What it’s like to adopt a dog, as told through a 14-part comic.

Moscow-based comic artist Bird Born explains why adopting a dog changed his life.

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Rescuing a pet is an amazing and heroic undertaking.

7.6 million pets go into shelters each year, according to the ASPCA. And of those pets, about 2.7 million pets are rescued by humans who give them forever homes.

Moscow-based comic artist Bird Born experienced firsthand the power of welcoming a pet into your family when he adopted a dog.

Then his journey to understand his newest animal friend inspired an adorable and incredibly moving comic, too.

Follow this artist's journey to help his new friend feel welcome in his home:

All illustrations by Bird Born, used with permission.

Rescuing animals is a big commitment, and of course it doesn’t come without challenges.

When adopting any animal, there's fear and uncertainty about their past life. Were they abused? Were they malnourished? How will they respond to humans?

Despite this, Born persevered with his new dog. "It took a lot of love and care to prove this animal that she was loved and needed," he writes in his comic.

Today, he can rest easy knowing one less dog is in need. And that's proof enough that adopting a dog can make the world a better place.

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Bird Born is a Moscow-based illustrator and comic artist. You can follow his work on Instagram or VK.

You can also help the 2.7 million animals who don't get adopted each year by adopting a pet of your own. Contact your local shelter for more information.