Why Animal Sheltering Organizations See Different Data Trends Locally vs. Nationally
February 5, 2025
This blog is part of the SAC series of blogs and webinars called “Data Foundations Series” made possible with support from our friends at Hill’s Pet Nutrition. Note to reader: State and local reporting requirements and practices vary widely. Because of this, the information in this blog may not reflect the terminology used in every community.
Animal welfare organizations vary widely, from nonprofit humane societies to government-run shelters and foster-based rescues. To provide a clearer picture of their roles, Shelter Animals Count classifies organizations into distinct categories, helping compare their services, intake, and outcomes.
We distinguish among six types of animal welfare organizations: government animal services, animal shelters with government contracts, rescues with government contracts, shelters without government contracts, rescues without government contracts, and non-sheltering service providers.
Classifying organizations accurately provides a clearer view of their experiences in the animal welfare ecosystem. Shelter Animals Count uses these classifications to compile data, helping to compare intakes, outcomes, and services, as the industry aims to learn more about animal journeys. When reporting data by organization type, we aggregate the first three types (government animal services, animal shelters with government contracts, and rescues with government contracts) into one category, while the remaining types are reported individually.
This blog seeks to clarify the various types of animal organizations, offering a clear explanation of each. Whether you’re new to animal welfare or part of the general public, these definitions will help you understand the range of agencies that contribute to our field.
Let’s dive into the various types of animal welfare organizations and how they operate. Consider which terms most accurately describe your organization and how they shape the services you provide.
+ Government Animal Shelter: A city or county-operated entity providing animal control services and housing services.
Other terms that you often see referring to this type of shelter:
Animal Services: A term frequently used in the names of organizations or agencies that operate as animal shelters, often providing both sheltering and animal control services. These organizations are sometimes also referred to as Animal Care and Control.
Pound: An antiquated term for a municipal or government animal shelter. It is less commonly used today, as it is tied to a period of animal sheltering when impoundment and euthanasia were the primary functions of municipal animal services.
+ Animal Shelter with Government Contract: A private/nonprofit agency with a contract for animal control services or housing services. A government contract is a formal agreement with a government entity for animal control and/or housing services.
+ Animal Shelter without Government Contract: A private/nonprofit agency with a physical facility but no government contract.
+ Humane Society or SPCA: Many organizations have these terms in their name. Traditionally, they are unaffiliated with national animal organizations with similar names and are nonprofit organizations that may or may not have government contracts.
SAC Fact: There are 4,915 animal shelters in the United States.
+ Animal Rescue: An animal welfare organization that houses animals exclusively in the homes of volunteers and/or staff of the organization. Also called ‘foster-based rescue.’ Rescues can also be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and in some cases, can hold full or partial contracts with government entities.
SAC Fact: There are 9,514 animal rescues in the United States.
+ Sanctuary: A nonprofit that houses animals for the remainder of their lives. Sanctuaries can also be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and some sanctuaries also function as rescue groups that adopt some animals.
Note: Animal shelters and rescues with government contracts have one or more agreements with a city, town, or county to intake and care for pets in need. The types of contracts and animals included in these contracts vary widely and may include or exclude certain species (eg. cats), types of impounds (eg. owner surrenders), and services (eg. TNR). In general, organizations with government contracts tend to be open intake or open admission, while organizations that do not have government contracts are more likely to be limited intake or limited admission – though it varies by municipality.
+ Non-Sheltering Service Provider: An agency providing direct or partnered services without sheltering animals. Also called ‘non-sheltering animal welfare organization.’ One example is an organization that provides pet support services for owned pets.
SAC Fact: There are 179 non-sheltering service providers registered with Shelter Animals Count.
+ Field or Animal Control Services: Entities that provide this may respond to requests in a defined service area to help animals that are lost/free-roaming, sick/injured, dangerous, or in danger, etc. Animals are housed with sheltering or community partners.
+ Open Intake: An organization required by government contract to accept most or all from a defined service area. Also called ‘open admission.’ Most open intake or open admission organizations are brick-and-mortar animal shelters, not rescue groups.
+ Limited Intake: An organization that can choose which animals to accept and is not required to accept any from the public. Also called “limited admission”. Some animal shelters and most rescue groups are considered limited intake.
+ Managed Intake: An organization that coordinates shelter intake in order to prioritize the animals that most urgently need to enter the shelter. Managed intake, when performed appropriately, is a consent-based process whereby the organization performs an intake assessment with finders and caretakers and works in partnership with the community to coordinate intake in order to prevent overcrowding and to keep pets in homes whenever it’s in the best interest of the animal and their caregiver.
In Closing: By understanding these classifications, your organization can align more effectively with industry standards, streamline data reporting, and collaborate with others in the field. Review your organization’s classification and see how it impacts your operations and outcomes.
Team Activity: Review the terms in this blog with your staff and/or volunteers. Ask them:
- - Which terms apply to our organization?
- - What challenges or opportunities do you see based on your classification?
- - How do other types of organizations in your community play a role in helping pets and people?
- - What partnerships might be helpful to enhance our organization’s impact?
This blog was written in collaboration with Kristen Hassen at Outcomes for Pets and is powered by Hill’s Pet Nutrition.