Animal shelters are overrun with stray or owner-surrendered pets this year, leading to spiking post-pandemic euthanasia rates across the country.
Why it matters: Animal intakes at both public and private shelters across the country are expected to reach a 3-year high this year, and adoptions or returns to owners are not keeping pace, according to the Shelter Animals Count database (SAC).
- About 51,000 dogs were euthanized from January to July 2023, a 37% increase from that same period in 2022, according to data submitted by organizations that report to SAC.
What’s happening: More dogs than cats are coming into shelters in many major cities, driven largely by an increase in strays, according to SAC.
- A pause in spay and neuter surgeries during pandemic restrictions is also increasing the animal population in cities like Chicago and San Antonio.
By the numbers: Denver’s city shelter, for example, as of late August had euthanized 866 dogs and cats — the most in at least five years.
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