An Animal in Need is a Pet Indeed - Animal Shelters

You hear the sounds of dogs barking, cats meowing, and all of them are looking at you with their big eyes.  You want to take them all home with you, but you can only afford to bring home one.  Taking care of pets takes a lot of work and can be very expensive, which is one of the many reasons these animals are there in the first place.  Some were strays who became a nuisance but were in good health.  Others were given as gifts to someone who didn’t really want a pet.  No matter what the reason is, these animals are here until someone decides to take them home.  Or until the operators of the shelter decide that no one is going to take them home. 

There are actually several different types of animal shelters in the United States.  Some of them are run or contracted by local governments, and these are known as animal control agencies.  They are responsible for housing lost or unwanted animals and also are responsible for capturing animals that are becoming a nuisance to individuals or neighborhoods.  They will generally medically evaluate animals that are brought to them and neuter animals that have not yet had this procedure done.  Animals that are older or in ill health will generally be humanely euthanized, as will animals who do not get adopted within a certain period of time.  Some animal control agencies also provide less expensive medical services as an option for pet owners who can’t afford standard veterinarian fees. 

Although government animal control agencies are perhaps the most common type of animal shelter, they are by no means the only one out there.  Two other major types are no-kill animal shelters and animal sanctuaries.  Animal sanctuaries generally take in animals that are not adoptable for a variety of reasons, ranging from health concerns to behavioral issues.  They care for the animals for the remainder of their lives and do not attempt to place them in a home.  No-kill animal shelters are similar to animal control agencies in that their intention is that the animals be adopted.  However, they do not euthanize animals unless an extremely serious medical condition comes up.  Because of this no-kill policy their space is limited and they will only take animals that are in good health and are likely to be adopted.  The main difference is that they will not euthanize an animal simply because no one had adopted it yet. 

One final sheltering option is not a shelter at all, but a network of volunteers.  Animal rescue organizations work harder than actual shelters to get pets placed in homes, sometimes going so far as to adopt pets from government shelters.  They will also physically transport animals to locations where there is a higher demand for pets in order to help them get adopted.  Members of these organizations often keep the animals in their homes until the animals are adopted.