Ha Wenjin, Animal Shelter For 1,500 Dogs And 200 Cats

The goal of today's animal shelter is to provide a safe and caring environment until the animal is either reclaimed by its owner, placed in a new home, or placed with another organization. Many progressive shelters temperament-test animals before they are put up for adoption (PUFA) to determine the appropriate home environment.
In the past, a shelter was more commonly referred to as a "dog pound", a term which had its origins in the impoundments of agricultural communities, where stray cattle would be penned up or impounded until claimed by their owners.
Some animal shelters euthanize animals that are not adopted within a set period of time; others have a policy of only putting down animals that are in distress due to age or illness.