Working at an animal shelter you see all types of furry friends come in. Working with dogs you see big dogs, little dogs, puppies, older dogs, and everything in between. There's something about them though that makes them the same: they're all looking for their forever family.

A lot of these dogs have had it pretty rough and you don't really get to know their background story. You do learn a lot about them though from their behavior. Such as if they get scared when a car goes by they most likely weren't raised in a city environment and should go somewhere that is more secluded. Or if they stay right by your side when walking then they know you are in control and won't leave your side. These dogs are great to take on unleashed hikes and could probably eventually go in an yard without a fence.

All of these dogs come with traits that fit a certain lifestyle and are the perfect addition to someone's family. Rescuing an animal gives you so much more than just an animal. You get to feel all of these things:

You are saving a life.

Shelters such as the Dakin Humane Society do not euthanize, but that doesn't mean others are the same; 2.7 million adoptable cats and dogs are still euthanized each year in the United States. This is a very sad fact indeed, especially because it is due to the fact that too many pets come into shelters and too few people adopt. But the upside is that every time a dog or cat is adopted they don't have to become a part of that statistic. When you adopt you not only save your animal, you also open up shelter space for another animal that can find their forever home too.

You get a great animal.

Most of the time animals are brought to shelters due to reasons like a move, divorce, or just being unable to take care of them any longer. The common idea in peoples eyes is that an animal did something wrong to end up in a shelter. A dog or cat is not going to be up for adoption if they are going to most likely harm you. Shelters tend to have little biographies about an animal that say what type of home they would fit best in, like if they should be around small children or not.

Here is an example of a shelter animal that I have met. Bob is a an 11 year old Rottweiler Purebred and at first glance he is a very big dog and you might be a little scared, but when you meet him he is the sweetest dog, hence the nickname "gentle giant."

You're fighting puppy mills.

When you buy a dog from a store you have no idea what you're getting. Most puppies in pet stores and sold online come from puppy mills. According to the ASPCA "puppy mills usually house dogs in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions without adequate veterinary care, food, water or socialization." Puppy mills will continue to operate until people stop supporting them. By adopting a pet, you can be certain you aren't giving them a dime.

Your house will thank you.

This is a small reason to rescue, but most of the pets from shelters and rescues are already house trained. This means you're not only saving your pet's life, but also any sort of furniture that you really like.

You get a great bargain.

When you adopt a pet, the cost of the spay/neuter, first vaccinations and sometimes microchipping is usually included in the adoption price, which means you've scored a major deal. The reason they tend to come already spayed or neutered is so any sort of furry children they may have don't end up in a shelter like their mom or dad had to. Some shelters also sometimes proved support services such as training classes or medical care for the adopted animal.

So go find your new furry best friend, you won't regret it! Whoever you decide to rescue will thank you for the rest of their life with tons of kisses and cuddles.

If you do however choose to buy an animal from a store, please do your research and make sure you are not supporting any sort of inhumane conditions for animals.