In many households, a family revolves around the favorite child. In my household, the favorite child isn't a child, but a pet. My dog Honey is a medium sized lab mix who is playful, loveable, and of course, sweet like honey. When I was 15 years old, my family adopted Honey from a rescue organization, giving her a chance at a new life, a chance to be rescued. Before my family, it's anyone's guess as to what Honey's experience on this earth had entailed, but since my family, I can say for certain that Honey's experience has been nothing short of euphoric.

As the "favorite child" Honey has a huge backyard to run around in, plenty of her own toys, and of course an endless supply of pets and cuddles. Honey is one of the lucky ones; she gets to understand what it feels like to be loved and to be happy. For too many animals the feeling of a warm blanket or the sight of a human's smile is foreign concepts. For too many animals the idea of neglect, abuse, and abandonment are feelings that are all too familiar. Animals have always proven to give unconditional love, and it's time humans start giving them some love back. It's time to start helping them, for there are far too many that desperately need our help.

When it comes to pets, most kids in the US can say they have them. In fact, over three-quarters of kids in the United States live with pets. But when it comes to rescuing pets, most kids in the US can't say they've ever had one, because most parents don't think getting one is a realistic option. The misconception around the difficulty of rescue animals hurts their chances of getting adopted, and because of people refusing to rescue, statistics show that 2.7 million adoptable cats and dogs are euthanized in the United States each year. The fact of the matter is that in the United States there isn't enough room in our shelters. That's why people should rescue because when someone does, they not only give one animal a new home but open up room in a shelter for another.

Organizations like the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Humane Society of the United States work every day to save animals, but they can't help if people don't find the animals worth saving. Animal neglect and abuse is a real problem, and rescuing is a real solution that everyone should consider. Take it from me, someone who found she could be happy forever after her family gave an animal a forever home. Honey is one of the lucky ones, and if humans start to take action and start to give back some of that unconditional love, Honey won't just be a lucky one, but one of many.