People Couldn’t Contain Their Excitement And Needed To Share 50 Pics Of Their New Adopted Pets (September Edition)

If you have space in your home - and heart - for a new furry friend, what are you waiting for? Please don't walk... RUN to your nearest animal shelter and go find the love of your life.

Around 2.8 million dogs and cats entered shelters and rescue centers in the first six months of 2025. And that's just in America. About 1.9 million of them have been adopted, meaning there are loads of others that weren't.

"Dog adoptions dipped modestly each month, while cat adoptions stayed mostly steady or slightly higher than last year during peak spring and summer months," notes the Shelter Animals Count Animal Count 2025 Mid-Year Report.

Sadly, out of those who were not adopted, 366,000 dogs and cats had a non-live outcome.

Last year, Shelter Animals Count estimated that around 5.8 million dogs and cats entered shelters across the U.S., and 607,000 didn't make it out alive. But many others had a happy ending.

"In 2024, total adoptions for dogs and cats reached 4,192,443 (2M dogs and 2M cats), a slight 0.4% increase (17,153 more adoptions) from 2023 but still 5.6% lower than 2019, with over 250,000 fewer animals finding homes since then," noted the 2024 Annual Analysis.

This year, the number of large and medium dog adoptions decreased compared to the same time last year. But the number of small dog adoptions increased by 6%.

"Similarly, fewer adult and senior dogs have been adopted (6% and 2% decreases, respectively), while juvenile dogs saw an increase in adoption numbers (6%)," the 2025 report reveals.

The report notes that while cat adoptions are remaining steady compared to last year, there has been a shift in the age of cats being adopted. "Juvenile cats saw a 6% increase in adoptions while adult and senior cats saw 7% decreases each," it states.

Animal welfare activists are concerned about the high number of dogs and cats entering shelters across the country.

"Many shelters are struggling with staffing and veterinarian shortages, and too few adoptions," said Christa Chadwick, the Vice President of Shelter Services for the ASPCA.

"We encourage animal welfare organizations and their communities to work together to keep pets in loving homes and out of shelters, while also working together through advocacy efforts to remove barriers that prevent many families from adopting new pets, such as lack of access to pet-friendly housing and affordable veterinary care," she added.

The ASPCA says that most dogs and cats entering shelters come in as strays, while around 29% are surrendered pets whose owners can no longer care for them due to unforeseen reasons.

According to Pet Insurance Review and Pedigree, the six most common dog breeds in pet shelters are: Pit Bulls, Labrador Retrievers, German Shepherds, Dachshunds, Chihuahuas, and Boxers.

"Many shelters across the country are full, and animals, especially dogs, are often staying longer in their care before being adopted. This is creating a surplus of animals, and without enough adoptions, many shelters are struggling to meet the needs of animals in their communities," warns the ASPCA.

It adds that not enough animals are being adopted to significantly reduce the number of dogs and cats in shelters nationwide.

So, once again, we ask: if you have space in your home—and heart—for a new pet, what are you waiting for?