U.S. Animal Shelter Statistics

The Issue

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Animals, especially dogs, are staying in shelters longer than they were five years ago. This creates a surplus of animals, and many shelters across the country are at capacity.

2025 Animal Shelter Statistics*

5.8 million dogs and cats entered U. S. shelters and rescues in 2025 — 2.8 million dogs and 3 million cats.
The length of time dogs, especially large dogs, are staying in shelters before being adopted has increased in the past five years, adding strain to a shelter system that was already stretched thin. This extended length of time in shelters contributes to the ongoing capacity crisis, limiting space for new animals.
4.2 million shelter animals were adopted into loving homes in 2025. Unfortunately, not enough animals were adopted to significantly reduce the number of dogs and cats in shelters nationwide.
Approximately 597,000 animals were euthanized in shelters in 2025, decreasing by nearly 7% for dogs and 2% for cats compared to 2024. Euthanasia rates have dropped from 10% in 2019 to 8% in 2025.
Approximately 2 million dogs were adopted in 2025, 542,000 were returned to their owner, 320,000 were euthanized and 530,000 were transferred to other organizations.
Approximately 2.2 million cats were adopted in 2025, 362,000 were returned to their owner or the field, 277,000 were euthanized and 376,000 were transferred to other organizations.

Animal Shelter Stats FAQs

Are there more animals in shelters now compared to previous years?: While the number of animals entering shelters has declined slightly, many shelters still have too many animals and not enough outcomes. Shelters also face additional challenges including staffing and veterinarian shortages and an increasing proportion of animals with greater medical and behavioral needs.
Are animals staying in shelters longer?: Despite a small decline in overall intake, shelters continue to report longer lengths of stay, especially for large dogs. However, 2025 did bring incremental improvements: median days to adoption decreased across government shelters, shelters with municipal contracts and private shelters.
Where do most animals in shelters come from?: Most animals entering shelters in 2025 continued to come in as strays (59%), followed by pets surrendered by their owners (30%). These patterns are consistent with prior years and reflect ongoing challenges in keeping pets with their families, especially when communities lack access to veterinary care, pet-friendly housing or behavioral support.
Are fewer people adopting shelter animals?

Adoption numbers increased slightly above 2024 levels with 4.2 million dogs and cats finding new homes. Seasonal adoption patterns (higher in spring/summer, lower in winter) mirrored prior years and demonstrated ongoing public interest in shelter adoption.

How is the ASPCA helping animal shelters and rescues across the country?

The ASPCA is proud to partner with hundreds of shelters and rescues across the country to help homeless dogs and cats through animal relocation, professional training, sharing vital resources, grant funding and legislative advocacy. We ask the public to further support their local shelters and rescues by adopting, fostering, volunteering and urging their elected officials to adequately fund this vital public service.

Many shelters across the country are seeing increasing proportions of animals with medical and behavioral challenges who require more intensive resources and support. The ASPCA is pioneering animal behavioral programs and enabling more shelters and rescues to treat behaviorally-challenged animals to give them the best chance of finding a loving home. We also work directly with shelters to improve the health and welfare of homeless animals by strengthening local shelter medicine programs and providing remote and on-site consultations. We support veterinary and veterinary technician students committed to building careers in animal welfare through the ASPCA Veterinary Scholarship Program, and our other training programs equip animal behavior, shelter and veterinary professionals with the tools, practices and guidance they need to give animals the best chances to live happy, healthy lives in loving homes. Read more about our collaborations with shelters.

Why Collecting Animal Shelter Data Matters

Over the past decade, and thanks to the thousands of organizations that consistently report to Shelter Animals Count, the sheltering field has the most comprehensive dataset ever assembled. With 2025 marking 10 years of national sheltering data collection by Shelter Animals Count, the insights gained from long-term trends give communities a clearer understanding of where needs are greatest, when challenges are most likely to arise and which animal populations require more focused support.

This level of visibility allows communities to move from broad efforts to more targeted, data-informed strategies, expanding access to pet support services in areas with higher intake pressure, strengthening intervention programs that address the most common pathways into shelters and mobilizing fosters and adopters at the times they are needed most. It also helps organizations prioritize resources for populations that consistently face greater challenges, such as large dogs, neonatal kittens and older cats.

Together, these insights create opportunities to:

Expand access to pet support services
Strengthen intervention programs that keep pets out of shelters
Rally fosters and adopters to reduce shelter crowding
Target resources toward high-need populations (large dogs, neonatal kittens, older cats)

The ASPCA operates specialized programs to support animal shelters in communities nationwide and to keep pets in loving homes while assisting the most vulnerable animals in need.

“Keeping pets in loving homes, removing barriers to adoption and helping lost pets return to their families are some of the most effective ways to support animals and reduce pressure on shelters that are already operating at or beyond capacity,” said Matt Bershadker, ASPCA president and CEO. “By investing in resources that help people care for and keep their pets — and supporting shelters nationwide — we can improve outcomes for animals while strengthening the bond between pets and the families who love them.”

Shelter Animals Count — a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to collecting, analyzing and sharing animal sheltering data — joined the ASPCA in 2025 through an acquisition that ensures the long-term continuation of a collaborative, accessible and transparent national data collection effort that positively impacts animals and communities nationwide. This partnership-driven acquisition preserves and strengthens Shelter Animals Count, the animal welfare field’s most trusted source of objective, credible sheltering information for animal welfare professionals, policymakers and community partners.

Members of the media requesting information on national animal sheltering trends should contact the ASPCA Media & Communications team.

For all other inquiries, please email [email protected].

*These figures come from the latest 2025 data compiled by Shelter Animals Count, who joined the ASPCA in 2025 to ensure the long-term continuation of a collaborative, accessible and transparent national data collection effort that positively impacts animals and communities nationwide. These are national estimates based on full-year data obtained from shelters and rescues; the figures may vary from state to state.