Q3 Analysis, 2023

Shelter Animals Count (SAC), the most trusted and current source for animal sheltering data, just released their Q3 2023 data analysis, comparing animal sheltering data January-September, 2021, 2022, to 2023.

It’s no secret that animal shelters across the country are in crisis. Nationally, shelters are in their third year of having too many animals and not enough adoptions — especially for dogs. The current trend shows dog adoptions down 1.2% from 2022 numbers, after shelter intake January-September 2023 saw a 2.5% increase in dog intake. 

The data shows a 10% increase in overall intake compared to 2021, driven primarily by dogs. Non-live outcomes (including shelter euthanasia and deaths in care) for dogs are also on the rise — up 31% from 2022, and up 85% from 2021. 

Animal organizations continue to struggle with over-capacity status and urgently need community support, expressing a dire need for members of their communities to adopt or foster from local shelters or rescue organizations, spay or neuter their pets, and volunteer or donate.

Some ongoing trends that appear at first glance to be good news may not be improvements but could be indicative of a system complicated by the over-capacity crisis. For example, a decrease in owner surrenders may be because shelters are full, and aren’t able to accept pets relinquished by owners, or can accept them by appointment only. Many shelters have to prioritize kennel space for strays due to contractual obligations.

As the rate of owner surrenders of dogs has decreased slightly, 4.3% less than 2022 and 1.1% less than 2021, stray intake continues to increase for dogs, now 5% higher than 2022 and 23% higher than 2021. At the same time, 3.5% fewer dogs were returned to their owners compared to 2022. Typically an increase in strays should result in an increase in dogs returned to their owners, rather than a decrease. 

“This shift could suggest that some of the dogs entering shelters as strays are not actually lost, but instead are would-be owner surrenders coming in as strays,” said Stephanie Filer, Executive Director of Shelter Animals Count. 

Shelters are experiencing this trend first-hand.

“The biggest impact we have seen this year is that owners are not redeeming their dogs in the numbers that we are used to,” said Katie Ingram, Placer County Animal Services in Auburn, CA. “Even dogs with tags and microchips are not being redeemed. We make repeated calls, email and send certified letters with no response. We’ve even waived the redemption fees. I wish our community understood the extreme resources it takes to care for owned animals, as we hold them for much longer than strays. The overcrowding takes a toll on the other adoptable animals in the shelter. ” 

The gap of cats and dogs waiting for an outcome sits at 4.4% for Q3, meaning that 4.4% more animals are entering than leaving already overburdened shelters, rescues, and government-funded organizations in every region of the U.S.

The Q3 report saw a 18% increase in non-live outcomes for cats and dogs combined compared to 2022, which are now 33% higher than 2021. 

Transfers between organizations and communities play a vital role in enabling a balanced distribution of animals and alleviating overcrowding. Unfortunately, Q3 data shows that transfers continue to drop, with a 9% decrease for both dogs and cats combined compared to the same period in 2022.

“Many shelters that were once open to receiving transports are now grappling with the rising needs of local animals, making it difficult to accommodate arrivals from other locations,” Filer said. “In addition, a lack of volunteer support, which impacts coordinating transport efforts and driving vehicles, has likely only made the already difficult situation worse.”  

Concerned individuals who would like to help disrupt these trends are urged to reach out to their local shelters and animal rescues to find out how they can get involved and support their efforts.

About Shelter Animals Count (SAC): SAC is a collaborative, industry-led nonprofit organization formed by a diverse group of animal welfare agencies to create and share The National Database of sheltered animal statistics, providing facts and enabling insights that will improve animal welfare throughout the country.