ATLANTA, April XX, 2024 – Ahead of Adopt A Shelter Pet Day, April 30, Shelter Animals Count (SAC), the most trusted and current source for animal sheltering data, shares a look at national trends around pet adoption and shows how adopting from a shelter or rescue organization is mutually beneficial to both pets and people.

“Celebrate Adopt a Shelter Pet Day any day by making room in your home and your heart for an adopted pet,” said Stephanie Filer, Executive Director of Shelter Animals Count. “Choosing to adopt from shelters or rescue groups is the most sustainable and socially-responsible choice because it helps to alleviate the community pet crisis, rather than compounding it.”

In November 2023, SAC conducted a survey of contributing shelters and rescues to learn about the types of dogs they receive. Nearly 90% of respondents said they were receiving puppies, which means potential pet parents are likely to be surprised by what they can find in shelters, or on sites like AdoptAPet.com, including trendy “designer dogs,” purebreds, small-breed dogs and many other magnificent mixes. And as we enter the time of year known as “kitten season” there are plenty of kittens and cats available for adoption as well. In fact SAC data from 2023 showed nearly half of felines entering shelters were kittens under five months, and one in five canines entering shelters was a puppy under five months.

According to the new Mars State of Pet Homelessness U.S. report, only 20% of people surveyed got their dog or cat from a shelter or rescue organization. 

Since 2020, cats have actually been adopted at a higher rate than dogs. Cat adoptions were 2.3 million in 2020 and 2.6 million in 2023, while dog adoptions were 2 million in 2020 and 2.2 million in 2023. Combined, 2023 was the highest number of adoptions since 2016. Yet pets –especially dogs– are lingering in shelters with outcomes not keeping pace with intake.

Adoption from shelters or rescue groups helps solve the community pet crisis on multiple levels. In the most immediate sense, adopting saves the life of a pet and opens up a kennel, cage or foster home for another animal to have a chance to be adopted. Additionally, pets from shelters and rescues are almost always spayed or neutered, or come with a spay/neuter contract requiring the pet to be sterilized when an appointment becomes available. This prevents more puppies and kittens from being born in already saturated communities. Pets from other sources are very often not spayed or neutered, so many bred or have accidental litters, adding to the number of animals in search of homes.

Adoption comes with a financial advantage as well. Because spay/neuter, vaccinations and often microchips are included in the adoption fee, these costs won’t present a later surprise or expense for new pet owners. With increasing costs of vet care, the inclusion of these services can save the adopter hundreds of dollars or more. By adopting a pet, you not only save a life, you save a lot of money, which leaves more in your budget for future pet care.

In 2023, 6.5 million dogs and cats entered animal shelters and rescue organizations. Shelters across the country are full, and are now entering their fourth year of having too many animals and not enough adoptions—especially for dogs. Because many shelters and rescues are operating at- or over-capacity, overall intake is likely lower than it would be if space were available. Download the full 2023 Annual Analysis report PDF here.