Question: are dogs put down in animal shelters?
Answer: Each year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized (670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats). The number of dogs and cats euthanized in U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 2.6 million in 2011. ... About 710,000 animals who enter shelters as strays are returned to their owners.