L.A. super adoption event scores homes for 400+ pets

Los Angeles was filled with celebration last weekend — and not just because the hometown Dodgers clinched the World Series. More than 400 pets went home at the Best Friends Super Adoption event, hosted at the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena.

Super adoption is Best Friends’ version of the big game. But instead of a championship ring, every adopter scores a new best friend, and every adopted pet gets a home, a family, and the unconditional love they deserve.

The energy at a super adoption event is unmatched. When the gates opened, staff and volunteers lined the entryway, clapping and cheering as the first crowds poured in. Before long, visitors were snuggling up with cats, dogs, and even guinea pigs from 21 participating animal shelters and rescue groups. Over two days, more than 4,200 people attended.

“Everyone was really happy to be there, all the rescues, all the shelters,” says Brittany Thorn, Best Friends executive director in Los Angeles.

[More than 200 pets adopted at picture-perfect venue]

Best Friends has been hosting super adoption events in L.A. and other cities for more than 25 years as one way to support shelters reaching no-kill. Besides the opportunity to meet hundreds of adoptable pets in one place, visitors enjoyed a full-on festival, complete with food trucks, vendor and exhibitor booths, and giveaways. The event also offered hands-on activities, including DIY pet toys, bandana decorating, and paw printing for newly adopted pets. Because the weekend overlapped with Día de los Muertos, guests were invited to honor a pet who passed away by adding their name to the ofrenda (altar).

It wouldn’t be L.A. without some celebrity sightings. Dozens of famous Angelenos came out to support pet adoption, including Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt. The author and lifestyle influencer read and signed copies of her new children’s book, Kat and Brandy, which shows the healing power of animals. Matt Nelson, founder of the popular social media account WeRateDogs, rated adoptable dogs live on stage. (Spoiler alert: None of the pups got less than a perfect score.) And in a sweet moment, actor Kumail Nanjiani — who recently said goodbye to his beloved senior cat, Bagel — adopted a new feline into his family.

Denise Richards, Tabitha Brown, Erin Moriarty, Lisa Ling, Charlotte Ross, Kaliko Kauahi, Gilles Marini, Kadia Saraf, and Sydney Morgan also attended super adoption, along with local government leaders and more than 30 pet-loving content creators.

Of course, the true stars of the event were the animals. One fan favorite was Arroyo, a 6-year-old Frenchie-esque dog from the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in L.A. Besides her wee little legs and dark brindle coat, Arroyo’s signature feature is her tongue, which, due to her short jaw, is perpetually hanging out.  

All the people who cared for Arroyo adored her. They described her as a sweet, smart, and affectionate lady who takes her naps seriously and prefers sunbathing to strolling. That’s because Arroyo has hip and spine issues that make it harder for her to get around. Luckily, she has a handy red wagon for whenever she needs to go a longer distance.

Arroyo had the looks, the personality, and the wagon — she just needed the person.

Enter Dolores.

Dolores had been searching for a dog for a while and was hoping she’d finally meet the right one at super adoption. Sure enough, she did. Dolores couldn’t resist Arroyo’s silly tongue and squishy face, and she was prepared to support the pup’s challenges. Dolores decided to adopt Arroyo, and the new family walked (well, rolled) off into the sunset.

In addition to 14 rescue groups, seven shelters from across the region participated in this year’s super adoption. It was a chance for these organizations to introduce their pets to a larger audience of potential adopters and to recruit more volunteers.

Best Friends aims to make pet adoption easy and accessible, and super adoption is a one-stop shop. This year’s event was a rare chance for people to meet more than 700 adoptable pets in one place. “You don't have to travel around to look at a lot of different animals,” says Brittany. “It gives you the opportunity to meet a lot of animals at once and find the one who’s right for you.”

In addition to their new furry friend, adopters went home with resources to ensure they had the support they needed from day one.

“They get food. They get a microchip. There are dog trainers there who offer free services. There’s a low-cost veterinary team on-site that can offer services,” says Brittany. “Super adoption brings everything to one place and makes it easy for people to adopt and keep their pets.”

After a weekend of one home-run adoption after another, more than 400 pets — including dogs, cats, and one guinea pig — went home. That’s an average of more than one adoption every two minutes.

For those pets who weren’t adopted yet, many joined rescue groups or came to Best Friends instead of returning to a shelter. Because when it comes to saving lives, we’re all on the same team.

Each smiling person who left the Rose Bowl with a new companion made all the months of planning and hard work worth it. But super adoption is about even more than that. “It was just really nice to be able to be in a community like Pasadena that has been through so much this year (with devastating wildfires) and bring something really positive and really hopeful,” says Brittany.

Best Friends extends a heartfelt thank-you to presenting sponsor Levoit and additional sponsors Blue Buffalo, Fresh Step, Fi, Bar Dog Wine, $DOGS Token, Spruce, and Lucky One Lemonade for stepping up to the plate to support pets in need.

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.