Puppies are one of the cutest things this world has to offer. Many people go to pet stores and spend thousands of dollars on puppies that are said to be 'pure bred' and from special breeders; however, there is one place you can go to get a dog or puppy that will give you endless amounts of love for a lot less money.

There seems to be a stigma around animal shelters when there really shouldn't be. People view them as places that house dangerous animals or kill defenseless dogs for no reason. No, not all shelters are considered to be 'no kill' shelters but the only people that can prevent the senseless killing of animals are those that adopt.

Dogs found in animal shelters came from many different situations, whether it be a hoarding case, animal abuse or neglect, or someone just couldn't or didn't want to take care of the animal anymore. Dogs and puppies that come from these horrible situations deserve to be loved and have a home.

Personally, I believe in adopting and not shopping for a dog only because my own dog came from an animal shelter. We walked into a Petco the day that the Isle of Wight Humane Society brought puppies and kittens that were recently rescued and ready for adoption. I took one look at the puppies and knew that this dog was the one. About an hour later, Remington was sitting in my lap in the car ready to go to his new home.

Shelters usually have an interview process before you can adopt to ensure that you are a good candidate and some even do home checks to make sure you can properly house your new dog. They also either spay and neuter your dog or require that you do so in order to avoid overpopulation.

If you want to go out and spend thousands of dollars on a puppy be my guest, but if you find it in your heart please go to your local shelter and give one of those special animals a home. Not only will you be helping a dog in need, but you will save money and get the same benefits if not more as shopping instead of adopting.