Approximately how many dogs and cats are killed each year because they are abandoned by their owners, according to the Humane Society?

• A. 100-1,000 per year
• B. 1-10 thousand per year
• C. 3-4 million per year
• D. 10-100 million per year

Answer: (C)

The main idea is the scale of shelter euthanasia tied to pet overpopulation and owner surrender. The Humane Society has long stated that shelters nationwide euthanize millions of dogs and cats each year because there aren’t enough homes. About three to four million animals is the commonly cited range, reflecting the overall annual toll of abandonment and shelter overcapacity. That range fits the magnitude of annual intake across shelters, whereas the other options are far too low or far too high for the total number of animals affected. So the best answer is roughly three to four million per year.