It’s a shocking statistic: of the 7.6 million animals that enter shelters in the U.S. every year, about 2.7 million of them are euthanized.

Their stories are all different — some are suffering from incurable diseases, others are deemed too aggressive, and then there are those who could be saved but aren’t given a second chance.

While euthanasia should be a last resort, it can be a humane one in some cases.

In Turkey, the practice of putting down dogs is largely shunned which means shelters and rescue centers are constantly overcrowded. When one American family moved to Turkey, they began volunteering at a dog shelter. What they encountered not only broke their hearts, but it inspired them to do something.

They began taking poor pups home to give them a better life, if only for their final days…

Every life counts. It’s really amazing what this family does for these poor souls. I hope they continue to help out at the shelter and I wish their fur family — complete with Faith — plenty of happy years together.