Contrary to popular belief, instead of cats and dogs, the first American animal activists focused mostly on horses, working tirelessly to protect the welfare of animals who were a key mode of transportation.
Then, on April 14, 1869, Caroline Earle White and a group of women established what's now considered the first American animal shelter, in Bensalem, Pennsylvania. In addition to horses, its mission expanded "to provide as soon as possible, a refuge for lost and homeless dogs, where they could be kept until homes could be found for them, or they be otherwise disposed of."
It marked a turning point. The notion of a shelter, or even a municipal pound, as a place where you could go and find a pet, according to historian Bernie Unti, really took hold in the latter part of the 19th century and then has grown steadily ever since.
So to celebrate how far we've come, we at Bored Panda are continuing our monthly series, and have compiled the sweetest pet adoption photos we could find. Continue scrolling to check them out and in case you've missed our earlier publications, we kindly invite you to catch up: October, September, and August.
For everyone who is thinking of (or has just) invited a new critter into their home, we also had a chat about making the transition as smooth as possible with the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA), a veterinary charity in the United Kingdom. You'll find it spread in between the images.
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Beagle Puppy Cuddles Up To The Rescuer Who Saved Him From Euthanasia. Nice Dog Rescue Story Heard From Franklin County Shelter And Adoption Center In Ohio
8 Month Old Abused Retriever Mix. Scared And Sad. Brought Her Home. She Barely Moved. Was Scared To Even Walk Around The House. Lowers Head When You Reach To Pet Her. Couple Days Later With A Little Love And A Stubborn Beagle That Kept Bugging Her To Play And She’s A New Happy Dog Running Wide Open
"Getting a pet is a very exciting time, but choosing a pet and making sure you are able to provide everything they need can feel overwhelming!" PDSA Vet Nurse Shauna Spooner told Bored Panda.
"And there are so many pets to choose from – dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets, or smaller pets like hamsters, rats, mice, gerbils, and chinchillas."
Adopted The Cutest Stray I’ve Ever Met My BF Named Her Edith (Aka Edee)
I Recently Finished Chemo Treatment And Decided To Adopt A Husky! Say Hi To Loki!
Fishtopher The Cat Finds Forever Home After His Adoption Listing Went Viral
He's só adorable, i want him, and to be fair there is 99.999% chances of me wanting all the cats on this thread...
"Firstly, how much do you know about the pet that you want? [The UK is a country] of animal lovers – our 2022 PDSA Animal Wellbeing (PAW) Report found that 52 percent of [local adults] own a pet."
However, Spooner highlighted that raising an animal can be a different experience from the one we like to imagine. "Research as much as you can about the species and breed of pet you want, and make sure you know all about The 5 Welfare Needs that every pet needs to be healthy and happy."
"Talk to people who already own that particular pet for their real-life experiences, and get advice from a vet," she added.
Meet Jade, My Newly Adopted 9 Year Old Fluff Ball
Meet Leo And Luna! Even Though I Saved Them From A Sad Home They Have Ended Up Rescuing Me From Some Sad Days! #catsrule
I Went To Adopt 1 Dog
This Is Bubble. We Adopted Him Knowing He Was Feral And Probably Would Never Go Near Us! 3 Days In And We Are Already Getting Contact
Good job! Never give up; it can take some time, but it's totally worth it!
My Morris was a feral cat found by a lady who had a cat sanctuary in her condo. People would dump unwanted kittens in the ravine behind the building. Going in her condo you would never know she had so many cats. Place was spotless, no bad smells and hardly any cats wandering around. They were happy in their comfortable cubby holes, but would come out if you went over to talk to them. Morris was the best cat. I had to leave him with my parents when I moved. He and their dog Pepper became the best of frens. And he was so so smart. They were conspirators.
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In France, we have an association called ''Ecole du chat libre '' ( Free cat school '' ) that allows, working with authorities,to let feral cats live their best life outside. They provide vet care, food, and control their population by selectivly neutering them.A feral can also be happy like that.
My sister's old cat took 10 years before she really warmed up to her catmom, and she spent the rest of her life as a lapcat.
One of my all time favorite kittiehs was a feral year old that even as she and her kitten were rescued was gentle... she had some feral habits but when she bonded with our 6 yo child she became a marshmallow!!!! Sad day when she died. But a more loving sweet and laid back cat you couldn't meet!!! Miss you Oriana.
All of my cats have been feral rescues. Once they decide to open their hearts to you, they open them all the way. Just amazingly affectionate, one and all.
I adopted a barn cat and was worried she would try to get outside. She escaped once and as soon as she touched the grass ran back in the house.
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There's lots of videos about socializing feral cats with lots of tips and suggestions......apparently, it is harder after three months, but even then--very possible
I've befriended many a feral cat over the years, and they have been some of my favorite feline friends. Food, calmness, and patience seems to be what it takes.
But that just may be her personality. Some kiddies are like that- but they still love you!
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Pah! Feral? He knows when he's living in the golden glow of love and will proceed to teach you all about being a "cat owner". (My preferred title is "cat person".)
He is absolutely adorable! Funny how animals are such great judge of character and know when someone is a good person, or a bad one. May you and Bubble enjoy a good and loving life together! 💕
My Semi Feral rescue sadly was abused and is afraid of everyone but me, my husband is tolerated ( if I am out of town). It's been 7yrs. She is so sweet and my shadow. I love her just like she is, I knew she would have trust & abandonment issues. It saddens me that people can be so cruel.
I took in a stray cat that was feral. It took a year for him to warm up to me. Now he's a total cuddle bug whom I named Tarzan, since he was in the wild until I got him
Woah, won't let me edit but I spelled that horribly wrong. ***His face is just like: 😏🙂
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My mum's little cat was a feral kitten and he turned into the sweetest most adorable little guy. He does have an insatiable appetite though.
When deciding which pet is right for you and your lifestyle, Spooner said you should think of P.E.T.S. – place, exercise, time, and spend.
Let's start with place. "All pets need space to run and play, but dogs in particular need regular access to safe and secure outdoor areas," she explained. "Many cats also enjoy being able to exercise outside, and rabbits and guinea pigs need access to a large run or a garden to be happy and healthy."
From Stoic To Smiley
Lola
Just Adopted This Cat Who Sits Up Like A Groundhog
This Handsome Man Was Thrown From A Car Window And Luckily Someone Found Him, I Saw His Adoption Post And Was The First To Inquire. Meet Sushi!
Next, exercise. "Dogs enjoy regular walks, and playing off the lead whenever it is safe for them to do so. The amount of exercise a dog will need depends on their age, size, breed, and health," the vet nurse pointed out, adding that all pets enjoy fun games and to keep themselves active, but for smaller pets, you can easily do this in your house.
Meet Smeagol! We Found Her Outside In The Rain Clinging To Some Rocks
Rescued A Barn Kitty From The Cold Yesterday
Dad Wanted To Get Mom A Puppy; She Rescued This Senior Citizen Instead. Allow Me To Introduce Mr. Kiss Kiss
Just Adopted Sylvester. He Is Showing Off His One Fang And Shredded Ears. He Has Feline AIDS And Is The Gentlest Boy
FIV+, be very carefull with his mouth, they are very pron to gum infections. I Lost my Mateus to kidney faliure caused because of the FIV.
Moving on, we have time. "Pets are generally sociable and dogs especially love your company. It's really important that they aren’t left alone for longer than four hours, as dogs can become lonely, anxious, and distressed," Spooner said.
"Each type of pet will have different requirements; walks, training, playtime, feeding, cleaning their home and equipment, grooming, and visits to the vet might take more time than you think."
My Wife And I Adopted These Two Sisters Recently, Aka They Chose Us At The Animal Shelter. Love Black Kitties
Be afraid, be very afraid, just look at those eyes, plotting your accidental Demise, the only thing delaying the plan, is the fact that they cant Open the food cans lol ( they are frikking adorable and i Also want them )
An Update To My Update: Sir Remi Remington And His Mustache Won Me Over. I Couldn’t Part With Him After Fostering Him As A Bottle Feeder And Because He Fit In So Well With The Family. I Officially Adopted Him
Our Family Adopted A Cat Today. I Swear He’s Smiling
I Knew Adopting A Kitten Would Be Kinda Cute, But I Had No Idea What I Was In For
Lastly, spend. And it's not just the initial cost of getting a new pet that you need. There are also ongoing and unplanned expenses that will drain your wallet.
"Food, equipment, toys, flea and worm treatments, pet insurance, replacing a chewed-up bed, or unexpected vet bills, it all adds up significantly over the lifetime of your pet, especially as they get older or if they develop health problems," Spooner said.
We Found The Best Stray
Meet Nala! We Rescued This 14 Yo Beauty And She’s Absolutely Amazing
Looks like when Nala was rescued, her coat was matted and had to be shaved down. She should be a beautiful floof once it grows back in.
I Rescued This Kitten Outside Of My High School! Named Her Rocket Because I Found Her During A Paper Rocket Test
Meet My Newly Adopted Cat Benson! He Was Neutered As An Adult Right Before I Adopted Him So He Has The Cutest Tom Cat Cheeks! His Eyes Are Also So Beautiful!!
Rescued This Cat From The Cold And It Looks Like He Has Claimed Me As His Owner
Carson Spent Two Years At The Rescue - He Was Too Shy/Nervous For Everyone. Their Loss. They’ll Never Know What They Missed Out On
My Fiancé And I Decided To Adopt A New Kitten. Everyone Meet Larry!
Friend Just Adopted This Adorable Girl. Her Name Is Sadie
Was Looking Around To Adopt A Bunny And Found This Derpy Looking Bunny
I Was Adopted Yesterday By This Pretty Lady!
Just Adopted These Brothers, They Seem To Be Waiting For Me To Do Something
Feed usssss, feeeeeeed usssss, ( use the voice of the aliens in " independence day " for added drama ) lol
Our Beautiful Rescue, Pashmi
Went To The Rescue - Met Somebody. Named Him Jackson. We Are Going To Have A Blast
Welcome To The Family. Adopted A Kitty
With a built-in parent or older sibling who loves them already!
Decided To Give The Cat My Fiancé And I Adopted Some Tuna For Thanksgiving. He Then Went Into What We Affectionately Call Goblin Mode. Safe To Say He Enjoyed It!
We always give our cats and dog pieces of turkey at Thanksgiving and Christmas. They love it, and always go into their own little turkey comas with big smiles on their faces. My husband and I do the same.
Our New Baby Girl
What an absolute cutie! I grew up with the sweetest, cutest Sheltie dog.
Nala Was A Little Lonely, So I Adopted A Brother For Her. Meet Aurum
i will hug him and pet him and squeeze him and name him george! er i mean aurum!
Another Rescue, Crazy Lady Thought She Could Keep Kittens In A Tiny Cage Without Food Or Water. 5 Of Them Made It, This One's Name Is Marsha Marsha Marsha
Just Adopted This Kitten Yesterday. Meet Chloe!
Rescued A Dumpster Diving Kitten Last Night
Looks like they’re either purebred or have quite a bit of Siamese or Himalayan in them. They’re already beautiful, and once you get them healthy and happy, they will be breathtaking.
Rescued Her From Being Eaten! Now She Cuddles Me No Matter What I Do
We Adopted Frankie Today!
Scared And Hissing Little Cat We Saved From The Pound. He Made So Much Progress In Just A Month
He just had to check you out first, and be sure you weren’t going to hurt him. He looks satisfied that you passed his test!
Adopted Name Alfalfa, We Call Him Alfie. Nearly 3 Years Old And He’s Just A Little Smol Boy That Shouts All Of The Time
Just Adopted A New Kitten. Decided To Name Him Koda After The Cub In Brother Bear. He Reminds Me Of A Mcflurry
Just Adopted This Smol Goblin! His Name Is Merin
I Adopted A Kitten With Three Legs And Lol
Adopted A Black Kitten, Named Him Ryuk
Note: this post originally had 115 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
On November 27th, my family adopted this Perfect cat! SMOKEY_BOB...2c7628.jpg 
Me too! Also exclaimed 'oh my goodness!' many times. Cuteness overload
Load More Replies... We adopted a rescue cat a few years ago. She was literally just skin and bones, they'd found her in eastern Washington, place that's super hot and dry in the summer and super cold and snowy in winter. She didn't even purr for a week. she put on weight quickly however and now she's a snuggle bunny.
Exactly one year ago today we took our newly adopted cat to the local shelter for a spay appointment with their vet. After dropping her off, we passed the dog adoption area which wasn't open for a few hours. All the dogs were barking as we passed, except one black and white Jack Russell with a face exactly half black and half white. He just watched us with his paws propped up against his fence. My fiancee saw him and started talking to him. The dog's tail started wagging. My fiancee said, "we'll come back for you buddy!" We arrived a few hours later to pick up our cat, we got there an hour earlier than we were told to do we could see if that dog was still there. He was, and we took him into their meeting room. All the dog wanted was to be held. He was a scared little thing but he wanted to be in our arms. He had just turned one, just been neutered and that day was his first day he was available for adoption. That day we went in with a cat and left with a dog and a cat.
We got a rescue about a year and a half back. He had been kept in a trailer with 80 other dogs. They weren't sure could be adopted. Just cowered in the corner for the first while. Never been on grass and freaked out by butterflies but now loves to chase a ball in the yard. Still a ways to go but he adores my wife and is just getting around to letting other people (occasionally) touch him. Finally got a leash on him and have started going for short walks. After all he has been through he does not have a mean bone in his body and is showing signs of eventually becoming a complete snuggle bun.
I'd add in my adorable staffy/whippet who appeared in my backyard one day and just never left. Poor thing was so skinny and we thought she was brown to start with. Nope she was just really dirty she black and white. She practically lives in my lap lol. I don't know how to add a picture to my comment though
My dear Luna, Big Tuna. According to local police she was a voluntary surrender. She was a brood b*tch for a backyard breeder. It's unlikely that she had never been indoors excepting in a garage in our Midwest state. She spent 6 months in the shelter. This is her within an hour of coming home. She was with us for five years. We had to teach her how to play, loved to swim and enjoyed evening walks. She succumbed to her second bout of breast cancer. RIP my soulful Big Kahoona. 20161129_1...ea0222.jpg 
We adopted a dog at the beginning of the pandemic, missing fur in patches, very shy, cold look in her eyes and wouldn't really let us touch her too much. Today she's got a beautiful coat is such a happy girl, tail always up. Just earlier she leaned into a hug I was giving her and she always rolls over for belly rubs. And the cold shy look in her eyes is long gone.
About two weeks ago, I rescued a cat from the trail near my house. I couldn't keep her since I already have two cats that hate each other, but she is now safe and sound at a no-kill shelter. She was microchipped, but the owners never came forward after numerous attempts to contact them from the shelter. I think they abandoned her. She is such a sweet cat, too. She's now up for adoption and I have every confidence that she will be adopted. She's the nicest kitty. I intend on continuing contact with the shelter until she gets adopted. I just need to know. I know she'll be okay, but it breaks my heart to pieces that someone presumably just left her. I will never understand.
God bless all you wonderful humans for loving and caring for these beautiful creatures.
Last week we adopted a senior cat that was roaming on the street in front of our house, she was covered in bugs, positive in feline HIV and has a little tumour on her head that will be operated next wednesday. We already have 4 adopted cats, but we feel blessed to have the chance to save this lovely furry soul and give her a home for the rest of her life. We only wish we had the money and space for more like her. We named her Rose 😊 (I don't know how to upload a photo of her )
I'd love to adopt a cat, but never had one before and worried about them scratching everything! Any advice?
Provide them with ample PROPER places to scratch. I have a huge cat tree for vertical scratching and climbing, 1 very large cardboard scratcher, and 2 medium sized scratchers in the room with the brand new furniture. They leave the furniture alone because they like the other proper places better.
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This morning there were 115. Now there's only 50. What happened to the rest of the pictures?
BP narrows down selections as upvotes are collected throughout the day
Load More Replies... On November 27th, my family adopted this Perfect cat! SMOKEY_BOB...2c7628.jpg
Me too! Also exclaimed 'oh my goodness!' many times. Cuteness overload
Load More Replies... We adopted a rescue cat a few years ago. She was literally just skin and bones, they'd found her in eastern Washington, place that's super hot and dry in the summer and super cold and snowy in winter. She didn't even purr for a week. she put on weight quickly however and now she's a snuggle bunny.
Exactly one year ago today we took our newly adopted cat to the local shelter for a spay appointment with their vet. After dropping her off, we passed the dog adoption area which wasn't open for a few hours. All the dogs were barking as we passed, except one black and white Jack Russell with a face exactly half black and half white. He just watched us with his paws propped up against his fence. My fiancee saw him and started talking to him. The dog's tail started wagging. My fiancee said, "we'll come back for you buddy!" We arrived a few hours later to pick up our cat, we got there an hour earlier than we were told to do we could see if that dog was still there. He was, and we took him into their meeting room. All the dog wanted was to be held. He was a scared little thing but he wanted to be in our arms. He had just turned one, just been neutered and that day was his first day he was available for adoption. That day we went in with a cat and left with a dog and a cat.
We got a rescue about a year and a half back. He had been kept in a trailer with 80 other dogs. They weren't sure could be adopted. Just cowered in the corner for the first while. Never been on grass and freaked out by butterflies but now loves to chase a ball in the yard. Still a ways to go but he adores my wife and is just getting around to letting other people (occasionally) touch him. Finally got a leash on him and have started going for short walks. After all he has been through he does not have a mean bone in his body and is showing signs of eventually becoming a complete snuggle bun.
I'd add in my adorable staffy/whippet who appeared in my backyard one day and just never left. Poor thing was so skinny and we thought she was brown to start with. Nope she was just really dirty she black and white. She practically lives in my lap lol. I don't know how to add a picture to my comment though
My dear Luna, Big Tuna. According to local police she was a voluntary surrender. She was a brood b*tch for a backyard breeder. It's unlikely that she had never been indoors excepting in a garage in our Midwest state. She spent 6 months in the shelter. This is her within an hour of coming home. She was with us for five years. We had to teach her how to play, loved to swim and enjoyed evening walks. She succumbed to her second bout of breast cancer. RIP my soulful Big Kahoona. 20161129_1...ea0222.jpg
We adopted a dog at the beginning of the pandemic, missing fur in patches, very shy, cold look in her eyes and wouldn't really let us touch her too much. Today she's got a beautiful coat is such a happy girl, tail always up. Just earlier she leaned into a hug I was giving her and she always rolls over for belly rubs. And the cold shy look in her eyes is long gone.
About two weeks ago, I rescued a cat from the trail near my house. I couldn't keep her since I already have two cats that hate each other, but she is now safe and sound at a no-kill shelter. She was microchipped, but the owners never came forward after numerous attempts to contact them from the shelter. I think they abandoned her. She is such a sweet cat, too. She's now up for adoption and I have every confidence that she will be adopted. She's the nicest kitty. I intend on continuing contact with the shelter until she gets adopted. I just need to know. I know she'll be okay, but it breaks my heart to pieces that someone presumably just left her. I will never understand.
God bless all you wonderful humans for loving and caring for these beautiful creatures.
Last week we adopted a senior cat that was roaming on the street in front of our house, she was covered in bugs, positive in feline HIV and has a little tumour on her head that will be operated next wednesday. We already have 4 adopted cats, but we feel blessed to have the chance to save this lovely furry soul and give her a home for the rest of her life. We only wish we had the money and space for more like her. We named her Rose 😊 (I don't know how to upload a photo of her )
I'd love to adopt a cat, but never had one before and worried about them scratching everything! Any advice?
Provide them with ample PROPER places to scratch. I have a huge cat tree for vertical scratching and climbing, 1 very large cardboard scratcher, and 2 medium sized scratchers in the room with the brand new furniture. They leave the furniture alone because they like the other proper places better.
Load More Replies... This morning there were 115. Now there's only 50. What happened to the rest of the pictures?
BP narrows down selections as upvotes are collected throughout the day
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