Once you have decided to add a dog to your family, consider getting one from a shelter or rescue group. There are dogs of almost every breed and age waiting for their forever home. By adopting and not purchasing a dog, you are saving a life and helping to end overpopulation in shelters. Many puppies come from puppy mills and backyard breeders.

These dogs are kept in horrendous conditions, frequently with limited shelter, food, and medical care. Rescue groups have puppies as well as older dogs. While puppies are adorable, an older dog may be a better fit for your family. Whether you adopt a puppy or an older pooch, you’ll know that you have saved a life and changed the world for one animal. Here are the many benefits of adopting a rescue:

1. Get a fully health screened dog
Rescue groups and shelters examine dogs and provide veterinary care if necessary. Dogs are screened for medical conditions as well as personality. Most dogs will have already been neutered or spayed and have had basic vaccinations. In addition, they can tell you about the dog’s personality and the type of home that would be best for the dog.

2. Get the breed you want at a breed-specific rescue
If your heart is set on a specific breed, you can still adopt. There are rescue groups for almost every breed. Once these dogs are checked to ensure they are healthy, they are put up for adoption. Check with the rescue group to see their dogs that are available for adoption.

3. Try it out by fostering first
Puppy adoption is a big decision. If you love dogs but are not sure if one will fit into your lifestyle, ask a rescue group about their fostering program. When you foster a dog, you are giving the pup a temporary home. You will care and love for your foster until a forever home is found. Food and medical care is usually provided by the rescue group. To help them find the ideal home, you may be asked to talk to potential adopters about your foster. It is not unusual for the foster parents to fall in love with and adopt the dog in their care.

4. Fight against puppy mills
By adopting a dog, and not buying one, you are helping the fight against puppy mills. Many puppies sold in pet stores and by individuals, are born in puppy mills. The goal of these places is simply to make a profit. Many times, the dogs are kept in horrendous conditions without adequate shelter, food, or medical care. The dogs are bred repeatedly and then discarded. By adopting, you are giving a dog a loving home and reducing the demand for puppy-mill dogs.

5. Get the lifetime support of a rescue
Once you adopt a dog from a rescue group, the relationship is not over. In addition to getting a dog that has been checked for medical issues, rescue groups generally provide support throughout the dog’s lifetime. If you need help with the dog after adoption, the rescue organization generally provides support throughout the pet’s lifetime.