People love their pets, treat them as family members, and even designate special days to honor them. Monday, August 26^th, was National Dog Day which was started twenty years ago by pet expert and advocate Colleen Paige. As reported, she chose August 26^th as the date since that was when her family adopted her first dog from a local animal shelter when she was ten. In 2002, the International Fund for Animal Welfare helped start International Cat Day which is celebrated on August 8^th to raise awareness about cats and their welfare. Despite this popularity, animal shelters around the U.S. have been experiencing problems with overcrowding. We wanted to note the backstory that led to this circumstance and what a charity donor might do to help address this growing issue.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ASPCA reported that more than 23 million households in the U.S. adopted a pet. That surge in pet ownership, while many were social distancing, emptied out many animal shelters and increased the demand for pet related services from vet visits to pet sitters. Several years later, shelters are seeing that trend reversed. There has been a decline in pet adoptions and some shelters are experiencing overcrowding conditions. According to statistics gathered by Shelter Animals Count, during the first half of this year, 3,118,000 dogs and cats entered shelters and rescues nationwide. While this is actually 5% less than the same period in 2023, only 2.7 million of these dogs and cats had a live outcome. As a result, there is still an increase in the number of animals waiting in shelters. The end result is 322,000 more pets entered the system than left during this period. There are a variety of factors that probably led to this issue including economic conditions in some households, people returning to their offices, and some having less time to care for their pandemic pet adoptions.

To help address this overpopulation issue at shelters, BBB Wise Giving Alliance offers the following tips:

Support your local animal shelters. As there are over 14,000 animal sheltering organizations in the U.S., consider a donation to help support their work, especially when the demands on their resources are greater. Also, consider alternatives to financial support such as volunteering or donating pet food and supplies.

Adopt a shelter dog or cat. If your household is considering adding a dog or cat to the family, visit an animal shelter to find your new companion.

Find out about animal food pantries. Animal food pantries are a growing phenomenon. You can contact them to make a financial or pet food donation. Animal shelters may operate these pantries or can direct you to where you can locate them in your community. If your household has financial challenges, consider accessing their pet food, litter, and other resources to help care for your pet.

Visit Give.org. In addition to charity reports on BBB’s Give.org, check out animal-related charities with your state government’s charity registration agency, usually a division of either the Attorney General’s office or Secretary of State’s office. In Canada, check with the Canada Revenue Agency.  Also, registration with a government agency does not signify a government endorsement or recommendation.

The following are various animal-related charities that meet the 20 BBB Standards for Charity Accountability (i.e., BBB Accredited Charities.)

American Humane

Animal Legal Defense Fund

ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

Friends of Animals

Guide Dog Foundation and America’s VetDogs

Humane Society of the United States

Last Chance for Animals

PetSmart Charities

RedRover