Canine And Feline National Survey Statistics

By Nan Talleno

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Here are several statistics compiled from the American Pet Products Association, 2011-2012 National Pet Owners Survey as listed on the Humane Society of the US website.

There are approximately 78.2 million companion dogs in the US. Thirty-nine percent of homes have at least one dog. Most people, at sixty percent, live with only one dog, twenty-eight percent live with two dogs and twelve percent reside with three dogs or more. On the average, most people have two dogs. Twenty-one percent were adopted from a shelter. Seventy-eight percent of dogs were spayed and neutered.

There are approximately 86.4 million companion cats in the United States and thirty-three percent of people reside with at least one cat. Fifty two percent live with more than one but on the average many people live with two cats. Twenty-one percent were adopted from a shelter. Eighty-eight percent of cats were spayed or neutered.

The Humane Society of the US estimates the number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year is six to eight million and tragically, the estimated number of cats and dogs euthanized in shelters each year is three to four million. The estimated number of cats and dogs reclaimed by owners from shelters each year is thirty percent of dogs and only two to five percent of cats.