So maybe you’ve been thinking lately, is it time to get a pet? Many questions may run through your head when making the decision to bring a new member into your family. Do you want a dog? Are you more of a cat person? Do you want a dog you can go running with or a lazier dog? Long hair or short hair cat? But one very important decision is … do I adopt? My answer to you is yes.

Pet overpopulation is a continuous growing problem in America. Approximately 7.6 million animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year. Of that 7.6 million, 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats. Approximately 2.7 million animals are euthanized annually. Of that 2.7 million, 1.2 million are dogs and 1.4 million are cats. With millions of animals entering shelters annually, shelters are forced to euthanize healthy adoptable pets in order to make room for incoming animals. To simply put it, there are more pets than there are responsible homes for them.

I understand adopting from a shelter may not give you a purebred Husky. But out of those 7.6 million incoming animals, I promise you there is a pet out there for you. Are you afraid that you don’t know what kind of dog you are bringing home? Do your research. Many shelters are expanding their technology in order to gain better knowledge on the animals they are bringing in. DNA tests are popular to prove if your dog is truly a German Shepherd mix or a Boxer mix. Aggression tests are being done to match you and your family up with the ideal pet. Volunteers, shelter vets, and employees work extremely hard to help find these animals a home and in order for those pets to find a home, more people need to choose adoption. And if you are really after a purebred dog, studies show that at least 25 percent of animals kept in shelters are purebred.

Aside from the statistics of overpopulation, adopting an animal allows you to save money while you save a life. Purebred pets from breeders can cost anywhere from $500 to $2,000 (or more!). At an animal shelter you can find a dog for as low as $100. Just from paying $100, your pet comes spayed/neutered, micro chipped, and it is up to date with their vaccines! Many pets that are bought by breeders do not come spayed/neutered; therefore many owners do not get them fixed due to the expense of it, which leads to more puppies and kittens with not enough homes to care for them all.

Adoption saves lives. Not one life, multiple lives. When you choose to adopt a pet it opens up space for the next pet. The quicker that you adopt, the quicker the next dog or cat in line can get a chance. By adopting, you have saved your new pets life and the ones to have that crate after your pet leaves. With so many shelters throughout the nation, there are a wide variety of pets to choose from. You are guaranteed to find the perfect pet for your home without spending almost thousands of dollars on it. Many shelters will work with you and your needs to find you a forever companion. Don’t let shelter dogs and cats scare you away, their hearts are so big and they will love you unconditionally. Don’t let the barking scare you, how would you feel if you were confined to a small corner as your home? Don't let the cats make you think they aren't social, I wouldn't be happy if I was behind bars all day either. But you can change that. You can change their life. Whether they are young or old, they all need a home. Go out and give an animal another chance at life.