Find the Top-Searched Dogs in Your State with Adopt a Petrics

As a prospective pet adopter or current pet parent, do you ever wish you had all the information about local shelter animals you ever needed in one place? 

For Adopt a Shelter Dog Month in October, Adopt a Pet, one of North America’s largest pet adoption sites, and Zoetis have launched Adopt a Petrics: an annual report and campaign that allows you to access information on the most-searched and most-available dog breeds in the United States, as well as info about their personalities. Using this research, you can find the exact dog you want to add to your family. 

Between July 2024 and June 2025, Adopt a Pet collected a year of search data and used the info to spot patterns in adoption searches. They found that 43 percent of adopters searched
for certain breeds
because of their specific personalities; the traits people were most often looking for were “affectionate,” “playful,” and “adventurous.” Sounds like the perfect pup to us.

They also narrowed down the most searched for breeds. If you’re dreaming of becoming a parent to a Chihuahua, you are not the only one. The loyal and sweet dog had the most searches in America in the past year, followed closely behind by Labrador Retrievers, Dachshunds, German Shepards, and American Pit Bull Terriers.

If you are not sure what kind of dog you would like, you can use the Adopt a Petrics interactive report to find breeds or mixes with the characteristics and personalities you have in mind. You can even set up New Pet alerts that tell you when a dog with your desired traits becomes available. Alerts can include a dog’s breed, age, and size.

When you find your dream dog, you can join the thousands of people who have adopted a shelter pup. In the last year alone, through partnerships with 18,525 organizations, Adopt a Pet has added 1,590,438 adoptable pets to its site, and 161,720 of those have found homes. 

As the world’s leading animal health company, Zoetis’ mission for 70 years has been to make a difference in the lives of animals all over the world. With this campaign, the two brands are forever changing the futures of adoptive families and their pets — for the better. 

“We are grateful for our partnership with Zoetis for many reasons, especially in October as we raise awareness of shelter adoptions,” says Jeannine Taaffe, chief executive officer at Adopt a Pet. “Local shelters are cornerstones in many communities, and giving them added resources and visibility helps them continue to deliver health and wellbeing to pets looking for their families.” Veterinarian Dr. Heather Berst, cross-brand medical lead at Zoetis, says that the partnership between the two brands is the perfect marriage of values: “At Zoetis, we believe every pet deserves a healthy start and a loving home. During Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, we celebrate the joy that adopted dogs bring into our lives and reaffirm our dedication to supporting pet parents with the tools and care they need to give their new companions the best life possible.”

At the link below, see the most available dogs in your state and sign up for a New Pet Alert to be notified when pups become available near you.