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Shelters & Animal Control terms
The places that house stray and surrendered dogs: shelters, the animal-control officers who run them and the euthanasia debate.
Adoption fee The payment a shelter or rescue asks when you adopt a dog, helping cover vet care and running costs, often including vaccines, spay or neuter and a microchip. Animal shelter A facility that houses stray, lost and surrendered dogs and cats, run by a city, county or non-profit, which returns pets to owners or places them in new homes. Dog license A local government registration of a dog, often required by law, usually needing proof of rabies vaccination and giving a tag that helps return a lost dog. Dog rescue A non-profit or volunteer group that takes in dogs from shelters, owners or the street and places them in new homes, often through foster homes. Foster A temporary home that cares for a dog until it is adopted, which frees kennel space and helps the dog adjust to life in a house. Microchip and registry A rice-sized implant that holds an ID number, which links to your contact details only if you register it; it is not a GPS tracker. Spay and neuter in rescues The common practice of sterilising dogs before or soon after adoption, set by shelter or rescue policy to prevent unplanned litters.