Special Needs Pets: Can I Adopt a Heartworm-Positive Dog? Thu, 02/28/2019 - 12:00am (StatePoint) Every year, an estimated 3.3 million dogs enter U.S. animal shelters, with roughly half that number subsequently adopted by ...PLEASE LOG IN FOR PREMIUM CONTENT. Our website requires visitors to log in to view the best local news. Not yet a subscriber? Subscribe today! Read more about Special Needs Pets: Can I Adopt a Heartworm-Positive Dog?