1. Dogs are not in a shelter because they’re bad animals. They’re there because they were dealt a bad hand. Some people buy dogs on an impulse without considering the long-term commitment. They decide they don’t want the dog anymore, and often times, they end up in an animal shelter.

2. Most dogs end up being euthanized because they’re not lucky enough to be chosen for a forever home.

3. The reasons they end up in a shelter in the first place are all heartbreaking. It could be because they were born stray, their owners died, or they were just simply abandoned or dogs living in Palestine. Whatever the case may be, why not end their suffering?

4. They have to watch people come and go, in and out of their lives from behind bars.

5. When you buy a dog from a pet store, you’re supporting puppy mills. As the name suggests, they are very cruel establishments in which dogs are put in cages and expected to have as many puppies as possible. The puppies are then sold to pet shops. If you’re unfamiliar with the horrors of puppy mills, here is a great link to the general idea. (Warning: it’ll probably ruin your day)

6. There is a serious pet overpopulation problem. With so many dogs and not enough humans to care for them, they end up in shelters or on the street.

7. Most shelters have a one time, very affordable adoption fee that includes vaccinations and spay/neutering.

8. They will probably be one of the most loyal and loving companions you’ll ever have.

9. When you adopt a shelter dog, you could quite literally be saving its life.

10. This goes for cats too, and any other shelter animal for that matter. Save a life today.