Overcoming Barriers to Dog Adoption in Seattle Through Research & Design
It's never been easier to find adoptable animals thanks to websites like Petfinder and yet, the dog adoption process remains challenging and resource-intensive. Why is it so darn difficult to adopt a dog these days? This project explores the barriers stakeholders in the Seattle area encounter along their adoption journey, and includes recommendations for how designers might improve the process for adopters and organizations alike.
Project
MHCI+D Capstone Project
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Part 1: Research, 6 weeks
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Part 2: Design, 10 weeks
Team
Robyn Anderson, Research & Strategy
Stephon Odom, UI & UX Design
Daniel Rodriguez, UI & UX Design
Advised by Substantial
Tools
Dovetail
Figma
PowerPoint
Zoom
My Expertise
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Foundational research
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Semi-structured interviews
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Field observation
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Journey mapping
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Opportunity identification
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Workshop facilitation
My Role
As project lead and principle researcher, I guided my design partners, Stephon and Daniel, through each phase of this multi-method research project. My specific duties included devising our research strategy, managing our project plan and budget, creating research materials and assets, leading workshops, and ensuring deliverables were submitted on time.
The Challenge
Pandemic lockdowns fuel desire for companionship
The demand for rescue animals in the United States has increased steadily over the past few decades thanks to growing public awareness about the stray animal population, as well as the abusive treatment of animals by unethical breeders who prioritize profit over the health and safety of their animals (Waxman, 2021).
Recent consumer insights reporting suggests that this trend was buoyed by the isolation and loneliness many experienced during the COVID 19 pandemic lockdowns. For those working from home, the lockdowns presented the perfect opportunity to welcome a furry new friend into the family. And while this might seem like a temporary trend, reporting suggests this demand will remain high after pandemic restrictions are relaxed as those families who are able to continue working remotely re-center their lives in the home (LEK Consulting, 2021).
Image of two people feeling frustrated by the adoption process overlaid with related news headlines.
New tools create new problems for would-be adopters
The internet has transformed the pet adoption industry, and, in some ways, it has never been easier to locate adoptable dogs thanks to websites like Petfinder. Yet for many people looking to adopt, the process remains mystifyingly difficult and complicated (Yoffee, 2012). Many people are shocked to discover just how complex and time-consuming the dog adoption process can be. It often involves months of effort, dozens of applications, and invasive background checks (Billock, 2021). Many of those who set out to adopt during the pandemic ended their search without a dog, feeling “humiliated and dejected” by the grueling vetting process practiced by many adoption organizations (Yoffee, 2012).
6 - 8 million animals
enter rescues and shelters each year
3 - 4 million animals
are euthanized,
~1 million of which due to shelter overcrowding
~1 million animals
are re-sheltered or
re-homed within the first six months of adoption
Resource constrained adoption organizations struggle to keep up
6–8 million animals enter rescue shelters annually in the United States. Nearly 3–4 million (i.e., 50% of the incoming animals) are euthanized; 10–25% of which are euthanized due to shelter overcrowding (Bradley et al., 2021). The American Humane Association as found that about 1 in 10 adopted pets are returned or re-homed within six months of adoption (Billock, 2021).
Rescue organizations in the United States operate “essentially autonomously—free to use whatever adoption procedures they deem best" (Greenwood, 2018). Most adoption organizations are run and staffed by volunteers struggling to keep up with the surging demand for dogs due to limited resources and outdated systems and processes (i.e., mail-in applications, check payments, phone screens, etc). Adoption organizations can be liable for each animal’s well-being, depending on state laws, so applications are designed not only to limit abuse and weed out people who can’t handle the responsibility but also to protect the organization legally (Billock, 2021).
Objectives
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Explore the dog adoption ecosystem and related processes
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Understand the goals and desires of our stakeholders
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Evaluate the extent to which the current dog adoption system meets these goals and desires
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Identify opportunities to improve the adoption process for both sets of stakeholders
Questions
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What does the dog adoption process entail for both dog seekers and adoption organizations?
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What are the key desires and goals of adoption organizations vs dog seekers?
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What key barriers do our stakeholders encounter during the adoption process?
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What opportunities exist for improving the dog adoption process for both sets of stakeholders?
Workback Plan
When you love research, it can be tempting to squeeze in more than is strictly necessary. I've learned to rein myself in by sticking to a good workback plan. Creating a workback plan at the outset of a project helps me streamline my research efforts, meet deadlines, and keep everyone on the same page. I've found this approach to be especially helpful when working with designers who may not be familiar with the typical phases and flow of a user experience research project.
Identifying Stakeholders
Exploring a two-sided market
Findings from our desk research made it clear that we'd need to work with dog seekers and adoption organizations if we wanted to make meaningful improvements to the adoption process. Our instructors initially advised against selecting two stakeholders because it would increase our workload and increase complexity, however, the team felt it was important to hear both perspectives or risk gathering incomplete data. To resolve the conflict, I suggested we prioritize dog seekers as our primary stakeholder. This compromise enabled us to work with both stakeholders without overextending ourselves.
Image of three people greeting dogs at an adoption event in Seattle, taken by Stephon Odom during a field observation.
Novice Dog Seekers
Novice dog seekers have recently adopted a dog for the first time. Why to talk novices? Because novices are new to adoption, they are more likely to have struggled along their journey and are therefore best placed to help us identify challenges and obstacles.
Veteran Dog Seekers
Veteran dog seekers have adopted a dog at least twice, and sometimes as many as 4 or 5 times. Veterans may also have had experience volunteering as dog fosters. Why talk to veterans? Veterans have "seen it all", and are therefore best placed to help us outline the adoption process and identify opportunities.
Image of adoption memory board at an animal shelter in Seattle, taken by Stephon Odom during a field observation.
Rescues
Animal rescue groups are dedicated to pet matching and adoption. They take in unwanted, abandoned, or abused dogs and attempt to find long-term homes for them. Most rescue groups are run by volunteers who take dogs into their homes and care for them, including training, playing, handling medical issues, and solving behavioral problems.
Shelters & Humane Societies
Animal shelters and humane societies provide temporary housing to stray, lost, abandoned or surrendered animals. These organizations are often publicly owned and run by a mix of full-time staff and volunteers. Unlike rescues, animals in shelters typically live on-location.
Methods Selection
Grounded Theory
"Grounded theory methods consist of systematic, yet flexible, guidelines for collecting and analyzing qualitative data to construct theories from the data themselves. Grounded theory gives you the tools for conducting successful research and will help you get started, stay involved, and finish your project" (Charmaz, 2014).
Unlike traditional deductive research approaches, grounded theory practitioners employ an inductive approach
where in new theories are derived from the data. These practitioners typically proceed through seven research phases (questions—recruitment— data collection—initial coding—focused coding—theory building—reporting) in an iterative fashion, cycling through data collection, analysis, and theory making until theoretical saturation is achieved (Chun Tie, et al., 2018).
As Master's students we didn't have the luxury to run a study with complete grounded theory cycles. However, I still felt it was important to have a framework against which to stage our research, especially because the other members of my team were new to research as a practice. So, I adopted a modified grounded theory approach that enabled us to stay close to our data and still meet our deadlines. For the stake of time, I suggested we complete only one round of qualitative coding and eschew formal memo writing in favor of short-form takeaway summaries.
Methods
Once we'd decided on grounded theory as our research framework it was relatively easy to select our methods. I led the team through a review of exploratory methods typically used in grounded theory practice. Next, we discussed which methods were best suited to help us answer our research questions (i.e., process, goals, barriers, and opportunities). There was some initial back and fourth about whether or not to conduct a diary study or a survey, however, after consultation with our advisors and further discussion as a team we ultimately decided on the following methods:
Semi-structured interviews are the bread and butter of qualitative research and are almost always used in grounded theory studies. We chose to conduct interviews because they're one of the best tools researchers have for gathering firsthand personal accounts from stakeholders. Our desk research suggested that adopting a dog could be an emotionally taxing experience for both of our stakeholders. We felt it was important to hear directly from our participants about these experiences and explore topics and dynamics untouched by our desk research.
Journey maps are visualizations of the process a stakeholder goes through in order to accomplish a goal. We selected journey mapping because of how central the understanding of process was to our research questions. We wanted to sit down with our stakeholders and get a clear accounting of the steps they took, why they took them, and how they felt about it. Journey maps were also easy to incorporate into our interview discussion guide without derailing the flow of the interview. Participants got a kick out of watching their journey map unfold live in front of their eyes.
Field observations are a great way to gather information through in-context immersion. Our desk research suggested that while much of the exploratory phase of pet adoption has moved online in recent years, later evaluative stages remain largely in person. Dog seekers prefer to interact with potential pets before committing to adoption and rescues almost always require a meet-n-greet to finalize an adoption. We felt it was important to observe these interactions and compare what we heard in interviews to what we observed in the field.
Recruitment & Data Collection
Research Participants
10 dog seekers
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5 novice, 5 veteran
5 adoption organizations
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4 rescues, 1 shelter
Research Methods
Semi-structured interviews
Journey maps
Field observations
Research Tools
Dovetail
Zoom
Figma
Notebook
Recruitment Materials
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Outreach spreadsheet tracking outreach to a list of local adoption organizations
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Conversation scripts for email and cold call outreach
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CTAs for social, flier, and goodie bag inserts
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Recruitment screener survey for dog seekers and adoption organizations
Recruitment Channels
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Social outreach via Facebook and Nextdoor to dog-focused groups and organizations
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Cold calls to local adoption organizations
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Intercepts at local shelters and dog parks
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Flyer placement around town
Photo collage of artifacts and moments from our recruitment efforts.
Building trust through recruitment
A few months before our study began the Seattle Times published a critical news article on one of Seattle's largest animal shelters that included accusations of a toxic work environment, high staff turnover, and misallocation of taxpayer funds. Unsurprisingly, staff at local adoption organizations were not especially excited about giving interviews in the wake of this story. I knew we'd need to approach these organizations carefully, so I crafted recruitment outreach scripts that clearly stated our role as students, the aims of our study, and their right to anonymity as research participants. Building trust was also key. We found phone calls and Facebook messages to be the best way to make personal connections with staff, answer questions, and address concerns.
Screenshot of Dovetail interview log.
Semi-Structured Interviews
Most interviews took place remotely over Zoom for one hour and featured a moderator, a note-taker, and a team member assigned to crafting the journey map in real-time. We used the research tool, Dovetail, to manage and analyze the transcriptions from our interview recordings. We asked participants a series of open-ended questions to facilitate dialogue around adoption process, challenges, and opportunity areas. For more details on the content of these interviews, download the discussion guide I created for our interviews with dog seekers.
Screenshot of two journey maps. PDF versions linked below.
Journey Maps
We created the journey maps live during interviews using Figma (Example 1, Example 2). During each interview, the designated note taker constructed the journey map while the moderator guided the discussion. We used Zoom to share our screen so that interview participants could see the journey map unfold in real time and contribute to its design. Through this interactive process our study participants became active collaborators by filling in gaps, pointing out mistakes, and commenting on our observations in ways that sparked discussion and deeper insights.
Photo collage of moments from our field observations at local adoption events in Seattle.
Field Observations
We conducted three field observations, two of which took place at adoption organization locations and the third of which took place at a local adoption event in Seattle. We used a simple framework to take notes on what we observed. These observations later proved useful later in crafting journey maps . We also used these field visits to perform recruitment intercepts for our interviews.
Analysis & Synthesis
Methods
Qualitative coding
Thematic analysis
Affinity mapping
Tools
Dovetail (transcript coding)
Post-its (thematic analysis)
Figma (journey map synthesis)
Qualitative Coding
As Project Lead and Principle Researcher I devised our data analysis approach and led our team through an in-person and remote analysis workshops. We employed a modified Grounded Theory approach to guide our analysis. We began by coding our interview transcripts in Dovetail, working from the ground up to create initial codes, followed by code groupings, and finally code synthesis to develop key findings and themes. Check out the coding guide I created to introduce the team to the basics of qualitative coding.
Photo collage of moments from the data analysis workshop I led at Substantial's office in Seattle.
Analysis Workshop
Once we'd coded our interview and field work notes we used Dovetail to make connections across the data by creating code groupings. We then reviewed the code groupings, discussed the connections, and recombined the groupings into larger clusters. These code groupings formed the basis of what would become our findings.
Code Groupings
Once we'd coded our interview and field work notes we used Dovetail to make connections across the data by creating code groupings. We then reviewed the code groupings, discussed the connections, and recombined the groupings into larger clusters. These code groupings formed the basis of what would become our findings.
PawPrint takes the guesswork out of dog adoption by leveraging pet microchip technology to match dog seekers with adoptable dogs best suited to their goals and lifestyle.
Background
Finding dogs available for adoption has never been easier thanks to search tools like Petfinder. Despite these improvements, adopting any dog—let alone the best dog for you— remains frustratingly difficult and resource intensive. Why? Our research revealed that a lack of trustworthy information, poor visibility into the adoption process, and outdated applications are preventing dog seekers and adoption organizations from reaching their goals.
Microchip Utilization
Millions of rescue animals are microchipped in the U.S. each year and yet this technology remains underutilized. PawPrint harnesses this untapped potential by linking the unique ID number stored on the microchip with a comprehensive living record known as the PawProfile that brings behavior, health, diet, and housing information together in one convenient place. Adoption staff grant complete access and edit rights to adopters at the point of adoption.
PawProfile
Profile Matching
Dog seekers and adoption organizations struggle to make informed adoption decisions. PawPrint takes the guesswork out of adoption and reduces adoption failure rates by matching dog seekers with dogs best suited to their goals and lifestyle. Notes entered into the PawProfile are tagged and matched with data from dog seekers profiles. Each match is assigned a match rate, helping dog seekers focus their search and avoid the common pitfall of placing cuteness above other important qualities.
Universal Application
Poorly designed applications and a repetitive submission process hold dog seekers back. PawPrint’s universal application makes it easy to apply for your favorite matches with the tap of a button while profile highlights ensure important details from your profile are front and center. Unlike other attempts to universalize applications, PawPrint incentivizes integration by bringing together reliable dog data all in one place.
Concept Video
Poorly designed applications and a repetitive submission process hold dog seekers back. PawPrint’s universal application makes it easy to apply for your favorite matches with the tap of a button while profile highlights ensure important details from your profile are front and center. Unlike other attempts to universalize applications, PawPrint incentivizes integration by bringing together reliable dog data all in one place.
Insights tracking
Poorly designed applications and a repetitive submission process hold dog seekers back. PawPrint’s universal application makes it easy to apply for your favorite matches with the tap of a button while profile highlights ensure important details from your profile are front and center. Unlike other attempts to universalize applications, PawPrint incentivizes integration by bringing together reliable dog data all in one place.
Sources
Olivia B. Waxman (2021) How the Pandemic Pet-Adoption Boom Fits Into the Long History of Rescuing Animals https://time.com/6047307/pet-adoption-history/
LEK Consulting (2021) Headroom for Pet Ownership Growth Remains Post-Pandemic, Finds New Consumer Survey. https://www.lek.com/press/headroom-pet-ownership-growth-remains-post-pandemic-finds-new-consumer-survey
Emily Yoffee (2012) No Pet For You https://slate.com/human-interest/2012/01/animal-rescue-want-to-adopt-a-dog-or-cat-prepare-for-an-inquisition.html
Jennifer Billock (2021) Want to Adopt a Pet? Prepare for a Full Background Check. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/22/style/pet-adoption-application.html
Bradley, J., Rajendran, S. Increasing adoption rates at animal shelters: a two-phase approach to predict length of stay and optimal shelter allocation. BMC Vet Res 17, 70 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-020-02728-2
Arin Greenwood (2018) Millions of dogs need homes. Why is it sometimes hard to adopt one? https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/animalia/wp/2018/02/02/millions-of-dogs-need-homes-why-is-it-sometimes-hard-to-adopt-one/
Charmaz, K. (2014). Constructing Grounded Theory. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications.
Chun Tie Y, Birks M, Francis K. Grounded theory research: A design framework for novice researchers. SAGE Open Med. 2019 Jan 2;7:2050312118822927. doi: 10.1177/2050312118822927. PMID: 30637106; PMCID: PMC6318722.
Saldana, J. (2009). The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers. Los Angeles, CA: Sage Publications.