Joyous pet adoption updates to brighten your day

No matter how big or small, young or old, it’s a magical moment when homeless pets have new families to love them. The wagging tails, rumbling purrs, and smiling faces are all the proof we need of that. From coast to coast, Best Friends Animal Society places thousands of pets in new homes each year as we work toward the goal of bringing all shelters across the country to reaching no-kill by 2025.

Every adoption is a cause for celebration (and maybe a few happy tears). And since that joy is worth sharing, here are just a few of the dogs and cats who have recently settled into their new lives with their new favorite people.

Duke’s adopter, Kathleen, says it best: “Duke is a blessing to me! I LOVE this DOG!! He is so sweet, and learning more and more to trust he will get food so he doesn’t have to take the cat’s or human food from the table. He is a ball of much needed energy in my house and he is my sidekick 24/7.”

It can be hard for cats to welcome a newcomer to their home, and that’s exactly how June must have felt when her family brought home a kitten named Fozzie. Their adopter says, “She was pretty hesitant to let Fozzie into her life, but he is too cute (and persistent) for her to stay stubborn. They’ve made incredible progress and love looking out the window next to my desk while I work. I know they’re becoming best friends, slowly but surely. Fozzie has been nothing but a joy since day one and I'm so thankful we found each other.”

Canelo’s adopter shares that he’s such a joy… and a bit spoiled already. “You might not recognize him, as he has grown so much in the three months here,” she says. “He has lots of toys and uses the scratch post and board the most. He uses his back legs more, little by little. And he loves to sit in the window, watching the birds outside.”

Tater was adopted from the Sanctuary by full-time RVs. Since joining the family, he has visited 26 states and Canada. “He loves to do anything and everything as long as he’s with us. Last summer, we took our dream trip to Alaska, where Tater got to hike the Matanuska Glacier,” says his adopters. “He had a blast getting muddy in the glacial silt and drinking the fresh glacier water. We’re so excited for all our adventures ahead.” We are, too!

Did you know that whenever animals are adopted from Best Friends, they receive a celebratory pet-friendly cake in the mail? You might think it’s just for people or dogs, but Piper is here to show you that cats can have their cake and eat it, too.

The Best Friends team in Houston did everything possible to match up Farrah with a new home once she arrived from the county shelter, but with no luck for a while. Then, one day, someone wanting to meet Farrah submitted an online adoption survey. One successful virtual meet-and-greet later, Farrah is home. Her adopter is a truck driver who was looking for a companion for the road, which means Farrah gets to be a passenger princess.

Here’s Layla enjoying a beach outing with her human brother, Andres. The family adopted Layla after losing one of their beloved pets to cancer. They say, “We brought her home to help heal our broken hearts, and boy did she deliver! We all fell in love with her immediately. She’s playful, affectionate and incredibly smart.”