You've made the decision to add a new dog to your family. It's such an exciting time! One of the things to think about once this decision has been made is where you will be getting your new dog from. Even though there are many reputable breeders in this country, you should absolutely consider adopting a dog from a local rescue group or shelter. There are many myths associated with shelter dogs that make it difficult for local rescue groups to do their jobs, which is saving lives and finding good homes for adoptable dogs and cats. It's safe to say that millions of dogs are euthanized each year in this country. What's not known by many people is that many of these dogs were perfectly adoptable. Not only were they adoptable, but they would have made wonderful pets! Many people assume that if a dog is in a shelter it must be "bad" or aggressive in some way. This simply is not true of all shelter dogs. Many of these dogs end up euthanized because the shelters are inundated with animals and there is just not enough room or homes for all of them. In other words, they are euthanized through no fault of their own. …show more content…
Most surrenders are not because an animal is aggressive or bad. The following are some of the most common reasons why people make the decision to surrender their dogs: they are moving and cannot take the dog with them; divorce or separation; having a baby; no time to take care of the dog anymore. And then you get dogs in shelters who are there because they have been picked up as strays. Many times, these dogs have been in a home situation before but have ended up on the streets due to irresponsible