Undoubtedly the most generous way is to rescue one by adopting from an animal shelter. But adopting is a serious decision and shelters vary. Some are no-kill while some put unsocialized animals to sleep. Some are specialty shelters, dealing mostly with alley cats, say, or wounded animals, or particular breeds.
Shelters vary in application process too.
All require proof of address and a personal interview, but most differ in fees, philosophy, and follow-up care. Take a little time to familiarize yourself with some of the terrific places listed below and pick the one that's best for you and your family. One very special place to adopt a dog or cat is Furry Friends, a nonprofit, no-kill shelter run by the passionate and compassionate Catherine Hedges. She says the house philosophy is to improve the animals' lives from the minute they pad through the door. To this end she makes sure all the animals get lots of TLC, including daily walks for the dogs, vet checks two times a week, microchipping, and as little cage time as possible.