When it comes to pets, many of us love the sight of a furry tail wagging. Most times, that furry tail belongs to a pooch who came from a reputable and conscientious source. The sad truth is, however, that many dogs end up on the street. There are several reasons for the number of stray animals, most of which are usually unpleasant, the result of negligence or irresponsibility or because pet owners – regardless how often they are told – don't grasp that dogs and cats can live as for up to 15 years and beyond. Still other times, they simply run away and are never recovered and lastly and most troubling (at least to this author) are the ones who are abandoned simply because the dog is 'too big of a burden' or 'not what was expected'. Any way you look at it, the stray dog population is in the millions, spread all over the country. Some caring and enterprising people have taken it upon themselves to lighten the load placed on animal control services and shelters by adopting strays from off the street. That isn't to say that every adopter is a prime candidate. Still, give them credit, animals seem to have a sixth sense about this sort of thing. When selecting a shelter from inclement weather and dangerous environs, they tend to hole up somewhere that they consider to be safe and potentially lucrative. Even so, if you open your door during a storm and see a sopping wet four-legged visitor, there are a few things you should consider before allowing him or her into your home.

1. Do you have both the time and resources? All dogs cost money to keep, strays sometimes more so. Eating trash, living off the land, so to speak, getting into fights – these are all common things in the life of a stray that can lead to health concerns that you should look into immediately if you opt to take the dog in. Health concerns can range from hookworms to rabies and parvovirus and then some. Before you let the dog into your home, you should take him or her to the vet to get checked out.

2. Is your home suitable for a stray pet? Many strays are scared and may not react well if there are other pets or children in the home.

3. If you can't take him or her in, after taking the dog to the vet to get checked out, you, and the dog would be better served by taking him/her to a no-kill shelter so that someone 'else' who wants a dog can take him home. Virtually anything is better than leaving the dog to fend for him or herself on the street.

Once you've determined that A – the dog has no owner and is given a clean bill of health from the vet and B – Come to the conclusion that you can indeed afford to take him or her in, there are definite pros and cons to doing so, which you should be mindful of.

1. Strays, even friendly ones, are often abused and so are shy and even frightened around other humans and pets, as has been previously mentioned. Some of them won't eat for fear of something that happened in their past being repeated. You must monitor them carefully and treat them gently until they warm up to you or at least cease being so scared. This can take a long time, requiring much effort and patience on your part.

2. Instincts took over while the dog was out and about, so you may have to retrain the dog to go to the bathroom outside (assuming it had a home to begin with). This, as with training any dog, can be time consuming.

3. Strays, once they warm up to you, can be far more loyal than your average dog. They realize what you have done for them and seem to take it to heart.

4. Most adopted strays come to realize that they have a good life, even if they still show signs of fear or anxiety at times. Despite that, they more than likely are inclined to stay with you, knowing that tomorrow and for years to come, you will be there for them.

5. One of the biggest considerations that should come to mind if you take that formerly rain-drenched pooch is in that you are helping to alleviate the strain that hundreds of thousands of strays put on the community. But adopting isn't enough. Don't forget to spay or neuter your new friend as well.

With these points in mind, recognizing that taking in a stray dog can be both a challenge and an immensely rewarding experience, do you have what it takes? That sweet-faced, mud-spattered pooch on the front step sure hopes so.