Heartfelt acts of kindness for animals

Kindness is all around us every day, and even the smallest act can change a life and pave the way for more good deeds to follow. That’s why Best Friends’ vision is a better world through kindness to animals. Across the country, animal lovers are making their communities better through kindness. Here are just a few of their stories.

The Pawty Waggin is a renovated bus that takes dogs and their people on adventures around Asheville, North Carolina. Pups can even board without their people for a mobile doggy daycare. In the wake of Hurricane Helene, Pawty Waggin owner Christin Tasler wanted to help lift spirits throughout the community, and what better way to do that than with a bus full of smiling dogs? So Christin took the Pawty Waggin to visit some of the first responders and volunteers helping with hurricane cleanup. There were kisses and tail wags aplenty, and it’s hard to say who was happier: the people or the pups.

After seeing how much her own dogs loved her piano playing, teen volunteer Zen wanted to bring the therapeutic powers of music to the pets at a New York City animal shelter. When Zen began playing at Bideawee, she took note of what kinds of music the animals in the shelter responded to and tailored her concerts accordingly. To help the animals relax, she stays away from any loud, sharp sounds and fast tempos. Zen’s parents also volunteer at the shelter, and it has brought them closer as a family. Through her volunteer work, Zen hopes she can inspire others to use their own skills to give back to their communities.

Luca isn’t your typical 6-year-old. For one, he loves helping with chores. He also understands the impact just one person can have when it comes to saving the lives of homeless pets. That’s what compelled Luca to start a poop-scooping business (dubbing himself Poopa Scoopa Luca) to earn enough money to adopt a kitten he’d fallen in love with at the Rhode Island shelter where his mom works. But he didn’t stop there. Luca and his mom foster pets, and he helps out with odd jobs at the shelter like folding laundry and sweeping. Plus, he’s continuing to raise money to help more animals. Thanks to people like Luca, the future is bright for homeless pets.

While on a camping trip with his people in Michigan, Barley the dog went missing. His humans did their best to search for him and made multiple 10-hour trips back to the area, but they had no luck. So locals Deanna and Denny Suggitt took up the search. They live near the rural area where Barley had been spotted, and a neighbor allowed them to set up a feeding station and cameras on his property. The whole community was on the lookout. The pup ate from the feeding station that the Suggitts replenished every day, but he wouldn’t come near people or the humane traps. Then, a professional dog trapper offered to help, and they finally caught Barley, who had actually put on weight, thanks to the Suggitts’ feeding efforts. After 14 months of taking care of him from afar, the Suggitts brought Barley home as an official family member, with his previous family’s blessing.

Residents at Waltonwood Senior Living communities recently hosted Seniors Helping Seniors events to spotlight older pets at local animal shelters and rescue groups and help them get adopted. Waltonwood, whose communities in Michigan, Virginia, and North Carolina are all pet-friendly, sponsored adoption fees for several senior pets. Besides adopting pets themselves, residents crafted thousands of blankets and toys and baked treats for the adoptable pets, helping to make their golden years golden.

Do you have an act of kindness to share? Email your story and a photo to editor@bestfriends.org with “random act of kindness” in the subject line.

This article was originally published in the January/February 2025 issue of Best Friends magazine. Want more good news? Become a member and get stories like this six times a year.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.