NATIONAL CRISIS OF PET OVERPOPULATION

Pet Overpopulation

Every day in the United States thousands of puppies and kittens are born because of the uncontrolled breeding of pets. Add to that number the offspring of stray and abandoned companion animals, and the total becomes even more stunning. Every year, between 5 and 11 million dogs and cats enter U.S. shelters; some 5-7 million of these animals are euthanized because there are not enough homes for them.

Too many companion animals competing for too few good homes is the most obvious consequence of uncontrolled breeding. However, there are other equally tragic problems that result from pet overpopulation: the transformation of some animal shelters into “warehouses,” the acceptance of cruelty to animals in our society, and the stress that compassionate shelter workers suffer when they are forced to euthanize one animal after the other. Such disregard for animal life erodes our culture.

Abandoned and stray companion animals that survive in the streets pose a health threat to humans and other animals. Homeless companion animals get into trash containers, defecate in public areas or on private lawns, and anger citizens who have no understanding of their needs.

Pet Overpopulation Forecasts

• Number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year - 5 to 11 million
• Number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year - 5 to 7 million
• Number of cats and dogs adopted from shelters each year - 3 to 5 million
• Number of cats and dogs reclaimed by owners each year - 15-30% of dogs and 2-5% of cats entering shelters
• Number of animal shelters in the U.S. - Between 4,000 and 6,000
• Percentage of dogs that are purebred - 25%
• Average number of litters a fertile cat can produce in one year - 3
• Average number of kittens in a feline litter - 4 to 6
• In seven years, one female cat and her offspring can theoretically produce - 420,000 cats
• Average number of litters a fertile dog can produce in one year - 2
• Average number of puppies in a canine litter - 6 to 10
• In six years, one female dog and her offspring can theoretically produce - 67,000 dogs

All figures are estimates of the Saint Francis Pet Foundation