Pet Homelessness Facts
The scope of the pet homelessness problem in the United States and around the world is staggering. The problem is complex and has many overlapping and related factors contributing, such as a lack of public education about animals, a lack of affordable veterinary and dog training services, inflation, and a lack of pet friendly housing. If this problem concerns you, please get involved by donating, volunteering, or sharing on social media.
Almost 1 in 4
dog owners in the US are thinking of rehoming their pet in the next 12 months, and 1 in 5 of them state it is due to behavioral problems (Source: State of Pet Homelessness Project United States Report)
45,330,000
out of 231.8 million cats and dogs in the United States are homeless (20% of total population)(Source: State of Pet Homelessness Project United States Report)
6,763
animals entered the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter in the 2022-2023 fiscal year (Source: Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter Annual Report 22-23)
6,550,000
dogs and cats entered shelters and rescues nationwide in 2023 (Source: Shelter Animals Count 2023 Annual Analysis)
900,000
animals have entered and lingered in our nation’s shelters and rescues since January 2021. This surplus is on top of the population already residing within organizations, resulting in an ongoing capacity crisis (Source: Shelter Animals Count 2023 Annual Analysis)
50%
of dog/cat intake at the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter in fiscal year 22-23 were strays (Source: Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter Annual Report 22-23)