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The ASPCA is using its 160th anniversary in 2026 to trace how its work with dogs has changed, from protections for cart-pulling animals to modern shelter, rehabilitation, veterinary and adoption programs. The organization reports that its relocation program moved more than 217,000 dogs between 2014 and 2025, while its veterinary services and clinics performed more than 129,000 spay and neuter surgeries for dogs and cats in 2025.
The ASPCA is marking its 160th anniversary in 2026 with a history of its work with dogs, charting a shift from protecting animals used to haul goods to operating shelter, rehabilitation, foster and veterinary programs. The organization says its relocation program moved more than 217,000 dogs from 2014 to 2025, while its veterinary services and ASPCA-funded clinics performed more than 129,000 spay and neuter surgeries for dogs and cats in 2025.
The account, published by the ASPCA, links its early work to the use of dogs as laborers in 19th-century cities. Founder Henry Bergh helped pass a New York State law in 1867 requiring licenses for dogs used to pull carts. The ASPCA says licensing helped establish ownership as well as regulate working dogs. Licensing later expanded to pet dogs, and the organization administered New York City’s dog licensing program for about a century, licensing as many as 250,000 dogs annually by the mid-20th century. The fees supported sheltering and rescue work, according to the ASPCA.
The report also describes changes in shelter care. In the last five months of 1895, after taking on New York City’s animal care contract the previous year, the ASPCA took in more than 21,000 dogs. Early facilities housed dogs together in pens, while later shelters introduced individual kennels and outdoor runs. The ASPCA says its current work includes rehabilitation for fearful and abused dogs, foster placements, veterinary care and transfers to communities where animals may have better adoption prospects.
Recent figures in the account include care for 109,000 animals in 2025 through ASPCA veterinary services, covering veterinary and behavioral care. The organization reports nearly 600 volunteers on its New York City dog-foster roster and says 145 dogs spent time in foster homes there in 2025. Its relocation program moved 300,000 animals overall between 2014 and 2025, including more than 217,000 dogs. The figures are reported by the ASPCA and describe its own programs.
From Cart Dogs to Shelter Care
The history offers a measure of how the treatment and social role of dogs have changed: animals once used to pull carts became the subject of licensing protections and, increasingly, organized shelter and adoption services. Today, the ASPCA’s account emphasizes rehabilitation, foster care and veterinary support alongside rescue, reflecting the range of services needed to prepare dogs for homes.
The reported numbers also show the scale of current efforts, but they are not a measure of the whole U.S. animal-welfare system. The ASPCA cites an estimated 2.8 million dogs entering U.S. shelters in 2025, a figure that places its programs within a much larger sheltering challenge. Relocation, foster care and subsidized adoption can help individual animals, while the source does not establish how much those programs change national shelter outcomes.
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How ASPCA Dog Work Changed
The ASPCA was founded in 1866, when dogs in cities commonly worked as hunters, herders, guardians and draft animals. Its account says the organization’s early shelters resembled horse stables, with dogs housed in shared enclosures. By the mid-20th century, the organization was also promoting adoption and running public obedience courses: it began dog-obedience classes in 1944 and says 20,000 owned dogs had participated by 1964.
The 2026 anniversary feature is part of a yearlong series about the organization’s history. The ASPCA also says it operates rehabilitation facilities in Pawling, New York; Columbus, Ohio; and Weaverville, North Carolina. Its Manhattan Adoption Center includes indoor training rooms and spacious kennels, according to the report. These examples provide institutional context; the article does not independently evaluate the facilities or their outcomes.
““Throughout 2026, the ASPCA is sharing highlights from our organization’s rich and sometimes unexpected 160-year history.””
— ASPCA
What the Program Figures Show
The figures in the account are reported by the ASPCA; the source does not provide an independent audit or a comparison with earlier years for most measures. It also does not explain how many dogs transferred, fostered or treated ultimately entered permanent homes, or give a national breakdown of the programs’ effects.
The ASPCA cites 2.8 million dogs entering U.S. shelters in 2025, but the supplied report does not detail the source methodology or how the figure was calculated. It remains unclear how that total compares with prior years on a consistent basis. The article describes the organization’s historical and current work, rather than announcing a new policy or a newly launched service.
Anniversary Coverage and Adoption
The ASPCA says it will continue sharing historical highlights through the rest of 2026. Its report also says its Rescue Effect campaign is in its final month, working with more than 500 shelters nationwide and providing grant funds to 200 shelters to waive adoption fees. The source does not specify a closing date or provide an outcome tally for the campaign.
For readers considering adoption, the account points to shelters, foster programs and veterinary support as parts of the process, but it does not provide a national directory or details on eligibility for specific services. Further information about local availability and adoption procedures will need to come from the relevant shelter or the ASPCA.
Key Questions
What development is the ASPCA reporting?
The ASPCA has published a history of its work with dogs as part of its 160th-anniversary coverage in 2026, alongside figures from recent programs.
How many dogs did the ASPCA relocation program move?
The organization says it moved more than 217,000 dogs between 2014 and 2025, within 300,000 animals relocated overall during that period.
What veterinary work did the ASPCA report for 2025?
The ASPCA says it and ASPCA-funded clinics performed more than 129,000 spay and neuter surgeries for dogs and cats in 2025. It separately reports veterinary and behavioral care for 109,000 animals.
How did dog licensing relate to the ASPCA’s early work?
The ASPCA says founder Henry Bergh helped pass a 1867 New York State law requiring licenses for dogs used to pull carts. Licensing helped establish ownership, and fees later supported sheltering and rescue work.
Does the report show that shelter dog numbers are falling?
No. The account cites 2.8 million dogs entering U.S. shelters in 2025, but does not provide a consistent comparison with earlier years or evidence that the total is declining.
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