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An animal shelter is a facility that houses homeless, lost or abandoned animals; primarily a large variety of dogs and cats. The animal is kept at the shelter until it is either reclaimed by an owner, adopted to a new owner or placed with another organization. In the past, they were more commonly referred to as "dog pounds", a term which had its origins in the pounds of agricultural communities, where stray cattle would be penned up until claimed by their owners.
Some animal shelters humanely euthanize animals that are not adopted within a set period of time, others have a policy of only putting down animals that are in distress due to age or illness.
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Types of shelters
There are several distinct types of animal shelters.
Animal control agency
Animal control agencies, also known as municipal shelters (or "dog pounds"), are usually nonprofit organizations that are contracted by cities to enforce animal-related ordinances, and to provide animal related services. In addition to housing animals many animal shelters also provide education services for pet owners/adopters, low-cost spaying and neutering surgeries, vaccinations, veterinary care, and behavior training or resources.
No-kill shelter
Some shelters have taken on a "No-kill" policy, and will support the "healthy" and "adoptable" animals; for the remainder of its life, or until it is adopted. Due to limited funding, the number of animals that can be accepted by these organizations is often quite limited. Some animals may not be accepted because of behavior or health concerns that make adoption unlikely, or may be euthanized if a sufficiently serious medical condition emerges. Many believe no-kills accept any and all types of pets, but many are refused due to lack of space or their unadoptability status.
Open Door Shelters
A shelter that accepts all animals that come to their door without a waiting list and without a fee. A true "Open Door" shelter does not require a fee at surrender (although they will ask for a donation.) An "Open Door Shelter" does not discriminate due to age, breed, medical issues, or behavior status in accepting animals into their facility. An Open Door Shelter often takes in large numbers of animals from the community and constantly needs to work within that community to find more adoptive homes as well as more volunteers to foster the animals that come to the shelter every week. For more information about Open Door Shelters visit www.opendoorshelters.org.
Animal sanctuary
Animal sanctuaries will look after animals for the rest of their natural life, without necessarily attempting to find them any other home. Many of these establishments will take in animals that are not adoptable, such as Feral animals (unsocialized cats), wild animals, abused pets requiring special/unique care, or animals with medical/behavioral concerns that make adoption of pet difficult and possibly unrealistic.
Rescue organization
Animal Rescue Organizations are not animal shelters, but share the same goal as animal shelters in placing homeless pets with adoptive families. Animal shelters are characterized as having a physical location dedicated to housing and caring for many different types of animals, whereas most rescue groups work with one specific breed or type of animal and have volunteers who keep the animals in their homes until adoption, also known as foster care. Rescue groups often obtain animals from local animal shelters, with the larger of these groups often transporting animals from locations that have a high number of homeless animals to locations where animals are more in demand. Rescue groups are often tied to national breed clubs for a given type of animal.
