Pet Adoption Stories

Brown tabby cat lying on a blanket

Home and loving it: Stories of adopted pets

Read about a dog birthday celebration, a pup learning the ropes, big cat cuddles, and a thriving parrot who loves to learn.
Hear about life in their new homes
Best Friends Magazine
The two cavies, Hip and Hup, with one of them eating some fresh green grass

Spicing up life for wild ambassadors at Best Friends

See how caregivers at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary bring joy to wildlife who can’t be released.
Ways to enrich their lives
Feature
Line of pet crates containing animals next to an airplane and animal control vehicles

Pets flown from hurricane-damaged Florida get new start

Best Friends has teamed up with other animal welfare groups to arrange transportation for pets away from storm-damaged areas to shelters in other states.
Giving dogs and cats a fresh start
Feature
Pumba the tortoiseshell cat lying on the floor

Faces of No-Kill: Sassy cat trades swats for snuggles

A cantankerous cat named Pumba now has someone who appreciates her just the way she is.
Pumba is now living her best life
Feature
The litter of Little Rock puppies sleeping in a pile together

Neighbors team up to save orphaned puppies

With the local animal shelter at capacity, an Arkansas family rallied their neighbors to care for 11 tiny homeless puppies.
Collaboration saves lives
Feature
Marilyn Bunroe wearing a bandage and a colorful soft e-collar following her surgery

Resilient bunny zooms into life on 3 legs

When Marilyn Bunroe landed at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, she wasn’t feeling her best. But with vet care and TLC, now she’s jumping for joy.
Marilyn Bunroe defies the odds
Feature
Indie the kitten in a Halloween-themed cat tube toy

Every day is this kitten’s best day

A grant to support special veterinary care helps Planned PEThood in Georgia save a tiny kitten’s life.
Now every day is Indie's best day
Feature
Sweet Pea the cat wearing her crocheted ears

A new set of ears for an injured cat

After everything Sweet Pea had been through, her foster volunteer wanted to do something special for her, leading to a one-of-a-kind creation.
Look at her now
Video
Athena holding a smiling Gremlin the dog in her lap

From shy to safe: Dog with megawatt smile goes home

Gremlin needed a friend to help calm his nerves, which ended up leading to the match of a lifetime.
Now he's all smiles
Video
The face of Coral, the mama dog, wearing a red collar

Faces of No-Kill: Mama dog beats the odds

How a dog without a home hung on until she and her pups landed the good life
It was destiny
Feature
Hutton the kitten with only one front leg on a red blanket with white snowflakes

Kitten thinks TikTok is the cat’s pajamas

Hutton arrived with a broken leg and found comfort in swift vet care, a foster home — and the joy of videos on social media.
Three legs don't slow him down
Feature
Peridot the cat lying in the top shelf of a cat tree

Faces of No-Kill: Cat goes from grumpy to cuddly

Peridot used to swat away affection with hisses and growls. Now she’s home, snuggling with her adopters and shining like the gem she’s named after.
Read about her transformation
Feature
King Julian the dog standing up on his hind legs with his mouth open in a wide smile

Tiny pup goes from bald to beautiful in foster home

When King Julian landed at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, he wasn’t feeling like royalty. But with some time and TLC, now his health reigns supreme.
Now he's all smiles
Feature
Bert the dog lying in the grass on his back with his feet up

Dog’s story of healing will give you all the feels

Surgery would allow Bert to walk and run without pain. But he would need months of special care in a foster home to recover.
Special bond forms at foster home
Feature
Penelope the cat lying down with her leg in a cast in front of her

Faces of No-Kill: TLC saves sweet mama cat

Penelope came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in rough shape with more than 50 other cats. But her sweet, spunky spirit and lots of TLC saved the day.
Recovery leads to adoption
Feature