TikTok Challenge Has People Sharing Pics Of How Their Dogs Looked At The Shelter Versus How They Look Now (40 Pics)
A new challenge has just emerged on TikTok and let's hope it continues for as long as the platform is online. It started when user Alexa posted a video, saying "Show me what your dog looked like in their shelter picture versus now." She even went first herself and introduced everyone to her goofy pet!
People immediately answered Alexa's call to action. Everyone who got their dogs from shelters started posting heartwarming pics of their animals, liking each other's content, and just having a good time. I bet it's stuff like this the Internet was created for.
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Koda Bear Is A Very Happy Pup Now
Such a heartwarming difference. That dog is BEAMING with happiness. Love.
According to Best Friends Animal Society, pets are relinquished to shelters for reasons related to the owner's circumstances at roughly a ratio of 2 to 1 as compared to reasons specific to the animal. Unlike what many may believe, the animal's behavior is not a leading reason for surrender.
Luckily, more and more of us are willing to adopt shelter animals. The organization estimates that 79% of the 5.4 million cats and dogs that entered US shelters were saved in 2019, compared to only 50% in 2014.
So Glad Dobby Came Into My Life!! Big Thank You To
As you can see, a lot of dogs featured in this list arrived at shelters in very poor health. Malnourishment, skin diseases, bacterial infections—these are just a few common problems pups face while they live in the streets.
However, even with all the love, care, attention, and enrichment from volunteers and staff at a rescue or shelter, the kennel environment is extremely stressful for most dogs, Marissa Sunny, CPDT-KA and senior dog lifesaving specialist at Best Friends Animal Society, told Bored Panda.
From Kill Shelter To Furever Home
"They are likely suffering from anxiety and frustration from seeing and hearing other dogs all day without being able to interact," Sunny explained.
"Dogs in the shelter have very little autonomy to make choices, as well as not being able to relax and sleep soundly with all the noise and commotion. While we all do our best to take wonderful care of all the dogs, a shelter environment will never be ideal for any animal."
A Good Bubba
Pandora Became Penny!
Understanding this is crucial for people who are looking to adopt a dog, as the animal might need some time to adapt once they join their new family. "The best thing to do when bringing a dog home is to give them time to decompress," Sunny said. "Their whole world just shifted to a much better, but completely different environment. Creating a routine and structure for them while also slowly introducing new things—like people and animal friends—is extremely beneficial for them."
Sunny said their personality will begin to come out little by little over the coming weeks as they decompress, bond, and become comfortable.
Rescue Dog
From Fresno Bully Rescue To Now Almost 5 Years Later!
But once they do, you have a new friend for life! Pet adoption makes sense for many reasons. First are foremost, you are saving a life. Even if you adopt from an organization that has a no-kill policy, you will be helping to rescue another animal by making space available at the shelter.
You will also save yourself money because adoption costs less than buying an animal from a pet shop or a breeder.
Shelter vs. Now
One Heck Of A Glow-Up If You Ask Me
Plus, by adopting rather than buying a new companion animal, you will reduce the demand that drives the commercial breeding of puppies and kittens. Each year, millions of healthy animal lives are destroyed in shelters simply because there are not enough homes for all of them.
To learn more about animal adoption, visit Best Friends Animal Society. They have informative, easy-to-understand articles on all aspects of the process!
The Glow Up Is Real
Shelter vs. Now
Rescue Dog
Miracle Dog
...and That’s On Adopting. Love Works Wonders
Heartly Loves Her Pink Pj’s
My Rescue Stella
Love Of My Life
She Had A Bit Of A Glow Up
I’m So Proud Of My Boy
Loml. Smiley Boy Who Stole My Heart
Sick Pup To Beautiful Happy Boy
My Glow Up!!
Shelter vs. Now
From The Shelter To Having His Own Army
Selly’s Transformation
We’re Still Working On Some Things, But He’s Been Ours Since We Saw Him
Winnie Joined Our Family On September 30, 2020 She’s An Angel! Today She Is 6 Months Old!
Rescue Dog
Chiuahua Rescue
You can really see her pain in the first picture... I hope she is doing better now!
My Little Monky Lilac She Was Rescued In Georgia. Found On The Side Of Road With Freshly Cropped Ears At 9 Months And Broken Leg From Car
Tater Tot's Story Just Fits So Well With These Trend
Rescued My Baby From Romania 9 Years Ago
Rescue Dog
A Very Happy Dog
Love My Sweet Girl Nova
He Looks Like A Completely Different Boy
Macey Scared Potato vs. Happy Potato
Shelter Pic —> Now. Seriously The Most Loved Dog In The World
Got Him From A Rescue Not A Shelter But I Think You Can Tell How Happy He Got
I Got So Emo Making This
Wick Right After He Was Saved From A Puppymill
Shonie a puppy mill is a place where people breed dogs in horrible conditions. They dont give any medicine, the dogs breed every month, and the pups go to puppy stores. After the dog is not able to breed anymore the dog gets killed. Also they dont get barley any food and water. At least in my state puppy mills are eligal.
My First Love Otis
From Shelter To Forever Home
Just A Tad Spoiled
Adopt Don't Shop
Happy Gotcha Day Hippo, 3 Years Together So Far
What My Dog Looked Like In His Shelter Picture At Austin Pets Alive vs. Now, 3 Years Later!
I Rescued Him And He Rescued Me
Adopt, Don’t Shop
Rescue
Rescue
I Will Love You Forever
Hot Mess To Success
It’s so lovely to see the change of expression in these from hopeless to happy and confident.
He Had 4 "Families" Before Me & He Was Only A Year Old. Welcome Home Buddy!
Mildred Really Said Crusty White Dog
Rescue
From The Streets Of Cyprus To Livin’ The Good Life In Germany
We Didn’t Rescue Marley, Marley Rescued Us
Forever Home
One Mans Trash Is Another’s Treasure!
Shelter vs. Now
And That’s On Being Rescued!
My First Ever Rescue
My Sweet Baby
Our Sweet Girl Was Found On The Streets, Then Sat In A Shelter For 2 Months Before She Came To Us
Coming Up On 2 Years Together. Rescued At The Pasadena Humane Society In Feb 2019
And That's On Being Sassy
Adopt A Special Needs Senior Dog And I Promise You Won’t Regret It You Can See Everyone Was So Happy When She Played We All Recorded
Rescue
Shelter vs. Now
My Baby’s All Grown Up
Brutus
Shelter vs. Now
Before And After Of My Favorite Little Dude
Had To Hop On This One...she Was So Tiny And Loaded With Worms
he looks very healthy now, thank you for taking him in ! Lovely boy!
From Shelter To Home
So Glad My Baby Gets The Life He Deserves
They Did My Dog So Dirty With That Shelter Picture I Can’t
Rescue
We Have The Best Life Now!
He Has Come So Far
Who Would’ve Known That I’d Grow So Much
Rescue Dog
Rescue Dog
He Is My Best Bud
I Look A Little Different
Best Decision I Ever Made!
Shelter vs. Now
Pls Adopt Your Dogs. It’ll Change Your Life!
I Love You Big Time
I Only Post Tik Toks Of My Dogs Lol
Glow Up?
He Is So Loved
I Love Wilbur
Our Miss Raina
Burt Is The Best Special Needs Shelter Glow Up!
Wayway Jennings
Now This Is A Trend I Can Do
Cute Before And After, But Much Happier Now
A big thank you to everyone who saved these dogs. They, and others, deserve good lives. Open up your home to pets, and you will be paid many times over with love, affection, loyalty, companionship, and happiness.
Particularly rescues! Both cats I've owned over the last 18 years were rescues. There is nothing like the love you get from a pet who has been through tough stuff and then gets spoiled silly. It is overwhelming.
Load More Replies...I get so upset and happy seeing these posts. We don't deserve the forgiveness of dogs.
Next dog will be a shelter dog. First one was not, because I had no experience with dogs, so she's my learner dog :) I'm confident now that I could handle a dog with history.
So glad all these animals got new lives! The world needs more people like those who rescued them.
when i adopted my doggo, she was skeeeeeny as a stick, poor thing! adopt dont shop!
I can't even look at the whole list. The before pics are so sickening. Adopt, spay and care for the pet you took ownership for. If you can't support a shelter or spay n neuter organization.
Its really sad that sometimes, only pretty dogs in the outside gets adopted. While other dogs, they just have no fur because of bad treatment, and used to be pretty in the inside and outside. It's really unfair, you know.. If you go to a shelter, please pick the ones that have bad treatment, you will change a life. (and bless these people who adopted those dogs!)
<3 adopt don’t shop. These beautiful babies all deserve the stars and more.
All AKC breeds have a National Rescue Group. If you want to adopt a specific breed or X-breed contact them. Links on AKC.org by breed. By X-breed I mean a dog that is obviously of one breed but has a cross somewhere. I got a Lab X Golden Retvr from the Lab rescue group here in CA.
Kubu, if this "glory" motivates other people to rescue unwanted, abused animals, it's good glory. "......abandon dog, prepare for next challenge." ????
Load More Replies...It has been said many times before, and it bears repeating; we do not deserve dogs. They trust us implicitly and then they get their hearts (and other parts) broken, broken, and they come back to love us again...
"Until you have been loved by an animal, you will never truly understand unconditional love."
A big thank you to everyone who saved these dogs. They, and others, deserve good lives. Open up your home to pets, and you will be paid many times over with love, affection, loyalty, companionship, and happiness.
Particularly rescues! Both cats I've owned over the last 18 years were rescues. There is nothing like the love you get from a pet who has been through tough stuff and then gets spoiled silly. It is overwhelming.
Load More Replies...I get so upset and happy seeing these posts. We don't deserve the forgiveness of dogs.
Next dog will be a shelter dog. First one was not, because I had no experience with dogs, so she's my learner dog :) I'm confident now that I could handle a dog with history.
So glad all these animals got new lives! The world needs more people like those who rescued them.
when i adopted my doggo, she was skeeeeeny as a stick, poor thing! adopt dont shop!
I can't even look at the whole list. The before pics are so sickening. Adopt, spay and care for the pet you took ownership for. If you can't support a shelter or spay n neuter organization.
Its really sad that sometimes, only pretty dogs in the outside gets adopted. While other dogs, they just have no fur because of bad treatment, and used to be pretty in the inside and outside. It's really unfair, you know.. If you go to a shelter, please pick the ones that have bad treatment, you will change a life. (and bless these people who adopted those dogs!)
<3 adopt don’t shop. These beautiful babies all deserve the stars and more.
All AKC breeds have a National Rescue Group. If you want to adopt a specific breed or X-breed contact them. Links on AKC.org by breed. By X-breed I mean a dog that is obviously of one breed but has a cross somewhere. I got a Lab X Golden Retvr from the Lab rescue group here in CA.
Kubu, if this "glory" motivates other people to rescue unwanted, abused animals, it's good glory. "......abandon dog, prepare for next challenge." ????
Load More Replies...It has been said many times before, and it bears repeating; we do not deserve dogs. They trust us implicitly and then they get their hearts (and other parts) broken, broken, and they come back to love us again...
"Until you have been loved by an animal, you will never truly understand unconditional love."