3-4 Million animals are euthanized every year in shelters throughout the United States - that's half of the total number of animals that enter shelters each year.  This figure clearly indicates that in the US there are too many pets and not enough good homes for them.

The pet overpopulation problem is the result of several inter-related factors:

• Reproduction by stray and feral (wild) cats and dogs
• Intentional or unintentional breeding of pets by families
• The breeding of animals for business: breeders and industries such as puppy mills and pet stores that sell pets for profit.

Below are some simple and effective ways that you can take action to help reduce pet overpopulation in the United States. 

Adopting a new cat or dog

• Do your research first:  Many cats and dogs that end up as strays or in shelters are the result of hasty and uniformed decisions made by families who are not equipped to care for these animals.  Before you choose to adopt a new pet, make sure that you and everyone in your household agrees with the decision and is prepared to spend the time, effort, and money that is required to properly take care of a cat or dog.  Also consider factors such as other household pets, potential allergies to cats and dogs, rental restrictions on owning pets, and the space available to house pets.  When selecting your pet decide on a cat or dog that is an appropriate fit for your family, taking into consideration qualities such age, breed, size, and temperament.
• Adopt from an animal shelter or rescue group: There are so many companion animals at shelters right now just waiting to find a good home.  Adopting your cat or dog from a shelter will not only benefit you and your new pet, but will also support the shelter and enable them to rescue even more animals.  If you are looking for a specific breed of dog or cat, call your local shelter and ask- statistics indicate that nearly one-third of animals in shelters are purebreds.  You can also check with breed specific rescue organizations.
• Don't support pet stores and breeders: These “pet-for-profit” industries only contribute to the pet overpopulation problem by breeding and selling even more animals in addition to the millions already in need of homes.  What's more, pet stores often buy their animals from the horrendous puppy mill industry, a business that is little more than an animal-producing factory.     Puppies bred at puppy mills are often kept in terrible conditions and many suffer from serious health and behavioral problems that affect them long after they are adopted.

Taking care of your pets

• Spay or neuter your cats and dogs: Make sure that all of your companion animals are spayed (females) or neutered (males).  This is a simple procedure that benefits both you and your companion animals.  Cats and dogs who have been spayed and neutered typically live longer, healthier lives than those who have not, and they are generally more affectionate and less temperamental and likely to run away.
• Don't breed your pets: Breeding your own cat or dog only adds to the pet overpopulation problem.  While millions of cats and dogs in shelters across the US are waiting for homes, or worse, are euthanized due to overcrowding, it simply does not make sense to breed even more animals.
• If you have to give up your pet: If you are no longer able to care for your pet, take the appropriate steps to ensure that he or she finds a good new home.  Never release your cat or dog into the wild, as they are generally not able to fend for themselves.  Contact your local animal shelter for information on surrendering pets.

Feral Cats

• Feral cats are the offspring of domestic cats that have been released or escaped and have become wild.  They live in colonies and the adults are generally not adoptable and are not friendly to people.  There are ten's of millions of feral cats in the United States and not surprisingly, the majority of cats born in the US are born into feral cat colonies.  If left unchecked, feral cats have the ability to breed exponentially.
• Research has shown that the most effective way to successfully reduce feral cat numbers is through Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs whereby feral cats are trapped, brought to a veterinarian or shelter to be spayed or neutered, and then returned to their colonies.  There are many shelters and organizations around the US running successful TNR programs, and they are always in need of volunteers.   For more information, or if you see a feral cat or colony, contact your local shelter or veterinarian to ask about TNR programs near you and how you can become involved. 

Interesting Links

Pet and stray overpopulation problems aren't just a problem in the US - throughout the world there are billions of stray cats and dogs that need our help.

Read about WSPA's work for stray animals internationally >>