dog pound
The everyday American term for an animal shelter or municipal facility where stray, lost, or surrendered dogs are held — often awaiting reclamation by their owners, adoption, or, in some facilities, euthanasia.
Definitions
The everyday American term for an animal shelter or municipal facility where stray, lost, or surrendered dogs are held — often awaiting reclamation by their owners, adoption, or, in some facilities, euthanasia. The dog pound carries a cultural weight beyond its literal meaning: it's a place of last resort, often depicted in movies and TV as where unlucky dogs end up, tugging at heartstrings and motivating rescue narratives. The term is also used metaphorically for any chaotic or unpleasant holding situation.
We found our dog at the dog pound after he went missing during the storm.
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(US) An animal shelter where stray dogs are kept.
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