demographics of people who donate to animal shelteres

by Brandy Gleichner 9 min read

The most promising demographics to target for new donations are people aged 55 and up and people with incomes of at least $50,000. These groups had the largest proportions of “potential donors”—people who have donated money in the past year (and therefore can afford to) but have not supported an animal charity.

Full Answer

What percentage of shelter animals are adopted?

Approximately 4.1 million shelter animals are adopted each year (2 million dogs and 2.1 million cats). About 810,000 animals who enter shelters as strays are returned to their owners. Of those, 710,000 are dogs and 100,000 are cats. These estimates are based in part on Shelter Animals Count data and other known and estimated sources, 2019.

How to donate to animal shelters?

Feb 27, 2019 · When presented with a range of charity options in a hypothetical donation scenario, the percentage of people who donated to companion animal charities was about the same (85%), but the number of people who donated to other animal causes increased dramatically: 52% donated part of the money to charities for wildlife or endangered species; …

Are there enough animal shelters in the US to take care?

At the center of Best Friends is more than 20,000 acres of sanctuary on which 1,600+ animals are able to live, heal, and find love. More than 30,000 people visit the Best Friends Sanctuary annually, many of whom choose to adopt an animal they meet. In …

What percentage of animals are left in shelters from friends?

Dec 31, 2021 · 37. Statistics on charitable giving demographics show that Americans from the Silent Generation give money to charity more often than any other generation. About 30% of Americans over 75 have donated money online in the past year. Plus, the trends in charitable giving show that people from this generation give on average 25% more often than the rest.

Who is the target audience for animal shelters?

TARGET AUDIENCE: Primary: “Fence Sitters.” These are the individuals who want to acquire a pet within the next year but remain undecided on where they will go. Secondary: “Shelter Pet Parents.” Those who have previously adopted shelter pets.

Who donates the most to animal charities?

Table 4. What Predicts Donating Time and/or Goods to Animal Causes? Demographics: On average, younger people and women were more likely to contribute goods and time to animal-related charities than are older people and men.Jul 17, 2019

Why do people donate to animals?

Animal shelters need food, bedding and other supplies. Many need veterinarian care, medical assistance and spaying/neutering. Your donations will help provide the care abandoned animals need until a suitable home is found for them.Nov 12, 2018

What percentage of donations go to the animals Aspca?

What percentage of my donation goes to the animals? Based on our latest available financial data, approximately 77 cents of every dollar we spend advances the ASPCA's mission through lifesaving programs and services around the country. More information on how donations are put to work can be found here.

What is the most effective animal charity?

The Top 15 Best Animal Charities in 2021Best Friends Animal Society.ASPCA.Animal Welfare Institute.Brother Wolf Animal Rescue.International Fund for Animal Welfare.Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.Alley Cat Allies.The Marine Mammal Center.More items...•Jun 16, 2021

What does the CEO of ASPCA make?

about $770,000Just look at the ASPCA. According to the newly released tax returns, ASPCA CEO Matthew Bershadker received about $770,000 in compensation in 2018. According to a Charity Navigator study, the average nonprofit CEO's pay is $123,000. This means Bershadker's pay is more than 6 times the average nonprofit CEO.Mar 13, 2020

Do animal charities get more money?

Although animal charities receive less money than charities that help humans, animal causes are clearly important to many people.Nov 19, 2015

Why should you help animal shelters?

Animal shelters play a vital role in our communities as they continuously work to reunite pets with their owners, shelter those in need and find new homes for animals that are lost, without a permanent home or for those animals that, for our own security, shouldn't be roaming our streets.Nov 25, 2019

What percentage do charities have to give?

The remaining income is usually divided across administrative and operational costs, which are crucial to ensuring that charities are successful in their cause. We appreciate that 26-87% is quite a range, so let's try to narrow it down. A study by FactCheck calculates that this is more likely between 60-70%.Jun 12, 2019

How much of PETA donations go to animals?

PETA is a leader among nonprofits with regard to the efficient use of funds. PETA undergoes an independent financial audit each year. In fiscal year 2020, over 82 percent of our funding went directly to programs to help animals.

How much does the CEO of PETA make?

Our president, Ingrid Newkirk, earned $37,142 during the past fiscal year. The financial statement shown here is for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2021, and is based on our independently audited financial statements.

Does the ASPCA actually help animals?

The ASPCA kills animals. It's one thing for a local pet shelter to put down dogs and cats due to overcrowding and limited resources. It's tragic, but most people understand. However, it's harder to justify for a group as wealth and influential as the ASPCA.

Why are there so many stray cats?

Overpopulation is the number one reason for stray or abandoned animals—only 2% of stray cats are neutered or spayed. Public opinion also plays a ro...

How many animals are abused each year?

It’s estimated that around one million animals are abused every year. 250,000 alone are victims of animal hoarding. Animal abuse statistics report...

Do animal shelters need volunteers?

Volunteers are always needed, especially in nonprofit rescue organizations. If you’re 16 or over and wondering how to help animal shelters, volunte...

How long do animals stay in shelters before being put down?

As a rule, animal shelters wait at least 72 hours from when an animal is brought in before euthanizing it.

How many animals die in shelters each year?

For dogs, pit bulls take the lead. Almost 93% of the pit bulls that enter animal shelters are killed. They’re also the hardest to find homes for, a...

What are some interesting facts about animal shelters?

Facts about U.S. Animal Shelters: 1 Approximately 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.3 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats. We estimate that the number of dogs and cats entering U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 7.2 million in 2011. The biggest decline was in dogs (from 3.9 million to 3.3 million). 2 Each year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized (670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats). The number of dogs and cats euthanized in U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 2.6 million in 2011. This decline can be partially explained by an increase in the percentage of animals adopted and an increase in the number of stray animals successfully returned to their owners. 3 Approximately 3.2 million shelter animals are adopted each year (1.6 million dogs and 1.6 million cats). 4 About 710,000 animals who enter shelters as strays are returned to their owners. Of those, 620,000 are dogs and only 90,000 are cats.

How many dogs were euthanized in 2011?

The number of dogs and cats euthanized in U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 2.6 million in 2011. This decline can be partially explained by an increase in the percentage of animals adopted and an increase in the number of stray animals successfully returned to their owners.

Why do people rehome their pets?

According to the ASPCA’s National Rehoming Survey, pet problems are the most common reason that owners rehome their pet, accounting for 47% of rehomed dogs and 42% of rehomed cats. Pet problems were defined as problematic behaviors, aggressive behaviors, grew larger than expected, or health problems owner couldn’t handle.

How many dogs are adopted from shelters?

23% of pet dogs, or about 17.9 million, were adopted from a shelter. 48% of shelter dogs are adopted. 36% of Americans who choose to rehome their dog take it to a shelter. 22% of shelter dogs are euthanized. 15-20% of shelter dogs are reunited with an owner. 25% of dogs in shelters are purebred.

What is an animal shelter?

Report Highlights. An animal shelter is a non-profit organization, public or private, that houses and rehabilitates domestic animals. The number of animals entering shelters has decreased in recent decades. While some of the decrease may be due to budget cuts, experts mainly credit public opinion and improved practices, such as population control through sterilization.

How many animals are euthanized in shelters?

U.S. shelters take in over 6 million animals every year. About half of shelter animals are adopted. As many as 40% are euthanized, often due to lack of space and funding. In surveys, most people drastically underestimate the number of animals killed in shelters each year.

Who founded the first animal shelter?

The First Animal Shelters. Animal shelters in the modern sense have existed in the United States for over 150 years. The very first was founded by thirty women from Pennsylvania and New Jersey, spearheaded by Caroline Earle White. The organization still exists today under the name Women’s Animal Center.

What is the most abandoned animal in the world?

Dogs and cats are 50% more likely to be adopted than other shelter animals. After dogs and cats, rabbits are the most-abandoned animals.

How many dogs were euthanized in 1973?

More animal specialists have come to recognize the value of record-keeping and statistical analysis. In 1973, shelters took in over 20 million dogs and cats; at that time, it wasn’t uncommon for 90% of shelter animals to be euthanized. By 2020, shelter intake nationwide was down 68%.

Is the number of dogs entering shelters declining?

The number of dogs entering shelters is declining at a faster rate than it is for cats. Dog owners are less likely to get their animal from a shelter than cat owners. Some dog breeds are at greater risk than others for euthanasia or long-term shelter stays. For example, smaller dogs are more likely to be adopted and have shorter shelter stays than larger dogs.

Background

This study was driven by a desire to increase the number and size of donations to animal causes. Our eventual goal is to conduct one or more experiments to directly test methods of increasing donations, but we first need a strong foundation of data about current donors and donation patterns.

Report Contents

On the Full Report tab, the first half of the report describes donor characteristics: basic and additional demographics of people who donate to animal causes, diet, animal guardianship, and animal-related hobbies.

Key Findings

Most animal-cause donors give to companion animal charities, often exclusively. We were not surprised to find that 82% of respondents had given money to companion animal charities. In addition, two thirds of those donors had not given money to any other type of animal charity.

Future Analyses

This report covers the weighted descriptive results and qualitative findings from this large dataset. Upcoming releases will include:

How many dogs will be in shelters in 2020?

While in 2020 the number of pets entering shelters declined, estimates from previous years suggested that nearly 7 million cats and dogs enter shelters annually. Nearly half of animal intakes are euthanized or die in shelters each year. 2 million are adopted from shelters. 710,000 are returned to their owners.

How many people adopted dogs in 2020?

12% adopted a dog from a shelter/rescue/welfare organization. 8% indicated they had become a first-time pet owner. Other statistics from 2020: During the pandemic in 2020, between 5% and 6% of Americans delayed getting a pet.

How much does animal control cost?

The amount spent by humane organizations each year exceeds $3 billion, and animal control organizations spend between $800 million to $1 billion annually. In 2019/2020, the most popular pet in the United States were dogs and cats, with 96% of pet owners keeping dogs or cats (or both) in the home.

How much does it cost to adopt a dog?

A purebred dog purchased from a breeder can cost you anywhere from $500.00 to $15,000. Adoption fees for shelter animals are much lower in comparison.

Where to meet a puppy?

Insist on meeting the dog or puppy in the home or kennel where they were born and have been raised, and if possible ask to meet the parents. If the mother of the puppies is not present, or the dog being presented as their mother is not interacting with the puppies– the puppy was likely not bred there.

Can dogs have eye contact?

It’s been demonstrated that interactions, especially eye contact, between humans and their dogs can elicit similar oxytocin-positive feedback loops as occur between mothers and infants, decreasing cortisol levels in dog owners. In humans, oxytocin can regulate human emotional and social responses, including positive communication, empathy, trust, and maintaining bonds.

What is animal equality?

What Animal Equality Does: Animal Equality is an international organization dedicated to improving the lives and treatment of farm animals. Opposed to large factory farms, Animal Equality advocates for smaller, family-run farms in the United States, United Kingdom, Mexico, Germany, Spain, Italy, Brazil, and India.

What does Hearts United for Animals do?

What Hearts United for Animals Does: Hearts United for Animals believes that all dogs deserve to live happily and healthily with people who love them. To fulfill this belief, Hearts United for Animals runs a massive no-kill animal shelter and sanctuary that takes in pets in need from all over the United States. Dogs receive required medical care before being placed for adoption. Dogs who are unable to be placed due to health or behavioral issues are allowed to live out their lives at the Hearts United for Animals Sanctuary. Additionally, this worthy organization has:

What does Alley Cat Allies do?

Alley Cat Allies is a national organization working to decrease these heartbreaking numbers through a series of programs. One of the Allies’ most successful initiatives is Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR), through which community cats are humanely trapped, neutered, vaccinated, and returned outdoors to live out their lives (without creating new ones!). Alley Cat Allies works with shelters and rescue groups across the country to facilitate the humane treatment and rescue of cats however possible .

What is the American Wild Horse Campaign?

The American Wild Horse Campaign (AWHC) is a non-profit organization that works toward the goal of protecting America’s wild horses and burros “by stopping the federal government’s systematic elimination of these national icons from our public lands.”.

Is Flying Fur a 501c3?

Last year, Steklenski spent nearly $10,000 of his own money to transport animals in need. Flying Fur Animal Rescue, an IRS recognized 501 (c) (c3) organization, is in constant need of funding and donations. Go here to donate to Flying Fur Animal Rescue.

What is Born Innocent?

Donations: Born Innocent is a UK-based organization that asks supporters around the world to “raise their paws for better laws.”. Their website outlines various ways all dog lovers can get involved in repealing Britain’s Breed Specific Legislation.

What does canter mean?

What CANTER Does: Each year, 20,000 Thoroughbred horses are born on American farms with hopes that they’ll make it to the race track. Of those 20,000 horses, about half of them end up in slaughterhouses. CANTER is short for the Communication Alliance to Network Thoroughbred Ex-Racehorses. This national organization works tirelessly to help these retired racehorses avoid the slaughterhouse and find new opportunities in new careers. Horses are networked via social media. When possible, they are set up in foster homes for training.

How much money did Americans donate in 2017?

In 2017, Americans used the Internet to donate about $31 billion to charities and nonprofits. This amount has been growing year over year even since 2012. Back then, the total online charitable giving was $19.2 billion, according to fundraising statistics.

How much do Canadians donate to charities?

Annually, Canadians give about $10.6 billion to charities. The average annual contribution among Canadians is $446. Each person in Canada who donates money supports 3.8 charities and nonprofits on average, according to global charitable giving statistics. Compassion for those in need (89%) and helping a cause they believe in (85%) are the top reasons for charity giving.

What percentage of donations go to religious causes?

Church giving statistics show that a total of 39% of all donations go for religious causes, with 80% of those donations coming from individuals. Education and human services are two popular causes among Americans who donate money, with 19 and 15 in charity donation percentage, respectively. The list is rounded up with health (11%), overseas assistance (7%), arts (6%), and nature (4%).

How many millennials have given financial aid?

Nearly 3 out of 4 Millennials have sent some kind of financial aid to family or friends or donated to a nonprofit since the COVID pandemic began. This is followed by Gen Zers and Gen Xers, with 66% and 63% of each claiming to have done the same. 54% of Baby Boomers further say they’ve sent financial aid at least once since the start of the COVID pandemic.

What percentage of donors give tribute gifts?

Charity donation statistics show that 33% of donors worldwide say they give tribute gifts to friends and family. The three top occasions for tribute gifts are memorials (43%), birthdays (25%), and other significant events (24%). About 10% and 3% of the tribute gifts are given on religious holidays and weddings. New babies and graduations are also popular occasions for about 2% and 1% of those who give tribute gifts.

How much did online charities increase in 2017?

Online charity has been on the rise, and its revenue jumped by 23% in 2017. Every sector noted significant improvements, but the biggest progress of 34% and 37% was seen among environmental and rights nonprofits.

Which country has the most generous philanthropy?

Americans are by far the most generous nation. The annual private philanthropy in the United States represents 1.44% of the country’s GDP. This is almost twice as high as the 0.77% recorded in Canada. Next on the list come the UK (0.54%), Korea (0.50%), Singapore (0.39%), and Italy (0.30%).

What is a donation to an animal shelter?

Donations may be used to help cover the costs of daily operations, supplies, staff training, animal housing upgrades, community outreach programs, animal enrichment and much more.

What do shelters need?

Shelters and rescue groups always need towels, toys and other supplies. Check their websites for wishlists; if they don’t have one, call them to find out what's in short supply and offer to create an online wishlist for them.

How to show appreciation for animals?

1. Adopt a pet. If you’ve been thinking that it’s time to add a pet to your family, consider adopting from a local shelter or rescue group. Search for available cats and dogs near you at ...

How to keep cats safe?

Keep your cats indoors, where you can keep them safe (though it's great to take them on walks if they are comfortable on a harness and leash or provide them a catio for safe outdoor enrichment) and keep dogs on leashes when off your property. 10. Help your shelter make positive changes.

What is a foster home?

Foster homes are the backbone of many rescue groups— without a strong network of foster providers, rescue groups simply could not take in as many animals. Foster homes can also become adoption ambassadors to friends, family and colleagues who otherwise may not visit the shelter. If you already have pets of your own, ...

Is foster care overrated?

The value of fosters can't be overrated. They can be lifesavers for pets who can't adapt to shelter life, those who need to be nursed back to health and orphaned kittens who need someone to step in for their mom (or whose needs are beyond what busy shelter staff can often provide).

What is Focus Animal Welfare and Cruelty?

FOCUS: Animal welfare and cruelty#N#AMOUNT:#N#Offers grants to national organizations helping wild animals and NYC area for companion animals. Funding is offered for the protection of endangered animals and to help improve the lives of homeless companion animals. Applications to be received by July 1st of each year.

What is a pet food grant?

FOCUS: Pet food grants#N#AMOUNT:#N#Rescue Bank is a program from the group at GreaterGood.org and provides grants to the animal rescue community to provide donated pet food from a variety of manufacturers. Any animal welfare organization that is a valid 501 (c) (3) can apply.

What is second chance grant?

The Second Chance grant offers financial assistance to rescuers of animals that have been victims of abuse or neglect. Veterinarian receipts must be submitted and claim must be made within 6 months of an animals treatment. Each organization is only allowed to receive up to $2,000 in any fiscal year.

What is the focus of the Ohio Foundation?

FOCUS: Animal cruelty prevention and humane treatment of animals#N#AMOUNT:#N#The foundation accepts proposals from organizations in the USA that are designed to improve the lives of animals in Ohio and the Great Lakes region . Eligibility does require that 100% of an organization’s governing board must have made a monetary contribution to it during the past year. Grants vary in amounts.

What is a focus program?

FOCUS: Programs that train, place and support dogs that help people in need.# N#AMOUNT:#N#Planet Dog Foundation focuses on providing grants to organizations that train and support dogs that help those in need. Therapy dogs, search and rescue dogs and fire/military canines are all dogs that are supported with this grant.

What is the focus of the Save the All grant?

FOCUS: Reduce shelter deaths#N#AMOUNT:#N#Rachel Ray has partnered with Best Friends for a “Save the All” grant that focuses on funding for initiatives that reduce shelter deaths such as spay/neuter, TNR, adoption campaigns etc. This grant is only available to Best Friends Network Partners.

What is a focus building?

FOCUS: Building construction or improvements#N#AMOUNT:#N#A program that helps to develop community facilities in rural areas with either a loan or grant. Must be a registered 501 (c) (3) in an area with no more than 20,000 residents. Can only be used to purchase, construct or improve facilities such as animal shelters.

How to Donate to Animal Shelters

When you’re donating to an animal shelter, your best bet is to find a local shelter to work with. Different shelters have different needs.

Are Donations to Animal Shelters Tax Deductible?

I’m not an accountant and can’t give you tax advice, but what I can do is tell you that in the US I have deducted charitable donations from my taxes many times.

What Can You Donate to Animal Shelters?

Frequently, readers write in to ask about what they can donate to animal shelters.

What to NEVER Give to An Animal Shelter

The basic rule of thumb here is that anything you donate should be clean and in good condition.

Summary: What Things to Donate to Animal Shelters

If an animal can use it or if it can be used to maintain or clean the shelter than it is probably an item you can donate.