If you or one of your family members is looking for a dog to add to the family, it's great to try a local animal shelter.

Some people might assume any dog at an animal shelter is there for a good reason, such as behavior, but many times, a dog is at a shelter to no fault of their own.

Perhaps the dog was with an abusive owner. Or, a family decided they can no longer support a dog and bring them to a shelter. There are also dogs found abandoned on the streets.

Get our free mobile app

My fiancée and I adopted a pit bull/beagle mix named Odessa in 2018 from the SPCA, and she's the best decision we ever made. She didn't have a story; all the shelter knew was that she was 18 months old and came from Ohio. She's the nicest dog I have ever seen in my life. It baffles me why she ever there.

There's a lovable dog that has been at the Niagara SPCA for over 600 days, and they need help getting her adopted.

Her name is Leia, and the Niagara SPCA posted an update on Leia on Wednesday morning.

I remember posting about Leia back in August of last year, and it's hard to believe she's still looking for a forever home.

It breaks my heart to see dogs like Leia stay at shelters for so long. She probably thinks the SPCA is her forever home, since she's been there for 613 days.

Let's help get Leia adopted!

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

RANKED: Here Are the 63 Smartest Dog Breeds

Does your loyal pup's breed make the list? Read on to see if you'll be bragging to the neighbors about your dog's intellectual prowess the next time you take your fur baby out for a walk. Don't worry: Even if your dog's breed doesn't land on the list, that doesn't mean he's not a good boy--some traits simply can't be measured.

LOOK: The least obedient dog breeds

More From 92.9 WBUF