Posted by Daniela Lopez on October 5th, 2023
Austin Animal Care / Facebook
Most of us associate October with Halloween, but it’s also Adopt a Shelter Dog Month. Though the two events might not seem like they have much in common, the truth is they do: both give us plenty of things to be scared about. Instead of ghouls and ghosts, Adopt a Shelter Dog Month reminds us just how many dogs out there need homes — and how far too many never find them.
The situation is particularly dire in Texas. That’s why we’re headed to Austin this month to raise awareness about some of the scary stats below.
Over 4,000 dogs have entered Travis County shelters in 2023 alone.
The county that includes Austin, Texas ranks sixth out of all Texas counties in terms of the volume of dogs shelters have taken in this year, according to Shelter Animals Count.
340 dogs who entered shelters in Travis County didn’t make it out.
Sadly, this year alone, hundreds of dogs have already failed to make it out of the shelters alive.
15% of shelter dogs in Texas never find a home.
According to Shelter Animals Count, that’s over 23,000 dogs who never make it to their forever homes.
Texas has one of the highest euthanasia rates in the country.
Texas’ total “save rate” of pets that enter their shelters is 79.2%, one of the lowest in the country, according to Best Friends Animal Society (BFAS). The state is considered one of two top priority states for BFAS’s work helping shelters achieve “no-kill” status; only 156 of 366 shelters in the state are “no-kill,” meaning they save at least 90% of animals who enter their shelters.
Are you a Texan who’s ready to welcome one of these deserving dogs into your home? You can find your BFF on Adopt A Pet right now.
*These estimates are based on data from Shelter Animals Count for 2023, except where specified.
Daniela Lopez
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