A pet can make a house a home. If you're interested in adopting a cat or dog — even a lop-eared rabbit or Siberian dwarf hamster — visit the San Francisco Department of Animal Care and Control (ACC), 1200 15th Street (at Harrison), San Francisco, CA 94103. Kennels are open to the public from 12:00 to 6:00 PM daily (7:00 PM, Wednesdays), excluding legal holidays. Call (415) 554-6364 for more information. You can also visit ACC's Adoption Center online to view manipulatively charming pictures of cute, furry creatures in need of a home.

If you're not quite ready to adopt, but would prefer to donate time instead, see the ACC page on Volunteer Services. The San Francisco SPCA also welcomes volunteers to care for animals in need of adoption. "Adoptable" or "Treatable" animals that do not find a home through the ACC are passed on to the SPCA, where they find a place at Maddie's Adoption Center, 250 Florida Street. The interior of Maddie's looks like a regular house or apartment — you won't find lines of cement and chain-link kennels here — and all animals in need of additional "socialization" are given appropriate training. The Center is open seven days a week from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Call (415) 522-3500 for further information. 

Try to look into both ACC and SPCA adoption before spending a lot of money on a purebred pet. If you are not convinced that adoption offers the best choice, at least take a peek at the ACC's online photos and animal "bios" which provide the more persuasive argument.  

If your pet has run away or is otherwise lost, make sure to consult Petfinder.com. The ACC also offers helpful tips on what to do if your pet goes missing and operates a Lost Pet Hotline at (415) LOSTPET (415-567-8738). Finally, while San Francisco does not require that cats be licensed, you may still obtain a lifetime registration for your feline for a fee of only $10.00. Like their canine counterparts, licensed cats are easier to identify if lost.