Global issue 01

Poorly managed
dog populations

A closer look at the issue

Each year, millions of dogs enter rescues in the United States and hundreds of thousands are euthanized simply because shelters are overcrowded. Around the world, an estimated 200 million stray dogs (WHO, 2024) face poor living conditions and euthanasia. 

It’s a huge global issue for dogs and we’re determined to do everything we can to minimize these numbers and reduce overpopulation in shelters.

Tackling overpopulation

How we’re solving it

Spay/neutering is the safest, most effective way to manage the growing population of animals worldwide. Procedures are fast, pain free and have rapid recovery times.

We target areas where overpopulation is high and sterilize as many dogs as possible within a concentrated timeframe. By doing this we’re reducing the number of unwanted litters, which reduces overpopulation, and in the long term this will improve the lives of free-roaming dogs overall.

In the USA, we work with local organizations to offer spay/neutering wherever it’s needed. Our partner charity, Worldwide Veterinary Service (WVS), is working hard to do the same in countries all over the world. Their team of vets travel to areas with the fastest growing dog populations and train local vets and students in sterilization surgery and anesthesia. 

We’re giving dog lovers in local communities the skills and tools they need to keep managing dog populations for generations to come.

Global issue 03

Deaths caused by rabies

A closer look at the issue

Rabies is one of the world’s deadliest diseases that’s spread from animals to humans. Over 99% of human rabies cases are caused by an infected dog bite, and once symptoms of the disease develop, it’s fatal.

Every year, millions of healthy dogs are inhumanely killed for fear of this deadly disease, but that approach doesn’t halt the spread of rabies. It’s still responsible for the death of at least 59,000 people a year, most of which are children under 15. But we’re determined to make sure this stops.

Eliminating rabies
for good

How we’re solving it

Rabies is 100% preventable by vaccine and we’ve joined forces with Mission Rabies to eliminate rabies for good. Mission Rabies targets rabies hotspots, running intensive mass vaccination and education programs to make entire regions canine-rabies free and transform people’s perceptions of dogs at the same time.

Lifesaving lessons in primary schools empower children, their teachers and their families with the knowledge to protect themselves from bites, prevent rabies and save lives in communities as a whole.

Friends of Dogs Trust USA

Your support makes lots of dogs very happy 

From the East Coast to West, to every dog lover, for every donation – your gift means the world to us and our canine pals too. Because of you, we’re making the USA and countries all over the world better places to be a dog. Thank you to those who generously supported our efforts this year.

Our generous Friends of Dogs Trust USA have helped make all our work this year possible. 

Claire Ambrosio and Jim Michalski
Melissa and Josh Arker
Jim and Veronica Carbone
Barbara and Rodgin Cohen 
Carrie Denning Jackson (The Ripple Foundation)
Allan Heinberg
Tina Pompey 
James Rogers
Ambassador and Mrs. Ronald P. Spogli (W.M.Keck Foundation)
Alexandra Warren
Dr Jeffrey Young

Every donation helps to protect the lives of thousands of dogs and dog lovers across the United States and around the world. 

Join our Friends Club and together we can:

1. Reduce the number of dogs killed unnecessarily

2. Support rescues and shelters to help treat, vaccinate and care for a many dogs as they can

3. Keep more dogs and owners together by funding veterinary care for dogs in low-income families

4. Create real, lasting change and make the world a much more dog-friendly place.

To see what we're doing and stay up to date, go to: ww.dogstrustusa.org