Celebrate National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week

Nov. 1-7 is National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week.

The event, launched in 1996 by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), honors the approximately 4,000 animal shelters across the United States serving an estimated 6-8 million homeless animals needing refuge each year. According to the HSUS, while 63 percent of American households include pets, only 10 percent of owned dogs and 18 percent of owned cats are adopted from animal shelters.

Police Adopt Shelter Dog

The Chicago Police Department recently found a way to help a shelter dog find a home and cut their own costs by adopting a shelter dog for the department's drug detection program.

Pantera, a 16-month-old black Labrador retriever, was rescued by police from the Chicago Ridge Animal Welfare League in May. After training in narcotics detection techniques, the dog began working last month with the Organized Crime Division, recovering drug evidence and assisting in executing search warrants.

Department officials have said they expect to continue working with animal shelters to adopt other shelter dogs.

Read more about the department's new dog.