Pet Adoption Stories

Squash the cat

Loving a special cat in hospice leads to adopting another

Kimberly knew time with Brock Samson may be short, but she loved him, he needed her and even after losing him, she kept her heart wide open.
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Willow the dog being adopted

Once abandoned mama dog gets new, fun, fabulous life on a farm

Adopters, a foster home and Best Friends staffers go the distance to bring sweet Willow to full health and into a wonderful forever home.
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Malcolm the black and white cat lying next to some books

Adopted cat lands a job and lives a life worthy of a storybook ending

Malcolm, a three-year-old tuxedo cat, gets a new career in a beachside bookstore patrolling for cuddles from customers (and also for rodents)
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Blu the dog lying on a couch

Sweet lullabies help puppy heal and find a home

Blu was shy and had a painful skin condition, but a foster volunteer helped the puppy grow confidence (plus hair) and he’s thriving in a new home.
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Person wearing medical attire lying on ground with Willie the puppy

Blind puppy learns how to navigate his world

Willie may not be able to see, but with help from his foster family, he can tackle any obstacle (except maybe going downstairs).
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Close-up of the face of Maisie the cat, with tiny bit of tongue sticking out

The right place and time for a tiny Persian cat

When duVergne saw Maisie’s face online she fell in love, and even a few hundred miles couldn’t keep her apart from the small, fluffy feline.
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Lauren holding Cory the cat

Paralyzed cat is ‘paws-itively perfect’ and now he’s home

Cory’s special medical needs were a daunting responsibility to many potential adopters, but for Laurel they were what made him perfect.
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Beefy the dog sitting in an orange chair

Adopter saw nothing but love when she met Beefy the dog

Beefy is a big pit bull terrier mix who had trouble finding a home, mostly because of the way he looks, until he met an adopter who saw nothing but love.
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Breonna with Pumba the cat in her lap

Spicy cat’s ‘instruction manual’ helps her get adopted

Best Friends foster volunteers wrote tips for making friends with Pumba, a cat with larger-than-average tortitude, to help her thrive in her new home.
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Family sitting on couch with two beagles

New homes for 21 abandoned beagles

People and rescue organizations, including Best Friends, come together to help save 21 beagles in an empty foreclosed home.
Best Friends Magazine
Ranko holding Soba the senior dachshund in front of a pine tree and blue sky

Out of more than 100 foster pets, volunteer adopts the blind senior dachshund

A long-time foster volunteer yields to temptation and adopts a senior dachshund with special needs.
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Raisin the cat eating from his special raised feeder

Best gift ever for an orphaned kitten with megaesophagus

For his first birthday, Nino got the best gift possible: a home, and his family.
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Spitfire the cat lying on a blue blanket

Shy cat finds her perfect match after months of medical ups and downs

Spitfire’s foster person nursed her through seizures and shyness, and when it was time for her to be adopted, couldn’t let her go.
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Sasha the dog at a soccer field with a blue sky behind her

Dog with disclaimers lands her just-right home

It wasn’t easy to find Sasha a home with someone who could handle her, until Jacob came along.
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Senior brown dog standing in fallen leaves

8 reasons to adopt a senior pet

In honor of Adopt a Senior Pet Month, here are eight reasons to visit your local shelter to meet silver-muzzled senior pets with plenty of love left to give.
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