Paws Unlimited - News & Information

12/07/2007 - We have purchased a plot of land for our shelter in Kingston, New York. The site has been excavated, and footings have been put in for the foundation slab. Additional construction is planned for Spring 2008.

Click here to view an article that appeared in the The Journal News (August 24, 2006).

Why Spay/Neuter

Micky

What you should know: One cat and her offspring can produce 370,092 cats in seven years. One dog and her offspring can produce 67,000 puppies in six years. Every day in the U.S., more than 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. As many as 17 million dogs and cats are killed each year in the U.S. because there are no homes for them.

What you can do

-	Spay or neuter your companion animal!

-	Sponsor a spay or neuter for your friend’s or relative’s companion animal.

Every day across the United States, volunteers and staff in animal shelters and animal control facilities see the results of irresponsible pet ownership and dog and cat overpopulation. However, there is little reliable data available to tabulate trends and patterns nationwide.

The following figures were gleaned from independent studies and estimates by experts in the animal welfare and related fields. These should be considered ballpark figures only. Most of the studies are national and there is tremendous variation by region.

There are about 5,000 community animal shelters nationwide that are independent; there is no national organization monitoring these shelters. The phrases “humane society” and “SPCA” are generic terms; shelters using those names are not part of the Humane Society of the United States or the ASPCA. Currently, no government institution or animal organization is responsible for tabulating national statistics for the animal protection movement.

Animal Shelters

-	Approximately 8-12 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, and approximately 5-9 million are euthanized (60% of dogs and 70% of cats). Shelter intakes are about evenly divided between those relinquished by owners and those picked up by animal control. These are national estimates; the percentage of euthanasia may vary from state to state.

-	Less than 2% of cats and only 15-20% of dogs are returned to their owners. Most of these were identified with tags, tattoos or microchips.

-	Twenty-five percent of dogs that enter local shelters are purebred.

-	Only 10% of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered. Seventy-five percent of owned pets are neutered.

Pet Overpopulation

-	The average number of litters a fertile cat produces is 1-2 per year; the average number of kittens per litter is 4-6.

-	The average number of litters a fertile dog produces is 1 per year; the average number of puppies per litter is 4-6.

-	It is impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live in the U.S.; estimates for cats alone range up to 70 million.

-	Owned cats and dogs generally live longer, healthier lives than strays.

-	Many strays are lost pets that were not kept properly indoors or provided with identification.

Pet Ownership

-	About 60% of all households in the United States have a pet.

-	About 60 million dogs and about 75 million cats are owned in the United States.

-	About 65% of pet owners acquire their pets free or at low cost. The majority of pets are obtained from acquaintances and family members. Fifteen to 20% of dogs are purchased from breeders, 10-20% of cats and dogs are adopted from shelters and rescues, and 2-10% are purchased from pet shops.

-	At least 20% of cats are acquired as strays.

-	Over 20% of people who leave dogs in shelters adopted them from a shelter.

-	The cost of spaying or neutering a pet is less than the cost of raising puppies or kittens for one year.

-	The average cost of basic food, supplies, medical care and training for a dog or cat is $400 to $700 annually.

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