She adopted her dream doodle

Michele Warner purchased Kirby, her first doodle, from a breeder about a decade ago and loves this dog with her whole heart. But last year, when Michele, her husband, and their teenage son were ready to bring another poodle mix into the family, they wanted to adopt from a shelter or rescue group.

Michele wanted to go that route because she feels that pet adoption best represents her values. Even with that strong conviction, the family had questions as they began exploring breed-specific rescue groups for doodle-type dogs in her area — Huntington Beach in Southern California. How long would the process take? Would there be enough dogs to choose from? Would one be the right fit?

The answers to their questions came more quickly than they expected when Bentley, a 2-year-old dog with fuzzy salt-and-pepper curls, soon grabbed Michele and her family’s attention — and didn’t let go.

It was hard not to be nervous and excited, both, as Michele drove to meet Bentley at his foster home about 30 minutes away. The introduction went well. Really well. Michele found herself right in love. “You just feel that connection,” she says.

And with that, Bentley became an official member of the family.

Michele and her family understood why Bentley might be a bit nervous when he first joined their home. Change, even really good change, takes some getting used to for just about any pet — regardless of whether they come from a shelter, foster home, breeder, or somewhere else.

Luckily, Kirby proved himself a top-notch guide to his new canine sibling, helping Bentley feel comfortable and settle in. It didn’t take long for the duo to become best buds and playmates, taking walks together and chasing each other around.

Familiar ‘Fido’ faces at Best Friends

It’s a mutual relationship. Michele believes Bentley is even helping give Kirby a bit of puppy energy back, keeping the 10-year-old pup “young at heart.”

Nearly a year into joining the family, Bentley’s sweet, affectionate side is on full display. He especially loves his family’s ritual of evening treats — almost as much as he loves to cuddle.

“He’s a snuggle bug,” Michele says. All he needed was for someone to give him a chance.

As Bentley’s story shows, even people who want a specific type of dog can find the pet they are looking for at a shelter or rescue group, says Elizabeth Oreck, senior manager of community programs for Best Friends.

How rescue groups and shelters save more pets together

“There are breed-specific rescue groups, as well as online adoption platforms like Petfinder, that allow you to search for specific breeds of pets looking for homes in your area,” she says. “They generally are already spayed or neutered, vaccinated, and microchipped. Plus, adoption fees are typically much lower than a breeder would charge. So not only is it a great deal, it's an opportunity to save a pet's life."

Michele, for her part, just feels lucky. Before starting this process, she didn’t know that you could adopt your dream dog. But there Bentley was, that fuzzy-haired doodle, right when she was ready. “I met him,” she says, “and I fell in love.”

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. 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.