Heartwarming stories from Best Friends adopters

Whether it's a dog discovering his favorite spot in the car or a timid cat beginning to trust, each one of these pets adopted recently from Best Friends has flourished in their new surroundings. With plenty of love, patience, and time, they have formed bonds with their families, bringing joy, laughter, and even surprising friendships along the way.

Read on to find out who’s a good girl, how a chance door dash led to a surprise feline friendship, and more.

We couldn’t be more pleased with these two dogs. They get along with other dogs and people. I think they’ve accepted our home as their home. Harpo climbs up and sits on the back of my wife’s neck when we’re traveling in the car. We didn’t teach him that. He doesn’t do it to me, only to her. Deco doesn’t really like car rides very well, but we’re making him feel more secure and he’s getting used to it. He knows that when he goes in the car, he’s probably going to a park or a school.

I call her Willy and she loves it. She loves when I tell her she’s a Willy good girl or she’s Willy funny and Willy smart. The light in her eyes is truly showing through, and she’s an amazing dog and companion. It’s been 6 months now since bringing her home, and she is thriving. She’s continuing to progress every day and has made an incredible impact on my life in such a short time. I can’t thank you all enough for the work you do saving their lives and protecting these dogs until they find homes.

I thought I’d share a cute update about our Ateesh. Last winter, there was a big temperature drop and we were worried that a feral neighborhood cat wasn’t going to survive. We didn’t think she could ever be an indoor cat, but we wanted to help her get through the winter so we temporarily took her in. We were planning on putting her back outside, until our little guy stopped us. Although we were keeping them separated, Ateesh managed to get in the same room as her — and they immediately became best friends. I’ve never seen two cats bond like that. They cuddle and play and I’ve never heard a hiss between them. The most amazing part is I feel like he’s teaching her how to be a house cat. Although she’s still very timid, she lets us pet her now, which seemed unimaginable, and they both seem very happy. They’re the sweetest friends.

Maverick is the cuddliest, sweetest little kitten. He’s been adjusting well with the other cats and dogs. He loves to stay by us and get plenty of pets, but he also loves playing on his own with his new animal family. He runs back to check on us and give nose boops. He’s growing so quickly. We swear he’s an inch bigger every day.

This article was originally published in the March/April 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.