Exeter Ranks in Top 10 UK Areas for Dog Adoption
- Overall interest in dog adoption has increased since lockdown, rising from 1,474 site visits per UK area during the first half of 2020 to 1,692 a year later.
- Watford residents show the most interest in dog adoption, with 12,799 average monthly site visits to dog shelter websites.
- Exeter took the seventh spot with an average site traffic volume of 5,051 visits per month.
- Belfast locals show the least interest out of the top 25 locations, with only 820 monthly site visits.
New research has revealed Watford as the top spot for dog adoption, in a breakdown of the UK locations with the most visits to dog shelter websites.
Kennel manufacturer Benchmark Kennels has analysed the monthly number of visits to dog adoption websites across the 100 most populated UK towns and cities.
These findings uncovered Watford as the most popular area for dog adoption in July 2021, with 12,799 average monthly site visits.
In contrast, Belfast showed the least interest in dog adoption sites, with only 820 monthly visits on average, equating to just 0.2% of the Northern Ireland capital's population.
However, the overall interest in dog adoption has increased by 14.7% over lockdown. In the first six months of 2020, there was an average monthly number of 1,474 site visits per UK town or city visiting dog adoption sites. A year later, this figure climbed to 1,692.
Cheryl Sampson, Marketing Manager at Benchmark Kennels, says: "It's so heartening to see that there's been an increase in dog adoption, especially considering that lockdown has also spurred a rise in dog theft and abandonment.
"Adopting a dog is such a wonderful act of kindness, as it gives the pup another chance at a forever home while also bringing so much joy into the new owner's life."
Bristol came in second with an average of 11,916 visits to dog adoption sites per month. Edinburgh closely followed with 11,696 site visits.
Cardiff and Newcastle completed the list of top five UK areas popular for dog adoption, with 8,442 and 6,994 retrospective average monthly visits to dog shelter websites.
Cheryl Sampson added: "As rewarding as it is, dog adoption is a huge responsibility that shouldn't be taken lightly, as you don't want to repeat the mistakes of the former owner and have to give up the pup later down the line."
Birmingham ranked in sixth place with 6,617 monthly site visits and Exeter took the seventh spot with an average site traffic volume of 5,051 visits per month.
"Before committing to this decision, consider whether you have the time to train, exercise, and care for the pooch, as well as giving them the attention they deserve," Cheryl Sampson continued. "There's also the ongoing costs involved to keep in mind."
There has been a slight decrease in the number of people looking into surrendering their dogs. From January to June in 2020, there was an average of 22 monthly visits to 'giving up your dog' pages on dog adoption, which lowered to 17 during the first six months of 2021.
Consult your local dog shelters and rescue centres for further advice and information on adopting dogs in your area.
The Top 20 UK Areas With Average Monthly Visits to Dog Adoption Websites:
1) Watford - 12,799
2) Bristol - 11,916
3) Edinburgh - 11,696
4) Cardiff - 8,442
5) Newcastle upon Tyne - 6,994
6) Birmingham - 6,617
7) Exeter - 5,051
8) Manchester - 4,829
9) Brighton and Hove - 4,283
10) Kingston upon Hull - 3,890
11) Bath - 3,398
12) Liverpool - 2,562
13) Bournemouth - 1,787
14) Doncaster - 1,694
15) Gateshead - 1,624
16) Portsmouth - 1,337
17) Central London - 1,332
18) Leeds - 1,286
19) Swansea - 1,245
20) Gloucester - 1,211
