Shelter dog adoption month begins Thursday

As October is Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, Best Friends Animal Society is encouraging anyone who has been thinking about getting a dog to take the plunge and find themselves a new best friend at a local shelter or rescue, since the need is still great.

According to Best Friends 2019 data of U.S. shelters, 31 percent of the 625,000 shelter pets (dogs and cats) killed last year were dogs.

Most shelter dogs are fixed, vaccinated, micro-chipped and ready to go home for one low fee.

Best Friends has lifesaving centers in Atlanta, Los Angeles, New York City, Salt Lake City, a sanctuary in Kanab and partners with more than 3,100 shelters across America.

To help with your search, Best Friends offers the following tips:

• Consider your lifestyle.
• Let the shelter team play matchmaker.
• How much affection do you need?
• Consider the kids.
• Keep an open mind, But be realistic, too.
• Don’t be afraid to have deal-breakers.
• Ask about a foster to adopt program.