What Shelter Animals Count does

Shelter Animals Count (SAC) is a U.S. non-profit organization founded in 2012 that operates the leading national database of animal sheltering statistics in North America. SAC aggregates standardized monthly intake and outcome data from approximately 13,471 U.S. animal-sheltering organizations in 2025 (4,100 shelters and 9,371 rescues), plus organizations in Canada and U.S. territories, using an industry-consensus Intake & Outcome Data Matrix developed with input from founding organizations (ASPCA, Best Friends Animal Society, Humane Society of the United States, PetSmart Charities, Maddie's Fund) and UC Davis. The organization was acquired by the ASPCA in December 2025 and now operates as a program of the ASPCA, retaining its own brand, neutral data standards, and product suite.

The core product is The National Database, built on a cloud architecture with live API integrations into shelter management software platforms (PetPoint, ShelterLuv, Shelter Manager, Petstablished, Animals First, Animal Shelter Manager), CSV upload for additional software systems, and Tableau-based interactive dashboards (National, State Level, Intake & Outcome, and Community Services). The most significant technical asset is the proprietary Machine Learning Estimation Model launched in 2024, which uses demographic overlays (CDC Social Vulnerability Index, American Community Survey data) and historical organizational patterns to estimate intake and outcome totals for the 14,000+ U.S. shelter universe, including organizations with no direct submissions. Supporting products include the Community Services Database (tracking non-sheltering animal services), the Coalition Builder tool for multi-organization data sharing, and a portfolio of specialized data reports (Annual, Mid-Year, Field Services, Foster-Based Rescue, Altered Status, Adoption Pulse Check).

SAC operates a freemium non-profit business model: registration and monthly data contribution are free for qualifying animal welfare organizations, while modest revenue is generated through paid data-request access for researchers/academics, the Data Drive grant incentive program (which redistributes funds back to contributing organizations), and corporate sponsorships (e.g., Hill's Pet Nutrition). Following the December 2025 ASPCA acquisition, organizational funding flows through the ASPCA rather than external grants, while end-user access to dashboards, reports, and coalition tools remains free and unchanged. Distribution is primarily digital (data.shelteranimalscount.org member portal, public Tableau dashboards, downloadable PDF reports), supported by content marketing (SAC News blog, Substack, SAC Bytes newsletter), webinars, industry conference participation, and earned media coverage in Forbes, NBC News, NPR, and PR Newswire.

Name

Shelter Animals Count

Legal name

Shelter Animals Count

Website

https://shelteranimalscount.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Shelter Animals Count operates the leading national database of animal sheltering statistics in North America, aggregating standardized monthly intake and outcome data from approximately 13,500 U.S. shelters and rescues plus Canada. Founded 2012, acquired by the ASPCA in December 2025.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Data Platform

NAICS

Support Activities for Animal Production (115210), Support Activities for Animal Production (1152)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Shelters & Adoption Services (BPAGAIAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Shelters & Rescue Operations (AFAEALAB), Animal Disease Surveillance & Reporting Systems (HLAMAJAB)

Keywords

• Animal shelter data
• Shelter outcome statistics
• Animal welfare analytics
• Intake outcome database
• Rescue organization reporting

Headquarters

HQ city

Montclair

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. ASPCA Funding: Following acquisition by ASPCA in December 2025, Shelter Animals Count operates as a program of the ASPCA with funding secured through the ASPCA rather than dependent on external grants or corporate sponsorships.
2. Data Request Fees: Organizations and researchers can request access to raw, de-identified organization-level data for research, reporting, academic, or internal non-commercial purposes for a fee. Free CSV download available for students and data enthusiasts with sample state-level data.
3. Grant Programs: SAC offers Data Impact Awards and Data Drive grant programs to incentivize data submission. In 2026, $200,000 in Impact Awards were announced, with $115,000 available for organizations contributing to the 2025 Year End Report.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Shelter Animals Count operates The National Database, a centralized, standardized data platform that collects intake and outcome statistics from animal shelters and rescues across the United States and Canada. It delivers this intelligence through interactive Tableau dashboards, a suite of published data reports, a Coalition Builder tool for multi-organization data sharing, and a machine learning estimation model that extrapolates national estimates across approximately 14,000 organizations. Contributing shelters and rescues access dashboards and benchmarking for free, while researchers and other qualifying organizations can request raw datasets for a fee.

Product overview

Shelter Animals Count (SAC), a program of the ASPCA, operates as a centralized national data platform for the animal welfare industry. Its core product is The National Database, which aggregates intake and outcome data from thousands of shelters and rescues. The platform is organized as a unified data collection and analytics system comprising multiple integrated components: the Intake & Outcome Data Matrix (the standardized data collection framework), the Community Services Database (tracking non-sheltering animal welfare services), the Coalition Builder (enabling multi-organization data sharing and regional reporting), and the Machine Learning Estimation Model (an AI module that extrapolates national estimates for organizations with partial or no data). SAC delivers its intelligence through interactive Tableau dashboards (National, State Level, Intake & Outcome, and Community Services dashboards), a suite of specialized data reports (Annual Data Report, Mid-Year Report, Field Services Report, Foster-Based Rescue Operations Report, Altered Status Report, Adoption Pulse Check Survey), and an API for automated data transfer from shelter management software. The Data Drive awards program provides financial incentives to organizations contributing data. Together, these components form a data infrastructure spanning data collection, estimation, visualization, and community engagement across the animal welfare field.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• The National Database A centralized, neutral database that collects standardized intake and outcome data from animal shelters and rescues across the United States and Canada, serving as the foundation for SAC's reporting, dashboards, and analytics.
• 2025 Annual Data Report Annual year-end report comparing the most recent calendar year to the prior year on shelter and rescue intakes, outcomes, adoption rates, euthanasia figures, transfer patterns, and return-to-owner outcomes.
• National Animal Welfare Statistics Dashboard Interactive Tableau-based dashboard providing aggregate national data on total dogs and cats entering and leaving organizations, with 10 years of data and filtering by species, organization type, and individual intake and outcome types.
• State Level Animal Welfare Statistics Dashboard Interactive Tableau dashboard providing state-level sheltering data with filters for species and organization type, showing live outcomes, non-live outcomes, population balance, and transfer data by U.S. state.
• Intake and Outcome Dashboard Dashboard focused on animal shelter data beyond dogs and cats in the United States, including birds, equine, rabbits, farm animals, small mammals, and reptiles/amphibians, plus all-species data for U.S. territories and Canada.
• Community Services Database (CSD) Database tracking community services provided by shelters and rescues to owned and community pets — including veterinary services, behavior services, field services (TNR), and support services — to keep pets in homes and out of shelters.
• Foster-Based Rescue Operations Data Report Analysis of national trends in foster-based rescue operations, covering intake patterns, outcomes, length of stay, and transfers across 107 foster-based organizations in 34 states.
• Field Services Data Report First-of-its-kind analysis of field services data, prepared with the National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA), analyzing 344,000+ field activities from 35 states representing 143 de-identified organizations using Shelterluv software.
• Altered Status Data Report (2019-2023) First national analysis of spay/neuter status at intake across U.S. shelters and rescues, covering more than 2.2 million cats and dogs from 262 organizations in 47 states across five years (2019-2023).
• Adoption Pulse Check Survey Report National pulse check survey analyzing adoption hours and policies across 349 organizations, examining same-day adoption policies, adoption hours, and barriers to adoption across all 50 states.
• 2025 Mid-Year Report Mid-year report comparing January–June 2025 data to January–June 2024, covering approximately 2.8 million intakes and 1.9 million adoptions for dogs and cats.
• Coalition Builder Platform tool for tracking data across groups of shelters and rescues, enabling coalition leaders to invite organizations, run reports, and manage data sharing at local, regional, and national levels.
• Machine Learning Estimation Model Advanced machine learning model that estimates intake and outcome numbers for organizations with incomplete or no data submissions, enabling national estimates across 14,000+ shelters and rescues in the US by combining actual submitted data with predictive modeling using demographic and organizational features.

Quantifiable outcome

• 10 years of national sheltering data collected and analyzed, with 28.6M+ animals counted
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• National Animal Care & Control Association (NACA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Collaborative partnership to produce the first Field Services Data Report, analyzing data from animal control operations. NACA provided expert commentary and best practices while SAC conducted data analysis. 344,000+ field activities from 35 states were analyzed from Shelterluv data.
• ShelterLuvcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 December 2025Animal management software provider that supplied the dataset for Field Services Report. Data included 344,000+ field activities from 143 de-identified organizations across 35 states. ShelterLuv also offers API integration for automatic SAC data submission.
• PawlyticsflagshipTechnology or Integration · 1 November 2025Provided foster-based rescue dataset for National Trends in Foster-Based Rescue Operations Report. Pawlytics software exclusively serves foster-based rescue clients, enabling SAC to analyze 107 organizations across 34 states with 40,492 animals.
• ASPCAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012ASPCA was a founding organization that provided initial funding to establish Shelter Animals Count in 2012. In December 2025, SAC was fully acquired by the ASPCA as a program, securing long-term sustainability and funding independence from grants and corporate sponsorships. ASPCA provides operational support while SAC maintains its neutral, independent data standards.
• Best Friends Animal SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Founding organization that provided initial funding to establish Shelter Animals Count in 2012. Contributed to the vision of creating a single, national database for animal sheltering statistics.
• Humane Society of the United StatescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Founding organization that provided initial funding to establish Shelter Animals Count in 2012. Helped convene stakeholders to create standardized shelter statistics framework.
• PetSmart CharitiescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Founding organization that provided initial funding to establish Shelter Animals Count in 2012. Supported development of data collection standards for the animal welfare field.
• Maddie's FundcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Founding organization that provided initial funding to establish Shelter Animals Count in 2012. Brought expertise in sheltering metrics and outcome measurement.
• PetPointcoreTechnology or IntegrationShelter management software with live API integration for automatic data transfer to SAC. Organizations using PetPoint can opt into automatic data transfer, eliminating manual entry.
• Shelter ManagercoreTechnology or IntegrationShelter management software offering live API integration for automatic SAC data transfer. Allows organizations to submit data without manual entry.
• PetstablishedcoreTechnology or IntegrationShelter software provider with API integration for automatic SAC data transfer. Enables real-time data submission from participating organizations.
• Animals FirstcoreTechnology or IntegrationShelter management software with live API integration for automatic SAC data transfer. Supports organizations in automating their data contribution process.
• ShelterLuvcoreTechnology or IntegrationAPI integration available for automatic data transfer to SAC. ShelterLuv users can sign up to have their data automatically submitted each month.
• Hill's Pet NutritionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-sponsored webinars and collaborated on content including 'Mid-Year Momentum' webinar and the 2025 State of the Shelter Report. Provides Data Basics Workbook for the Unlocking Animal Data Series.
• UC DavisminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributed to development of the Basic Data Matrix and minimum data standards that informed SAC's intake and outcome data framework.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Petstablished: Adoption and foster management platform with API integration into SAC. Serves rescue organizations and shelters with adoptions, fosters, and CRM functionality, overlapping with SAC's data contribution and adoption-tracking use cases.
• PetPoint: One of the largest animal shelter management software platforms with native API integration into SAC. PetPoint captures detailed intake, outcome, and medical data for shelters — making it both a key data source for SAC and a potential competitor in benchmarking analytics.
• RescueGroups: Software platform purpose-built for animal rescue and adoption organizations, including intake, outcome, and adoption tracking features. Overlaps with SAC's data domain and serves a similar rescue-focused customer base, making it both a partner and a potential competitor for animal-level data analytics.
• Animals First: Shelter management software platform offering API integration to SAC. Provides animal care, adoption, and medical tracking features for animal welfare organizations — direct overlap with SAC's contributor and benchmarking ecosystem.
• ShelterLuv: Cloud-based shelter management software used by thousands of animal welfare organizations with live API integration to SAC. Provides intake/outcome tracking, adoptions, and foster management — overlapping directly with SAC's core data domain and serving the same shelter customer base.

Broad incumbents

• Humane Society of the United States (HSUS): One of the largest U.S. animal welfare organizations and a SAC founding partner. Operates broader advocacy, direct care, and policy programs but overlaps with SAC on national shelter statistics, animal welfare reporting, and industry-standard data frameworks.
• Maddie's Fund: Family foundation focused on achieving a no-kill nation and SAC founding partner. Provides substantial grant funding to shelters and rescues and contributed expertise to SAC's sheltering metrics framework — overlapping on animal welfare data standards and outcome measurement.
• ASPCA: Large, established national animal welfare organization that acquired SAC in December 2025. Operates shelters, advocacy, and grant programs across the U.S. — broader mission and scale than SAC, but with direct overlap in animal welfare data and shelter outcome measurement.
• Best Friends Animal Society: Major U.S. animal welfare nonprofit and SAC founding partner. Operates sanctuary programs, no-kill advocacy, and shelter grants nationally — overlapping with SAC's shelter data mission and providing the broader context for national animal welfare outcome measurement.

Emerging players

• Adopt-a-Pet: North America's largest non-profit pet adoption platform (operated by PetSmart Charities) connecting adopters with shelters and rescues. Adjacent to SAC's mission of improving adoption outcomes, with complementary data on adoption demand and shelter search behavior.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@shelteranimalscountvideos2142
• Facebookfacebook.com/shelteranimalscount
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shelter-animals-count
• Instagraminstagram.com/sacanimaldata

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shelter Animals Count