Animal protection advocates call attention to the pet overpopulation "crisis" in the United States. According to the Humane Society of the United States, 3-4 million dogs and cats are euthanized each year in the country and many more are confined to cages in shelters. This crisis is created by nonneutered animals (spayed/castrated) reproducing and people intentionally breeding animals.
In addition, companies often limit coverage for pre-existing medical conditions, thus giving owners an incentive to insure even very young animals who are not expected to incur high veterinary costs while they are still healthy.
