since the start of the pandemic. The reason for the recent high number of adopted dogs coming out of foster homes is that many shelters have been closed temporarily while others have drastically reduced their services. As a result, these foster caregivers are having to perform many functions on their own that were shared across the rescue organization prior to the pandemic.

Do these fosters have the time and resources to correctly match a dog with a family and ensure that the new adopters are able to adequately care for the dog - now, and in the future? Bringing a dog into a home is a serious and sobering multi-year commitment.

One of the important roles of a rescue organization is to correctly match a dog with a new family. Part of that due diligence is ensuring the newly adopted dog gets along okay with the new family’s existing dogs. I’m afraid that would be difficult to do correctly in the current virtual adoption environment.

My Biggest Concern with “Virtual Adoptions”

It’s true that at the moment many people have more time to devote to a newly adopted dog in their house. Not only do people have more time, but they are able to spend it in their own home - with their new dog.

But let’s think why many of these new adopters never thought about getting a dog before now; they don’t have time to care for a dog. I am such a big respecter of people who tell me they can’t get a dog because they don’t have the time to take proper care of it. Nothing worse than a dog that is caged alone for 11 hours a day while the owner is away at work.

But this begs the question, “What are you going to do with the dog when you go back to work?” As bleak as things may feel right now, the reality is that most of us will go back to our regular lives in the near future. And by “regular lives” I mean regular working hours too. Now what happens to that newly adopted dog? Single working professionals would seem to be the most at risk of this occurring.

Why Snap Decisions When Adopting Dogs Frequently End Badly

I’ve spent a lot of time working with rescue organizations in helping to get specific dogs adopted. After assisting with hundreds of these dogs, I’ve learned when a potential adopter says words like the following a red flag needs to go up in my mind, “I’m looking for a dog because the dog I’ve had for years died recently.”

After the recent loss of a dog, emotions run high, which is antithetical to good decision making. Rescue organizations have to deal with returns of dogs that, for one reason or another, are brought back after being adopted. Normally the percentage of returns is approximately 10%, but that percentage soars much higher for those individuals adopting a dog after the recent loss of a loved pet. They weren’t ready.

I fear that the recent loneliness and isolation experienced by those who suddenly feel the need to adopt a dog may result in the same escalation of returned dogs.

Should You Wait to Adopt?

Adopting a rescued dog is a noble thing to do. I’ve adopted numerous rescued dogs in my life. Luke, who is one of the dog loves of my life, is a rescued dog that is currently part of our family.

Please don’t adopt a dog unless you know you have the time and resources to take proper care of them now and for years to come.