Approximately 6.5 million companion animals end up in US shelters every year. Roughly half of these are dogs, while cats make up the other half. Fortunately, though, the situation has gotten better: the number has dropped from 7.2 million in 2011. But that doesn’t mean there still isn’t room for improvement.

And in times of the worldwide pandemic, when good news has become a rarity, there’s been a long-awaited surge in pet adoption. All over the country, from New York to Wisconsin and North Carolina to Colorado and New Mexico, animal shelters are reporting massive growth in the numbers of animals they’ve adopted out or placed in foster homes.

Kitty Block, the president and CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, told Wired that the demand in fostering has increased by 90 percent in some cities. “Folks who don’t have animals for one reason or another, because of their work schedule or their travel schedule, that’s all changed right now,” she said.

Meanwhile, New York City is facing a new shortage. After running out of bikes recently, it is now coming up short on dogs to foster. “For the moment, we definitely don’t have any dogs left to match” with foster volunteers, Anna Lai, the marketing director at Muddy Paws, told Bloomberg. “Which is a great problem to have,” she added.

If you also feel tempted to adopt a pet and let a companion animal into your life, it should never be an impulse decision. Bored Panda reached out to Rob Young, the head of center operations at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, who shared some insights on what you should know before and after adopting a cat or a dog.

Even during the times of the pandemic when we all feel more lonely and in need of a companion than usual, “getting a pet should never be an impulsive decision,” said Rob. As a result, Battersea animal rescue in London, England continues to follow their normal rehoming procedure, such as “assessing the motivations and suitability of new owners.”

Moreover, Rob said that their rehoming staff “will additionally consider the impact of Government restrictions on new owners.” That means that they will be checking that potential “owners are able to provide a setup that will still be suitable for a new pet once lockdown is over and they return to their usual lifestyle.”

Whether we like it or not, there will always be pet owners who are struggling for whatever reason to take care of their dogs and cats. Rob said that “Contacting a rescue center is the most responsible decision if you can no longer care for a dog or cat,” and even if it’s a very difficult decision, he asked to “put that fear aside for the sake of your pet’s welfare and bring them to a rescue.”

“You’ll never be judged or shamed for making the responsible decision,” promised Rob and reminded that the wellbeing of an animal should be of the highest priority.