Only 1 out of every 10 dogs born will find a permanent home.[1]
The main reasons animals are in shelters: owners give them up, or animal control finds them on the street.[2]
Each year, approximately 2.7 million dogs and cats are killed every year because shelters are too full and there aren’t enough adoptive homes. Act as a publicist for your local shelter so pets can find homes. Sign up for Shelter Pet PR.[3]
Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats.[4]
According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), less than 2% of cats and only 15 to 20% of dogs are returned to their owners.[5]
25% of dogs that enter local shelters are purebred.[6]
About twice as many animals enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished by their owners.[7]
It’s impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live in the United States. Estimates for cats alone range up to 70 million.[8]
Only 10% of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered. Overpopulation, due to owners letting their pets accidentally or intentionally reproduce, sees millions of these “excess” animals killed annually.[9]
Many strays are lost pets that were not kept properly indoors or provided with identification.[10]
According to The Humane Society, there are about 3,500 brick-and-mortar animal shelters in the US and 10,000 rescue groups and animal sanctuaries in North America.[11