How many dogs and cats are euthanized each year?

Around 2.7 million dogs and cats are euthanized every year in the United States, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA). This figure represents 1.4 million cats and 1.2 million dogs.

It is estimated that 31 percent of dogs and 41 percent of cats entering shelters in the United States are ultimately euthanized. Around 7.6 million dogs and cats enter shelters each year; this number includes 3.4 million cats and 3.9 million dogs. Dogs entering shelters are adopted at a rate of around 35 percent, while 37 percent of shelter cats are adopted annually, according to the ASPCA.