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": "assistant", "content": "Animal shelters or pounds are a great place for strays or lost pets"}, {"role": "user", "content": "I agree! Best place to find a pet! The pet seems grateful for rescuing from a bad situation"}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "Yes, some are no kill shelters. I hate that they euthanize sick animals. I do understand over population and illness is a major reason."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Yes, I understand if the animal is sick but I got my dog from a shelter and he has been a great dog."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "In europe animals shelters permit the killing of healthy stray dogs. "}, {"role": "user", "content": "I did not know that. I know they do in America also which is sad. "}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "Some critics think that the new term animal shelter is just a euphenism for the older way of saying pound."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Yeah, I think shelter does sound nicer than pound, but as long as the pets are safe I don't mind what they call it."}, {"role": "assistant", "content": "I agree, i'm glad that individual states in the USA moniter the shelters."}, {"role": "user", "content": "Yeah, me too. I am also glad there are volunteers that go out and rescue animals and foster them until they get a forever home."}]