“Imagine hundreds of dogs lined up on the Magnificent Mile in Chicago waiting for a home during an annual adoption event. Cute faces, wagging tails, but all I cared about was one of them: Allie. Of course I’m partial to her since she is my name-sake, but she was so much more than that. Allie was a 5-month-old hound mix. She was certainly one of the cutest puppies there. Within a few hours she knew how to sit and lay down better than some of the adult dogs. She was smart, outgoing and a playful puppy. A month later, I said good-bye to Allie for hopefully the last time. Allie was adopted in July 2010 and is now living happily in her forever-home.”

Sadly, the majority of stories don’t end like this one. Only around one-fourth of all animals that enter animal shelters are adopted, according to the American Humane Association. In 1997, 1,000 shelters were surveyed, 4.3 million animals were handled and 64 percent of them, 2.7 million animals, were euthanized. In one year, in only one-third of the nation’s shelters, almost three million animals lost their lives due to overcrowding.

Pet overpopulation is an issue always present in our society. However many people, including myself, never realize the extent, seriousness or preventability of this issue. My roommate, Allie Bender, has worked in multiple animal shelters and is a strong advocate for improving the lives of homeless pets.

When I began living with her I was like most people, legitimately concerned about the issues related to animal homelessness. However, I thought most stories ended like the one mentioned earlier. Living with Allie has brought this issue to the forefront of my thoughts. Think back to the above statistic. About three million animals were killed in one year. And that wasn’t even taking into account all the shelters within the United States.

Perhaps even more startling than these statistics is that this problem could be dramatically reduced, and yet nothing has changed.

Contrary to popular belief, a pet store is not the best place to buy an animal. Most reputable breeders do not provide animals to pet stores because breeders are deeply invested in the animals. Buying an animal from a reputable breeder is often an involved process, including possibly an application and a visit to your home by the breeder. The breeders are focused on the idea that a dog is a lifelong commitment and want you to value the dog’s well being as much as they do.

Pet stores, on the other hand, take advantage of impulse buying and will sell an animal to anyone, no matter how ill prepared they are to care for a constant companion. Many pet stores pay their employees based on commission. This creates a drive to convince people to buy pets, regardless of whether or not they’re ready.

Due to reputable breeders not selling to pet stores, an alternate source is found to satisfy buyers. Puppy mills are used to generate a constant supply of puppies by breeding dogs for profit. The inhumane situations created by puppy mills often increase the rate of genetic defects. Also, in search of higher profits, some dealers falsify purebred documentation. Puppies produced by these inhumane conditions are often less social, less healthy and have no guarantee of a happy life once they pass through the store doors.

To help reduce the number of puppy mills, long-term solutions are necessary. By avoiding pet stores and other unscrupulous breeders, future pet owners can remove the demand for instant puppies and  instead create a system ensuring the health and happiness of all dogs. This system, actually, already exists.

Animal shelters and rescue organizations provide future pet owners with the opportunity to meet their ideal companion. There are many common misconceptions about animal shelters and rescue organizations.

A large myth is that shelters are full of problem animals no one wants, when in fact there are purebreds, puppies and animals that simply need a new home. The most common reason animals are relinquished to shelters is when their owners move to a new home and cannot take, or choose not to take, their animal with them. If you are interested in a particular breed of dog, there are even some rescue organizations dedicated to finding homes for specific dog breeds.

Another common misconception is that shelter animals are dirty and unhealthy. However, good shelters provide services such as shots, spay/neuter surgery, microchips and other amenities for a much lower cost than a store or veterinary clinics. The clear solution to pet overpopulation is giving a home to an animal that desperately needs one.

As college students, the idea of a constant companion is very comforting. Remember, before you make the commitment, that this animal will be with you throughout the next phase of your life, through your next move, through getting married and having children, through the first steps in your career. Bringing an animal into your home is a lifetime commitment, for the lifetime of that animal. If you decide you are prepared to give an animal a home, make sure it will be their forever-home.

Remember, you have the power to give a dog like Allie a happy life. Buying a dog at a pet store not only perpetuates the cycle of inhumane puppy mills, it also takes away the chance other dogs have to find a forever-home.

So, next time you’re in a pet store, think to yourself, “Is that doggie in the window worth the life of another?”