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 acquire 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 acquire 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).