KANAB, Utah, June 30, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Best
Friends Animal Society has released its 2020 pet lifesaving
findings, which gives a national overview of the number of dogs and
cats that enter shelters each year in the
United States, and the number of dogs and cats that are
leaving those shelters alive. The year-over-year data shows that
the number of dogs and cats killed annually nationally has dropped
from about 733,000 to 625,000 (or about 1,700 killed per day).
In addition, this year, Best Friends released an inaugural
state-by-state ranking that shows where the most dogs and cats need
to be saved, and where the most dogs and cats are being killed.
The top five states where the most pets need to be saved are
California, Texas, North
Carolina, Florida and
Louisiana, who together make up
more than 50% of the nation's shelter killing of dogs and cats.
While the top five states with the smallest number of pets being
killed are Vermont, Rhode Island, North
Dakota, New Hampshire and
Delaware, which has once again
reached no-kill status in the state (a state is considered to be
no-kill when every brick-and-mortar shelter serving and/or located
within the state has a save rate of 90% or higher).
More highlights from the findings are listed below.
Over the past three years, Best Friends has spearheaded a
first-of-its-kind extensive data collection process that involved
coordinated outreach to every shelter in America followed by
additional research, data analysis, and technology development. To
create the most comprehensive data set on animal welfare ever
published, Best Friends collected data directly from shelters,
state and local coalitions, government websites, and even FOIA
requests. The Best Friends 2020 dataset (consisting of statistics
collected during 2019) of U.S. shelters has a total net intake of
5,360,060 animals representing 4,850 known shelters. Of this intake
total, 92% of the data is based on collected information from 3,608
brick and mortar shelters. The remaining 8% is estimated to cover
the uncollected shelters and their respective counties.
"We are seeing continued momentum and progress towards the goal
of ending the killing of dogs and cats in U.S. shelters by the year
2025, with the overall number of pets being killed in the U.S.
continuing to go down and the number of shelters that are no-kill
going up," said Julie Castle, chief
executive officer, Best Friends Animal Society.
Castle continued, "For the past several years, Best Friends and
progressive shelters nationwide have been changing the way they do
business and the way they relate to their communities: simplifying
adoption policies and requirements; building out community pet
fostering programs; implementing trap, neuter, return (TNR)
programs for community cats; passing more pet-friendly legislation
to combat the retail sale of puppy mill dogs and breed
discrimination; advocating for more pet-inclusive housing, and
removing barriers for the public to help pets with the use of
technology. And it is making a difference."
Notable highlights from the findings include:
-- Across the U.S., about 5.4 million dogs and cats entered
shelters in 2019, and 4.2 million were saved making the national
save rate 79.02% (2018 was 76.6%)
-- There are more than 2,000 no-kill shelters nationwide (up 15%
from 2018), which means that 44% of the nation's shelters are now
no-kill
-- Despite continued progress, just 35% of communities around the
country are considered no-kill (up from 28 percent in 2018)
-- Of the total number of pets killed, 30.9% are dogs and 69.1% are
cats (2018 was 32.9% dogs and 67.1% cats)
-- While dog intakes are nearly 10% higher than cats, more than 2
cats are now being killed for every 1 dog
-- Cats are in trouble – due to outdated laws and ordinances and
road blocks preventing communities from implementing effective
trap-neuter-return programs that are proven to save lives and
reduce the free-roaming cat population.
-- There's trouble in paradise in Hawaii – this state has the lowest save rate
percentage of any other state in the country (most of the killing
is of cats) at 51.98%
-- The top 14 states who killed the most dogs and cats in 2019 were
CA, TX, NC, FL, LA, GA, AL, OK, HI, MI, VA, KY, AR, IL (2018 was
TX, CA, NC, FL, GA, AL, LA, MI, SC, IL, KY, VA, HI, TN)
-- The top 14 states make up more than 75% of the nation's killing
of dogs and cats
"Best Friends has always believed that anyone can help homeless
pets. You don't need a rescue label, special credentials or
permission to help save animals. Individual community members are
the no-kill movement's greatest resource. Putting this data
directly into the hands of the public allows individual community
members and advocates like the members of our 2025 Action Team to
gain a better understanding of exactly which shelters and types of
pets are most in need of help and helps to connect them to those
shelters," Castle added.
To view the 2020 lifesaving findings, visit bestfriends.org.
About Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society is a leading national animal welfare
organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in
America's shelters. In addition to running lifesaving programs in
partnership with more than 3,100 animal welfare groups across the
country, Best Friends has lifesaving centers in New York City, Los
Angeles, Atlanta and
Salt Lake City, and operates the
nation's largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals. Founded
in 1984, Best Friends is a pioneer in the no-kill movement and has
helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters nationwide
from an estimated 17 million per year to around 625,000. That means
there are still about 1,700 dogs and cats killed every day in
shelters, just because they don't have safe places to call home. We
are determined to bring the country to no-kill by the year 2025.
Working collaboratively with shelters, rescue groups, other
organizations and you, we will end the killing and Save Them All.
To check out our community lifesaving dashboard and for more
information, visit bestfriends.org.
Join the conversation on Facebook.com/bestfriendsanimalsociety,
Twitter (@BestFriends) and Instagram
(@BestFriendsAnimalSociety).
SOURCE Best Friends Animal Society