adoption

Our guide to animal adoption; learn why, where, and how to prepare to adopt a cat, kitten, dog or puppy from an animal shelter or rescue group.

Saving Sarah
“My dog! Don’t leave my dog here!” My two-year-old son shouted earnestly as we walked through the small lobby of the Kent Animal Shelter. Looks from a couple at the front desk burned a hole through me as I shuffled my son towards the doors. “It’s ok, we’ll come back tomorrow,” I assured him as I got more dirty looks. “Whyyy?”my son pleaded.
By Bethany Hill5 years ago in Petlife
Out of the Igloo
I realized that the odds were stacked against me for owning my own dog when you considered my track record – every house plant I had ever attempted to keep, dead. The herb garden on my windowsill, dead. The little vegetable garden in my back yard, dead. Cactuses had been unable to survive in my household. I had even managed to kill my air plant, one of those alien-like things that you only have to mist with water once in a while.
By Brian Wright5 years ago in Petlife
I Rescued Her, She is Saving Me
Meet Ellie. She's cute, right? She looks happy and playful. To be fair, she is but her idea of playful and mine differ greatly. Ellie is a rescue from our local humane society. She was so sweet and demure when I met her, I knew she was the one for our family.
By Yvonne Lovejoy5 years ago in Petlife
Who is Saving Who?
My story begins with Rosie. She was a Maltese that my son had brought to me when he found her being horribly abused. She became my baby, hiding beside me and refusing to allow anyone other than me to touch her.
By Kathleen E Graves5 years ago in Petlife
The Gift That Keeps Giving
On the 12th of March 2019, a white cat with black and orange spots walked into my life. Well, Teetee didn't actually walk, she limped. Let me go back to the beginning.
By Tina S5 years ago in Petlife
You Are My Person Forever
August 11, 2014 is a day that will forever be etched into my memory. It was a soggy and humid rainy Monday in Chicago, and it was also the day legendary actor Robin Williams died.
By Jennifer Gulbrandsen5 years ago in Petlife
Stevie's Here
Stevie’s Home Stevie the Brittany’s Story of Claiming Our Family as His Stevie came to us as a Foster dog a year before he officially became a member of the family. We tried hard to find him his own family for a year or so before we stopped resisting his Brittany choice – the choice he had made despite our intentions – the day he moved in.
By KJ Aartila5 years ago in Petlife
The Stray Bandit
“ I don’t know how you do it. How can you stand to work here every day and look at all the sad animals?” I got this question a lot. Mostly, from people who thought that they cared about animals more than I did.
By Emery Garner5 years ago in Petlife
I Am Not A Cat Person
I am not a cat person. I am also not a rodent person, snake person or ferret person. But my daughter is freaking Snow White and animals are drawn to her. She has a knack for fixing broken, abandoned or unwanted animals and finding new homes for them.
By J Magnuson5 years ago in Petlife
Fostering Maple Syrup
I had really enjoyed being a foster mom for the Animal Welfare Association in my area over the course of the past year. I had specialized mostly in bottle feed kittens up until December of 2012. It was so rewarding watching them grow up, helping them to become the great kittens who would find great homes. Then came December of 2012 followed by 2013. It wasn’t an easy year for fostering.
By Rita DeStefano5 years ago in Petlife
The Wanderby Whose Name Means "Gift"
Liwu at the Harbor, Fort Bragg, CA 2009 I still remember the day that he came into my world. It was shortly after Hurricane Katrina had forced us to relocate to Baton Rouge, and I was feeling lonelier than I had in a long time. I had been praying and asking for a friend and spending my days in bed, feeling sorry for myself.
By Lena Beana5 years ago in Petlife
Mack
Mack. That’s the name of the gentlest, kindest, most protective, best behaved dog that ever lived. Mack is the name that a speech delayed three-year-old gave to the puppy that no one wanted, jet black with cigarette burns over his body. Mack is the name of the dog that never bit anyone but looked fierce and was loyal to a fault.
By J Magnuson5 years ago in Petlife