The amount of dogs that are abandoned by their owners at a shelter bewildered and upset is staggering.

Over 6.5 million pets are dumped like a sack of trash every year in the U.S. and half of those animals are dogs, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) (ASPCA)

Luckily these animals do find new homes but only half of them, the other half face a lifetime alone caged up in a confined place or worse yet having to be put down to make room for other dumped animals that have a greater chance of getting adopted.

The life of a shelter animal is significantly better than if they were wandering the streets but they still don’t get the care, affection and exercise they require. So many of these dogs would make another family very happy.

*This image of a dog waiting to be adopted at a shelter in New Mexico went viral with many commenting it was the saddest picture they had ever seen.

Appearing absolutely devastated by her position at the High Plains Humane Society (HPHS) in Portales, New Mexico, the photograph captivated the hearts of animal lovers across the world.

The snapshot of the forlorn dog shows the actual sensation of loneliness these animals endure when they were dumped with strangers at a shelter.

It seems like a tear is coming from her eye as she holds the bars of her cage and stares up at the camera.

Animal experts pointed out that this can’t be a tear as dogs don’t shed tears when they are upset, rather they make a whelping noise, but her picture was nevertheless shared by millions who were saddened by her predicament.

Proposals of adoption came rushing in and in only one day this unhappy dog was adopted by a loving family and her tears were replaced with a smile of pure delight.

The shelter published a before and after adoption picture giving us all hope that there are some happy endings for these abandoned pups.

We all need to remember that keeping a dog is a major responsibility and not one that should be treated lightly. No animal should have to face the agony of being dumped.