February
2001
Facts
About Animal Shelters
From the ASPCA
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Across the country, volunteers and staff in animal
shelters and animal control facilities see the results of irresponsible
pet ownership and dog and cat overpopulation every day. However, there
is very little reliable data available to illustrate this issue on a
national level. Following is information that shows the tragedy of pet
overpopulation in the U.S., and an attempt to quantify some of the related
issues. These figures are the result of independent random studies and
are the best estimates by experts in the animal welfare field and should
be considered ballpark figures for 1999.
There are about 7,000 community animal shelters nationwide that are
independent; there is no national organization running these shelters.
The phrases “humane society” and “SPCA” are generic
terms; shelters using those names are not part of the Humane Society
of the United States (which operates no animal shelters) or The ASPCA
(which operates one shelter in New York City). Currently, no government
institution or animal organization is responsible for tabulating national
statistics for the animal welfare movement.
Animal Shelters
• Approximately 8-12 million companion animals are relinquished
to shelters nationwide every year and approximately 2-3 million dogs
(60% of dogs relinquished) and 3-4 million cats (70% of cats relinquished)
are euthanized.
• Less than 2% of cats and only 15-20% of dogs are returned to
their owners, largely due to pet owners that don’t provide their
animals with proper identification.
• 25% of dogs that enter local shelters are purebred.
• Only 10% of the animals received by shelters have been spayed
or neutered.
Pet Overpopulation
• The average number of litters a fertile cat can produce is
three a year; average number of kittens in litters is 4-6.
• The average number of litters a fertile dog can produce is two
a year; average number of puppies is 6-10.
• One female dog and her offspring can produce as many as 67,000
puppies in six years.
• One female cat and her offspring can produce as many as 420,000
kittens in seven years.
• It is impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live
in the U.S.; estimates range from 5-10 million.
• The average lifespan of a stray is less than two years.
• Many strays are lost pets that were not housed properly or provided
with identification.
Pet Ownership
• About 60% of all households in the U.S. have a pet.
• About 53 million dogs and about 59 million cats are owned in
the U.S.
• About 65% of pet owners acquire their pets free or at low cost.
• 23% of people acquire their cats as strays; 23% of people who
leave dogs in shelters have adopted dogs in shelters.
