A Plea to President-elect Obama: Adoption is the Option

During your acceptance speech last night, which was a great and compassionate one, you told your daughters that you are getting them a puppy for the White House. Adoption is the option.
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During your acceptance speech last night, which was a great and compassionate one, you told your daughters - and the world - that you are getting them a puppy for the White House. As a passionate pet lover, I was happy to hear that the tradition of pets in the White House will continue after the Bushes and their two pure-bred terriers move out. But as the candidate who promised change we can believe in, I hope you will break with tradition and ADOPT your new dog from an animal shelter. And I hope you will do it with great fanfare, telling everyone who wants a pet that Adoption is the Option. There a millions of pets in shelters who need loving, forever homes - pets that will soon be euthanized if they are not adopted. That happens to an estimated five million pets ever year. It's a terrible tragedy, but it's a preventable tragedy. I absolutely believe that your simple act of adopting the new Obama family pet - and urging others to adopt - will save millions of lives. Please do it - for the animals and all of us who love them.

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