Trends in Intake and Outcome Data From U.S. Animal Shelters From 2016 to 2020
Level 3 - non-randomized controlled study
Longitudinal cohort trend analysis of shelter data, graded by design analogy for veterinary/welfare research.
OpenAlex W4282933063 · doi:10.3389/fvets.2022.863990
What was done
Retrospective exploratory study compiling intake and outcome data from 1,373 U.S. animal shelters that consistently reported metrics across a 5-year period (2016-2020). Linear regression analysis evaluated 5-year trends and examined the impact of the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) on canine and feline shelter outcomes.
What was found
The abstract reports directional trends without providing exact counts, percentages, or p-values: - Total intake and euthanasia significantly decreased for both dogs and cats across the 2016-2020 period. - Adoption, return-to-owner, return-to-field, and transfer (for cats) as a percentage of intake significantly increased. - Live release rates as a function of total intakes and total outcomes significantly increased for both species.
Why it matters
This study provides national-level longitudinal benchmark data demonstrating a shift toward reduced shelter intake, lower euthanasia, and improved live outcomes for companion animals across the United States.
Limits
The abstract reports no exact numerical values, effect sizes, confidence intervals, or specific p-values. Inclusion was restricted to shelters that reported consistently across all five years, introducing reporting bias that may favor better-resourced or technologically integrated facilities. Regional variation and non-reporting shelters were not detailed.
Cited by
- partial Millions of dogs die each year in the United States because of an overpopulation problem.