Characteristics of animals adopted from an animal control center whose owners complied with a spaying/neutering program.

A study of 137 cats and 567 dogs received by and subsequently adopted from an animal control center was performed to determine characteristics of animals whose new owners subsequently complied with a prepaid spaying/neutering program. Four times as many dogs as cats were adopted. Females were adopted more frequently than males. Owners who adopted female cats were most likely to comply with the prepaid spaying/neutering program, followed, in order, by owners of male cats, owners of female dogs, and owners of male dogs. Most animals returned to the shelter were < 4 months old. Dogs suspected to be of mixed breeding that were > 4 months old were most likely to be adopted. Owners who adopted a female dog suspected to be of mixed breeding were more likely to have the dog spayed than were owners who adopted a female dog that appeared purebred.