"By adopting an animal in need – no matter the species, breed, or size – you may be saving that animal’s life as well as freeing up valuable shelter space and resources for other animals in need," Kelly DiCicco, Manager, Adoptions Promotions at the ASPCA Adoption Center told Bored Panda. "A huge benefit of adopting animals from a shelter is that shelter staff know the animals well and can provide detailed information about an animal’s history, medical needs, behavior, and temperament. They also consider a potential adopter’s lifestyle, home environment, and the animal’s potential compatibility with children and other animals in the home in order to make matches that are a good fit."

About 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, roughly 3.3 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats. The good news is that according to ASPCA estimates, the number of dogs and cats entering U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 7.2 million in 2011. If you want to contribute to lowering these numbers and rescue an animal, you can find general adoption tips or a local shelter in your area at ASPCA.

DiCicco encourages those who are seriously interested in taking home a new pet to keep an open mind and heart when visiting a shelter or rescue as they may walk out with a pet they’d never considered before, like a senior animal or even those of a different breed, size or species. "When it comes to choosing which pet to adopt, prospective adopters should feel comfortable asking plenty of questions and lean on shelter staff for guidance, as every shelter has a unique population of animals and no one knows them like the people who work with them every day," Kelly said. "Plus, shelter staff have expertise in making successful matches and can help prospective adopters decide whether an animal is a good personality and lifestyle fit. They also consider each animal’s background and energy level, as well as how the animal might get along with other people and pets in the home."

However, the coronavirus pandemic that is currently ravaging our world is also putting an immense strain on shelters all over the US. "Because this is an unprecedented and ever-changing situation, each shelter is facing unique challenges specific to its communities," DiCicco explained. "Many shelters are facing reduced staff and volunteer support, which is putting animals in desperate need of temporary or permanent sheltering outside the four walls of typical adoption centers and shelters."

For example, Sarah Bhimani, a spokesperson for Animal Humane Society, told Bored Panda that the organization has made the difficult decision to temporarily close all four of their shelters to the public through May 2 and only provide limited services, such as accepting surrendered/stray animals, providing limited veterinary services, and continuing humane investigations. "As our shelters were scheduled to close, we saw an outpouring of support from our community and experienced some record days of adoptions. The majority of remaining animals are being cared for by foster volunteers until the shelters reopen, and a small group of staff are caring for animals that must stay at the shelter for medical or behavioral reasons."

But with everything going on in the world right now, Bhimani reassured that animals in need are not forgotten. "We’re still here to help the most vulnerable animals in our community, and we encourage others to get involved too at animalhumanesociety.org"

One of the ways people can help during these difficult times is fostering. "[It] can give you the opportunity to single-handedly change an animal’s life for the better and is a rewarding experience for those who choose to become caregivers," DiCicco said. "There’s no place like a loving home to get a dog or cat used to the sights, sounds, and experiences that will set them up for a successful future adoption."