Approximately 7.6 million companion animaux enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.9 million are chiens and 3.4 million are cats.
Each year, approximately 2.7 million animaux are euthanized (1.2 million chiens and 1.4 million cats).
Approximately 2.7 million shelter animaux are adopted each an (1.4 million chiens and 1.3 million cats).
About 649,000 animaux who enter shelters as strays are returned to their owners. Of those, 542,000 are chiens and only 100,000 are cats.
Of the chiens entering shelters, approximately 35% are adopted, 31% are euthanized and 26% of chiens who came in as strays are returned to their owner.
Of the chats entering shelters, approximately 37% are adopted, 41% are euthanized, and less than 5% of chats who came in as strays are returned to their owners.
About twice as many animaux enter shelters as strays compared to the number that are relinquished par their owners.
