For all the talk about the Obama's adopting a dog from a shelter, it was unfortunate that they opted instead for a "new" dog from the Kennedy's.  They have said they will be making a large donation to the humane society, which is generous, but unfortunately actions are far more powerful than cash.

According to the Humane Society, about 6-8 million cats and dogs are given to shelters each year and about half of these are adopted.  The other half, sadly have a second life in heaven.   Some people's rationale for not getting a pet from a shelter is that they are looking for a purebred or for a specific mix that they assume will be hard to find at a shelter (the Obama's for example needed a hypo-allergenic dog).  Perhaps ten years ago that was the case, but these days most shelters have all of their animals online and make it easy for the prospective owner to search for very specific breeds.

Like a favorite pair of jeans, often a little "wear" makes a cherished find, even more cherishable.