Did you know that over 4.5 million animals get destroyed each year? This happens because people don't adopt animals. Instead, they buy them from pet stores. It is better to adopt a pet than to buy one from a pet store.

This is true because a pet will get a second chance at life. If you buy a pet from a store, somewhere else a pet might be killed due to a lack of space at a shelter. Another reason is due to the huge overpopulation problem with homeless pets. A third reason is that we are able to save 20,000 animals from catching diseases from being in a cell. These animals could also come down with fleas, lice and other skin conditions.

A final reason why people should adopt a pet is because its cheaper when compared to buying one. When we adopted our dog from a shelter, we only paid for veterinary fees,and required shots. If we had purchased him from a pet store, we would have had to pay the same fees, in addition to the cost of purchasing the dog.

Some people believe that buying a pet from a store is better than adopting one. They believe this because they think shelter pets have been abandoned for a reason. Another reason is with shelter pets, you never know what you're gonna get. A third reason is its almost impossible to find a purebred at a shelter. Finally, some people think that buying a pet from a pet store is better because they believe pets from a shelter are dirty and smelly.

This issue directly affected me because after I heard stories and seeing commercials about abused animals, it made me want to go out and adopt a pet. I did decide to do this. I adopted a loving, obedient, and gentle dog. His name is Truman. In my opinion, it’s just sad knowing about the lack of pets being adopted. People are not the only ones involved. Let us think about all of the dogs, cats, parrots, and hamsters, etc. that need our help out there instead of just ourselves.

People should adopt a pet instead of buying one from a pet store. This will help decrease the 4.5 million animals that die each year in shelters. I personally think that T.V. commercials really helped me with adopting a pet. For all of those families out there that want a pet, please chose to adopt one.