Latest U.S. data shows shelter killing down to 4.2 million/year

From ANIMAL PEOPLE,  July/August 2003:

Continued rapid progress against pet overpopulation in some
of the fastest-growing parts of the South,  the Sunbelt and the
Midwest combined with continued low shelter killing volume in the
Northeast and Northwest to bring estimated total U.S. shelter killing
in 2002 down to 4.2 million–a record low.
Our 2002 estimate is projected from 2000-2002 data covering
every major shelter in cities and states including 39% of the current
U.S. human population of 281 million.
If 1999 data is included to get better representation from
the South,  Sunbelt,  and Midwest,  the projection edges up to 4.3
million.  The ANIMAL PEOPLE projected toll in 2001 was 4.4 million,
and the tolls in 1999 and 2000 were almost identical,  rounding off
to 4.5 million and 4.6 million.

ANIMAL PEOPLE has produced annual estimates of U.S. shelter
killing,  projected from the latest available state and city data,
since 1993.  We used all data available in 1997 and 1998.  Otherwise,
we have used only data from the three latest fiscal years.
Estimated U.S. shelter killing in 1992 was 5.7 million–about
a third of the 17.8 million toll estimated in 1985 by the American
Humane Association.  The AHA estimate was probably too high,  but
ANIMAL PEOPLE has assembled historical data which suggests that it
would have been accurate circa 1980,  and that U.S. shelter killing
probably peaked at about 23.4 million in 1970.
As of 1970,  U.S. animal shelters collectively killed 115
dogs and cats per 1,000 U.S. human residents. Currently the rate of
killing is between 14.8 and 15.3 per 1,000 U.S. human residents,
depending on whether or not the projection includes 1999 data.
Evaluating the data fairly and in context requires taking
into account the evident regional differences.  Most of the lowest
rates of shelter killing per 1,000 humans are clustered in the
Northeast,  with the highest in the South,  except around Washington
D.C. and in some of the more affluent parts of Florida.
The low Northeastern and D.C. area figures appear to result
from high-density living,  associated with low rates of pet-keeping;
cold winters,  the D.C. area excepted,  which inhibit the survival of
late-born feral kittens and suppress estrus in dogs and cats,
decreasing their litter frequency;  a relatively strong humane
infrastructure to encourage neutering;  and animal control agencies
which have historically not picked up free-roaming cats.
The high Southern figures conversely reflect suburban
populations,  more petkeeping,  warm winters,  and a general lack of
access to low-cost neutering.
Animal population analysts Peter Marsh and Bob Christiansen
have found in separate studies of data from California,  Georgia,
New Hampshire,  New Jersey,  and North Carolina that the poorest
counties in each state kill dogs and cats at up to four times the
rate of the richest.

Animals killed   YEAR  1,000s   Animals
per 1,000 people      of people  killed
Ithaca NY       1.9  2002     97     185
NEW HAMPSHIRE   2.2  2000  1,201   2,575
San Francisco   2.5  2002    771   1,892
New York City   4.6  2001  8,009  36,500
San Diego       4.9  2002  2,863  14,019
NEW JERSEY      5.8  2000  8,414  48,551
MAINE           6.3  2001  1,275   8,000
Rochester NY    6.3  1999    716   4,511
Los Angeles     7.1  2002 13,400  95,000
Richmond,  VA   7.1  2002    265   1,884
COLORADO        8.3  2001  4,301 119,340
Missoula        8.4  2000     89     748
Buffalo/Erie    8.5  2000    926   7,871
Lawrence KS     8.6  2000     78     671
MARYLAND        8.7  2000  5,172  45,000
Pittsburgh      9.5  2001  1,270  12,000
Chicago        10.4  2002  2,896  30,000
Milwaukee      10.5  1999    912   9,576
Harford Cty MD 11.2  2002    219   2,448
Seattle        11.2  1999  1,655  18,536
OREGON         11.5  2001  3,421  40,505
Anchorage AK   11.6  1999    255   2,958
Contra Costa   11.8  2000    931  11,000
Orlando/Orange 12.6  2000    896  11,290
Cincinnati     13.1  2002    835  10,951
Sacramento     13.4  2002  1,269  17,000
St. Louis      13.4  2001  1,631  21,855
St. Petersburg 13.7  2001    922  12,600
Lodi,  CA      13.9  2002     57     790
Las Vegas      13.9  1999  1,162  16,152
Ft. Laud/Miami 14.1  2001  5,007  70,514
Collier Cty FL 14.2  2001    266   3,785
Stillwater OK  14.3  1999     39     558
Ft. Lauderdale 14.6  2000  1,623  23,696
Riverside CA   14.0  2002  1,531  21,443
U.S. AVE. LOW  14.8   (sample of 39%)
Reno/Washoe NV 15.2  2000    320   4,864
U.S. AVE. HIGH 15.3   (sample of 47%)
Lincoln NE     15.3  2001    263   4,018
Carson City NV 15.5  1999     49     760
Butler Cty OH  15.8  2002    835   5,329
Payette ID     16.6  2002     60   1,000
Clark Cnty WA  17.4  2001    345   6,000
Lewisville TX  17.5  2001     78   1,367
Columbia SC    17.6  2001    321   5,666
Honolulu Cnty  17.7  2000    865  15,309
UTAH           17.8  2002  2,233  39,772
Minneapolis    17.9  2002  1,115  20,000
Lee County FL  18.7  2002    463   8,667
VIRGINIA       18.8  2001  7,079 132,978
Austin TX      19.6  1999    731  14,328
New Orleans    20.0  2000    485   9,700
Phoenix/Mesa   20.3  1999  2,784  56,515
Clermnt Cty OH 20.3  2002    182   3,700
Twin Falls ID  20.6  2001     35     721
Knoxville      20.9  2001    382   8.000
Tucson/Pima    21.3  2001    844  18,000
Volusia FL     21.6  2001    443   9,563
Houston        22.0  2000  3,400  74,825
Baton Rouge    22.3  2000    212   4,728
Atlanta region 22.4  2001  4,152  94,256
South Bend IN  22.6  2001    265   6,001
Sioux Falls SC 22.6  2001    148   3,345
Indianapolis   22.7  2001    860  19,603
Pasco Cnty FL  22.8  2001    345   7,880
Richland OH    23.1  1999    127   2,933
Denton TX      24.2  2001     81   1,956
Fort Worth     25.0  2002    535  13,397
Birmingham     26.3  2000    662  17,400
Warren Cty OH  27.1  2002    169   4,572
Little Rock    28.4  1999    178   5,055
Shelby Cnty AL 28.4  1999    141   4,004
Victorville CA 28.6  2002    300   8,598
El Paso TX     29.4  2001    680  20,000
Evansville IN  29.2  2001    121   3,561
Dearborn IN    29.7  2000     14     416
Jefferson LA   30.8  2000    448  13,786
Chilicothe MO  31.1  2001     15     453
Longview WA    31.3  2002     80   2,500
Oklahoma City  31.6  2001    506  16,000
Dallas         31.9  2000  2,062  65,810
Tampa          32.4  2002  1,000  32,431
San Antonio    33.0  2001  1,393  46,000
Jacksonville   34.0  2000    779  26,486
Wichita        34.9  1999    448  15,635
Lake County FL 35.0  2000    210   7,345
NORTH CAROLINA 35.0  1999  7,547  26,415
Chatanooga     36.1  2001    308  11,112
Charleston SC  36.4  2001    549  20,000
Hutchinson KS  37.1  2001     41   1,521
Merced CA      37.9  2001    211   8,000
Matanuska AK   38.6  1999     56   2,162
Inland Emp. CA 39.5  1999  3,114 123,003
Lafayette      40.7  1999    189   7,692
Springfield MO 43.6  2002    152   6,610
Corpus Christi 46.3  2001    314  14,541
Columbia MO    50.4  2002     80   4,033
Amarillo       50.9  2002    174   8,859
Hattiesburg MS 56.2  2002     73   4,100
Augusta        56.9  1999    191  10,868
Hamilton IN    60.5  2000    172  10,406
Hidalgo Cty TX 63.6  1999    535  34,026
Mobile Cnty AL 70.0  1999    399  27,930
Gulfport MS    73.9  2001    190  14,000
Valencia NM    75.8  2001     66   5,000
Fresno CA      80.0  2002    500  40,000
Thomas Cnty GA 81.0  2001     43   3.476
Visalia CA     81.1  2002    100   8,100