ASPCA Acquires Shelter Animals Count to Strengthen the Future of Animal Sheltering Data

NEW YORK - The ASPCA^® (The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals^®) today announced that Shelter Animals Count (SAC) - a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to collecting, analyzing and sharing animal sheltering data - will join the ASPCA through an acquisition that ensures the long-term continuation of a collaborative, accessible and transparent national data collection effort that positively impacts animals and communities nationwide. This partnership-driven acquisition preserves and strengthens SAC, the animal welfare field's most trusted source of objective, credible sheltering information for animal welfare professionals, policymakers and community partners.

The ASPCA is uniquely qualified with the mission, experience and infrastructure needed to support SAC's long-term sustainability and continued value to the animal welfare field. Integrating SAC into the ASPCA ensures that the shelter community continues to have access to the data it needs to help even more animals. As a part of the ASPCA, SAC will gain access to expanded analytics tools, research partnerships and strategic support that will help elevate its data and deepen its impact.

"This acquisition is an evolution of the longstanding partnership between the ASPCA and SAC to positively impact animals and communities across the country," said Matt Bershadker, ASPCA President and CEO. "Being able to understand what is happening in shelters and communities through data and research is how we identify trends, test assumptions, improve programs and ultimately help more animals. We are honored to be welcoming SAC as an official program of the ASPCA to accelerate insights and innovation that enable the sheltering community to save more animal lives."

"SAC is the nation's most-trusted source for credible, objective data from the national level to local regions," said Stephanie Filer, Vice President of SAC. "Becoming an official program of the ASPCA strengthens SAC's foundation while opening the door for future growth. This partnership will allow SAC to continue to provide clear and independent data to share with the sheltering community and broader animal welfare field."

Founded in 2012 to address the lack of standardized national data on animal sheltering, SAC currently collaborates with thousands of shelters and rescues annually to collect, analyze and share information that empowers organizations of all sizes to make informed, data-driven decisions and contribute to the most comprehensive database in the animal welfare industry in North America.

To support SAC's continued commitment to providing reliable data and insights that reflect the realities of shelters and rescues nationwide, the ASPCA will establish and lead an advisory committee that includes volunteer representatives from external partners with varied skills, experiences and organizational perspectives from across the animal welfare community. The advisory committee will actively engage with audiences and communities to champion SAC's mission while gathering insights to share with the ASPCA, including highlighting emerging trends in data analysis and advising on collaborations that strengthen the ASPCA's commitment to positively impact animals and communities across the country.

To learn more about the ASPCA's acquisition of SAC, visit shelteranimalscount.org/aspca.

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About Shelter Animals Count
Shelter Animals Count, a program of the ASPCA, is a collaborative, industry-led nonprofit organization formed by a diverse group of animal welfare agencies to create and share The National Database of sheltered animal statistics, providing facts and enabling insights that will improve animal welfare throughout the country. By relying on the strength of our robust dataset, SAC ensures that the trends we report reflect the realities that shelters and rescues are experiencing across the nation. Our data is trusted by thousands of organizations and industry partners because of its accuracy and the integrity of our analysis practices. Follow Shelter Animals Count on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. For further insights from Shelter Animals Count, download the 2025 Mid-Year Analysis Report and 2024 Annual Analysis Report.