How many things do you know about animal rescue shelter animals?

1. A shelter animal dies every 16 seconds

It is estimated that 1 animal is euthanized every 16 seconds…of every minute…every hour…all day long.  That amounts to almost 4 million animals each year.  By contrast it takes about 16 seconds for your Kuerig to brew you a cup of coffee, about 32 seconds for the average stop light cycle, and about 2 minutes for you to brush your teeth daily.  Puts things in perspective doesn’t it?

2. Taxpayers waste $2 billion (or 2 thousand million) every year while euthanizing animals in animal rescue shelters

The annual cost to taxpayers is around $2 billion dollars to capture, shelter, euthanize and dispose of these animals.  The average cost of one B-2 bomber is $2 billion.  If you sat down to count from one to one billion, you would be counting for 95 years.  A billion minutes ago our ancestors were in the stone age.

3. Around 25% of dogs in animal rescue shelters are “pure bred” dogs

According to estimates by the Humane Society of the United States, 1 in 4 animal rescue dogs for adoption in a shelter are pure bred dogs.  These are not your typical “strays” that roam the streets but owner surrenders from people that purchased originally from a breeder and then wanted to get rid of the animal.

4. Owner surrenders account for more than 30% of animal rescue shelter animals

There are many reasons why people need to give up their pet.  But dropping them off at a shelter isn’t the only answer.  Re-homing programs like the one run by www.adoptapet.org are much better options.  Find your pet a new owner to care for them.

5. Euthanization rate by breed varies from state to state

Many people do not realize that Chihuahuas for example are the #1 breed euthanized in the Southwestern U.S. (California, Arizona, New Mexico).  Yet these breeds are difficult if not impossible to find in the New England states.  Why?  Do people in New England not want Chis?  The truth is that it’s a logistics and distribution problem, not just an overpopulation problem and animal rescue volunteers like drivers, pilots, and truckers volunteer their time and vehicles weekly to move these animals safely to forever homes.

6. Animal rescue is not just for dogs and cats.

Horses, Rabbits, Birds, Goats, Rats, Snakes and all other types of animals are at shelters and in animal rescues across the country.  While rescue dogs and cats are typically the most frequently adopted animals from a shelter, animal rescue shelters are home to a wide variety of animals from the common ones like guinea pigs and rabbits to the less common ones like chinchillas or rats.

Got a fact that we missed?  Tell us!