INGHAM COUNTY - The Capital Area Humane Society and Ingham County Animal Control & Shelter are featured on Meridian News Now every Monday at 5:30 pm, promoting pets of the week.

Shelter animals are often overlooked, because of the wide range of breeders in the animal business. You can spend thousands of dollars on a purebred, and the only satisfaction you get is what it's worth.

What if you could be someone's hero?

More than three million animals are put down a year, because they can't find loving homes.

There are many benefits to adopting a pet:

1. The cost of adopting a pet at an animal shelter is usually inexpensive compared to buying one from a breeder or pet store. Often animals adopted from shelters have already been neutered. Most of these animals have also been wormed and vaccinated.

2. Adopting a companion animal from a shelter means you are helping, and not contributing to, the pet overpopulation problem.

3. Adopting a mature dog or cat means that you do not have to go through the demanding stage of raising a puppy or kitten.

4. With a mature pet you have a good idea of the animal's temperament and you know the animal's adult size, hair coat, etc.

5. Mature pets are often house-trained (although some mistakes will likely occur until the animal is used to his/her new family, home and routine) and may even have some basic training.

6. Providing the animals get along, an adopted pet can be good company for other pets.

Choosing to adopt a pet saves an animal's life and provides you with companionship, loyalty, and love.