If you are writing about dog adoption, senior dogs, or what happens to a pet when its owner no longer can, you are welcome to use anything here. Our survey data is free to cite, and we answer reporter questions quickly.
In July 2023 we asked 3,000 Americans whether they would adopt a dog from their local shelter or buy a purebred from a registered breeder, and broke the answer out for every state. Nebraska came in highest at 81 percent. South Dakota came in lowest at 14. The national figure was 46 percent, up 6 points on earlier data.
Read Rise of the Underdog, including the full state table and the methodology note. The survey is from 2023, so please date it when you cite it.
Annette Thompson founded Bone Voyage. Before that she started adoption.com in 1995, ran three orphanages, and adopted seven children. She talks about adoption, permanency planning, and the question most dog owners never plan for, which is what happens to the dog when the person is gone.
Dr. Cheri Honnas is our veterinary advisor. She covers dog health, senior care, behavior, and traveling with a dog.
Cite it, quote it, rebuild the table, chart it, whatever is useful. We ask for a link back to the study so your readers can see how it was done. If you want the state breakdown as a spreadsheet, or you want to know when the refreshed edition lands, just ask.
Bone Voyage operated as a 501(c)(3) rescue from 2019 to 2024, moving dogs out of Mexico and into permanent homes. That chapter is closed. What continues is the education work and the backup adopter movement, which pairs younger people who promise to take a dog in with older adults who want to know their dog will be loved after they are gone. We are not a rescue any more, and we do not take donations.
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