There's a world of difference between giving up a pet because your child is allergic to it, and giving up a pet because of any number of stupid reasons we hear at shelters all the time .... "He got too big. We didn't know he would shed. She barks too much. He jumps on me. She keeps having kittens. She sheds on the new couch. We didn't know they would get any bigger. Etc, etc."

Maybe one out of fifty people that give up a pet to a shelter has a valid, legitimate reason ... and those case are heartbreaking for everyone involved. The other forty-nine losers just serve to make shelter workers and pet-lovers everywhere very irritated, bitter and angry.

unfortunatly I adopted a declawed kitty, so she has to stay inside. The other one has claws, so I let him out. I keep the big dogs outside and the little one inside.
And, here's my sure-to-be-unpopular opinion on this matter: While I'm happy to see you keep your declawed cat inside, IMO, your other cat should stay inside as well. It's a hellishly dangerous world for cats outside, and the lifespan of an outdoor cat is a fraction of the lifespan of an indoor cat. Everyday I see cats that have been hit by cars, killed by dogs, caught in traps, tortured by evil people, etc. Not to mention the fact that it is incredibly rude, IMO, to put your pet outside where it becomes a bother to your neighbors. My dogs stay on my property ... why do my neighbors cats come into my flower beds and use them as litter boxes, walk on my cars and make my dogs bark incessently at 3:00 am? Not fair.

I also hate to see "big dogs outside and the little one inside". I see this all the time with my customers dogs ... the little poodle we just groomed is laying on the couch, and the big lab mix is staring sadly in through the patio door, because it can't come inside, too. I think ALL dogs and ALL cats belong in the house with their families, regardless of claws or size.

I personally believe that if one cannot/will not keep their pets inside with the family, that the pet most likely would be better off in another home. Just my two cents worth, coming from fifteen years of experience in animal related work.