Statistics

Pet Overpopulation

Each day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born in the United States. Approximately 40,000 of them will end up abandoned to the streets up at a shelter or rescue organization. (Source: Spay USA)
Approximately 55% of dogs and puppies and 71% of cats and kittens entering shelters are euthanized. (Source: National Council on Pet Population)
There are 6-8 million cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year. (Source: Doris Day Foundation)
Two of the top ten reasons for relinquishing a pet to a shelter or rescue organization are too many pets in the home and/or unable to find homes for littermates (Source: National Council on Pet Population)
The main reason for cat overpopulation is feral, free-roaming, un-owned cats. (Source: Save Our Strays)
Shelters to house and care for dogs and cats due to the shortage of homes spend over $2 billion annually. (Source: Business Wire Features)
Average number of litters a female cat can produce each year is 3, with between 4-6 kittens in each litter. (Source: Humane Society of the United States)
One female cat, her mate, and her offspring can produce 11,606,077 cats in 9 years (Source: Spay USA)
Average number of litters a female dog can produce each year is 2, with between 6-10 puppies in each litter. (Source: Humane Society of United States)
One unspayed female dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 dogs in 6 years. (Source: Spay USA)

PET OWNERSHIP STATISTICS

There are approximately 74.8 million dogs and 88.3 million cats owned in the United States. (Source: Humane Society of the United States)
Only 10% of dogs and 18% of cats are adopted through an animal shelters or rescue groups. (Source: Humane Society of the United States)
On average, 56% of cat owners have more than one cat and 63% of dog owners have only one dog. (Source: Humane Society of the United States)
75% of owned dogs and 87% of owned cats are spayed or neutered (Source: Humane Society of the United States)
Pets that spend most of their time separated from family, either in crates or in the yard, are at greater risk of being surrendered to shelters.
Consider this: While our world consists of interests outside our pets, we are our pet's ENTIRE world and depend on us exclusively for their socialization and well being. (Source: Pawprints and Purrs Inc)