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Did you know? Facts & Stats
A collection of animal facts and statistics that will inform and surprise you.
?Each day 10,000 humans are born in the U.S. and each day 70,000 puppies and kittens are born. As long as these birth rates exist, there will never be enough homes for all the animals. --From the Minnesota Spay/Neuter Project brochure; www.geocities.com/mnspayneuter --From AAPMA 2005/2006 National Pet Owners Survey and ?A parrot can live up to 70 years and may be given away 10-15 times in its long life. ?The Maharaja of Junagadh owned 800 dogs, each with its own room, a telephone and a servant. When the Maharaja migrated to Pakistan during the Partition of India in 1947, he left behind many weeping wives so that his pampered canines could fly with him on his plane. --From Very Important Pets ?In six short years, one female dog and her offspring, can give birth to 67,000 puppies. In seven years, one cat and her young can produce 420,000 kittens. --From “Solving the Pet Overpopulation Problem” ?The bird version of a puppy mill is a birdie mill. Birds kept as breeders suffer from womb prolapse and egg binding problems. The conditions are just as bad as at puppy mills, with sick, in-bred birds regularly dying soon after being sold. --From “Birds of a Feather” by Lorin Lindner/The Pet Press ?Morris the Cat, America’s best-known cat food salesman, was originally named Lucky by his owner because he was discovered at an animal shelter in Hinsdale, Illinois, about 20 minutes before he was going to be put to sleep. Morris was the first animal star ever featured on Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. --From Uncle John’s 4-Ply Bathroom Reader ?Your radio can provide you with pet information from all around the world. Start at www.AnimalRadio.com to see how to connect. ?President Warren G. Harding (1921-1923) was the first president to pardon a dog. One morning Harding read a newspaper article about a Pennsylvania dog that had been ordered destroyed because it had been brought into the country illegally. Harding, who loved animals, wrote a letter to the governor of Pennsylvania. The governor saw to it that the dog’s life was spared. --From Uncle John’s 4-Ply Bathroom Reader ?Children make up more than 60 percent of all dog bite victims. The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates half of all children 12 and younger have been bitten by a dog. --From State Farm Insurance Company brochure (2003) ?After Katrina, 61 percent of pet owners told national pollsters they would refuse to evacuate ahead of a disaster if they could not take their pets. --From “No Friend Left Behind” ?There’s a worldwide directory of animal shelters. Hugs for Homeless Animals has created a country by country list so we can see what’s going on ?The U.S. Customs Service recruits one thousand dogs each year, 90 percent of them from animal shelters. You can read about Popsicle, once used as bait in a dog fight ring, who had an award winning career, and other success stories in Second Chances: More Tales of Found Dogs by Elise Lufkin. ?Patti Page has rerecorded her classic song “How Much is That Doggie in the Window?” to reflect the need to go to shelters rather than purchase a dog from a pet store. The new lyrics are “Do you see that doggie in the shelter? The one with the take-me-home eyes/ If you give him your love and attention/ He will be your best friend for life.” ?Not surprisingly studies show that that lost dogs and cats wearing identification tags are recovered more often by their owners than those who are naked. However, only 53 percent of lost cats area recovered compared to 71 percent for dogs. About 66 percent of the lost cats came home on their own compared to only 8 percent --From a study done by the College of Veterinary Medicine-Ohio State University (2005) ?The words we use to describe our relationship to animals are important. Saying we are pet “guardians” rather than owners sends a kinder, more accurate, message. Learn more at www.guardiancampaign.com ?You can get grief support online after the loss of a pet. Read the classic ?1 in 4 dogs surrendered to a shelter is a purebred. Many people feel that potential adopters go to breeders because they feel going to a shelter will be too upsetting. --From a variety of sources including Petfinder.com and HSUS ?Your dog can help you lose weight. A study at the University of Missouri-Columbia reported that participants who walked their dog (or someone else’s) ?What you name an animal has an influence on how people react to it. This is especially important for shelter animals. Naming an animal “Lovey” or “Sweetheart” works better than negative names like “Scrapper” or “Zero.” For more pet name ideas go to ?The average life expectancy of an outdoor cat is just two to five years, while an indoor cat may survive for 17 or more years. --From Cat’s Indoors! The Campaign for Safer Birds and Cats ?Over 40 tip sheets (and loads of more comprehensive information) addressing a variety of cat and dog behavior problems are available by visiting www.petsforlife.org From barking to allergies this site covers it all. ?Contraceptive darts (fired through a rifle) can be used on large animals such as deer, wild horses, and 100 species of zoo animals. --From the HSUS magazine, allanimals, Fall 2008 ?The popular Mattel toy, Barbie, has a new dog. Tanner has a movable mouth and can “eat” plastic dog biscuits. Of course, Barbie, being a responsible pet guardian, uses a magnetic pooper scooper and trash can. ?You can get a free pet safety pack including rescue window decal alerts and an Animal Poison Control center magnet. Visit www.aspca.org and click on ?The Alliance for Healthier Pets-Obesity Awareness and Prevention Program estimates that today 35 percent of all pets and 50 percent of all senior dogs are considered overweight. In the 1970s only nine percent of dogs and --From HSUS Shelter Pages 2010
?There are more than 90 million cats in the U.S. or about 20 per cent more cats than dogs. However, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association, cats are brought to the veterinarian only about half as often as dogs. Some veterinarians believe cats hide illness better than dogs, and many times owners may not realize there is a problem.
AVMA 2002 U.S. Pet Ownership & Demographic Sourcebook
compiled by Priya Kapoor and Nandita Jaishankar
?The public television program, Animal Attractions Television, provides information on pet behavior, nutrition and health as well as heart-warming true stories of people and their pets. Additional details at www.animalattractionstv.com
by Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
www.thepetpress-la.com
published for Barnes & Noble, Inc. by St. Martin’s Press
published for Barnes & Noble, Inc. by St. Martin’s Press
by Barbara Basler (AARP Bulletin/May 2006)
around the globe.
www.h4ha.com
of lost dogs.
“Rainbow Bridge,” about a place “just this side of heaven” where animals go when they die on www.petloss.com
20 minutes a day, five days a week, lost an average of 14.4 pounds in 50 weeks without making any changes to their diet.
by the American Bird Conservancy www.abcbirds.org
?In some areas of the country a significant percent of the residents speak a language other than English. The Seattle Animal Shelter responded to this need in their area by creating materials promoting adoption and anti-cruelty in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Chinese. This program makes the shelter welcoming to all and increases the likelihood of adoptions.
“pet care” then "more articles" and scroll down to sign up.
three percent of cats were overweight.
?The leading causes of pet relinquishment to animal shelters: behavior issues, rental housing restrictions, life changes attributed to moving or a new baby, human health concerns such as allergies and diseases that weaken the immune system and commitment problems that stem from unrealistic expectations on the part of the animal's family.
