Important Facts you should know....
From the Humane Society of the United States:

  • Statistics from the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council (PIJAC) indicate that
    approximately 3,500 to 3,700 of the 11,500 to 12,000 U.S. pet stores sell cats and
    dogs. PIJAC also estimates that pet stores sell 300,000 to 400,000 puppies every
    year. The HSUS estimates the number to be 500,000.  

  • In six years, one female dog and her offspring can theoretically produce 67,000 dogs.

  • Number of cats and dogs entering shelters each year: 6-8 million (HSUS estimate)

  • Number of cats and dogs euthanized by shelters each year:3-4 million (HSUS
    estimate)

  • (http://www.hsus.org/pets/
More Interesting Facts:

  • A dog's heart beats between 70 and 120 times a minute, compared with a human
    heart which beats 70 to 80 times a minute.
  • The normal body temperature for a dog is 101.2 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Dogs are not born knowing the words Sit, Down, Stay...and even if you shout the
    command louder and louder the dog will still not know what it means.
  • A Basset hound named Jack, from Fulda, Germany, holds the record for the
    longest ears, measuring 33.2 cm or just over a remarkable 13 inches.
  • All dogs, from the German Shepherd to the tiny Toy Poodle, are direct
    descendants of wolves. They can all breed together and produce fertile offspring.
    Technically they are of the same species.
  • The oldest reliable age recorded for a dog is 29 years, 5 months for a Queensland
    'heeler' called Bluey in Victoria, Australia. The average dog lives to around 15
    years of age.
  • Dogs are pack animals by nature. They need closeness, touching, and petting to
    be content and happy.
  • A dog is a true friend, and one you can be certain will never talk about you, no
    matter what you do.
  • Tough or not, most dogs can lick the entire family.