|
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.
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