| |
This
Survey, initiated in 1994, by the NCPPSP gathered the names of
shelters and organizations believed to be sheltering animals. Only
shelters that housed more than 100 dogs and/or cats each year were
included. The final list had 5,042 names. All responses were kept
confidential. Information linking the names of shelters with their
responses was not released.
A survey card was constructed requesting shelter name, address,
contact person and phone number. In addition, data were requested for
the number of dogs and cats entering the shelters through animal
control, owner relinquishment or other methods, and for the number of
dogs and cats exiting the shelters through adoption, owner
reclamation, euthanasia or other methods. Kittens and puppies were
counted in the cat and dog categories, respectively. The data card was
sent to the initial list of shelters in February 1995 requesting data
for 1994. Reminder cards were sent out later that year. Changes to the
mailing list were continuously made in response to shelter comments.
The study was repeated for 1995, 1996 and 1997. The collection of data
by means of survey cards was halted due to the low percentage of
response by animal shelters.
|
Numbers Entering the
Responding Shelters |
| |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Dogs |
2,222,751 |
2,091,237 |
2,292,868 |
2,329,978 |
| Cats |
1,557,767 |
1,563,362 |
1,818,736 |
1,759,743 |
| Unspecified |
NA |
409,941 |
206,460 |
246,523 |
| Overall |
3,780,518 |
4,064,540 |
4,318,064 |
4,336,244 |
 |
|
Numbers Leaving the
Responding Shelters |
| |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Dogs |
2,090,587 |
1,888,402 |
2,117,440 |
2,117,902 |
| Cats |
1,442,464 |
1,451,464 |
1,677,895 |
1,611,616 |
| Unspecified |
NA |
366,039 |
360,818 |
279,582 |
| Overall |
3,533,051 |
3,705,905 |
4,156,153 |
4,009,100 |
|
|
|
Types of Responding
Shelters |
| |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Local
governmental animal care and control agency |
560 |
487 |
377 |
407 |
| Private,
non-profit shelter |
232 |
264 |
228 |
229 |
| Private,
non-profit shelter w/ housing contract |
171 |
188 |
195 |
185 |
| Other |
92 |
46 |
39 |
26 |
| Unknown |
15 |
86 |
173 |
161 |
| Total Number
of responding shelters |
1070 |
1071 |
1012 |
1008 |
|
|
|
Sources of Dogs and Cats
Entering Reporting Shelters (%) |
|
Submitted by Animal Control |
| |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Dogs |
57.5 |
45.0 |
42.5 |
42.4 |
| Cats |
46.6 |
35.9 |
31.9 |
33.2 |
| Unspecified |
NA |
55.8 |
NA |
37.8 |
| Overall |
53.0 |
42.6 |
36.0 |
38.4 |
|
|
|
Relinquished by Owner |
| |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Dogs |
25.7 |
26.9 |
25.3 |
27.0 |
| Cats |
32.7 |
34.3 |
30.7 |
35.0 |
| Unspecified |
NA |
22.7 |
24.6 |
26.0 |
| Overall |
28.6 |
29.4 |
27.5 |
30.2 |
|
|
|
Other
Sources |
| |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Dogs |
16.8 |
10.5 |
12.8 |
13.1 |
| Cats |
20.7 |
13.9 |
18.2 |
16.9 |
| Unspecified |
NA |
8.7 |
24.4 |
12.8 |
| Overall |
18.4 |
11.6 |
15.6 |
14.7 |
|
|
|
Unknown
Sources |
| |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Dogs |
NA |
17.5 |
19.3 |
17.5 |
| Cats |
NA |
15.9 |
19.2 |
14.9 |
| Unspecified |
NA |
12.8 |
51.0 |
23.4 |
| Overall |
NA |
16.4 |
20.8 |
16.8 |
|
|
|
Disposition of Dogs and
Cats Entering Reporting Shelters (%) |
|
Adopted
|
| |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Dogs |
23.2 |
25.5 |
25.8 |
25.0 |
| Cats |
21.7 |
23.4 |
24.0 |
24.4 |
| Unspecified |
NA |
16.0 |
13.1 |
13.7 |
| Overall |
22.6 |
23.7 |
24.0 |
23.9 |
|
|
|
Returned
to Owner |
| |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Dogs |
15.3 |
16.3 |
16.1 |
15.8 |
| Cats |
2.3 |
2.2 |
2.0 |
2.0 |
| Unspecified |
NA |
8.8 |
7.0 |
9.3 |
| Overall |
10.0 |
10.0 |
9.7 |
9.8 |
|
|
|
Euthanized |
| |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Dogs |
58.4 |
55.1 |
56.0 |
56.4 |
| Cats |
72.4 |
71.4 |
71.8 |
71.0 |
| Unspecified |
NA |
71.8 |
76.3 |
74.4 |
| Overall |
64.1 |
63.1 |
64.1 |
63.6 |
|
|
|
Other
|
| |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Dogs |
3.1 |
2.2 |
1.7 |
2.4 |
| Cats |
3.6 |
2.3 |
1.9 |
2.3 |
| Unspecified |
NA |
2.9 |
3.5 |
2.6 |
| Overall |
3.3 |
2.3 |
2.0 |
2.4 |
|
|
|
Unknown
|
| |
1994 |
1995 |
1996 |
1997 |
| Dogs |
NA |
0.9 |
0.4 |
0.4 |
| Cats |
NA |
0.6 |
0.2 |
0.3 |
| Unspecified |
NA |
0.5 |
NA |
NA |
| Overall |
NA |
0.8 |
0.3 |
0.4 |
|
|
Please note:
It is not possible to use these statistics to estimate the numbers of
animals entering animal shelters in the United States, or the numbers
euthanized on an annual basis. The reporting Shelters may not
represent a random sampling of U.S. shelters. |
