On Quentin's terrifying last day at the shelter, he was led the gas chamber with other unwanted and unsuspecting dogs.

After miraculously surviving the lethal dose of gas, Quentin awoke. Dazed and bewildered, with a gentle heart and a wagging tail, he waited for someone to take him away from the stillness of death that surrounded him.

A sympathetic and kind stranger finally did come to his rescue, so Quentin's terror is behind him now. Tragically though, like the handful of other dogs that accompanied Quentin to the gas chamber that day, millions of other dogs will not be so lucky.

About 700 people expressed an interest in adopting Quentin after his survival story spread across the country. Many included their own survival stories, saying they felt a connection to Quentin.

Quentin - now known as the "Miracle Dog" - was adopted by Randy Grim, founder of Stray Rescue of St. Louis. He was named after the notorious San Quentin prison and gas chamber.

Randy believes that Quentin was meant to serve some greater good -and he has.

Quentin is the "spokesdog" for IDA's campaign to educate the public about the millions of stray dogs that are euthanized each year. IDA and Stray Rescue have placed bus ads in St. Louis and New York City encouraging people to adopt animals from shelters.

People inspired by Quentin's story can take the opportunity to rescue and adopt an animal just as deserving as Quentin from a local shelter. Only one in a million animals is lucky enough to survive a gas chamber, but if we adopt animals instead of purchasing them from breeders and pet stores, fewer animals will suffer and die as a result. Rescuing or adopting and spaying or neutering are simple actions we can all take to prevent the deaths of millions of other animals not as fortunate as Quentin.