Local shelters and rescues are great resources to find animals looking for new homes.  You can find cats, dogs, birds, small critters, and sometimes even livestock.  In fact, any type of animal available for sale at your local pet store or from a breeder is probably waiting for adoption in a nearby shelter or rescue.  They are waiting for you.  So where are you?

Did you know: 

  1. 6–8 million animals end up in shelters each year, half of which will probably not be adopted.
  2. 25 percent of pets in shelters are purebreds. Breed-specific rescue groups always have purebred dogs and puppies looking for new homes.
  3. Most pets end up homeless through no fault of their own—”moving” and “landlord issues” are the top reasons people give for relinquishing their pets, meaning shelters and rescue groups are full of wonderful, family-ready pets.
  4. Pets adopted from shelters and rescue groups typically cost less than pets purchased or even acquired for free—once you add in the cost of vaccinations, spay/neuter surgery, microchip, de-wormer and other “extras” included in your adoption fee, you’ll probably be surprised what a bargain an adopted pet really is!
  5. Most shelters and rescue groups conduct thorough behavioral analyses of each pet to ensure that they will be the right fit for your family.
  6. Shelters and rescue groups can provide advice on making your relationship with your pet the best it can be for the rest of their life, so you’ll never have to go it alone.

So if you’ve made the decision to add a new pet to your family, the first question to answer is what kind of pet will be the best fit for your household? Do you have enough time to devote to the daily needs of a dog? Is there someone in your household who is allergic? Have you considered a non-traditional pet such as a rat or another small critter? Doing your homework in advance will make your search easier and increase the chances that your new pet will be a happy addition to the family.

Visit the website of your local shelter to see what animals are available for adoption, but don’t forget to also visit in person—sometimes all it takes to find your perfect match is to look directly into an animal’s eyes and fall in love.