Pets from coast to coast spend holidays in new homes

Six months after coming to the Tehama County Animal Care Center in Red Bluff, California, Gretta still hadn’t met her match. The husky-Akita mix was strikingly gorgeous, but she was particular, especially about which other dogs she liked. However, Gretta’s luck changed during the Chewy Claus pet adoption weekend when an excited family was first in line at the shelter to bring her home.

“The family spent quite a bit of time with her leading up to the adoption event, just to make sure that it was going to be the right fit,” says animal care center manager Christine McClintock. “Finding a family that was willing to work with her and accommodate her specific needs was really huge.”

Like many shelters nationwide, Tehama County’s kennels have been over capacity for months, and large dogs have been the toughest pets to place in new homes. So with a big girl like Gretta being first out the door, staff knew this special adoption weekend was going to be magical.

Each year, pets across the country send their holiday wishes to “Chewy Claus” through pet supply retailer Chewy’s letter-writing campaign. They ask for tasty treats and festive toys, but their top request is always the same: for their fellow pets in shelters to get homes. So Chewy teamed up with Best Friends Animal Society to grant this wish. From November 29 to December 1, Chewy worked with Best Friends to provide free adoptions at our lifesaving centers. Additionally, about 100 animal shelters and rescue groups participated in waiving fees at their locations, and Best Friends provided marketing and additional support for those organizations. Best Friends’ goal is for all shelters to reach no-kill in 2025, and that means supporting them with programs and partnerships like Chewy Claus that help find homes for more pets.

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Over the three-day event, 1,463 pets from coast to coast were adopted into loving homes — a 58% increase in adoptions compared to the same time period last year. This included 159 pets from Best Friends locations — like Maddie, a resilient kitten from Northwest Arkansas who overcame illness after illness, and Skipper, a goofy puppy from Houston whose new family was all smiles before heading home. Chewy kept spreading holiday cheer even after the event was over, contributing a $200,000 matching gift to Best Friends on Giving Tuesday.

Initiatives like Chewy Claus make pet adoption more accessible to more people. Not only were adoption fees waived, but the event took place over Black Friday weekend — a time when many people are already off work. It’s all about making it easier for adoptable pets and people to connect.

“The latest data indicates that just over 400,000 animals are losing their lives in shelters every year,” says Luis Quintanilla, senior director of animal care at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. “One of the biggest keys is removing barriers to adoption, connecting people with pets because they belong in homes, not in shelters.”

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The combination of timing and waived adoption fees equaled big success for Tehama County. The shelter did 49 adoptions, compared to six adoptions last year. Many adopters, touched by the spirit of the season, chose to give a donation to the shelter in lieu of paying an adoption fee.

After a whirlwind weekend, Tehama County Animal Care Center was emptier, quieter, and calmer. Of course, there’s always more work to do. But sending nearly 50 pets home in a single weekend gave staff and volunteers some much-needed breathing room as they headed into the end of the year.

“It's just a relief seeing all those pets go home and knowing that we did the right thing by giving them a chance for so many months,” says Christine. “It worked out, and they found their homes. That’s the most rewarding part.”

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.