Post-Adoption Support: Three Ways to Keep Intakes Down
Shelter Animals Count’s (SAC) 2025 mid-year report revealed that animal shelters are experiencing a modest decrease in intake levels year over year–a hopeful sign that points toward increasing success in keeping animals in homes. That said, shelters are still largely operating at or above capacity, pointing toward a need for continued effort toward this objective. The data shows that shelters should be working to decrease intake rates, but what tangible steps can you take toward that goal? Let's talk about how you can utilize post-adoption support to prevent re-relinquishment, foster a strong community, and safeguard your capacity for care.
Our Top Three Post-Adoption Tips
Re-relinquishment is a big contributor to high intake rates. According to this 2021 study, an average of 7% to 20% of adopted animals are returned to shelters, pointing toward a need for continued investment in post-adoption support. Here are three tips to build a robust and resilient post-adoption program at your shelter:
Follow Up Consistently and Intentionally
Most instances of re-relinquishment occur within the first two-months of adoption. To prevent returns during this sensitive period, we suggest providing adopters with personalized follow ups at consistent, scheduled times–ideally within the first few days, during the first two weeks, and again at the month and a half mark.
Post-adoption phone calls should be friendly but intentional, addressing common concerns while ensuring that adopters feel supported. Be prepared to address common behavioral issues, like inappropriate elimination, furniture scratching, reactivity, and separation anxiety.
2. Prioritize Education
Shelter animals come with rich–and sometimes traumatic–histories, and they often bring those experiences with them into their new homes. In a UK post-adoption study (2018), results found that over 50% of adopters reported at least one behavioral concern at each juncture of the study, and undesirable behaviors are frequently reported as reasons for re-relinquishment. Adopting an animal with a complex background takes understanding and compassion, but it also helps to have a decent grasp on animal behavior.
Evidence suggests that providing adopters with pre-emptive educational support is an effective strategy to reduce the likelihood of future issues. We suggest that, in addition to timely follow up, shelters should develop educational materials to support adopters as they address behavioral and medical struggles in the home. Educational resources can be given at the time of adoption, in an FAQ page on the shelter’s website, during educational workshops, and even on social media platforms.
3. Build Community
Communal support and understanding should not be overlooked as a powerful tool to prevent re-relinquishment. Strong co-working relationships are often reported as insulating forces against burnout and compassion fatigue in animal shelter staff, and this same principle can be applied to adopters. Create online platforms, forums, and social media groups to act as community building tools for adopters to connect, access resources, seek input, and share common experiences with those who will understand.
Laurie Lawless has been working in animal behavior for over 16 years, and now she’s putting her experience to work for animal shelters who need support.
Struggling With High Rates of Re-Relinquishment?
If your shelter is struggling to keep residents in foster homes, this could indicate a need for more behavior-forward practices in your organization. Laurie Lawless founded Shelter Behavior Integrations (SBI) to address common issues she witnessed throughout her career in animal shelters. She works to help shelters center animal behavior in their everyday practices through robust training and hands-on support. Check out the SBI website to access Laurie’s on-site and remote services, to view her educational resources, and to learn more about how she can serve your shelter.
