Shelters & Rescue Organizations

Shelters and Rescues are places where pets go when they've been given up, taken away, found stray, etc. Most pets in these places are previously owned, and oftentimes the experience wasn't pleasant. Every state has at least one pet shelter or Humane Society for homeless pets. If you've ever got the opportunity and the extra TLC to provide, definately consider giving a forever home to the misfortuned. These are basically pet orphanages.

There are pros and cons to adopted a pet from a shelter. Weigh everything carefully before you decide on these needy creatures.

Advantages
Many of the pets are used to human interaction
Some have basic training completed
Behavior assessments have been taken, so you know what you're getting into
These pets often come with a warranty period, or free items
You'll have plenty of knowledgable people giving you all the advice you could hope for

Disadvantages
Many pets were previously mistreated, and may not respond well to other pets, children, people of different ethnicities or gender, loud noises, etc.
More often than not, the pets breed and age are a mystery
To discourage people from buying on a whim, these pets are often more expensive
Many may have medications or prescriptions to fill

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Oftentimes, animals are put up for adoption for perfectly legitimate reasons. The only PERFECT legitimate reason I can think of is that the previous owner died. Every other reason has flaws in my eyes. But that's me Think for yourself!! It's your pet!

Prepare yourself before you enter an adoption center. Puppies and kittens will be crying for attention. Dogs will plead with the most soulful eyes. Everyone looks downtrodden and miserable. The tags will give you sad, detailed stories. Many people have fallen victim to this collaboration of information and sorrow, and ended up with the most loyal and faithful pets-- But if you're really serious about adopting one of the animals you see, tell one of the agents, and they'll likely work something out so you can sleep on it, get supplies ready, etc., before deciding.