Heartworm disease is caused by foot-long worms that live in the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. Signs of this illness in dogs can be weight loss, fatigue, decreased appetite, reluctance to exercise, a mild persistent cough, a swollen abdomen, and heart failure.
Petful states that a shocking 2.7 million out of 7.6 million pets that enter animal shelters are euthanized each year in the United States. There are various reasons for putting an animal down. Such as contagious illnesses. Or overly aggressive behavior. However, the most heartbreaking reason is probably overpopulation: some shelters that get overcrowded put less adoptable animals to sleep to make space. However, there are everyday heroes like Joe and Schenley who make sure to rescue every animal they can.