: Approximately 4.4 million pets enter U.S. shelters annually. As of 2025, there has been a slight 3% decrease in the number of pets successfully returned to their owners.

: Dogs were domesticated roughly 40,000 years ago as hunting partners. Cats domesticated themselves approximately 12,000 years ago, following the rise of agriculture to hunt rodents in grain stores.

Effective reporting is critical for animal safety and public health. 2025 Annual Data Report - Shelter Animals Count