Pet Owners Favor Adoption, Survey Says

A person looking for his or her next pet is more likely to go to an animal shelter or rescue than a pet store, according to a survey released yesterday by Hartz Mountain Corp. of Secaucus, N.J.

The Hartz Pet Trend Report, conducted by Richard Day Research, polled 1,028 U.S. cat and dog owners about their pet and pet-related topics. It found that 60 percent of the respondents would prefer to adopt their next pet from a rescue society, while 10 percent said they’d go to a registered breeder, 4 percent said they’d go to a pet store and another 4 percent said it wouldn’t matter.

Hartz said it commissioned the survey to better understand what pet owners think about pet issues and to gain insight into pet owners’ relationships with their four-legged companions.

When considering what makes a good pet, the majority of pet owners polled (65 percent) said personality is the most important characteristic, followed by loyalty (20 percent), obedience (11 percent), “something else” (2 percent) and purity of breed (1 percent).

 < The release of the Hartz Pet Trend Report coincides with National Pet Week, scheduled for May 1 to 7, 2011. To celebrate the observance, which recognizes the bond between humans and their pets, Hartz plans to encourage prospective pet owners to adopt a shelter animal. The company also has pledged to donate product to 10 U.S. shelters as part of an online contest. Details of the contest were not immediately available.

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