Shelters and humane societies were created to care for stray and abused animals. They weren't meant to be a drop-off for people who don't want their pets anymore. Shelters, on average, take in 100 new animals or more each day. Let's face it - there won't be enough good homes for all of them. Even the best shelters can't boast much more than a 50% adoption rates. Only the youngest, friendliest, cutest and best-behaved dogs are going to be adopted.

Being purebred won't help your dog's chances of adoption either - almost half of the dogs in many shelters are purebreds. Chances are things will be worse for your dog because he is a German Shepherd. Due to the breed's bad reputation and the attraction these dogs have on undesirable individuals, *many* shelters across the nation have a "non-adoption" policy on German Shepherd type dogs and will not put them up for adoption at all. Your dog may be as good as dead when he walks in the door. If your German Shepherd is old, has health problems or poor attitudes toward strangers; its chances of adoption are slim to none.

Sending your dog to a shelter in hopes that he'll find a good home is wishful thinking. It's more likely that you'll be signing your German Shepherds death warrant. A shelter is your last resort only after all your best efforts have failed.