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NPR
@npr.org

National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day is on April 30. To bring awareness to the day, the Up First newsletter is sharing some stories from readers about how their pet has impacted their lives.

npr.orgFrom dogs to rabbits, NPR readers share how adopting shelter pets impacted themNational Adopt a Shelter Pet Day is on April 30. To bring awareness to the day, the Up First newsletter is sharing some stories from readers about how their pet has impacted their lives.

2.6K reposts8.5K likes

Skg79
@skg79.bsky.social

After my good boy,Jack died, I saw this sad boy at our local adoption center. That was 18 months ago. Now,he is no longer sad and I have found a best friend. #adoptdontshop

Ben Hernandez
@mincho.bsky.social

We love our rescue dog Lobo. Before he was 1, he was given up twice. He's been with us for five years. We couldn't imagine our lives without him today. Even though, he claims to support TDA.

(Lizzie)🏳️‍🌈🇺🇦🏳️‍🌈
@pip-kin.bsky.social

This boy is approaching 15. I adopted him out of a SC high kill shelter. Being handicapped, he didn't have a great chance. Been on road trips to Miami & back from RI, to NY, Conn, & Mass, to the beach, many parks... (& Mickey D's cheeseburger on Sundays 😎) He's given me a good life 💖💖💖💖💖

KimmatureBS
@kimmaturebs.bsky.social

I always worry about people doing adoptions impulsively though. I worry that they get animals either returned or abandoned after an event like this. Locally they do clear the shelters near me and I worry for that as well. I hope all turns out well and that pets get a good home

Ruth M. 🇨🇦
@ruthnotabot.bsky.social

We picked up these two beauties on July 6 last year from our local shelter. I call them our “Practical Magic” team. They have given us back our laughter and “AWE” moments. The orange is 2 weeks older than the black flooff, but you would swear they were blood. The orange almost always has a smile.

Jackie Toale
@jackietoale.bsky.social

Love this story. This is Luca our shelter pet. She has been with us since 2008 and is everyone’s favorite family member. My kiddos look forward to pictures of her now they are away at school or life. Her fur is a bit less brown these days but she is still full of life and love.

NotMyPrez
@catlover1943.bsky.social

Adopt an older pet. Ours renamed "Mystery" because we do not know where he spent his first 12 years of life. He is now going on 15. Active, loving and healthy. Puppies and kittens are great but don't forget the golden agers of the pet world.

Sharon DeBriere 📎
@sdebriere.bsky.social

Both are rescues-Magic Hound is a mix of 12 different breeds (including chihuahua:), EB (Energizer Bunny) is a pocket pitty rescued from a dog fighting ring-all our dogs have been rescues-they aren’t stupid, they KNOW they’ve been saved!

Idiocracy in real life
@idiocracyinrealife.bsky.social

it only took 8 years but i finally figured out why the adoption fees were waived when i rescued my pit bull on the last day of april that many years ago. thanks for the heads up and answering a question thats been in the back of my mind for ages! also, dog pic tax.

hikeitup.bsky.social
@hikeitup.bsky.social

Got our Husky from a hot weather environment. He'd been there a long time. He was afraid. Got him up to the mountains, a ton of patience and now he's just pure joy. Seeing that boy experience snow for the first almost broke me down. Think it through, because it's a life, but if you can...rescue.

Stephanie Degaitis
@stephd23.bsky.social

I have rescued 4 and each have taught me different things. Dogs are resilient, forgiving and offer unconditional love. My current girl was on the streets and then a shelter. I am forever grateful to those that saved her. Please adopt and don’t shop. Our shelters are overwhelmed.

ajmarathon5.bsky.social
@ajmarathon5.bsky.social

My 20 something daughter begged us to put a hold on the dog that already had two holds at the shelter. Why not, I said? It will never happen…5 years later we have the bestest girl who cost us thousands in Training, but has been the light of our lives!

dairme.bsky.social
@dairme.bsky.social

Our set of misfit pets. Two we bailed from the shelter, one we found in a bird cage at the flea market, and one (along with her siblings, whom we found homes for) were destined for a pillowcase ride down the river. They live here rent-free now.

kinamalie🦋
@kinamalie.bsky.social

Also, our #LosAngeles city pets are in danger of being euthanized, due to doghater @mayor.lacity.gov budget cuts, closing 3 shelters and firing 60+staff members over her vanity projects. Our overcrowded shelters, deserve to have Spay/neuter help and not increasing the 76% euth numbers from last year

Pesi
@photodog.bsky.social

We brought my sweet Goldie all the way here from a shelter in Iran & now she's Daddy's little girl. She spent the first 6 years of her life on concrete but now she loves rolling in the grass & being tucked into her bed every night. She absolutely loves little Yogi and has enriched his & our lives.

Snooty von B
@snootyvonb.bsky.social

I had a tuxedo cat named Sox. He was a rescue from a shelter in England and came with us when we relocated to California. He’s since passed. 😔 He was such a lovely, distinguished gentleman.

gamercat365.bsky.social
@gamercat365.bsky.social

I've had sox for 3.5 years he's my shadow waits by my head till I wake up ,I had a mouse problem and put out traps and poison before sox came , no problems for a year, they came back and sox killed them immediately, he was relentless, no mice for over 3yrs , extra treats and cat for my good boy

Snooty von B
@snootyvonb.bsky.social

Aw! My Sox was a good hunter, too. In England we lived in a semi-rural village so he and our other cat (also an adopted tuxedo, but not related) were indoor/outdoor cats. When we moved to the Bay Area they stayed inside. Too much traffic. And coyotes.

Kari and the cats
@kamcco.bsky.social

Kingston, my big floofy snuggle bunny, found living in a feral colony and rescued to eventually come to live with us. He has lots of mats and medical issues, but is now happy and healthy.

working dogs
@workingdogs.bsky.social

Nina needs a new friend after her sister passed away last Thanksgiving. We all need one. Now though Nina is recovering from ACL surgery and I want her to heal some more. We all miss our girl Lucy. I still say girls plural.

DianneSpiritlight
@dpfrazier22.bsky.social

Reposted💙 Protesting at a pet shop.Working in rescue I have been to puppy mills.Beyond heartbreaking. Puppy mills are factory farms for dogs who are bred as frequently as possible. Conditions are unsanitary,& deplorable. Please adopt from kill shelters to save lives.There are all breeds there. 🙏💙🙏

Kim, The GI Doc
@thefartingdoctor.bsky.social

3 fur babies from the Oakland SPCA. I highly recommend adopting kittens in littermate pairs. I adopted Dora and Daizy at 6 months old in 2010 and when Daisy passed, Dora was very sad so now we have Calvin and Hobbs adopted in November at age 11 weeks. Dora is no longer sad, she is just pissed.

Flipturns 🏊‍♀️ 📷 🦋
@flipturns.bsky.social

National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day was one of my favorite days to be a an animal care tech at my local humane society. We always did a 3 day adaptation that weekend. Our vet spent a week spraying pets to get them ready to go to new homes. And adopt them out we did!

dust-yourself-off.bsky.social
@dust-yourself-off.bsky.social

Well, the dog has ruined my windowsill and two pairs of French doors. The outside stray cats that moved in dig up all my flowers and hiss at me when I walk by. They don't pay rent yet demand that we feed and house them. The inside one has ruined 😔 my curtains and occasionally pees on things.

louelladobbs.bsky.social
@louelladobbs.bsky.social

Charlie, the bunny. She was found outside. They knew she had been an inside bunny bc she hopped right over. She was also potty trained. It was a miracle she hadn't been eaten by another animal. She was the best. *I watched the dog and the bunny. My dog just hung out with her and walked away.

Patricia Mitchell
@advocatetrish.bsky.social

There is one caveat...frequently, overpopulated Shelters are desperate to get dogs and cats adopted -THEY DO NOT SEE CLEARLY THE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO ADOPT!😭 Dog fighters 'adopt' shelter dogs as BAIT DOGS!! Cruel and/or inexperienced people CHAIN or BEAT dogs as punishment...endless horrors!💩

Ley
@hbtad.bsky.social

Grew up in the country. All of our pets just showed up in the yard. We were a mini shelter. Kept every one of them. Dogs and cats. They all had their own personalities and were loved till the end. My dogs now are from my local shelter. Sweetest doggies ever

trainpcs.bsky.social
@trainpcs.bsky.social

We adopted our cat from a local shelter he was a year and a half old. Abandoned not once but twice. He is the best boy. Sweet, loving and so well behaved. The people who hurt him and turned their backs on him are the losers. He has given us so much joy we are grateful to have him in our lives.

Monstrous Regiment
@monstrousregiment.bsky.social

It’s great that people adopt pets. I’ve adopted pets. But we are not going to be able to adopt our way out of 100 million feral cats—currently the source of a major environmental disaster that no one is talking about. Please consider reporting that story, instead of corporate sponsored fluff.

Kyle Clark
@kyleaclark.bsky.social

Plugging a couple favorite Phoenix spots who give back to animals & dogs: Pizza to the Rescue - 25% proceeds from pizza sales donated to Almost There Rescue for dogs Echo Coffee - 1% of every purchase donated to Arizona Humane Society

ucfguy1203.bsky.social
@ucfguy1203.bsky.social

You guys should do a story about the app called Treat where you play a simple game and send real food and treats to dogs in real shelters across the country. Sometimes you even find out your dog has been adopted and it's amazing! 😍