Over 13,000 animal shelters exist nationwide with an annual number of about 7.6 million animals entering each year, including 3.9 million dogs and 3.4 million cats. Of the animals that enter the shelter, 649,000 are strays and only 61% of dogs and 42% of cats leave the institution after entering. The remainder of the animals are either euthanized or remain in the shelter. Adopting a pet gives the animal a source of love and care, and the human, a forever friend.

Animals who are adopted tend to live longer than their homeless counterparts due to being provided with consistent food, shelter, protection, and healthcare.

Animals can improve the health of their owners. Ownership of a pet can reduce a person’s amount of stress which can lead to heart problems, high blood pressure, and a lower immune system. Cats’ purrs can not only improve their own health, but the sound wave frequency created by the purr can strengthen their owners’ bones too.

Pets help with self-confidence. Pets offer companionship and love to their owners, allowing a beautiful bond to take shape. This irrevocable friendship helps people cope with isolation, depression, or death of a loved one.

Pets can teach children in many ways. Kids who own a pet learn the responsibility of taking care of another creature, as well as non-verbal communication skills to communicate with their pet. Animals help children understand commitment and discipline.

Animals can be strong protectors to their families. Dogs help defend their owners from potential intruders who could cause harm to their family. Larger dogs and cats help with non-human intruders, such as mice or other household pests. In addition to the protection of their families, animals are often deemed as heroes. Police and firefighters employ a dog’s sense of smell in order to sniff out danger on the job.

Dogs and cats can act as doctors and aids to the sick and disabled. Animals can aid the ill in rehabilitation, but also can be used to calm mentally disabled patients, such as an older adult with Alzheimer’s. Guide dogs give a pair of eyes to the visually impaired by assisting them throughout their daily activities. A dog’s sense of scent also allows them to detect for life threatening or possibly fatal illnesses, such as cancer.

Pets help to bring out the beauty in both the big and small parts of life. Pet’s naturally playful nature both provides entertainment to their owner and encourages people to see all walks of life. Through owning a pet, individuals get to observe the world in a completely different perspective.

With adverse variety of pets and a larger group of breeds, with an even larger range of personalities, animals of any kind are certain to find an owner somewhere. Adopting a pet allows these animals to finally have a forever home.