New Data: Orange County Animal Services saves more cats than 99% of U.S. shelters

In Summary:

Orange County Animal Services ranked No. 15 among 3,884 U.S. shelters for the total number of cats saved during the 12 months ending in September 2025. The shelter’s 7,191 cats saved were nearly 19 times the national shelter average of 385 and ranked fourth among 135 Florida shelters. The KittySpout analysis counted adoptions, returns to owners, transfers to other organizations and releases to managed community-cat colonies as lifesaving outcomes.

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Orange County Animal Services saved more cats than 99% of animal shelters nationwide, according to a new analysis of shelter outcomes across the United States.

Related: Orange County Animal Services warns of deadly dangers for pets left in hot cars.

In a 12-month period ending in September 2025, the shelter recorded 7,191 cats leaving alive. That placed Orange County Animal Services No. 15 among 3,884 U.S. shelters included in the study and No. 4 among 135 shelters in Florida.

Cat-care brand KittySpout conducted the analysis using data from the Best Friends Animal Society Pet Lifesaving Dashboard.

Based on Orange County’s total, an average of one cat left the shelter alive approximately every hour and 13 minutes during the reporting period.

The study found that the average U.S. shelter saved 385 cats over the same 12 months. Orange County Animal Services recorded 6,806 more lifesaving outcomes, or nearly 19 times the national average.

Miami-Dade Animal Services led Florida and ranked second nationally with 16,953 cats saved. Hillsborough County Pet Resource Center ranked No. 11 nationally with 7,610, while the Jacksonville Humane Society placed No. 14 with 7,450.

Los Angeles Animal Services topped the national rankings with 18,883 cats saved.

Top 15 cat-saving shelters

For purposes of the study, a cat was considered saved if it left a shelter alive through adoption, return to its owner, transfer to another organization or release to a managed community cat colony.

The rankings measure the total number of cats saved rather than a shelter’s save rate. The figures were not adjusted for shelter intake, population served or the geographic origins of the animals, meaning the study reflects the scale of lifesaving outcomes rather than comparing the percentage of animals saved by each shelter.

The study excluded shelters that do not accept cats from the rankings.

John Butterworth, KittySpout's marketing lead, commented on the findings.

"Nearly a million and a half cats left American shelters alive last year, and not one of them walked out on its own. Shelter workers are some of the most dedicated people you will meet, and their work usually goes unseen, which is why we put together this data."

For more details, go to: https://www.kittyspout.com

Key Points:

• Orange County Animal Services saved 7,191 cats over 12 months.
• The shelter ranked No. 15 nationally among 3,884 reporting shelters.
• It ranked No. 4 among 135 shelters in Florida.
• The shelter saved nearly 19 times as many cats as the national shelter average.