Did you know that, according to the ASPCA's "Pet Statistics," there were approximately 5,000 animal shelters in the United States? In those shelters, approximately 5-7 million animals were rescued each year and approximately 3-4 million of them were euthanized. That was almost half of the animal saved. In other words, thousands of animals were being euthanized every day. However, many of these euthanized animals were healthy, treatable, and adoptable pets. What caused these adoptable companions to be euthanized at animal shelters? The main cause was the overpopulation of homeless animals. Furthermore, irresponsible owners and breeders who did not sterilize their animals caused overpopulation of animals. First of all, the main goal of all living organisms was simply to grow, survive, and reproduce (Raven 406). In other words, it would be natural for animals to mate and reproduce, like cats and dogs. However, there were people who raised animals for their benefits and profited from their sale. The problem with animal breeders was that they bred animals to produce offspring with desired characteristics (“Buyer Beware: The Problem with Puppy Farms and Backyard Breeders”). However, even with the desired characteristics, not all animals would find a loving home. In fact, the likelihood of adoption from animal shelters would decrease if families preferred a specific breed instead of a shelter animal. For these reasons, most animal breeders have contributed to the increase in animal populations rather than decreasing them, but they are not the only ones. Another group of individuals that has contributed to the increase in animal population are irresponsible pet owners. A responsible pet owner is an individual who is working in the United States. For this to happen, the contribution of individuals would be necessary. Every animal in the animal shelter needs a home, but for that to happen you need to stop the overpopulation of animals. Works Cited “Buyer Beware: The Problem with Puppy Farms and Backyard Breeders.” Legs. Zampe, 2014. Web. 8 April 2014. "Fight against pet overpopulation: the sterilization station is back on the road!". The safe haven of Pasado. Pasado Safe Haven, Feb. 9, 2011. Web. Apr. 8, 2014. “Pet Statistics.” ASPCA. ASPCA, 2014. Web. April 8, 2014. Raven, Peter H., George B. Johnson, Kenneth A. Mason, Jonathan B. Losos, and Susan R. Singer. "Quantifying natural selection". Biology. Tenth edition. New York: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2013. Print. April 8, 2014. “Responsible Pet Ownership.” American Veterinary Medical Association. American Veterinary Medical Association, 2014. Web. 8 April. 2014.