How Many Animals Could We Save with $425 Million?

I’m a huge fan of Emily Weiss, and I try to read everything she writes. In her recent blog with AAWA (What Does It Look Like When We’re Done?), she highlights the striking difference between the number of dogs entering shelters compared to the total number living in homes. That perspective really hit me.

It’s exactly why I’m so passionate about pet licensing. When pet owners follow their local laws, the revenue potential is staggering, and that revenue can directly fuel programs that save lives.

Let’s break down the math:

• There are about 88 million dogs in the U.S.

• Roughly 90% of jurisdictions require dog licensing.

• Yet compliance averages only 12%.

  
  

That means there are around 70 million unlicensed dogs today.

Now imagine the possibilities (using $12 average license price):

• If 50% of those dogs were licensed, that would generate around $425 million annually.

• At just 25% compliance, the total is still approximately $210 million.

• Even a modest 10% compliance increase is about $85 million.

  
  

For context, the combined annual giving of PetSmart Charities, Petco Love, and Maddie’s Fund is about $90 million. That means pet licensing, if widely promoted and enforced, could equal or surpass the impact of the nation’s largest animal welfare funders.

Of course, there are important caveats. Achieving these levels of compliance is challenging, and municipalities may or may not dedicate all funds back into animal welfare. But these numbers don’t even account for cat licensing (adopted in about 15% of jurisdictions) or the added donations that come with well-designed programs.

Pet licensing isn’t just about compliance, it’s about opportunity. Even small improvements in licensing rates could unlock millions of dollars to support shelters, clinics, and community programs. With that level of funding, we could dramatically expand lifesaving capacity and bring us closer to the vision Emily describes: “a world where fewer pets ever enter shelters in the first place.”