Pet Adoption - Ditched

Of the eight million pets that enter animal shelters and rescue groups every year, approximately three million of these healthy and treatable pets are euthanized due to a lack of adoption. While there has been steady progress on the issue, the continued euthanasia of our best friends and family members is a national tragedy.

Adopting a pet is a life-changing and enriching experience. It not only saves an animal's life, but adopted pets also provide unconditional love, affection and attention. Research has even shown that owning a pet has many positive psychological and physical health benefits.

Presently, most people do not obtain their pets from shelters, but rather from pet stores, the Internet, friends, breeders or other sources. In an effort to change this trend, The Shelter Pet Project is designed to encourage pet lovers throughout the country to make shelters and rescue groups the first place they turn to when acquiring companion animals. Campaign ads use humor to give shelter pets a voice and break down negative stereotypes; contrary to popular beliefs, animals most frequently find themselves in shelters due to owner-related issues.

At the www.theshelterpetproject.org users will find information about how to adopt from a shelter, as well as a fun matching tool designed to help potential pet owners identify traits to look for in an animal. Based on results, it will even supply a list of suitable pets avilable in local shelters. Other fun and interactive tools are also available, all in an effort to significantly increase the rate of pet adoption.