PETA Urges First Family to Adopt A Third Dog

The first family is coming under attack from animal rights activists for not adopting its newest addition to the family, one-year-old Portuguese Water Dog Sunny, from a rescue shelter.

The news of Sunny's arrival came just one day after The Washington Post revealed that the dog and cat overpopulation crisis in the nation's capital is so severe that the Washington Humane Society is stacking cats in cages in the hallways and cramming dogs into kennel runs.

"The Obama family apparently failed to listen to the pleas to adopt, don’t buy, that greeted the arrival of the First Dog, Bo, and acquired Sunny, the Second Dog, from a breeder, which is the animal-protection world equivalent of kicking a hobo," Ingrid Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, told RadarOnline.com.

"Mr. Obama says that Malia's allergies require getting a dog who doesn't shed — and there they are, sitting homeless on Petfinder.com: every breed and mix of non-shedding dog, from poodles to water spaniels. Every one of these cast-offs would have loved to curl up under the desk in the Oval Office," she added.

Although the Obamas made a donation to the Washington Human Society in Sunny's name, Newkirk said, "The family's donation to the shelter is very nice, but money can't buy homes or erase a bad example."

"However, it's not too late," she added. "The White House is big enough for three lovely dogs, the third one a true rescue. Come on, Mr. President, one more time — and this time, do it right. Set a good example and save a homeless animal's life."

The Humane Society of the United States estimates that 3 to 4 million dogs are euthanized every year.