Roughly 5,000 animal shelters function within the United States. See extra footage of potential pets.

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­A pair of mournful eyes peeks out fro­m between steel bars. Whiskers twitch in anticipation, ears cock, and a bit of head tilts as a toddler and his dad and mom stroll by. Will this household be the one?

This situation is replayed thousands and thousands of instances annually aroun­d the nation. Animals which are both misplaced or now not needed by their house owners are dropped off at animal shelters, the place they’re housed and cared for- however usually solely quickly. Sadly, shelters are the final cease for greater than half of the animals that find yourself there. Solely about half of the animals that enter a shelter will ever return to their unique proprietor or discover a brand new dwelling. The remaining must be euthanized.

In this text, we’ll check out how animal shelters work, see how animals are cared for whereas they’re there, and learn the way shelters and animal rescue organizations are serving to misplaced pets discover loving houses. They’re nonprofit businesses. A few of them are run by native governments’ animal contro­l providers and others act as utterly impartial entities. There is not a nationwide company that oversees animal shelters; nonetheless, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, and different nonprofit organizations which can be dedicated to animal welfare present the funding and pointers to assist animal shelters function successfully.

Up to now, “strays” had been rounded up by “canine catchers” and taken to the “canine pound.” As we speak the language used to explain the method is way gentler. “Animal management officers” discover “homeless” animals and take them to “shelters,” the place they’re cared for till they are often “adopted.” These new expressions mirror society’s altering attitudes about animal welfare. ­Many animal shelters will take nearly each kind of domesticated animal, together with birds, rabbits, and even horses, however by far the principle residents are cats and canines. Between 6 and eight million canine and cats are taken to shelters every year, in line with the Humane Society. Some are introduced in by house owners who can now not keep the animals. Others are discovered roaming the streets and introduced in by animal management officers.

In a perfect state of affairs, an animal will solely keep in a shelter till its proprietor returns or it’s adopted. Sadly, shelters haven’t got sufficient room to indefinitely home the entire animals they obtain. Greater than half of all cats and canines that enter shelters are put to sleep as a result of they’re too sick or outdated, or they do not discover properties.

How lengthy an animal can stay in a shelter relies upon solely native legal guidelines and the person shelter’s guidelines. Though the Humane Society recommends that shelters hold strays for a minimum of 5 days, the precise variety of days can differ primarily based on the area within the shelter, as effectively because the well being and adoptability of the animals. A smaller variety of shelters solely settle for restricted numbers of animals however promise to care for them till they’re adopted. These are known as “no kill” shelters. Regardless of the identify, although, these shelters will euthanize animals which are too outdated or in poor health to care for anymore.

Augusta DeLisi rescued her first canines when she was 12 years outdated. Quickly after, she began Augies Doggies Rescue with the aim of saving as many canines as potential. The time period “animal shelter” sometimes brings to thoughts lengthy rows of steel-barred cages, the pungent odor of urine, software telemarketing and cacophonous barking. Now in highschool, she has huge desires for her group’s future. In truth, Maddie’s Pet Adoption Middle seems to be extra like a 5-star resort than an animal shelter. However for pets fortunate sufficient to get misplaced within the San Francisco space, lodging can be found at an animal shelter so luxurious that it might make most people jealous. On the $7 million facility (funded by donations), cats have their very own personal condos, the place they will lounge on cushy sofas, scratch at plush posts, and watch DVDs of frolicking birds and squirrels. Within the canine wing, pooches share elegant, furnished Victorian or Spanish-type apartments full with skylights, human-like beds, and as many toys as they’ll chew. The entire animals get out of their apartments for common “play dates,” and not one of the residents are ever euthanized.