Why you should adopt your next pet
Adopting saves lives and leaves a lasting impact
OVERVIEW
Deciding to add a new family member is a big decision! There are so many questions to ask yourself–what type of pet will be the best match for your household? Who will be the pet’s primary caregiver? Have you budgeted to take care of your new pet’s needs? Who will look after your pet if you are traveling? Are you prepared to care for your pet for the duration of your pet’s life – for dogs this can be over ten years and for cats 10-15 years.
Of course, once you’ve decided to get a new pet, one of the most important questions is: where will you find your next pet? There are many places with pets (especially cats and dogs) looking for homes, very likely right in your own neighborhood.
Learn more about the impact you can have by adopting your next pet.
The ASPCA reports that 4.2 million shelter animals were adopted into loving homes in 2024, approximately the same number of animals adopted as the year before. Unfortunately, not enough animals were adopted to significantly reduce the number of dogs and cats in shelters nationwide.
Adopt don’t shop
You may have heard people say “Adopt, don’t shop!” or have seen the hashtag #adoptdontshop on social media platforms such as Instagram and NextDoor (this hashtag has been used over 61 million times on Instagram!).
“Adopt don’t shop” encourages people to adopt pets from non-profit or municipal organizations such as animal shelters or rescues. Why adopt? There are so many wonderful animals waiting patiently in shelters for a family to take them home. Due to overpopulation, lack of space in shelters, lack of funding to care for so many homeless animals, and the public’s lack of awareness of the kinds of pets they can find in shelters. The ASPCA reports that over 600,000 animals were euthanized in 2024. Adopting pets undoutedly saves lives. Incidentally, this is also why spaying and neutering is incredibly important to help reduce the overflow of puppies and kittens needing homes. Palo Alto Humane offers low-cost and subsidized spay and neuter vouchers to help the community reduce animal overpopulation.
When people refer to adopting a pet, they generally mean getting a pet from a non-profit organization such as a shelter or a rescue group. Scroll down to learn more about finding a reputation organization to adopt your next pet.
how adopting saves lives
Adopting has an impact that goes far beyond giving a single homeless pet a loving home. When you adopt an animal, this one action has a ripple effect that saves multiple lives.
- The life of an animal you’re adopting.
- The life of another animal who can move into the shelter because there’s an open space.
- If you adopt from an organization that pulls animals from overcrowded shelters, you’re saving another life by opening up another spot in a shelter.
what kinds of animals are available for adoption?
Animals can find themselves in need of homes for many reasons, meaning that there’s a wide variety of different species, ages, and personalities of pets looking for new homes.
Different species
- Dogs and cats are the most common species available for adoption; however, there are organizations helping birds, rabbits, lizards, and other animals such as donkeys, chickens, and horses find new homes. You can begin your search by looking for rescues, shelters, and other organizations adopting the species you’re looking for.
Different ages & personalities
- Animals of all ages – from puppies and kittens just weaning from their moms to young adult pets to mellow adults and loving seniors find themselves at shelters looking for new homes.
- Just like people, animals have different personalities too! Great shelters will take the time to understand your lifestyle and your needs to help you identify adoptable pets that will be a great match for your specific circumstances.
Different breeds
- Both purebred and mixed breed pets can be found in shelters. It’s worth noting that the accurate way to identify a pet’s breed is through a DNA test. For example, the dog pictured here looks like a Maltese, and the shelter identified him as a Maltese mix. While technically correct, this dog’s DNA test revealed that he is only 6% Maltese, 39.6% Chihuhua and 21.6% poodle, and a few other breeds.
- There are many different breeds of dogs and cats available for adoption. If you are particular about adopting a specific breed, search for organizations that find homes for specific breeds. Google can help you locate breed-specific rescues. Small dogs, large dogs, and non-shedding dogs can regularly be found at shelters.
how do i find a reputable shelter?
- Leverage your networks. Social media platforms such as NextDoor and Facebook often have local neighborhood groups; your neighbors can help identify organizations in your area and share their experience firsthand.
- Look at aggregators such as PetFinder and Wagtopia; local organizations will post their pet bios and profiles so you can search listings from many shelters at once.
- Follow the organization’s social media pages and/or sign up for their emails. These organizations will share information about pets looking for homes.
- Check the organization’s website for profiles of pets available for adoption. A registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization will also have an EIN listed.
Reputable organizations will have an application process. It may ask for a lot of information and feel lengthy! Remember, the people who help these animals put significant effort into saving, rehabilitating, and caring for these animals and care deeply that these animals go to wonderful homes. When you’re adopting a pet, reputable organizations will likely ask for:
- Verification of your identity
- Proof that you are allowed to have a pet at your residence
- Some organizations may require in-person or virtual “home checks” to ensure you can provide a safe environment
Organizations use the information from your application to help you find an animal who is going to be suited for your home, personality, and lifestyle.
how much are adoption fees at shelters and rescues?
- Adoption fees can vary greatly, depending on the animal, size of the organization, and whether or not the organization receives government funding or not.
- These fees typically cover: spay/neuter procedure, first round of vaccinations, and the supplies, food, medications, and preventatives that the pet needed while in the organization’s care.
where do adoptable pets come from?
It’s simply untrue that there is something wrong, behaviorally or otherwise, with pets that are available for adoption.
Pets may end up at shelters or rescues for a variety of reasons. Common reasons include unplanned litters, stray animals, and unavoidable circumstances – such as the death of a caretaker or other extreme occurrences.
what is a foster-based rescue?
A foster-based rescue does not have a location or facilities open to the public. Instead, foster-based rescues rely on volunteer foster homes where adoptable pets are fostered until they are adopted. In addition to being less stressful for the pets, one great benefit of foster-based rescues is that the families fostering the adoptable pets usually know quite a bit of information about their personality, habits, and routines.
where can i learn more or get involved helping adoptable pets?
- If you would like to adopt, volunteer, or foster, take a look at some of the local organizations operating in Santa Clara County.
- These organizations often need foster families, volunteers to socialize pets, and volunteers to help at adoption events! It’s a wonderful way to give back and encourage more people to adopt their next pet from shelters and rescues.
I’ve adopted my pet! what’s next?
Websites with helpful information include PetFinder, Wagtopia, and the ASPCA.
If you would like to share your adopted pet’s story with Palo Alto Humane for a chance to be featured, please email ceo@paloaltohumane.org with a summary of your story. Please put “Adopted pet story” in the subject line.
All pets featured on this page were adopted from Bay Area shelters.