Pet Adoption Stories

Mirage being adopted by the pilot who found her.

A new home for the miracle kitty

After surviving a devastating fall at Bryce Canyon, a senior cat’s story comes full circle — thanks to the search-and-rescue pilot who never forgot her.
Overcoming the odds
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Lexi the dog with upright ears

Faces of No-Kill: Support for a special pup

Lexi came to Best Friends as a little puppy who turned out to have megaesophagus, a condition that meant she’d need extra care to thrive.
Now she's queen of the pack
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Baby and Celine the French bulldogs sleeping next to each other

Faces of No-Kill: From puppy surgery to sister snuggles

A French bulldog named Baby came to Best Friends in crisis. Now, she has a clean bill of health, a cozy home, and one sassy sister.
A family that’s meant to be
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Jonathan Ramirez next to his mural of a dog with the word, Adopt

One special dog inspired this artist to give back

Adoption gave a dog named Russell a second chance, but it also inspired his adopter to use his talents to help more dogs find homes.
Artist creates mural at Florida shelter
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Indy the cat, lying on a blanket

Shy cat sprinkled with love

Sometimes, all it takes is adding a little bit of sparkle to help a timid pet shine.
Colorful collars made her even more adorable
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Cloud and Sol the puppies being adopted in front of Walmart

Aisles of smiles: Hundreds of pets adopted at Walmart events

Best Friends teamed up with Walmart to host pop-up pet adoption events at select stores from coast to coast.
Bring Happy Home adoption event is a huge success
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Llorona the black puppy smiling and sitting outside on the sand

No contact, no problem for a sweet pup

When rabies quarantine was a must for a young puppy, staff found ways to keep her happy and healthy for three and a half completely hands-off months.
Now she's catching up on her puppyhood
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Trinity the blind calico cat on some blankets

Faces of No-Kill: Brave cat is full of love

Trinity is blind, but she doesn’t let that hold her back from pursuing her true passion: making biscuits.
She received just the right recipe for healing
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Smokey the gray cat lying on a couch

Shy no more: One cat’s beautiful breakthrough

Thanks to time, patience, and chin scratches in his foster homes, today 10-year-old Smokey is exactly where he belongs.
New home, new beginning
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Black, white and tan dog with his tongue out, outside on grass

Pet adoptions skyrocket at Indiana shelter

Jeffersonville Animal Shelter celebrates the first no-kill month in its history.
Helping animals get home faster
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Rio and Mike the dogs outside on some steps

A road trip detour that changed a dog’s life

A cross-country trip and spontaneous visit to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary led to a life-changing moment for a very good dog named Rio.
Now Rio has blossomed
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Brown tabby cat whose head is looking out of a round hole in a green box

Happy tales of pets’ lives after adoption

Our favorite kind of news? Updates from adopters whose new pets have become the heart of their homes.
Pets living their best lives with the people who love them
Best Friends Magazine
Goldilocks the cat lying on a cat scratcher

Tales of second chances for homeless pets

Across the country, Best Friends is finding pets homes full of love, fun, and sometimes even their own wardrobe.
The stories of some special dogs and cats
Best Friends Magazine
Person holding a Walmart bag bending down to pet a black and white dog

Walmart shines spotlight on pet adoption

The retailer is teaming up with Best Friends to bring happy home for National Pet Month.
Meet pets in person at select Walmart stores
Best Friends Magazine
Rusty the cat sleeping while on a sleepover

Faces of No-Kill: Pet sleepovers spark second chances

The sleepover program at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary helps two kitties with special needs land in homes of their own.
Program offers potential adopters a chance to connect in a real way
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