Doggy dating event helps pup find true love

What are your thoughts about kissing on the first date? For Bonny, it’s simple: If she’s feeling happy and comfortable, there’s no stopping her smooches. She actually met her humans, Bevin and Cam, at a blind dating event. But Bonny’s path to true love wasn’t as easy as swiping right.

So how did this beautiful dog with striking blue eyes end up on the singles scene? We don’t know much about Bonny’s former life, except that an accident in a previous home resulted in the black scars on her face. But that experience didn't dampen Bonnie's spirit. Staff at the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in Los Angeles wanted this bachelorette to meet her match.

Bonny had all the qualities you could want in a partner: attractive, energetic, sweet, and smart. However, she was very anxious. Plus, she had spent her life living outside and didn’t have the best indoor etiquette. Bonny needed someone to show her what life in an indoor home could be like with patience, structure, and boundaries.

Staff knew that foster care would help prepare her for a home. Best Friends’ goal is for all shelters nationwide to reach no-kill in 2025, and people who step up to foster pets, either with Best Friends or any animal shelter or rescue organization, play a vital part in reaching that goal.

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So Bonny went to stay with Best Friends foster volunteer Jon. Over the next five months, she transformed into a confident, well-mannered pup. Jon used training as a positive way to channel her anxious energy, teaching her tricks like “sit,” “paw,” “up,” “down,” and “spin.” Bonny eagerly responded to cues, motivated by the promise of a tasty treat. She also spent a lot of time meeting new people and other dogs, discovering that life in the friend zone was pretty great. Best of all, she learned what it felt like to be safe and loved. Thanks to Jon’s dedication, Bonny was ready to put her best paw forward.

Meanwhile, SoCal couple Bevin and Cam were flirting with the idea of fostering a dog. They heard about Best Friends’ Doggy Date Night, which matches adoptable dogs with new foster families for overnight dates. The pair attended the event — and so did Bonny.

Bevin and Cam met all the furry suitors and were instantly drawn to Bonny, who was exactly their type. The couple realized that one night with Bonny wasn’t enough. Just one week later, her adoption was official. Today, Bonny is off the market and living the life she always deserved, filled with plenty of playtime, couch cuddles, and, of course, love.

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.