How Many Dogs Stay in Their First Home?

[StillandSilent]

I was looking at my critters today and wondering this. What percentage of dogs would you guys say stay with the orginal person who bought/adopted them? I'm not counting a breeder, or the person who had the 'oops' as the first home, nor am I counting a foster placement as a home.
Right now I have
Argon- I am his second home, they had him 5 years after adopting him. They got rid of him because he was an outside dog and they thought he might freeze to death without his sister who had died.
Gambit- I am his first home, he was adopted after 6 months at the shelter
Cheshire- I am her second home, she was with the woman who purchased her for 3 weeks before I took her. The woman's orginal cat hated her and wanted to kill her, not to mention peed on everything Mom owned
Radar- We are his seond home. He was with his first family for 5 months. They gave him up when they had a baby.
Snot- I am his foster mother, but, even though he was picked up as a stray, he was neutered and declawed, so someone owned and cared about him at one point.
A friend and I were talking about the number of adoptions/purchases of dogs that fail, and why. From my experience at the shelter/daycare, I would say at least 70% of the dogs and 50% of the puppies I saw coming from shelters had had at least one previous home before the person who had them currently.
The number was lower with people who went to a breeder, but it seemed like a lot of purebreds were being rehomed, too.
Thoughts?

 

[Kat09Tails]

I've heard the number is as high as 50% from one of the big shelter organizations. I'm a little dubious about those numbers though.

As far as why homes fail I would put it as #1 being life changes (moving, financial, baby, etc) and number #2 being behavioral problems for large breed dogs and those numbers being reversed for small breed dogs.

Of the six I have right now I'm the second home for two of them. Princess was left in our neighbor's yard when they moved. Willow was a sorta rescue.

 

[MandyPug]

I think it depends on the area, but i think many animals don't stay in their first homes.

Ruby and Chai were purchased by us so we are their first and only home.

Izzie however was a rehome. Her old home only had her 4 weeks if that and their older Pug kept trying to attack izzie.

 

[Moth]

I don't have anything in particular about how many critters end up in more than one home. But reading the statistics and estimates compiled by the ASPCA I would not be surprised if it is a pretty large number.

I have been told that aside from life changes the most likely cause for a pet being rehomed is for a behavioral problem.

Lots of statistics if you are interested
Approximately 5 million to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, and approximately 3 million to 4 million are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats).

Shelter intakes are about evenly divided between those animals relinquished by owners and those picked up by animal control. These are national estimates; the percentage of euthanasia may vary from state to state.

According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), less than 2 percent of cats and only 15 to 20 percent of dogs are returned to their owners. Most of these were identified with tags, tattoos or microchips.

Twenty-five percent of dogs who enter local shelters are purebred. (Source: NCPPSP)

Only 10 percent of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered.

About 75 percent of owned pets are neutered.

The majority of pets are obtained from acquaintances and family members. About 15 to 20 percent of dogs are purchased from breeders, and 10 to 20 percent of cats and dogs are adopted from shelters and rescues. (Source: Ralston Purina and NCPPSP)

More than 20 percent of people who leave dogs in shelters adopted them from a shelter. (Source: NCPPSP)

Five out of ten dogs in shelters and seven out of ten cats in shelters are destroyed simply because there is no one to adopt them.

Facts about Pet Ownership in the U.S.:

About 63 percent of all households in the United States have a pet. (Source: American Veterinary Medical Association)

About 75 million dogs and about 85 million cats are owned in the United States. (Source: Pet Food Institute)

According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), about 65 percent of pet owners acquire their pets free or at low cost.

Many strays are lost pets who were not kept properly indoors or provided with identification.

The cost of spaying and neutering a pet is less than the cost of raising puppies or kittens for one year.

 

[~Jessie~]

I was thinking about this a couple of days ago.

I brought Chloe, Rylie, and Tucker home when they were 12 weeks old and younger.

Emma's breeder holds all of her puppies until they are 4+ months old to evaluate whether she wants to keep them or not. I brought Emma home when she was 5 months old.

I'm Rory's second home. His owners rehomed him at 5 months of age due to allergies.

My guess would be that only ~60% of dogs stay in one home for their whole lives.

 

[SarahHound]

OK starting at the begining....

Todd, he was born in Ireland, I know his breeders name but no contact. Not sure who he went to at 8 weeks if he did go anywhere at all. I know he raced, then ended up with the greyhound trust. He was rehomed to a mother and her kid, who sent him back after two weeks because they just didn't like him anymore then he was homed to a friend of mine, then came to me after they started working full time. So, he's been in at least 4 homes and 1 rescue centre.

I don't know who bred Maddy, I know she lived with a trainer on the east coast, who was going to shoot her because she wouldn't chase the rabbit for racing. Then the greyhound trust took her, then she came to me. So for her, at least 2 homes and 1 rescue centre.

My cat, I have no idea, he was a stray, and ended up in our garage. So at least one home...but someone must have picked him out of a litter as a kitten at some point, right?

Other cat, she was abandonned at 4 weeks, then ended up at a rescue centre, so she's had at least 2 homes and a rescue centre.

My rabbits, both girls started out in a pet shop, then were bought and got bored of before I adopted them. So 2 homes for them and a pet shop.

My male rabbit, he was from a breeder, then a woman bought him. Then I adopted him, so 1 breeder home, and 2 homes.

Guinea pigs, we bought them from pet shops. So one pet shop and one home.

Hamster, same with guineas, one pet shop and one home.

 

[Laurelin]

Of my dogs now...

Beau- we're his first home.
Summer- we're her second home (I'm counting the breeder because she kept her 4 years)
Mia- first home
Bernard- first home

Rose- we're her THIRD home. We got her at two years. She's such an easy dog too, it's kind of weird.

We were Trey's third home too, but our others all came to us first. So far we have never rehomed a dog (not counting Ada, who wasn't a dog we went out and got).

 

[*blackrose]

Rose was born here and here she has stayed. But both of her parents were rehomes. Blackie was a stray and his mother was also a stray, but we know who dumped her off. So they both had at least one prior home to us.

Chloe was from a "breeder", so I am her first home and she's here to stay as well.

Apollo was a bottle baby rescue. Not sure if you should count where he was born as a home, so he has only had one home which is with me.

Pheobe, Penelope, Junior, and Mitzi were all from a neighbor so they have all had one prior home. In Penelope's case, two prior homes.

Dameon has only had one home - mine - but Ruben and Rinnie have both had at least one prior home and were in a rescue for some time.

Kiba, the foster boy, has been in at least two homes prior to me and he's only two and a half years old.

 

[Gypsydals]

Peewee(dog). First home. He came here when he was about 8ish weeks old.
Ivan(dog. First home. I picked him up from his breeders at 9 weeks.
Hazel (cat) atleast her second home. She was a stray/drop off who was pregnant at the time which make me think she was a drop off.
The rabbit. His second home, even though I got him when he was quite young.
Cleo (the bird) atleast her 3rd home. She was a breeder failure sort to speak. She wanted to eat the males.

Wow I just realized I'm down to 5 pets. I haven't been down this low in a long long time.

 

[stardogs]

I'd guess about 30-40% of dogs change homes in their lifetime, though I'm sure it's higher in some areas.

Of the dogs I've lived with,

• Oreo was from a stray momma dog; we were her first home.
• Maggie was rescued as a puppy, adopted, returned, and then adopted by my family; we were her 3rd home.
• Gryffin was adopted as a young adult who came in as a stray; we were likely his 2nd home, but will never know for sure.
• Ziva was an owner surrender as a puppy; I am her first owner.
• Kestrel was a stray as a puppy; I am his first owner.
• Aerten is from a responsible breeder; I am her first owner.

I also fostered a number of dogs and most were on their second or third homes.

 

[CharlieDog]

Ozzy we went and got from a newspaper ad at six weeks. We're his first and only home.

Enzo was purchased by some relatives as a puppy, then when she hit 9 months old and the wife got pregnant, they decided she was too much. So we're her second home.

Frankie came from some relatives in the country who don't spay or neuter their pets, we got him at around 5 weeks old as a flea infested malnourished kitten. We're his only home, and he's ten.

Albus, my brother decided on a whim to get his girlfriend a kitten (great idea, right?! ) and he lived with my brother for a few weeks before he started terrorizing his dog, and so I took him. So technically his second home, but sort of not really. He was picked out of a box of kittens outside of walmart and my brother was told he was seven weeks old. He's about one and a half, maybe two now. I'm terrible at keeping up with the cats birthdays.

 

[Dekka]

We got Kaiden from his breeder
Dekka has been mine since conception, same with Kat.
Dash and Bounce came from a breeder.

Sport was born in a shelter and he was adopted and returned once, adopted out, neglected and turned over to BC rescue and then we got him.

Solo has been here so far his whole life, but I would imagine when the right home comes along he will be gone.

 

[AussieAshley]

Around here I would guess the number is pretty high. Of our dogs:
Beau- We where his second home, the first people bought him from a puppy mill/horrible byb and then realized he was a dog and not a stuffed animal and as such needed to be taken care of.
Sadie-We are her first and only home
Desoto- First and only home
Duke- At least his third. He was dropped off for reasons unknown, adopted out, returned for being 'too active' and then we adopted him.

Cats (Bells, Runt, Frankie, and Princess) where all dropped off so we where likely their second owner (people used to drop off cats like crazy where we lived up until 2 years ago as it was the first farm off the highway and near the city) Except for Runt, Frankie was pregnant when we found her and he was too sick to re-home so I kept him.

 

[Brattina88]

Maddie's first and only home. Got her straight from the breeder.
Bailey, I'm her second home I believe. Her former owners gave me vet papers that dated back to her puppyhood. She's two now.
Izzy, 1st home
Isaac & Ivana - 2nd home

and as for my 'rents animals (I'll list them because they're techincally in the same house)
Missy was in two homes, and then a pound before me and Dad went to adopt her Her second home she was an outside dog only...
Miya... who knows. Another pound dog, they got her when I moved out, so I don't know any details.
Phoebe's from MI... She was my counsin's friends dog, then my cousin took her in when they were moving and couldn't keep her, but she knew she wasn't going to be able to keep her long term. Then my Mom took her in.
And Spud, was born here, adopted, and they returned him because they were moving... but he is not staying here, just until she finds a good home for him.
She also has parakeets, they're all "rescues". Friends and family give them to her as if she were a sanctuary lol. Most of them are 3rd and 4th home and fairly old


I'd say that the #s were pretty high in my area, I know MANY people who think pets are disposable, and just about all of my "dog people" friends(in my area( have pets they took in from other people for one reason or another :/

 

[Dogs6]

Tika- Second/ third home
Ozzy- Second/ third home
Fudge- Second home ... and he was an 8 week old puppy They took him at 7 weeks and only kept him 5 days! Who could not love Fudge?!?!?
Taz- First
Scamp- First

 

[Sweet72947]

We're Daisy's first and only home.

I'm pretty sure we were Benji's second home. We found him at 7 or 8 months old.

We are at least Siam's second home. We got her from some crazy cat lady rescuer person who had a lot of cats in her home. I don't really count the cat lady's house as a "home" since Siam and her late buddy Ashten spent all their time hiding on the top of the kitchen cabinets from the kids, and I'm pretty sure the lady took them in from whoever had them before with the intention of rehoming.

Petey the cat was born in a shed, and then went to the Fauquier SPCA, and was there until we adopted him at around 5 months old. I guess you could say we were his first home, since the shed doesn't really count as a "home", and the SPCA wasn't a home either.

Pepper the guinea pig was given to me for free from some lady who didn't realize how fast piggies can breed. I am her first home.

Leo the guinea pig came from a shelter. I am his second home, at least. Who knows if he had others before ending up at the shelter.

 

[JessLough]

Of the pets I have now...
Rosey: We got her after she was found on the street, so I guess I am technically her first home (it was less than a day she was with the person who found her).

Rascal: 2nd home that I know of. Old owner's boyfriend was moving in and needed room for his pirahna tank.

Renegade (and Rogue): 2nd home. Old owner realized she was not giving them the attention they deserved, so asked me to take them.

Harley: 2nd home I know of. Her and her cage mate Bandita were surrendered to the rescue when the owners were moving to Australia.

I think you see breeder dogs being rehomed less because, generally, it is going to be very private that they were rehomed, they go back to the breeder as opposed to the shelter.

 

[Greenmagick]

Marley and Ivy are both one home only dogs. Marley we got at 12 weeks from a shelter, Ivy at 16 from a breeder.

Both cats were rescues, Fiona we are her first home, Odin his second.

Rats all were rescue...but got them as babies so we are their first homes too (they were born in the rescuers home)

Some of our chickens are on their second home, we took them in for various reasons from other people (moving, divorce, etc)

My two previous dogs, Ed was a rescue from the shelter as a pup. Kali, poor Kali...I was her at least 4th home at 1 1/2 years old...she had been returned to the shelter three times before I got her, who knows what happened before then. I didnt do much better, kept her with a friend for awhile, the she lived at my dads, then with my at my moms until I moved in with now DH.

 

[JacksonsMom]

I always find this fascinating!

I think my aunt is the only one who has done the rehoming thing alot. She had a Rottweiler and was his second home, when she moved to the city, she had to give him up. She took in an older Pit Bull who lived his last 5yrs or so with her. She also took in my uncle's Siberian Husky since his work schedule changed, but she was still in the family since she was a pup (8weeks). Oh and her current Pit Bull, Max, is 8 and she's had him since a pup but he did have one previous owner for a few weeks when he was really tiny.

Hmm...
Jackson- I'm his 1st home and he will be staying!
Lilly - my dads, they got her at 7 weeks old, and she will be staying, unfortunately, LOL
Buddy- my dads, he actually was a rescue. I think he had 3 other homes before us and was only 1.5yrs old when we adopted him.
Silka- grandma's dog has been there since 8 weeks, she's around 9 now, I think?

I won't list them ALL out... but most of the dogs in our family were there from pups and then grew old with us.

 

[Samsonyte!]

Sam they found as a stray at ten months, but he most likely was dumped or escaped from a previous home. I highly doubt he was born on the streets.

Lillie we got at two months I think, were her first home, and she's here to stay. Even if she's a pain in the butt sometimes

Aui was given up to a cat shelter by his previous owners, so were his second home. He was three when we got him.