Meet 5 adopted pets who are blossoming at home

There’s nothing better than seeing adopted pets living their best lives. From energetic trail buddies to snuggly sidekicks and mischievous siblings, these updates from adopters show just how beautifully animals blossom when they land a new home. Here’s a look at how a few Best Friends alums are doing with their new families.

A year ago, we adopted Jedi from Best Friends, and he changed our lives for the better. He was the missing puzzle piece to complete our family. He is living a fun and joyful life in the Eastern Sierra mountains. We play outside pretty much daily in one way or another. He is loving running, hiking, and climbing with us. He has also found a lot of excitement playing in water. He can chase waves at high alpine lakes or rivers all day long. We would like to think he is as happy to be with us as we are to be with him.

We are forever grateful that Best Friends took such great care of our boy, Winston, before we adopted him. He came to Best Friends with a broken jaw; they paid for all of his surgery and recovery. Afterwards, we had the chance to meet him and completely fell in love. Winston is the best boy ever. He is now a therapy dog and brings joy to so many people. When he is off duty, he loves to hike, go camping, cuddle, and watch for friends out the window. Fun fact about Winston: His tongue usually sticks out because he’s missing a few teeth from his surgeries. It always makes us smile. We love our sweet Winnie.

Last April, I adopted Crispin (now known as Zagreus), and in May I adopted Fizz (now Thanatos). After some adjustment and getting used to each other, they are very happy in their new home. Zagreus is an absolute menace but a sweetheart who wants the attention of everyone. He even yells when people pass in the hallway because he wants to meet them. Thanatos is pretty shy but is very chill when dealing with his brother’s antics. He also has his crazy moments, though, and likes to jump on top of doors!

I wanted to let you know that Ashley (renamed Mina) is doing so well. She had her first vet visit on Monday and is in perfect health, and she received her last vaccine that was due. Mina and my resident cat are getting along so well. She is like his tiny little shadow. They play together, and she continually rubs her face on his cheek and copies what he does like he’s her big brother. It’s adorable. She sleeps curled up on my shoulder, which I love. I just love her so much, and every day I thank you for bringing her into my life!

This article was originally published in the March/April 2026 issue of Best Friends magazine. Want more good news? Become a member and get stories like this six times a year.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.