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In 2022, approximately 9,000 cats and 3,000 dogs were euthanized in Japanese shelters, representing 0.07% of the pet population
Source: Ministry of the Environment (Japan) (2022)
Notes
Cats represent 75% of shelter euthanasia cases
Ministry of the Environment (Japan). (2022). Ministry of the Environment Statistics 2022. As cited in Cat Cognition. https://catcognition.com/statistics/shelters/#jp-shelter-intake-2022
~9,000
Approximately 9,000 dogs and cats were euthanized in Japan in 2023, down from 1.22 million in 1974
Ministry of the Environment (Japan) (2023)
66%
66% of cats euthanized in Japanese shelters are newborn kittens
Ministry of the Environment (Japan) (2018)
273,000
273,000 cats were euthanized in US shelters in 2024
Shelter Animals Count (2025)
188,000
188,000 cats were killed in US shelters in 2024, a 10.5% decrease from 2023 and the lowest on record
Best Friends Animal Society (2025)
