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
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Kitten standing on wrapped Christmas presents

Tips for giving a pet as a gift for the holidays

If you’re considering giving someone a pet as a gift, a few thoughtful steps can h...
Preparation can help make sure this gift feels like magic
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Gray tabby kitten playing in some autumn leaves

Giving Tuesday, but make it a way of life

Magical moments to be replicated every day of the year. Well, it’s Wednesday. B...
Giving animals in shelters the chances they deserve
Julie Castle Blog
Calliope the calico cat

Faces of No-Kill: Senior cat lives life on her terms

Thanks to patient humans who respected her boundaries, 10-year-old Calliope is now...
Calliope is currently thriving
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Bruce the cat with Ollie and the baby

Adoption update: Baby and kitten grow up together

Best friends Ollie and Bruce have always been by each other’s side — even when lif...
One bigger happy family
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Best Friends CEO Julie Castle with her dog Shadow

Animal lovers share what motivates them

Best Friends supporters tell their personal stories of what inspires their love of...
Read their moving responses
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Mr. Darcy the dog outside beside a sign reading, 'Annabelle's Trail'

Faces of No-Kill: Shy dog blossoms into dashing suitor

With the help of kind and patient supporting characters, Mr. Darcy became the cani...
The real Mr. Darcy emerged
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Person petting a brown and tan dog

Tom Brady’s dog was adopted. Her clone wasn’t. Let’s talk about it.

When it comes to honoring a soul dog, not all plays are created equal. Recently...
You don’t need a lab to find your next soul dog
Julie Castle Blog
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
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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
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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
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Cat pulling a toy

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
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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
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