A lot of people think that animal shelters are brimming with sick, mean, old or "unwanted" dogs. One visit to the Wisconsin Humane Society, and you'll know otherwise. On any given day, you might find purebred lab puppies, litters of fuzzy 8-week-old shepherd mixes, or even winners of obedience training competitions.

Dogs of all breeds, histories and experiences are guests at WHS. People surrender dogs for all sorts of reasons and WHS also receives dogs from states in the South -- often litters of puppies. WHS saves these dogs from euthanasia in states where overpopulation is an epidemic.

Speaking of puppies, you've probably spotted the little guy in the photos above. This is Taz, a 10-week-old pitbull terrier. He's adorable, replete with wrinkles around his face and precious expressions. Taz has plenty of energy and needs a guardian willing to put in the time to train, nurture and raise a puppy. He will be a delight to take to new places, to introduce to people and other animals and to raise in a positive, loving environment.

If you are looking forward to bringing a puppy into your life, check out WHS' Web site first. You might be surprised to find a page full of puppies! Check early and often. The site is updated every 30 minutes and the best time to come in to adopt is on a weekday at 10 a.m., when the shelter first opens.