Nearly 1 million more pets crammed into the nation's animal shelters and facilities compared to three years ago, and for the first time last year since a major animal advocacy organization began tracking the numbers in 2016. More dogs were euthanized than cats.
The overall number of dogs in U.S. shelters and shelters has increased by 900,000 dogs since January 2021, and more than 359,000 dogs will be euthanized in 2023, according to animal advocacy group Shelter Animals Count. This is the highest level recorded in the last five years. Meanwhile, 330,000 cats were euthanized last year.
“We're using little buckets to empty the river of unwanted pets,” said Kelly Kimble, director of the Briscoe Animal Resource Center in Uvalde, Texas.
The findings were published in an annual analysis of shelter populations compiled by Shelter Animals Count, an Atlanta-based nonprofit formed in 2012 by a group of animal welfare agencies.
“Everywhere you look, shelters are in crisis,” said Stephanie Filer, the organization's executive director. “This is really about an imbalance of animals coming in faster than they're leaving.”
Feiler said for many years cats were considered the most at-risk cats and the ones that ended up in shelters at a high rate, even though the number of adoptions was low. But over the past two decades, advocates have made intensive efforts to reverse both trends, with promising results.
“We've seen a huge positive change,” Filer said. “Adoption rates are high, cat intake is decreasing, and efforts are being made to keep cats in homes and communities.”
Meanwhile, the dog program is struggling, she said, with adoption numbers for the past four years below 2018 and 2019 and barely at 2016-2017 levels.
“Too many dogs enter shelters and are abandoned,” she says. “Unlike cat adoptions, which are increasing, dog adoptions are basically flat.”
As a result, shelters are filled with many different breeds of dogs, not just the kinds people might imagine, such as large mutts and pit bulls. Huskies, French bulldogs, designer dogs too.
Still, advocates never anticipated that dogs would surpass cats when faced with euthanasia.
“The real reason we're saying 'wow' is because it hasn't been like that for years,” Filer said. “And now it has.”
Financial challenges for owners, lack of staff at shelters
More than 6.5 million animals will enter U.S. shelters and shelters in 2023, marking the fourth year in a row that overpopulation and adoption rates are insufficient to meet the challenge. As a result, other animals are kept away.
“Animal intake has steadily increased, results have remained flat or declined, and there remains a disparity in the number of animals awaiting results,” the Shelter Animal Count report states. . “The result? An ongoing capacity crisis.”
4.8 million dogs and cats will be adopted in 2023, as economic factors such as unemployment, inflation and housing costs make it difficult for owners considering or considering adopting a pet. Adoptions are not keeping up with animal intake.
“With more animals entering shelters than leaving them, animal welfare organizations and their communities need to find ways to increase access to veterinary care and advocate for pet-friendly housing policies. “We need to continue working together to keep pets in loving homes and out of shelters,” said Matt Bershadkar, president and CEO of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Additionally, staff and veterinarian shortages are hampering shelters' ability to meet the challenges of animals with higher medical and behavioral needs. In the 2022 ASPCA National Survey, more than two-thirds of shelters and rescue facilities cited the frequency and severity of animal behavior and inability to manage medical issues as the biggest barriers to evacuation.
ASPCA spokesperson Alexander Craig said the organization actively advocates for more equitable access to increasingly scarce pet-friendly housing, with a focus in New York, Los Angeles and Miami, and He said he is working to provide subsidized veterinary care and resources to patients.
The effects of the pandemic remain in evacuation centers
Research shows that only a quarter of dogs are adopted from shelters, Filer said. Meanwhile, an estimated 23 million households have adopted pets during the pandemic.
“If you consider that about a quarter of these dogs come from animal shelters, a lot of them come from other sources,” she says. “So we know there is a demand for pets. One way to reverse this trend is to shift that acquisition to shelters, and even small changes will make a big difference.”
Among the factors driving the population surge are the lingering effects of disrupted spay and neuter efforts as many states canceled non-essential surgeries during the pandemic, the researchers said. say the people.
“Shelters are still feeling the effects,” said Taylor Spreitler of the Nashville Humane Society.
Spreitler said more than 150 puppies were adopted into the shelter in January, but “it's very unusual to see one in the winter.” Until spay/neuter resources become more available, we will continue to face overpopulation. ”
The situation is even more dire for the Utah Humane Society, where animal care manager Jeannie Lambert noted that the shelter receives at least one intentionally bred unsold puppy a week. He called on people to stop supporting home breeders.
She said 528 puppies were surrendered to shelters in 2023, an increase of 20% from the previous year. Meanwhile, this year is on track to surpass that number, with 120 puppies handed over in the first six weeks of 2024 alone, and another 50 expected to be taken in by the end of the month.
The agency is a private shelter and does not have to take in feral cats, allowing the population to remain within its carrying capacity. But at the same time, Lambert said, they can't support overflow to help other shelters.
The agency has had some success with its “Last Puppy Program,” which provides free spays, vaccines and microchips to mothers who adopt puppies from rescues. Last year, 645 animals, including 441 kittens and 59 puppies, were surrendered to shelters through the program.
But if an owner declines an offer to have their dog spayed, she says, it's a sign that “the dog is probably planning on mating with the mother.” We see it relatively often. ”
How you can help overcrowded pet shelters
Filer, of Shelter Animals Count, said the focus needs to be on promoting adoptions at shelters.
“Rescuing a pet from a shelter should be something you're proud of, something to be proud of,” she says. “And encourage your friends and family to do the same. That's the best call to action.”
By doing so, she says, “not only will you save lives, but you will also be sending a much-needed message of support to struggling shelters and their staff. Pet adoption is the most sustainable and social option.” It is also a conscious choice that will help alleviate rather than exacerbate the crisis in shelters.”
While adopting a pet isn't something everyone can do, Filer said there are other ways to help, such as fostering a pet or volunteering or donating at a local shelter.
People looking to adopt a pet can find a wide variety of pets, from dogs and cats to rabbits and guinea pigs, on sites like Petfinder, Adopt A Pet, and Best Friends Animal Society. The website also allows potential owners to be specific about what they're looking for and be alerted when a suitable animal comes along.
“Recruitment is catching up with the technology that makes it easier,” she said.
Additionally, pet owners can help by having their pets spayed or neutered and fitted with identification collars and microchips to reunite lost animals with their owners.
“Shelters need help now more than ever,” Filer said. “This is a community problem and requires a community solution.”
