Adoption of shelter animals is a great alternative to breeders. When we adopt animals forced to spend most of their adult life in cages, we are keeping numbers down and shelters emptier, thus impeding the cruel way of adding space at shelters: by putting animals down. Though most breeders are reputable, there are some who use inhumane techniques to keep their “business” running. Lastly, we are keeping animals off the streets and safe from abuse by rescuing them from shelters where most of them once met a horrific past.

Horrific pasts are a common thing at animal shelters, and by adopting animals who’ve lived with one, we can assure them a bright future ahead. As abuse and homeless animals grow—and though we cannot save all animals experiencing it—we can offer our love and affection for one that’s dealt with it. Homeless animals are also a growing dilemma, and most will spend their life either pondering the streets alone or caged in at cold shelters.

However, some animals will often spend their lives in a cage within a home. As the demand for pets ascends, some breeders are turning to inhumane ways of obtaining more and more puppies and kittens. Sometimes ensnared in cages for days—even weeks—breeders will sometimes barely give their animals the time of day. Many female cats and dogs spend their lives only raising litters. But the more litters they are, the fewer space there is.

Many breeders will simply place their older dogs and cats into shelters, where they will fritter the rest of their barely plausible life away. But many are slowly washing up at shelters, and soon there is soon no space. With no adoptions twiddling ahead, many workers are forced to execute the inexcusable: putting down animals that’ve barely had a life.

But we can stop all of this and give them a life. We can adopt from animals shelters. Rescue an animal with a story, a story that will speak to you in a heart wrenching way. Rescue an animal with the worst past so you can give them the best future. Stop the inexcusable and adopt from a shelter.