At Hill’s Pet Nutrition, our mission to enrich the lives of pets and the people who love them includes a long-term commitment to the animal welfare community. As we work to better understand the evolving landscape of pet adoption and improve outcomes for shelter pets, one challenge has become increasingly clear: large dogs are experiencing the longest median lengths of stay compared with small and medium dogs, adding to capacity strains felt by shelters and rescues nationwide.

The 2026 Hill’s State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report: Spotlight on Large Dogs is the fourth edition of our annual research series and our first focused on a specific population of vulnerable animals awaiting adoption. Built on proprietary research from a survey of 2,000 U.S. adults and informed by national shelter data, this year’s report examines the perceptions, barriers and motivations that shape decisions around large dog adoption.

The findings explore generational differences; concerns about space, cost and behavior; and the experiences that influence how people view big dogs. Importantly, the report highlights innovative shelter programs that are successfully improving outcomes for large dogs.

We share this research with the animal welfare community as a practical, data-driven tool to help inform strategy and ultimately connect more large dogs with new homes. We hope this information will be informative to those outside of the animal welfare community with an interest in improving the lives of shelter pets.