Pet Adoption Statistics

Key statistics + insights

• Roughly 6.5 million animals enter shelters each year but only 3.2 million are adopted. (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)
• Approximately 85 million families are pet owners. (Humane Society)
• Compared to 1973, the number of cats and dogs entering shelters annually is down from more than 20 million. (Humane Society)
• There is an average 72-hour window of hope for an animal left at a shelter to be found and returned. (Rescue Paw Foundation)
• 28% of dogs and 31% of cats are adopted out of shelters each year. (Humane Society)
• In 2023, people spent $147 billion on their pets. (American Pet Product Association)
• 96% of Americans report a moral duty to protect animals and states should support laws that do so. (The No Kill Advocacy Center)
• Approximately 4.1 million shelter animals are adopted each year (2 million dogs and 2.1 million cats). (ASPCA)

Statistics for pet adoption

In 2021, another year into the global Coronavirius pandemic, the way Americans appreciate and adopt pets has radically changed from recent years. As the nation's leading insurance comparison site and a provider of pet insurance, The Zebra surveyed 1,500 Americans about their pet adoption history, especially within the last year.

• 12.8% of respondents adopted a pet in the last year (2020).
• 42.8% of respondents prefer to adopt a pet from a shelter or a rescue over any other form of adoption.
• 36% of respondents have a dog, only 14.2% have a cat and 1.9% have a snake.
• 35% of respondents have adopted a stay animal off the street.
• 10.1% of respondents have had to surrender a pet to an animal shelter because they could no longer take care of them.
• 34.8% of respondents believe that the breed of pitbulls are naturally more dangerous than other breeds. 52.9% believe they are just as dangerous as any other breed, while 12.3% believe they are naturally less dangerous. 

Dog adoption statistics

According to the Self Animals Count, ASPCA, the Humane Society, Bestfriends.org, Orvis, and PetPedia:

• In 2023, 3.2 million dogs entered shelters across America. This marks a .2% increase from 2022.
• In 2022, around 44.5% of households have a dog as a pet.
• An estimated 78 million dogs are owned as pets in the United States.
• Every year, 3.3 million dogs enter shelters and 670,000 are euthanized.
• At least 65% of owners adopt a rescue dog for free.
• 51.3% of American animal owners have mixed-breed dogs.
• As many as 25% of the dogs currently in shelters are purebred dogs.
• Dog ownership has grown by 39% over the last 10 years.
• Feeding a dog costs anywhere from $400 and $700 a year.
• Yearly costs to take care of a dog can add up to around $1,500 to $9,000.
• Labs are one of the most common purebred dogs left in shelters.

Euthanized animal statistics

For a deeper look behind these statistics, consider the full reports from the ASPCA, No Kill Advocacy Center, and Best Friends.org.

• On average, 1 million shelter animals are euthanized every year in the United States.
• Shelters around the country euthanize an estimated 670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats each year.
• 45% of all cats who enter shelters are eventually euthanized. For feral cats, that number leaps up to nearly 100%.
• Roughly 2.7 million dogs and cats are killed each year because shelters are too full.

Animal abuse statistics

For more, review the full data report from PetPedia:

• More than 10 million animals die from abuse in the United States.
• Every 60 seconds, an animal suffers abuse at human hands.
• Each year, more than 10 million animals die of abuse in the United States alone
• Reportedly, 71% of individuals who are cited for domestic violence also abuse their pets.
• Dogs make up 65% of all abused animals. 

Animal abandonment facts

The following statistics come from DoSomething and TopDogs:

• Homeless animals outnumber homeless people 5 to 1.
• Roughly, 70 million cats are homeless in the United States.
• Only 10% of dogs born will find a permanent home.
• Around 3.9 million dogs are abandoned or given up to shelters each year.
• 74.1% of lost dogs with good identification can be reunited with their owners.
• Only 25 - 30% of dogs in shelters are purebreds. The rest are mostly mutts.

Surrendered animal statistics

From the Best Friends organization:

• 14.1% of dogs are surrendered due to housing issues, the top reason for canines, while more cats are surrendered due to the owner having too many animals (22.6%) than any other reason.
• 10.1% of animals surrendered due to owner’s death
• 7.8% of animals are surrendered due to aggressive behavior
• 7.2% are surrendered due to the owner’s financial situation
• Six states account for more than 50% of all cats and dogs killed in the US:
  • TX – 52,106
  • CA – 39,111
  • NC – 27,031
  • FL – 24,289
  • AL – 16,825
  • LA – 15,288

Pet insurance: Should you invest in it?

Pet coverage allows you to mitigate the risk of being on the line for the full cost of veterinary bills, which can be surprisingly expensive. Without such a policy, many pet owners find themselves in a tough situation. Just like standard car, renters or home insurance, pet insurance requires monthly premiums. For those premiums, your pet will receive coverage in the amount that you select. This can cover the full cost of your pet’s bills or only a portion depending on your policy. 

Below are the most common policy types and some of the situations they cover.

• Comprehensive: While the name may vary, this type of comprehensive policy is robust and covers your pet with very few exclusions. Such policies are likely to cover hereditary conditions, vaccinations and illnesses such as cancer.
• Emergency only: In this policy type, your pet will only be covered if injured in an accident. Illness and routine check-ups aren’t covered. This type of policy is most often used to keep high, unexpected costs down after an accident or injury.
• Accident and illness: This policy type will cover emergencies and costs related to illness.
• Wellness plan: This covers check-ups, routine visits and vaccinations, but may not cover illness or emergency care.

How much does pet insurance cost?

Pricing for pet insurance policies is based on a number of factors, primarily those specific to your pet. In general, the following factors are most likely to affect your pet insurance premiums:

• ZIP code: More densely populated areas tend to have higher rates, as do areas where care is more expensive, i.e., California.
• Species: The species of pet you own can play a big part in what you pay. Dogs, for instance, are often more expensive to insure than cats or many other animals.
• Breed: Different pet breeds can also affect your premiums, as some may be more prone to certain types of illness or other medical conditions.
• Age: Older animals cost more to insure.

Average yearly costs of pet ownership

The yearly costs pet owners face are most often dependent on the type of animal owned. Below you'll find a breakdown of the average yearly costs of owning a dog or a cat based on a study conducted by the ASPCA. These costs include a basic form of pet insurance, but the coverage levels are not clear.

According to the ASPCA, the average yearly costs for owning a cat are about $634 while the average annual costs of owning a dog are the following:

• Small breed: $737
• Medium breed: $894
• Large breed: $1,040

Frequently Asked Questions: Pet adoption