Pets are favored animals given individual names, allowed in human homes, and never eaten. Although any species can be a pet, dogs and cats are the most common. Rates of pet ownership, sometimes called guardianship, have risen in recent decades. Increasingly, pets are often considered family members. Yet, for many reasons, millions of pets end up in pounds and shelters. Although rehoming is the desired outcome, and one achieved in many cases, countless unwanted pets are put to death in shelters each year.
