All across the country, animal shelters and animal welfare organizations are trying to create a sea change in attitudes toward pets. Rather than would-be pet owners going to big-chain outlets to pick out a brand-new, purebred pup, which was probably bred in a “puppy mill,” the hope is for new owners to “Adopt, don’t shop.”
For the million-plus dogs that enter America’s shelters every year, having a breed pedigree or being adorably young is often not on their side.
