Trends in Intake and Outcome Data From U.S. Animal Shelters From 2016 to 2020.
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Retrospective longitudinal study of aggregate shelter administrative data without an external control group.
PubMed 35774973 · doi:10.3389/fvets.2022.863990
What was done
This retrospective, exploratory study compiled intake and outcome records across a five-year period (2016–2020) from 1,373 U.S. animal shelters that consistently reported data. Linear regression analysis was applied to assess five-year trends and evaluate the impact of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) on overall shelter intake and outcome metrics for dogs and cats.
What was found
The abstract reports directional statistical significance without providing numerical values, point estimates, or exact p-values: - Total intake and euthanasia significantly decreased for both dogs and cats between 2016 and 2020. - Adoption, return-to-owner, return-to-field, and transfer (for cats) as a percentage of intake all significantly increased. - Live release rates calculated as a function of total intakes and total outcomes significantly increased for both dogs and cats.
Why it matters
This study establishes multi-year national trends in companion animal welfare across the United States, showing persistent reductions in shelter intake and euthanasia alongside increasing live release rates leading into and through the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Limits
The abstract provides no absolute numbers, percentages, effect sizes, or confidence intervals. The dataset is restricted to shelters with continuous reporting over five years, which may introduce selection bias toward better-funded or more stable facilities. Aggregate data prevent assessment of individual animal factors, breed-specific variations, or granular regional disparities.