Without a doubt, there is no better feeling than coming home to an animal who misses you more than anything. For some, that feeling comes from a dog or a cat, but where could a family find such a loving companion? The best place: an animal shelter. 

Animal shelters specialize in creating a safe place for animals who are strays, surrendered from difficult living situations, or neglected entirely. 

“Our animal shelter is a municipal shelter that takes in over 5,000 animals per year, where our mission is to find homes for all of the adoptable animals in our care and to reunite lost pets with their families, ” said Deborah Yankow, the Division Director of Animal Services of the Bergen County Department of Health.

Animal shelters encourage the public to adopt pets from a rescue to save a homeless animal and to not support the puppy mill trade, otherwise known as commercial pet breeders. 

Although people breed a variety of animals in horrible conditions, dogs are the most common victims of this kind of treatment. According to The Humane Society of the United States, over two million puppies are sold each year from around 10,000 existing mills across the nation. To dig deeper into the conditions of these facilities, dogs from puppy mills are bred for profit and as an asset to one’s business, instead of reproducing for the common good of the breed. Dogs are typically kept in tiny metal cages with poor sanitation and little to no human interaction. This leads to major behavioral issues and disease. 

Not only do animal shelters save dogs from these types of environments, but they also make sure that they are adopted by suitable owners who are educated in the kinds of care that they need. Before adopting your furry animal, expect to fill out a comprehensive application, conduct an interview with the administration of the animal shelter, and have supervised meet and greets between the family and the animal. Lastly, by adopting from an animal shelter, the new owners receive a full history of the animal and truly find the one best for them.  

Ultimately, animal shelters are the best choice for adopting a furry friend, especially if you’d like to find the perfect companion!