Pet Adoption Statistics and Animal Shelter Facts for 2025

Although intake numbers are down from their pre-pandemic levels, more cats and dogs remain in shelters than are adopted, adding to the overall population burden in shelters and rescues.

But plenty of Americans want to adopt, and they’re increasingly turning to pet insurance to help cover the cost of ownership and to take good care of their pets.

Using the latest data from Insurify, this article explores pet adoption statistics and how pet insurance can help remove barriers to adoption and ownership.

Key Takeaways

• Americans adopted 4.8 million dogs and cats in 2023, but shelters took in a total of 6.5 million animals that same year.

• The U.S. had 1,507 kill shelters in 2023 and 2,457 no-kill shelters.

• The overall cost of pets is a barrier to adoption, as 43% cite this as a reason for not adopting a pet, and 84% believe vet visits are the most expensive element of pet care.

• The number of pet owners with pet insurance increased from nearly 5 million in 2022 to 5.7 million in 2023.

• Alaska has the highest average annual pet insurance premiums: $630 for cats and $912 for dogs.

• Nationwide, the average annual premium for dogs ($721) is nearly double that of cats ($390).

• Almost all pet owners (92%) with pet insurance say it’s worth it, and 53% of owners without pet insurance also believe it’s worth the cost.

How many pets are adopted each year?

In 2023, Americans adopted fewer pets (4.8 million cats and dogs) than shelters took in (3.2 million dogs and 3.3 million cats), according to the Shelter Animals Count Full Year 2023 Report.

Americans weren’t adopting these animals at the same rate that they were being brought into shelters in 2023 and 2024. Americans adopted fewer pets in the first half of 2024 — 82,000 fewer adoptions, with dog and cat adoptions down 5% and 2%, respectively, according to a mid-year analysis by Shelter Animals Count.

Stephanie Filer, executive director of Shelter Animals Count, cited these reasons for fewer adoptions in a recent interview on NPR:

• Veterinarian care and the cost of pet food have increased.

• People have returned to work post-COVID.

• Apartments have varying pet restrictions.

In addition, fewer people are visiting the shelters, according to Lisa LaFontaine, president and CEO of the Humane Rescue Alliance. In the same interview, she noted that shelters are taking animals to where the people are, conducting off-site adoption events at coffee shops and bookstores to raise awareness of the need for adoptions.

Shelters placed more than 6 million dogs and cats in new homes or returned them to their owner or animal-caring community in 2023. Of all animal intakes, loving homes adopted 61% of pets, and owners reclaimed 9%. Less than a quarter of all animals (23%) were transferred to another facility (12%) or were euthanized or died in shelters (11%), according to the 2023 Annual Analysis from Shelter Animals Count.

Dog adoption statistics

In 2023, 2.9 million dogs were adopted or returned to their owners or communities, with 650,000 returned to their owners. The number of dogs returned to owners in 2023 decreased to 16% compared to 18% in 2019, even though the number of stray dogs taken into shelters increased in that same period, Shelter Animals Count reported.

Nearly 108,000 fewer adoptions occurred in 2023 than in 2019, but adoption represents 56% of all possible outcomes. Americans continue to adopt dogs at five times the rate that dogs die in care or are euthanized, according to the same Shelter Animals Count analysis.

The most common dogs waiting to be adopted are medium-sized adults, but not many senior dogs or dogs weighing over 101 pounds reside in shelters. The lists below, separated by age and size, outline the types of dogs in shelters waiting to be adopted, based on data in the mid-year analysis by Shelter Dogs Count.

Cat adoption statistics

In 2023, 3 million cats were either adopted or returned to their owners or communities. Of those outcomes, Americans adopted 2.6 million cats, which was 34,000 fewer than those adopted in 2022 but 319,000 more than in 2019, according to a recent report from Shelter Animals Count.

Despite this, more cats are entering shelters than are leaving them, with 70,000 cats still waiting in shelters in 2023. The number of cats returned to their owners decreased by 7% compared to 2019. But people continue to adopt cats at six times the rate of cats who were euthanized or died in shelters, Shelter Animals Count reported.

Pet adoptions versus animal shelter intake

Pet adoptions in 2023 haven’t kept pace with the number of animals taken into sheltering organizations. Utilizing pet insurance offers potential adopters a way to cover the costs of maintaining their pets so that more cats and dogs can be adopted.

The capacity crisis in U.S. shelters

Overpopulation has created a capacity crisis in U.S. shelters. Each year, pets are waiting to be adopted, but shelters face barriers when it comes to their ability to keep and care for the animals. The top three barriers rest on a lack of human support, including lack of foster support, staffing, and volunteers, according to a 2023 industry update from the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (AAWA).

If Americans aren’t adopting pets at the same rate animals are entering sheltering organizations, shelters must follow ASPCA care guidelines to adequately support the welfare and needs of the animals. Some animals undergo euthanasia because of a shelter’s inability to care for them due to the size of the current population and the shelter’s resources.

Animal shelter statistics from the first half of 2024 reveal that 322,000 more animals were taken in compared to those that left the system. Even though community intakes were down for the first half of 2024, the existing population grew by 75,000 dogs and 247,000 cats, as reported by the AAWA.

In 2023, 177,000 more cats and dogs remained in shelters compared to 2022 numbers, and more dogs (107,000) were waiting in shelters than cats (70,000). Animals introduced into the system in 2023 were added to an existing population of 900,000 animals that have entered shelters and remained there since 2021, based on reporting by Shelter Animals Count.

Most cats and dogs taken into shelters in 2023 were strays

Dog intakes (3.2 million) increased in 2023 by 3% compared to 2022, but the majority of dogs taken in (46%) were strays. That’s nearly double the percentage of dogs relinquished by their owners (24%) or transferred from other facilities (20%), according to a report by Shelter Animals Count.

The total number of cats (3.3 million) that entered shelters and rescue groups in 2023 represents a decrease of 2.4% compared to 2022, and the number of strays has dropped by 3% compared to 2022. Strays make up nearly half (49%) of all cat intakes, and owner surrenders make up just a quarter (25%) of all intakes, up by 8% (73,000 cats) since 2019, Shelter Animals Count found.

Of the dogs and cats remaining in shelters in 2023, 850,000 of them (330,000 cats and 359,000 dogs) had to be euthanized or died in care. That’s a 15% (112,000 animals) increase from 2022 but a decrease of 16% (156,000 animals) from 2019, as reported by Shelter Animals Count.

In 2023, the number of dogs euthanized or that died in care (78,000) increased by 24%. And dog euthanizations and deaths increased by 64% since 2021. Similarly, cat euthanizations and deaths increased by 8% (34,000) in 2023 compared to 2022. But cat euthanizations and deaths increased by 3% (15,000 cats) compared to 2021, according to Shelter Animals Count reporting.

The number of kill shelters in the U.S.

The U.S. had 3,964 total shelters in 2023 — 1,507 were kill shelters, which means they euthanize animals. But 2,457 (62%) were no-kill, according to the Best Friends Animal Society. No-kill shelters are brick-and-mortar organizations, not including rescues, which are typically foster-based and reach an animal save rate (live placement rate) of 90%.

Beyond shelters, some entire states have a no-kill status, according to data from the Best Friends Animal Society. Best Friends curates and maintains data on shelters across the U.S. with the goal of all shelters being no-kill.

Delaware, New Hampshire, and Vermont retained their no-kill statuses in 2023, and Rhode Island became a new addition to the no-kill list, according to this data. Other states are working to be added to the list, and North Dakota, Montana, Connecticut, and Maine were 200 animals away from being no-kill in 2023.

The cost of pet ownership is a barrier to adoption

Pet care costs are a barrier to adoption for 43% of Americans, according to the Hills’ Pet Nutrition State of the Shelter Pet Adoption report. People who make less than $75,000 per year are most likely to find the cost of ownership to be greater than they had thought and are more likely to surrender their pets.

Households making less than $50,000 cite costs as a barrier, but 56% of this population is likely to have at least one housing restriction as well, Hill’s found. The cost of care factors into fostering pets, too, as 64% say that they would foster animals if they knew the care costs could be covered.

Americans recognize how expensive owning a pet can be, and 84% consider the cost of veterinary care the most expensive aspect of pet ownership. Some (40%) even say they’re more likely to adopt cats, and 62% of those likely to adopt cats believe they are less maintenance, according to the Hill’s report.

Fully understanding the cost of keeping a pet is key for potential adopters. Relying on pet insurance to help mitigate the costs and offer their pets the best care can be a game-changer for current and potential pet owners.

Cat ownership costs less than dog ownership

In the past two years, cats have been less expensive to own than dogs, according to data from the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Cat owner spending has increased in 2024 compared to 2023, but dog owners still spent more. Annually, cat owners spent $1,311 on their pets, while dog owners spent $1,852 per year. Pet owners spent an average of around $1,516 for both 2023 and 2024.

Overall, Americans spent $147 billion in the U.S. pet industry in 2023, according to the Animal Pet Products Association (APPA). And APPA projects Americans will spend $150.6 billion in 2024. For both years, most money went toward pet food and treats, totaling $64.4 billion in 2023. And APPA projects Americans will spend $66.9 billion on pet food and treats in 2024. The second-highest category of spending was vet care and product sales, which APPA projects to grow from $38.3 billion in 2023 to $39.1 billion in 2024.

Vet care is one of the costliest parts of pet ownership

Veterinary care accounts for one-third of pet spending, although that spending has decreased by 4% from 2023 to 2024, based on reporting by AVMA. The overall average cost of a vet visit in 2024 was $147 — $214 for dogs and $138 for cats.

More dog owners visit the vet every year, and they visit more frequently than cat owners. Nearly 75% of dog owners went to the vet in 2024 compared to 58% of cat owners. Out of those visits, 57% of dog owners went twice, while 45% of cat owners visited twice, and 80% of visits related to routine checkups and preventative care, AVMA found.

Average annual spending on vet care was also higher per household for dogs, at $580 in 2024. While that was a 7% decrease from 2023, the average for dogs surpassed the average for cats. The average spending per household for cats was $433 in 2024, which was a 6% increase from 2023, according to AVMA.

Pet insurance can reduce out-of-pocket costs

Pet owners are increasingly turning to pet insurance to meet rising care costs and to give their pets the best options for their healthcare. Nearly 5 million pets were insured in 2022, and the number increased in 2023 to 5.7 million, marking a big leap compared to the 3.1 million pets insured in 2020, based on data from the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA).

The pet insurance industry had a 23.5% increase in policies sold in 2022 as more pet owners took advantage of this resource, NAPHIA found. The number of pets covered by insurance has also increased, growing by 17.1% in 2023, with dogs being insured the most (78.6%) compared to cats (21.4%).

Pet owners favor pet insurance

Nearly all pet owners (92%) who have pet insurance say it’s worth it, while 53% of those who don’t have pet insurance believe it’s worth the cost, according to Experian. Pet insurance may also encourage better healthcare for pets; 50% of owners with pet insurance visit the vet more than once a year, while only 1 in 5 of pet owners without insurance do the same.

Although pet adoptions are decreasing slightly, the number of pets insured is on the rise. People who own pets recognize how pet insurance can help them meet the needs of their pets, help keep care affordable, and give them peace of mind.

Common conditions and claims using pet insurance

Pet insurance can ease the financial burden of multiple pet visits or emergencies. The most common medical conditions that dog owners submitted claims for in 2023 were GI system issues, including diarrhea and vomiting. Skin conditions were the second most common claim. Kidney and bladder problems, ear infections, and allergies rounded out the top five, according to data from NAPHIA.

Similar conditions for cats topped the list of common claims for 2023. The most common claims were for kidney and bladder issues, while conditions with the GI system, such as diarrhea and vomiting, came in second. Respiratory issues, dental disease, and skin conditions made up the rest of the top five, NAPHIA found.

Having pet insurance can offset the care costs related to these common claims. Veterinarians often take X-rays and may need to perform ultrasound scans to diagnose GI issues. X-rays for a dog can cost anywhere from $75 to $500, according to CareCredit, with the average costing $150 to $250. Ultrasounds for dogs are even more expensive, costing an average of $300 to $500.

If a cat needs treatment for a urinary tract infection, CareCredit reports that the initial diagnosis, excluding testing for underlying causes, could cost an average of $200 to $300. And the cat will likely require a follow-up visit at the same cost. Costs for dental cleanings to help prevent or treat dental disease average $315 but can range from $115 to $600.

An emergency visit can prove costly for dog and cat owners, averaging $800 to $1,500, while emergency surgery can add on thousands more dollars.

But when pet owners buy pet insurance, they can choose a deductible and reimbursement amount. Once they’ve met the deductible, the insurance company will reimburse them for the money they paid for their pet’s care based on the reimbursement percentage they chose.

For example, if a pet owner selected coverage with the ASPCA with a $100 deductible and 90% reimbursement for annual coverage of up to $2,500, a $1,000 vet bill would only cost them $190, if they hadn’t met the deductible yet. They’d pay $100 for the deductible, leaving a $900 balance, and then they’d pay 10% ($90) of the remaining $900 since insurance covers 90%.

They would be reimbursed for $810 since that is what their insurance would cover. That $810 then goes toward the annual coverage maximum. In 2023, the top paid-out claim for dogs in North America was $51,133, and the top paid-out claim for cats was $59,470, based on data reported by NAPHIA.

Pet insurance premiums

Breed, age, and physical condition of a pet, as well as the type of coverage a pet owner selects, all play a role in premium pricing. Lemonade has a lower average annual premium ($219 for cats and $395 for dogs) compared to Fetch Pet’s $573 for cats and $1,225 for dogs.

Alaska is the state with the highest average annual premiums, at $630 for cats and $912 for dogs. Montana has the lowest premiums for cats ($222), and Arkansas has the lowest for dogs ($468).

Dogs typically carry a higher average annual premium of $721, which is nearly double that of cats ($390). Some of the most commonly insured dog breeds in the U.S., based on Insurify data, include:

1. Chihuahua: 5.9%

2. Pitbull: 4.9%

3. German shepherd: 3.6%

4. Shih tzu: 3.5%

5. Labrador retriever: 3%

6. Yorkshire terrier: 3%

Breed plays an important role in determining insurance premiums. Among feline breeds, Norwegian forest cats have the lowest average annual premium, at $287. Himalayan cats have the highest premium, at $722, followed by Persian cats, with $690.

Larger dogs have shorter lives and higher risks for health issues, making them more expensive to insure. Miniature labradoodle mixes have the lowest average annual premium ($358). Mastiff breeds have the highest, with $1,331, followed by Bernese mountain dogs ($1,217) and shar-peis ($1,217).

The evolution of pet ownership and adoption

AVMA data shows that nearly half (45.5% or 59.8 million) of U.S. households own dogs and 32.1% (42.2 million) own cats, reflecting how pet ownership has become an integral part of family life for all generations. Millennials make up nearly a third of all pet owners, Gen X represents more than a quarter of pet owners, and baby boomers are just under a quarter of all owners, according to APPA.

Gen Z makes up just 16% of pet owners, but the American Pet Products Association (APPA) expects that Gen Z pet ownership will only grow as they begin to enter adulthood. During COVID, Gen Z already showed some growth, as that generation, along with millennials, experienced the largest increase in ownership.

Nearly all owners (97%) see their pets as family members. Pets enjoy an elevated status in 51% of families who go so far as to equate their pets to human family members, according to Pew Research Center. Women (57%) are more likely than men to share this perspective, as are lower-income households (57%) and owners in urban areas (61%).

Baby boomers and Gen X tend to recognize the social and emotional benefits of pets the most, based on recent APPA reporting. While only 24% of respondents to a Hill’s Pet Nutrition survey would adopt a 55-pound-plus dog, Gen Z was the most likely to do so (37%) out of all age groups.

Adopt with confidence with pet insurance

One of the first steps to adoption is making sure it’s affordable. Since vet bills, both unexpected and planned, can be the most costly aspect of pet ownership, pet owners should research insurance plans. Insurify allows pet parents to quickly and easily compare pet insurance quotes.

Methodology and sources

Statistics and information on this page are from Insurify’s data scientists, who examined more than 174,500 pet insurance quotes for 2024, the North American Pet Health Insurance Association (NAPHIA), Shelter Animals Count, NPR, the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement, the Association of Shelter Veterinarians’ Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters, Best Friends, Hill’s Pet Nutrition, American Veterinary Medical Association, American Pet Products Association, Experian, Merck Veterinary Manual, Care Credit, ASPCA Pet Health Insurance, Pet Food Processing, and Pew Research Center.