For homeless animals, shelters are a refuge, and shelters in turn depend on community support to help save those animals. But too often, a critical element of support comes too late; adoptions. With millions of animals still being euthanized every year simply for want of a home, it's vital that more people start adopting. Each of us has a responsibility to adopt our next companion animal from a shelter. Hoping that someone else will empty that cage just isn't good enough.
— Stephanie Shain, HSUS
"Small Lives" 2005