6 smile-worthy pet adoption stories
No matter how big or small, young or old, it’s a magical moment when homeless pets have new families to love them. The wagging tails, rumbling purrs, and smiling faces are all the proof we need of that. From coast to coast, Best Friends Animal Society helps thousands of pets find new homes each year, and every adoption is a cause for celebration (and maybe a few happy tears).
That joy is worth sharing, so here are just a few of the dogs and cats who have recently settled into their new lives with their new favorite people.
Bruno
Oh, Bruno! This boisterous boy bounced around between shelters and foster homes for a while before being adopted. He’s young and full of energy, which sometimes caused him to be jumpy and mouthy with people — but he was just trying to show love in the only way he knew how. His adopters saw the very good boy behind it all and committed to keeping up with Bruno’s training. Today, he’s happy in his new home, which includes small dogs, cats, and even kittens.
Steak
“I AM smiling,” you can almost hear the big orange tabby grumbling. And he really is. Steak the cat always looks a bit owlish, but that’s part of the charm that won over his adopters. Now the ginger cat is living a life of bliss with his new family, who have a thing for orange felines — especially big, beautiful ones who may look a little gruff on the outside but are pure gold on the inside.
Havarti and Blue
There were a lot of options for choosey cheese lovers when a litter of kittens — all named after a different variety of the dairy delicacy — arrived at the Sanctuary. Havarti was the princess of the platter, while littlest brother Blue preferred to melt himself across his human friends’ laps. Here’s what their new family has to say:
“Havarti and Blue are awesome. They’ve settled in and have been everything we could have hoped for. Thanks again for all your help in bringing us together with them. You have no idea what they’ve done for us and how much they mean to us. They’re absolutely the best cats we could have adopted.”
Cinderella
Cinderella’s story is a real-life fairy tale. The tiny, 9-year-old cat was down on her luck when she came to Best Friends, but with the wave of a magic wand (wait, no, it was months of veterinary care), she regained her health and finally had a chance to go to the ball (err, meet adopters). Then Chris fell in love with her, and the two are now living happily ever after together.
Luka
When you bring home a husky, you’re probably expecting a series of unscheduled serenades, but Luka’s a bit more soft-spoken than that. He is slowly starting to come out of his shell, though, according to his new people:
“I just wanted to let you know that Luka is doing great! Little by little, he has been getting used to the routine. Now he plays with our other dog, Sunny (also adopted from Best Friends), but we haven’t heard him speak in husky noises yet. I guess he is not ready to share his thoughts with us. Actually, he complained once when I was taking too long to get ready for a walk. He’s a very sweet boy, and we’re happy he’s part of our family.”
Country music crew
It’s a family reunion tour! Merle Haggard was part of a litter of puppies named after country singers, who were each adopted and whisked away as quickly as merch at a concert. Months after he went home, he and his new family happened to run into two other dogs around the same age named Faith Hill and Hank Williams. The families were delighted to realize that their pups were littermates. The three played just as you’d imagine old bandmates would, except with more running around and joyous barking. (Maybe they’ll have a new album in the works soon.)
This article was originally published in the May/June 2023 issue of Best Friends magazine. Want more good news? Become a member and get stories like this six times a year.