“before the pandemic, we would get between 20 to 50 applications for a dog, more for a popular breed. if it was a goldendoodle puppy, we would get over 100,” he said.
now, the volunteer organization is seeing as many as 90 applications for every dog up for adoption. it jumps to 400 applications for a coveted goldendoodle puppy.
“we try to find the best match. we don’t do first come, first served,” gatta said.
david harding, founder of ottawa’s freedom dog rescue, said on average the volunteer organization adopts out about a dog a day. many come from the north or kill shelters.
requests to adopt have tripled since the pandemic began, he said. it’s not unusual to get 200 applications for a dog, although harding notes that the pace has slowed in recent months, perhaps as people return to work.
“there’s incredible demand out there. our concern is that it’s a blip. we want to make sure people are in it for the long haul.”
adopting families pay about $500 for an adult dog and $600 for a puppy, including immunizations and neutering. puppies are particularly popular. “people see them as a fresh start. some adult dogs bring a bit of baggage with them,” harding said.
the pandemic has produced some freakonomics-worthy tales around the supply and demand for dogs as people search for unconditional love with a wagging tail.