Animals, just like humans, need a second chance. Whether they have been lost, abandoned, or given up, the critters people meet at shelters are all unwanted and helpless. Until we adopt them.
You can't make many choices that feel as rewarding as saving a life. And it's not just you who's reaping the benefits of finding a new best friend. Rescuing a pet also frees up shelter space so more animals can get the care they need, and, most importantly, someone very miserable becomes very, very, very happy.
Just like in February and January, Bored Panda has compiled a list of pictures that feature newly adopted animals of the month. From kitties and pups to bunnies and horses, the smiles on these rescue boys and girls definitely prove they couldn't be happier they've finally found their forever homes.
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Adopted Coco The Ginger And Came Back A Week Later To Get Her Brother Tux As We Couldn't Bare To Leave Him Behind. They Are The Best Of Friends!
"By adopting an animal in need – no matter the species, breed, or size – you may be saving that animal’s life as well as freeing up valuable shelter space and resources for other animals in need," Kelly DiCicco, Manager, Adoptions Promotions at the ASPCA Adoption Center told Bored Panda. "A huge benefit of adopting animals from a shelter is that shelter staff know the animals well and can provide detailed information about an animal’s history, medical needs, behavior, and temperament. They also consider a potential adopter’s lifestyle, home environment, and the animal’s potential compatibility with children and other animals in the home in order to make matches that are a good fit."
About 6.5 million companion animals enter U.S. animal shelters nationwide every year. Of those, roughly 3.3 million are dogs and 3.2 million are cats. The good news is that according to ASPCA estimates, the number of dogs and cats entering U.S. shelters annually has declined from approximately 7.2 million in 2011. If you want to contribute to lowering these numbers and rescue an animal, you can find general adoption tips or a local shelter in your area at ASPCA.
Wife Wanted A Cat. I Said No, So We Compromised And Got A One Eyed Cat
DiCicco encourages those who are seriously interested in taking home a new pet to keep an open mind and heart when visiting a shelter or rescue as they may walk out with a pet they’d never considered before, like a senior animal or even those of a different breed, size or species. "When it comes to choosing which pet to adopt, prospective adopters should feel comfortable asking plenty of questions and lean on shelter staff for guidance, as every shelter has a unique population of animals and no one knows them like the people who work with them every day," Kelly said. "Plus, shelter staff have expertise in making successful matches and can help prospective adopters decide whether an animal is a good personality and lifestyle fit. They also consider each animal’s background and energy level, as well as how the animal might get along with other people and pets in the home."
Harvey’s Skinny Body Was Found Abandoned In A Ditch, Soaking Wet, And Dotted With Cigarette Burns. He Was Infested With Fleas, Anemic, And Starving. One Look At His Little Face And I Knew Had To Adopt Him. Fast Forward 5 Years, He’s Now A Confident, Happy, Healthy Boi With A Career In Modelling
Animal torture should have the same penalty as child molestation or rape.
However, the coronavirus pandemic that is currently ravaging our world is also putting an immense strain on shelters all over the US. "Because this is an unprecedented and ever-changing situation, each shelter is facing unique challenges specific to its communities," DiCicco explained. "Many shelters are facing reduced staff and volunteer support, which is putting animals in desperate need of temporary or permanent sheltering outside the four walls of typical adoption centers and shelters."
For example, Sarah Bhimani, a spokesperson for Animal Humane Society, told Bored Panda that the organization has made the difficult decision to temporarily close all four of their shelters to the public through May 2 and only provide limited services, such as accepting surrendered/stray animals, providing limited veterinary services, and continuing humane investigations. "As our shelters were scheduled to close, we saw an outpouring of support from our community and experienced some record days of adoptions. The majority of remaining animals are being cared for by foster volunteers until the shelters reopen, and a small group of staff are caring for animals that must stay at the shelter for medical or behavioral reasons."
Lots Of Strange Things Happening In The World Lately. Adopted This Rescue Kitty Today To Help Make Both Our Lives Better
But with everything going on in the world right now, Bhimani reassured that animals in need are not forgotten. "We’re still here to help the most vulnerable animals in our community, and we encourage others to get involved too at animalhumanesociety.org"
One of the ways people can help during these difficult times is fostering. "[It] can give you the opportunity to single-handedly change an animal’s life for the better and is a rewarding experience for those who choose to become caregivers," DiCicco said. "There’s no place like a loving home to get a dog or cat used to the sights, sounds, and experiences that will set them up for a successful future adoption."
I Didn’t Know Cats Could Have Such A Wide Range Of Emotion Until I Adopted Leonardo Dicatprio
Shelter Dog Cannot Contain Her Excitement About Getting Adopted
My GF Wanted To Adopt A Kitten, I Said Not Now. As Compromise Here's The Kitten
My Grandmother (87) With Her Newly Adopted Senior Peanut (14) On Their Way Home From Foster Care Today
Just Adopted This Handsome Boy Yesterday
What a beautiful coat this good boi has. Now you just need an eye patch and a pirate name for him. Maybe "Yaaaar!"
I Think I Adopted A Vampire
I Adopted 2 Kittens Last Week. After Many Days Of Not Seeing Them, I Woke Up To This Today
Can’t Have Kids, So I Adopted
Just Adopted Cotton! Her Favourite Hobbies Are Cosplaying As Plants And Taking Naps In Random Places
My Mom Adopted An Outdoor Cat After It Gave Birth To Some Kittens And Wanted To Give It Some Shelter
Found Him On A Beach In Russia. Brought Him Back Home To The States. He Adopted Me
3 Years Ago I Adopted This Old Guy. Today He’s 14 And Doing Better Than Ever!
This Good Boi Showed Up One Year Ago Tonight. He Rescued Us As Much As He Was Rescued
Beautiful. Yes, we may rescue these beautiful animals but they rescue us right back with all their love.
Adopted My “End Of The World” Team Yesterday. Shelters Are Struggling And I Was Lonely Anyway
Signing Over The Adoption Papers Today For My New Baby, Moo. Any And All Tips And Advice Are Welcome!
Tip: Get a second one! Unless there are serious reasons why not to (sick bun or super aggressive towards others), buns should not be kept alone. A lot of countries even require the adoption of two buns.
Hay and grass should form the majority of the diet!
Load More Replies...We had a house rabbit for 10 years, they are wonderful pets! Congratulations! We fed ours nice hay from the feed store. It should smell fresh and sweet, watch out for moldy hay. The feed store always had some broken bales so we just bought a fold at a time. Straw is the best bedding and bathroom for bunny. They will pee in the proper place but their poops can not always be in the box. They are dry and not messy so not much problem. If they are wet or sticky you can give them some probiotic powder on some shredded carrot or a bit of banana, that always worked. We gave ours some carrot, kale and a bit of banana, but these are treats not steady diet. She also loved a few grains of bird seed. Once you establish the optimal diet stick to that. Do not use cat litter in
Do not use cat litter. It expands in their gut and can make them sick or die. We walked ours on a leash, she loved the outdoors. She would leap for joy! They have to chew always so protect your furniture and floors. They live a sunny patch to nap in. Bunnies are a joy to have as a friend. Wish you the best!
Load More Replies...We adopted two baby rabbits. Once I was sitting with a large, glossy 'coffee table book' and they proceeded to climb up my leg, climb over the top of the book and use it for a slide.
Keep the bedding- wood shavings or straw- clean and dry. Water supply topped up. Do not overfeed.
Lots of cuddles daily. Little scritches on the side of the nose. Timothy hay daily!! Prepare for binks and flops. Buns are the BEST
if bun is an indoor bun, get a corner litter tray and some litter and when bun decided where she/he is going to toilet put it there. I miss my bun but cant have one at the moment. Looks like a little cuddle bug x
My bunny is a lone bun but he is very close friends with myself, a cat, and a guinea pig! He especially likes the guinea pig, they play tag in their outdoor run. Plus my housemates pet him often and give him treats, also he has 7 chickens nearby. He watches their antics and seems entertained. He seems happy. He's 14 now. When he's inside he uses a litterbox with paper pellets, not clay. Timothy hay of course in his outdoor hutch. His favorite treat food is bananna. He is very cuddly and likes to sit on my lap while I watch TV. He is rascally and even at age 14 with partial blindness he will still explore with curiosity. Hops on a leash sometimes. He talks with cute little grunty sounds. Rabbits make excellent pets. He's the best bun I've ever had and I've had several. I adopted him because someone found him in a pile of tires in an auto yard. Congratulations on your rabbit adoption. I love my rabbit very much. He's family!
First, thank you for your service. Second, definitely get a second bun. It does not have to be the same gender as long as they are each spayed and neutered. I adopt a 1.5 year old bunny boy Thomas Jefferson who was not in the greatest shape and then adopted a baby 3 month old little sister Eleanor Roosevelt six months later. Just make sure you take the time to bond them and don't throw them together right away. (e.g., side by side pens food litter etc. just not in the same pen etc. Also wait until 1 month after each has been fixed. good luck!
Rabbits are very hard to take care of and take a lot of time and effort, but they are so sweet! Join rabbit Facebook groups for tips on hay, food, pellets, litter training, etc; google their diet restrictions (very sensitive tummies!); get a 2nd one for a buddy; make sure to hang up any and all cords- they’ll chomp right through them! Get a large enough cage to keep them indoors or let them roam the house free.
Talk to your local rabbit rescue! They will have the very best information. Or, check out rabbit rescues online.
Watch your electrical cords....bunnies love them! And they can get some nasty burns from them on their lips. Great pets though....
Do your research on what they eat. Like Iceberg lettuce with starve them. They need Timothy hay and pellets. Can feed small amounts of treats like raisins (2 each day). Larger amount causes tummy issues. My babies love dried cranberries. Need a safe area for them to run at least 6 hours a day. Keep them around 70º. Ears will tell you if they are to hot or cold. They need attention. Bunnies are social. So a companion is a good idea. Same sex unless you want to over whelmed with bunnies in a short time. They are prolific. You can get an opposite sex fixed. Find a good local vet. Not all vets treat bunnies and you need to know who you can take your baby to locally in case of emergency. Watch for wet tail (diarreah). They need antibiotics stat. Can die fast without help. I go to a local vet animal supply. Ear mites are something to watch out for too. They start shaking their head, need to get them some Ivermectin. Doses depend on buns weight. Keep their nails trimmed. Vet can do it.
BUY A BOOK ON CARING FOR RABBITS. Plenty of timothy hay and water at all times. 1/4 cup of pellet rabbit food per day. Clean the cage every day. Lots of snuggles every day. GET A SECOND BUNNY. We had a total of six. They are the most amazing, loving pets. One of ours played fetch with me! He'd throw his toy, and I'd go fetch it!
we had a rabbit and it LOVED pizza crusts it went nuts just smelling coming in the door
Not two males. Or one will remove the other ones balls. They only want another female around ...some actor said he did this Big mistake
Give your new baby a litter box and she/he will use it. Make sure they get enough to chew to keep teeth from getting too long. Get a book on bunnies!
They are extremely intelligent, can be litter box trained and definitely get another and have them “fixed “
Get him/her a playmate but make sure it's the same gender. You don't want a bunch of baby bunnies hopping around.
Yes, 2. And give them lots of love and interaction. This one looks loved up already! 💕
House training can be easy, just have to be consistent. Only took a week to train mine, and that's because we disagreed on the location. He thought it should be in front of the TV. Cover all corners as far as he can reach. Something resistant, but not harmful. Make sure he has something good to chew. Hide all cords. He will find them.
Don't buy an animal, if you know absolut nothing about the race! Don't ask the Internet. 👎
Nope. Grass and hay must be their main food. While carrots are suitable as an occasional treat (they are high in sugar), rabbits don't actually eat fruit or vegetables in the wild.
Load More Replies...My Rescue Boy Strawberry Flashing His Beautiful (Don't Tell Him Otherwise) Camera Ready Smile
I can just imagine this animal laughing with that grin on his face.
Just Adopted This Sweet Girl. Best Decision I’ve Made In A While
Chewy, The Recently Adopted Unit From The Nebraska Humane Society
Sorry to inform you that the rescue clinic misidentified this animal as a cat. It's not a cat. You now own a bear.
Today I Rescued This Littly Beauty, She Drive With Me For 1,5 Hours Like This. I Think She Knows Shes Going To Her Forever Home
My Brother's Rescues, Addie & Chase
Please Keep This Boy In Your Thoughts Tomorrow, He's Meeting His Potential Adoption Family!
Moose was adopted and gets to live with an older couple who will have tons of time to spend with him and a lake to take him out on!
Saw These Two Boys Up For Adoption At The Local Pet Supply Store. Their Names Are Honda And Civic
Sonny Is A Rescue From A Bad Owner. He Has A Lot Of Health Problems But He’s Very Proud Of His Remaining Tooth!
I have a one-toofer too! Love his little crooked smile.. He broke his other one in a fight or something and we had it removed.
Adoption Day! 9 Yr Old Good Boy Zak, We’re Gonna Make Sure Your Last Years Are Your Best❤️
My Little Rescue, Lilith, Got To Play Outside For The First Time Today!
We Have Adopted Bud
Last Week Was The Purrrfect Time To Adopt A Kitten. She Sends You Teeny Kisses
Reddit, Meet Finn! He’s Making Social Distancing A Little Easier :)
That doggy is absolutely gorgeous. Beautiful addition to your family.
Just Adopted My First Rats Last Week. It’s So Great Seeing Them Come Out Of Their Shells
Two Years After Adoption And Still Getting Floofier By The Day
My Friends Recently Adopted Pup
Our Newly Adopted Incorgnito (We Think Corgi/Cavalier King Charles). Meet Riley!
I Adopted This Handsome Boy A Week Ago... Look At That Beautifully Executed Front Curl!
The Nypd Rescued This Large Bunny!
Our Newly Adopted Dog “Mello” Hides Under The Table
Just Adopted This Pupper From A Shelter, Although This Is Cute I'm Teaching Her Not To Jump On Counters
Note: this post originally had 107 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
I hope everyone who adopted a pet to get them through the pandemic remember that animals are for life, good or bad.... I have only ever had rescue animals, and wouldn't do it any other way!
Yes, hopefully they are not discarded once the pandemic has finished.
Load More Replies...One good thing about this pandemic. People are finding new housemates!
Load More Replies...I love these, so happy these animals got adopted, and those not so lucky pls go to the kill shelter adopt them, they are waiting for us, it's their last chance.
I'm reading this while cuddling with my kitty Pippin, who I adopted a year + a few months ago. He approves. 😊🐱
I just want to know how everyone is able to adopt these pets? In my area all the adoptions have been suspended and all rescues have gone into foster care. I've been trying for weeks to adopt and the shelters have either said not until after the pandemic or just not responded at all! 😔
So happy to see these adopted babies. Hope they are kept well and happy.
It breaks my heart that we have so many animals that need rescuing. We need laws that make it impossible to run puppy or kitten mills, restrictions for breeders, obligatory spaying and neutering of animals, and illegal to sell animals of a certain age unless they have been spayed or neutered. These lovely creatures should have more protection under the law.
I'll go first. 400€ - 600€ for a dog. 80€ - 120€ for a cat
Load More Replies...I think you should review who your sponsors are and don’t ad sites that sell animals!!! I have a photo of the ad selling cats in this post and it is obscene. But for some reason I couldn’t attach it.
My parents are thinking about getting a small dog. Any tips on how to persuade them to get it??
Those are extremely different things to compare. However, they are not mutually exclusive either. People who are kind to animals are quite likely to be kind to people too. They don't cancel each other out! What makes you think rescuing an animal precludes other acts of kindness. And I'm sure you've adopted kids and have your parents live with you, but they can do that too, if not perhaps not everyone is able, needs to, can. I just don't get the outrage.
Load More Replies...I hope everyone who adopted a pet to get them through the pandemic remember that animals are for life, good or bad.... I have only ever had rescue animals, and wouldn't do it any other way!
Yes, hopefully they are not discarded once the pandemic has finished.
Load More Replies...One good thing about this pandemic. People are finding new housemates!
Load More Replies...I love these, so happy these animals got adopted, and those not so lucky pls go to the kill shelter adopt them, they are waiting for us, it's their last chance.
I'm reading this while cuddling with my kitty Pippin, who I adopted a year + a few months ago. He approves. 😊🐱
I just want to know how everyone is able to adopt these pets? In my area all the adoptions have been suspended and all rescues have gone into foster care. I've been trying for weeks to adopt and the shelters have either said not until after the pandemic or just not responded at all! 😔
So happy to see these adopted babies. Hope they are kept well and happy.
It breaks my heart that we have so many animals that need rescuing. We need laws that make it impossible to run puppy or kitten mills, restrictions for breeders, obligatory spaying and neutering of animals, and illegal to sell animals of a certain age unless they have been spayed or neutered. These lovely creatures should have more protection under the law.
I'll go first. 400€ - 600€ for a dog. 80€ - 120€ for a cat
Load More Replies...I think you should review who your sponsors are and don’t ad sites that sell animals!!! I have a photo of the ad selling cats in this post and it is obscene. But for some reason I couldn’t attach it.
My parents are thinking about getting a small dog. Any tips on how to persuade them to get it??
Those are extremely different things to compare. However, they are not mutually exclusive either. People who are kind to animals are quite likely to be kind to people too. They don't cancel each other out! What makes you think rescuing an animal precludes other acts of kindness. And I'm sure you've adopted kids and have your parents live with you, but they can do that too, if not perhaps not everyone is able, needs to, can. I just don't get the outrage.
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