Number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year: 6-8 million

Number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year: 3-4 million

Number of cats and dogs adopted from shelters each year: 3-4 million

Number of cats and dogs reclaimed by owners from shelters each year: Between 600,000 and 750,000-15-30% of dogs and 2-5% of cats entering shelters

Number of animal shelters in the United States: Between 4,000 and 6,000

Percentage of dogs in shelters who are purebred: 25%

Police reports indicate 4,500,000 dog bites every year in the U. S.

Insurance companies pay out over $350,000,000 every year for dog bite claims.

Over 5 million cats, and 1.5 million dogs are killed on U.S. roads every year.

Reported animal / vehicle collisions result in approximately $2 billion in vehicle damage annually.

Average number of litters a fertile cat can produce in one year: 3

Average number of kittens in a feline litter: 4-6

In five years, one female cat and her offspring can theoretically produce 62,178,589 cats.

Average number of litters a fertile dog can produce in one year: 2

Average number of puppies in a canine litter: 6-10

In five years, one female dog and her offspring can theoretically produce 255,871 dogs.

Murderers very often start out by killing and torturing animals as kids. - Robert K. Ressler, FBI Serial Killer Profiler

The average person in the America produces 4.5 pounds of trash every day (2.5 pounds in 1960).

This year almost 70 million tons of trash will be recycled rather than dumped in landfills.

Over 20 billion hours of volunteer work is provided in the US every year.

Replacing the work of volunteers with paid staff would cost between $250,000,000,000 and $350,000,000,000 every year.

The above facts and estimates are shown to suggest the need for rational thinking among students. They point to issues certain areas of society have deemed problematic. Humane education presents these and similar issues in attempt to provoke a students ability to think independently.

The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them; that's the essence of humanity. - George Bernard Shaw, Irish Playwright and Critic