Why should you consider adopting an animal? Easy - there is a severe overpopulation problem of cats and dogs in our country. According to the Human Society of the United States, six to eight million dogs and cats enter shelters each year, and out of those, three to four million are euthanized. View source

There are simply too many animals. Why? Unwanted litters due to a failure to spay or neuter, backyard breeders, and puppy mills.

Why are so many of these animals unwanted? People get old or ill, face financial difficulties, or simply wind up with an animal they were not prepared for. These animals are abandoned or surrendered to shelters in the millions. Quite simply, if people had to get a license to avoid spay / neuter in order to properly breed dogs, and if people needed a license proving they were sound pet owners before they were allowed to aquire one, we would not have this problem.

Unfortunately, that's not how it works.

When you adopt an animal and then spay or neuter, you are removing one factor of the problem.

When you aquire a dog you have not researched and are not 100% committed to for the duration of that animal's life, or purchase from a pet shop or a disreputable breeder, you are adding to the problem (this is why most rescue groups require you to sign a document stating that if, for any reason, you must give up this animal - you return it to them).

So, you want a puppy or kitten...
So, you want an older dog...
So, you want a specific breed...
So, you want a top quality bloodline...
So, you want to breed your dog...