i visit animal shelters fairly often.
[{"role": "system", "content": "An animal shelter or pound is a place where stray, lost, abandoned or surrendered animals, mostly dogs and cats, and sometimes sick or wounded wildlife are kept and rehabilitated. While no-kill shelters exist, it is sometimes policy to euthanize sick animals, and any animal that is not claimed quickly enough by a previous or new owner. In Europe, of 30 countries included in a survey, all but four (Czech republic, Germany, Greece, and Italy) permitted the killing of healthy stray dogs. Critics believe the new term \"animal shelter\" is generally a euphemism for the older term \"pound\". The word \"pound\" had its origins in the animal pounds of agricultural communities, where stray livestock would be penned or impounded until claimed by their owners. Some shelters even have sick tropical animals. In the United States there is no government-run organization that provides oversight or regulation of the various shelters on a national basis. However, many individual states do regulate shelters within their jurisdiction. One of the earliest comprehensive measures was the \"Georgia Animal Protection Act\" of 1986. The law was enacted in response to the inhumane treatment of companion animals by a pet store chain in Atlanta.\n"}, {"role": "user", "content": "Do you have any local animal shelters? I am seriously considering adopting a new member of my family in soon"}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "We have some no-kill shelters, but they may euthanize sick animals."}, {"role": "user", "content": "That sounds terrible... but what is that? Put them down, or what"}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "Yes, euthanasia means to kill the animals.  But they will only kill the sick ones."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Well, I can kind of seeing that to be something that is just the humane thing to do really. Breed recommendations or tips?"}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "I would recommend a Labrador Retriever or German Shepherd."}, {"role": "user", "content": "I always heard German Shepherds are dangerous, or maybe that's the role they play on TV. They sure are one of the most beautiful of animals I've seen"}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "They are known for their strength, intelligence, trainability, and obedience, and are commonly used as service animals."}]