The Hidden Crisis: Why Adoptions Are Slowing Down and What It Means for Rescue Dogs
If you’ve been following our rescue efforts, you may have noticed that we’ve been talking a lot more about our adoptable dogs lately. That’s because we’re facing a serious problem—adoption rates are at their lowest point in months, and we’re not alone. Across the country, shelters and rescues are seeing fewer people stepping forward to adopt, and it’s having heartbreaking consequences.
Just yesterday, one of the shelters we work with released a euthanasia list for 83 dogs—healthy, adoptable dogs who now face the worst possible outcome simply because there aren’t enough homes. In the past, we would have stepped in to save as many as we could. Right now, though, we’ve had to slow our intake because fewer adoptions mean fewer open foster homes, fewer resources, and fewer lives we can save.
What’s Causing the Slowdown?
The adoption slump isn’t happening in a vacuum. Economic conditions play a huge role in whether people feel comfortable bringing a pet into their home. Here are a few key factors at play:
📉 The Rising Cost of Living: With inflation still affecting household budgets, many families are cutting back on discretionary expenses—including adopting and caring for pets. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, pet-related costs have risen significantly in the past year, from veterinary care to food and supplies.
🏠 Housing Instability and Pet Restrictions: The affordable housing crisis continues to push people into rentals, many of which have strict pet policies. Breed restrictions, weight limits, and high pet deposits make adoption difficult or even impossible for many families who would otherwise be interested.
💼 Job Market Uncertainty: Even though unemployment rates remain relatively low, many people are feeling job insecurity due to layoffs in certain industries. When people feel financially unstable, they’re less likely to take on the long-term responsibility of a pet.
What We’re Doing About It
We’re not giving up. Even though adoptions are down, we are ramping up our efforts to spread the word about our adoptable dogs in new and creative ways. We’re making more videos, sharing them on social media, and working hard to get our dogs in front of the right adopters. Every single adoption opens up space for us to rescue another dog in need.
Now, more than ever, we need your help. If you’ve been considering adopting, fostering, or even just sharing our adoptable dogs on social media, this is the time to do it. Lives depend on it.
Let’s work together to turn this trend around. Because no dog should lose their life simply due to bad timing.
