Both sites are jam-packed with everything from spaying information for your new pet to discussion groups. To start your search, Petfinder is the best source for online pet adoptions, with links to more than 1,500 shelters and rescue organizations in North America. Petfinder lets users search by age, breed, gender, and size as well as by specific shelters. Although Petfinder specializes in placing dogs and cats seeking homes, it also posts search links for everything from bunnies to horses. The nonprofit American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals , dedicated to eliminating animal abuse through public education, provides links to shelters and rescue organizations too.
Visitors can do searches for animals available at the organization's three shelters.
If a dog or cat catches your eye, you can click on the photo for additional information and fill out a printable application form to speed up the paperwork you must submit when you visit the shelter. Families who have their hearts set on a pedigree dog should search the official Web site for the American Kennel Club . The AKC does not endorse or recommend breeders, but it does provide information on responsible referral contacts. And of course, for those seeking a show-quality feline, look no further than Cat Fanciers . While it's not an official pedigree site, it has links to more than 1,200 breeders and other purr-tinent information.