New report details why large dogs spend longer in shelters

Version 2

A new Hill’s Pet Nutrition report is shining a brighter light on one of shelter medicine’s most persistent imbalances: large dogs are still moving through shelters more slowly than smaller dogs, even as overall stay times improve. In the company’s 2026 State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report: Spotlight on Large Dogs, Hill’s says large dogs made up 26% of dog intakes, but only 22% of adoptions, and had a median 17-day stay to adoption in 2025, compared with 10 days for small dogs. Hill’s says that gap reflects not just preference, but a broader mix of confidence, cost, and housing barriers that can keep willing adopters from following through. (hillspet.com)

The report builds on a broader shelter-capacity story that has been developing for several years. Hill’s previous shelter adoption reporting and Shelter Animals Count data have documented ongoing pressure on adoptions, while the 2025 Shelter Animals Count midyear report showed dog adoptions slipping across organization types compared with 2024. In that environment, slower placement of large dogs can have outsized operational consequences, tying up kennel space longer and compounding crowding pressures for shelters already working with limited staff, foster capacity, and veterinary resources. (shelteranimalscount.org)

Hill’s 2026 report draws on a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults and national shelter data. It found that about 35% of Americans say they’d be likely to adopt a large dog when asked about that option on its own, but enthusiasm drops when practical realities come into view. The most commonly cited barriers were the cost of food, physical ability to manage a large dog, limited living space, and the cost of veterinary care. Confidence emerged as a major dividing line: 89% of people likely to adopt a large dog said they felt confident handling and caring for one, versus 33% of those unlikely to adopt, a 56-point gap. Among people who have never owned a large dog, space and housing constraints, temperament concerns, and exercise needs were recurring themes. (theaawa.org)

Housing appears to be one of the clearest structural barriers. Hill’s found younger adults were more likely to consider adopting a large dog, but they were also more likely to rent, live in apartments, and face pet-related housing restrictions. In the report, Jessica Simpson, program manager for companion animals at Humane World for Animals, said restrictive pet policies are “quietly fueling shelter overcrowding and family separation.” Humane World separately argues that eliminating breed- and size-based rental restrictions could prevent surrenders and open more homes to adoptable pets. (theaawa.org)

The report also highlights intervention models that may be more actionable than general awareness campaigns. Programs cited as motivating adoption included financial assistance for initial costs, free or discounted large-dog training, documented behavior assessments, starter kits with properly sized supplies, foster-to-adopt trial periods, and post-adoption behavioral support. Hill’s points to examples such as the Wisconsin Humane Society’s “Benchwarmer Tryouts” program, which lets families trial longer-stay dogs in the home, and says the approach helped reduce adoption-floor length of stay while increasing approved foster applications. (theaawa.org)

Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the takeaway is that the large-dog adoption gap isn’t only about marketing shelter pets better. It’s also about reducing perceived risk for pet parents. Practices may be well positioned to do that through pre-adoption consults, clearer cost-of-care conversations, behavior and training referrals, early preventive care scheduling, and post-adoption check-ins that reinforce confidence before problems escalate into returns or relinquishment. That approach is consistent with AVMA policy, which calls on veterinary professionals and animal welfare organizations to educate new pet parents, support establishment of ongoing veterinary care, and address behavioral, access-to-care, and housing-related drivers of relinquishment. (avma.org)

There’s also a business and workforce angle. If shelters and practices can collaborate on smoother large-dog transitions into homes, that could mean earlier veterinary relationships, more predictable preventive care uptake, and fewer crisis-driven cases tied to delayed adoption or failed placements. At the same time, the findings are a reminder that affordability remains central. Veterinary cost was one of the top barriers in Hill’s data, and outside reporting on shelter crowding has likewise tied relinquishment and adoption slowdowns to economic strain and housing instability, especially for larger dogs. (theaawa.org)

What to watch: The next phase will likely be less about diagnosing the large-dog gap and more about testing which supports actually move adoption and retention numbers, especially fee assistance, training access, foster-to-adopt pathways, and pet-inclusive housing efforts. Shelter and practice leaders will be watching for whether those strategies can shorten stays without increasing returns. (theaawa.org)