Approximately 5,000 animal shelters operate in the United States. See more pictures of potential pets.
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A pair of mournful eyes peeks out from between metal bars. Whiskers twitch in anticipation, ears cock, and a little head tilts as a child and his parents walk by. Will this family be the one?
This scenario is replayed millions of times each year around the country. Animals that are either lost or no longer wanted by their owners are dropped off at animal shelters, where they are housed and cared for— but often only temporarily. Sadly, shelters are the last stop for more than half of the animals that end up there. Only about half of the animals that enter a shelter will ever return to their original owner or find a new home. The rest will have to be euthanized.
In this article, we’ll take a look at how animal shelters work, see how animals are cared for while they are there, and learn how shelters and animal rescue organizations are helping lost pets find loving homes.