PUBLIC INFORMATION / FACTS AND FIGURES

* Approximately 7.6 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, approximately 3.4 million are cats. Each year, approximately 2.7 million animals are euthanized (1.4 million cats). Approximately 2.7 million shelter animals are adopted each year (1.3 million cats).
* On average every 30 seconds, someone in England and Wales dial 0300 1234 999 - the RSPCA's 24-hour cruelty line - for help.
* RSPCA inspectors now investigate more than 149,000 complaints of cruelty and neglect every year.


* Pet Population 2018

Every year the PFMA commissions the well respected Pet Population report, which looks in detail at pet ownership trends. In 2018 it is estimated that 12m (45% of) households have pets. PFMA

Each year a representative sample of UK adults are interviewed, by TNS, in face-to-face interviews, regarding their pet ownership. Over the last two years a sample of over 4,000 people have been interviewed. In order to further reduce statistical uncertainty, survey results are averaged over 2 years, giving an effective sample of over 8,000 people. 

2017 - 2018 Rolling Total	Pet population (m)	% households with ..…
Any pet	51 (inc fish)	45
Dogs	9	26
Cats	8	18
Rabbits	0.9	2
Domestic Fowl	0.5	0.4
Indoor Birds	0.5	1
Guinea Pigs	0.4	1
Hamsters	0.3	1
Tortoises and Turtles	0.3	0.8
Lizards	0.2	0.5
Snakes	0.2	0.4
Horses and Ponies	0.2	0.3
Rats	0.1	0.2
Ferrets	0.1	0.1
Gerbils	0.1	0.1
People keep insects	0.1	0.1
Pigeons	0.1	0.04
Frogs and Toads	0.1	0.04
People keep mice	0.05	0.03