Pet adoption is the process of taking responsibility for a pet that a
previous owner has abandoned or released to a shelter or rescue
organization. Common sources for adoptable pets are animal shelters and
rescue groups. Some organizations give adopters ownership of the pet,
while others use a guardianship model wherein the organization retains
some control over the animal's future use or care. Online pet adoption
sites have databases of pets being housed by thousands of animal
shelters and rescue groups, and are searchable by the public.