Pet Adoption Stories

Hawkeye the dog smiling and wearing a hoodie

Scrappy pup goes from matted to marvelous

After living in heartbreaking conditions, Hawkeye made a total transformation than...
Love saves the day
Video
Ariel the brown dog smiling while lying on green grass

Making magic happen for a shy dog

Ariel arrived at a Virginia shelter scared of everything. Now she’s living her bes...
Community connection made all the difference for pets
Feature
Person carrying a puppy beside a Best Friends volunteer holding a sign that says, 'I found my BFF'

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

Shelters, rescue groups, and thousands of animal lovers teamed up for an unforgett...
A winning weekend
Feature
Smiling tan dog in front of a shelf

Adopted pets find connection and joy in their new homes

From shy to snuggly, unsure to perfectly at home — these adopted pets are thriving...
See how life looks now for them
Best Friends Magazine
Eleanor the dog with Mark behind her

Adoption update: Small dog is the heart of her home

Two years after being taken in from an overcrowding situation, Eleanor has gone fr...
From shy to shining
Video
Person unloading Bermuda the cat in a carrier from an airplane

The cat who meowed in the face of disaster

From the heart of Texas comes a kitty with a big heart and a bigger purr....
From floodwaters to the spotlight
Feature
Person wearing an orange Best Friends volunteer T-shirt holding a cat wearing a bow tie over her shoulder

Moving no-kill forward: A Houston highlight

The ethos and the philosophy of no-kill is quite simple: When we focus on one anim...
Working hard to build up community-led change
Julie Castle Blog
Pepper the dog outside standing on green grass beside a home

Faces of No-Kill: Dog with cloudy eyes has sunny future

Pepper came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary with some health issues, but with vet...
Pepper has blossomed
Feature
Zorry the dog sleeping on a pillow

A senior dog’s fresh start under the Arizona sun

Zorro charmed everyone he met, but it took just one look to seal the deal with his...
It was love at first sight
Feature
Smiling person holding the black puppy she adopted in front of a Best Friends booth

More than 200 pets adopted at picture-perfect venue

For the second year, shelters and rescue groups came together in Northwest Arkansa...
A festival of fun and lifesaving
Feature
Frankie the cat on the back of the couch next to Judy Reynolds and a small dog

Faces of No-Kill: Cat purrs her way home

When Judy and David volunteered at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, they weren’t loo...
Now she's home in Florida
Feature
Cheecky the dog with mouth open smiling with tongue out sitting under a table in a room

Faces of No-Kill: Dog’s cheekiness charms adopters

A pup with a challenging start lands a family who adores her, quirks and all....
Now she's living her best life
Video
Jenna Sume holding Bug and another cat

Stepping up to save orphaned kittens

Jenna Sume dove heart first into fostering kittens with Best Friends and ended up ...
Lifesaving comes in many forms
Feature
Eloise the dog wearing a striped T-shirt being hugged by Lauren

Faces of No-Kill: Ballerina and pup help heal each other

A chance meeting helped a dancer find new purpose and a dog discover the confidenc...
Life's better together
Video
Nash the English bulldog with a person's arm behind him

A country bulldog with a healing touch

More country than metal, a senior bulldog adopted from Best Friends Animal Sanctua...
Nash helped adopter through a tough time
Feature