Pet Adoption Stories

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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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Zima the cat lying on a bed with her adopters

Faces of No-Kill: A love match for an extra-special cat

Zima dazzled visitors at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary — including her adopters, w...
Now she rules the roost
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Billy the dog all smiles with a bit of tooth peeking out from under his tongue with a person behind him

How a snaggletoothed pup went from hurt to happy

When Billy arrived at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, he could barely walk. Now he ...
Now he's living the good life
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Person holding Bone Jovi the cat in front of some human skeletons

Home sweet bone: Adopted cat living in museum

Meet Bone Jovi, the feline rock star of Brooklyn’s Bone Museum, and find out how h...
They felt it in their bones, he's the right cat
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