When you open Snapchat, you are almost guaranteed to see a story of a cute puppy at Petland. Even though the pictures are the perfect addition to your social media feed, not everyone realizes what actually happens at the pet store. These cute and cuddly puppies are victims to inbreeding, which causes horrible diseases later in their lives. To protect these innocent lives, choose to support adoption—you give an animal a second chance and get to take home a fur-ever friend!

My experience with adoption began ten years ago with my dog, Dodger. Our previous pet died from a disease given to him from a pet store, so we knew adoption was the way to go. On the way to the shelter, we were expecting to get a dog that looked like it belonged in the window of a pet shop. However, when we got there, that vision quickly changed. The dog we brought home was skinny, scared and nothing we predicted.

The first month with Dodger was hard. He was scared to eat and timid around our family. However, little by little, he began to trust us. Finally, his ribs were no longer visible and he was noticeably stronger. Dodger started to enjoy being pet and cuddling on the couch. Now, he is the most loyal, loving and best pet a family could have. Even though his life with us might not have started off picture perfect, it could not be any better now.

My story is only one of thousands of adoption success stories. If you look past the imperfections, you will find nothing but love for your new pet. By adopting, you are showing an animal that having a loving family can be a reality. You will frequently ask the question: who rescued who?