Fostering animals saves lives. In fact, if just two percent of pet-owning households in the United States fostered one pet each year, unnecessary euthanasia in shelters could end, according to Susanne Kogut, president of the Petco Foundation. It's a surprising statistic most folks are unaware of, and spreading awareness of this is one of the many goals of National Foster a Pet Month.

On May 3 every year, National Specially-abled Pets Day sheds light on our precious pets with disabilities, from blindness to limb loss. Not only does it educate the public about the need to adopt these special pets from shelters, but it also highlights why they make such exceptional companions and the unique needs to consider when it comes to their care.

Summer may be slowly winding down, but there’s still one fabulous holiday on the horizon — Black Cat Appreciation Day! Celebrated each year on August 17th, this holiday aims to dispel the many myths and fears surrounding black cats and celebrate dark-coated kitties for the loving and beautiful creatures they are.

As the old saying goes, you can’t buy love. You most certainly can adopt it, though! June is National Adopt a Cat Month, and if you have been thinking about bringing home a feline family member, there is no better time to do it. Adopting a cat is a decision that you shouldn’t take lightly, but doing so could also impact your life in several wonderful ways.

One silver lining during this pandemic is how many people have been adopting dogs. In fact, one Chicago shelter recently declared themselves cleaned out of adoptable dogs for the first time ever. Doesn't that just bring a smile to your face? Some people, however, might agree that this time of home quarantine is an ideal period to adopt but they are hesitant due to certain negative things they've heard about shelter pets. As veterinarians, we've seen firsthand how the love of a shelter pet has changed lives for the better.