With the “Adopt, Don’t Shop” movement on the rise, many are thinking about adding a new furry friend to their home. Here’s why you should avoid Kill Shelters at all costs.

1. No-Kill Shelters boost adoption numbers.

Because these places don’t euthanize many animals–only in cases of severe medical issues that impact their quality of life–people are more inclined to adopt from a no-kill shelter. Why wouldn’t you choose to adopt from a place that saves every animal they take in?

2. No-Kill Shelters are more popular.

No-Kill shelters receive more positive engagement when it comes to adoptions, events, and more. According to an article by Maddie’s Fund, no-kill shelters have more volunteers, recruit more staff, and earn more funding. This is because they are appealing to communities since they don’t kill their residents. People are happier when they see that a shelter doesn’t harm the animals they work so hard to rescue.

3. Kill shelters are inhumane.

Traditional shelters euthanize animals that are considered too sick, too mean, or “unadoptable,” along with animals that don’t get adopted quickly. This means that more animals are euthanized here than anywhere else. These poor animals end their lives early for absolutely no reason–which is terrible. Not only that, but some of these shelters use completely inhumane methods to euthanize animals. Some of these inhumane methods include electrocution, cyanide, and even gas chambers. Are we really still adopting from shelters that shock, poison, and even suffocate animals? No way!

4. The animals are less adoptable.

Animals in kill shelters come from everywhere because all animals are accepted into kill shelters. This means that there are more animals that are old, unhealthy, or mean. These animals are not fit for many different homes, so they struggle to be adopted. No-kill shelters, on the other hand, have specific requirements to accept dogs that are more likely to be adopted. This helps with turnover so more animals can be rescued and adopted.

5. Every family can find the perfect animal.

No-kill shelters take in a variety of animals. They range from puppies to senior dogs, cuddly to chaotic energies, and mellow to loud personalities. There are so many options at no-kill shelters for every family to find an animal that fits their lifestyle. These animals have no time limit on how long they can stay at the shelter, so they are waiting for you to find the perfect match.

No-kill shelters are the best option when adding a new furry friend to your home. Regardless of where you decide to adopt an animal, choosing to rescue it is much better than buying one from pet stores or puppy mills.