Communities come together to give pets second chances
Best Friends Network Partners nationwide are creating happy endings for pets — from dogs landing new homes and cats starting new careers to shelters reaching no-kill. These stories show what’s possible when communities come together for animals.
Doggie Daycation
When Brody’s family lost their home, he did, too. This very good boy was in the shelter for several months with no one choosing to adopt him. That changed when Ardmore Animal Care in Oklahoma included Brody in its Doggie Daycation program, in which community members give dogs a break from the shelter. The people who took Brody out for the day gave him a permanent vacation from the shelter — they decided to adopt him.
New job for George
When George the cat lost his home at a Pennsylvania nursing home after it closed, staff at the local animal shelter, Four Footed Friends, could see that he wasn’t ready to retire. That prompted a search for another nursing home that would consider “hiring” an experienced feline caregiver. In no time, George was adopted by Forest Hills Personal Care Home, where he is back to doing his best work: jumping into people’s laps to cuddle and nap.
Fostering Angel
Angel, a scared, deaf mama dog, and her puppies were found in the woods by staff of City of Enigma Animal Services in Georgia. It was no trouble placing the pups in homes, but Angel needed more help. Nassau Humane Society stepped in, and Angel went into a foster home with two other dogs. There, she’s gaining confidence bit by bit, enjoying daily walks on the beach and even learning to respond to hand signals. She has come such a long way from fending for herself and her puppies. Next stop? A home of her own.
Pool party
It was a true community effort, and the after-party was loads of fun. The Truth or Consequences Animal Shelter in New Mexico recently achieved its goal of becoming no-kill. To celebrate, shelter manager Tara Manning treated her team to lunch, complete with sparkling cider in champagne glasses, and a community supporter donated inflatable pools and water slides so the dogs in the shelter could join the party, too.
Home sweet home in a barn
Second Chance Sheridan Cat Rescue in Wyoming had been helping a resident to humanely trap, neuter, vaccinate, and return cats on her property for years, but then, because of health issues, she was no longer able to feed the cats. So people at the rescue group found new homes for the cats, who were accustomed to living outdoors (with food and care to support them). Now the cats are settling into new homes in barns and on ranches, whose owners were happy to welcome them.
This article was originally published in the September/October 2025 issue of Best Friends magazine. Want more good news? Become a member and get stories like this six times a year.
Let's make every shelter and every community no-kill
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.
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You can help end the killing in shelters and save the lives of homeless pets when you foster, adopt, and advocate for the dogs and cats who need it most.
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