One of the most noble things you can do in life is give an animal in need your love, care, attention, and a new forever home. Every holiday season is a reminder to live with more kindness and affection. And all of us, no matter how small, have the power to change others’ lives.
We wanted to spread some holiday season joy, so our team at Bored Panda has collected some of the most wholesome photos, taken by people, of the pets they adopted this month. A note of warning, Pandas, your hearts will melt as you scroll down—it’s inevitable. Upvote your fave pics and tell your dogs and cats we said ‘hi!’
We got in touch with the team at PDSA, the UK's leading veterinary charity, for some insights into why it's likely not a good idea to get someone a pet as a gift this festive season. Read on to learn all about that, as well as to see PDSA's brilliant ideas for making our pets' holidays a bit more festive.
#1 This Is Dumpling, She’s 15 And I Adopted Her Last Weekend
Image credits: MikeMeikMaik
"The festive season is in full swing, and whilst it might seem like the paw-fect Christmas gift to treat a loved one to a pet," the PDSA warns that it's not a good idea. Here's why.
"Although Christmas is a time for giving, we don’t recommend that pets are given as surprise gifts. One of the most important parts of choosing a pet is making sure you choose the right pet for you, and just as importantly, ensuring you are right for them. By choosing for someone else, there is a risk that you might pick an unsuitable pet, for many reasons. Perhaps they can’t afford the lifetime of care needed, or maybe they don’t have time for a pet," PDSA Vet Nurse Renwick explained to Bored Panda.
"Even if you have the best intentions, alongside lots of research, it’s very difficult to know every detail of someone else’s life and responsibilities. Giving a pet as an unexpected gift might seem like a nice idea, but it could leave your loved one feeling stressed and overwhelmed. If you are considering gifting a pet, be sure to discuss this with whoever you plan on gifting beforehand. By involving them in the decision, you can make sure they are ready for the commitment and have time to get their home ready," she said.
#2 Got This One Eyed Beauty Today. Meet Squid
Image credits: Monjat
#3 We Adopted This Old Gentleman!
Image credits: LazuliArtz
"If you do choose to surprise someone with a pet, you need to be prepared for the possibility that the new owner may not be able to care for them. Consider what you would do if this happened and be prepared to take on responsibility for the pet yourself."
The PDSA said that although the festive period is filled with fun and excitement, this doesn't necessarily make it the right time to bring a new pet home. Here are a few main reasons why:
- "It’s a very busy time of year: Most of us have time off work for the holidays, so it might seem like the ideal time to bring a new member into the family. But that time is often filled with shopping trips, visiting friends and family, parties, and noise—new pets need your time, a calm environment, and routine to help them settle in.
- Christmas hazards: There are lots of extra hazards for pets at Christmas, including decorations, sparkling lights, festive foods, and poisonous plants.
- Is it just the holiday talking? For many different reasons, the joy and happiness of the festive season often drives people to get new pets. But, if you are considering rehoming or buying a pet at any time of year, it’s important to remember that they are a lifelong commitment—a pet really is for life, not just for Christmas."
#4 Adopted A 17 Year Old Cat Today Meet Moppie
Image credits: Front_Cartographer14
#5 I Adopted The Least Approachable Cat At The Shelter. He Was Fearful, Had Been There For Months, And Was Very Aggressive Toward People. After Eight Months Of Patience And Nurturing, He’s Transformed Into The Sweetest, Most Loving Lap Cat
Image credits: Anwarul1982
#6 We Adopted A Kitten, Didn’t Realize He Was A Norwegian Forest Cat
When we got him they said he was 10 weeks old. We thought no way cause he was way too big as a kitten. We thought he was older.
Image credits: gartlandish
Bored Panda was curious about how all owners could make their pets' days a bit more festive this holiday season. "Our pets don’t understand Christmas as we do, so they won’t be expecting gifts or anything extra special over the holiday season." That being said, here are a few things you can do to be more festive, according to PDSA:
- "Spend lots of quality time with your pet, doing the things they enjoy most. Many pets just prefer our company, attention, and affection over anything else. You can always take your dog out for some extended walks in their favorite spots, if their paws can handle an adventure, or simply slow down, letting them sniff to their heart’s content without rushing to get the walk done. Or play games at home with your pets, keeping their brains and bodies engaged.
- If you want to buy your pet a gift, it’s a good idea to get them something enriching, such as an activity toy for any pet, or a new platform to climb on for a cat or small pet.
- If you don’t want to spend lots this festive season, you can make gifts at home that won’t break the bank. Consider a homemade ‘tug toy’ for your dog, or crafting a cat scratcher for your feline friend. Small pets love a home-prepared forage surprise bag too. Don’t forget, you’ll need to supervise your furry friends when playing with their new homemade toys to make sure they keep safe and don’t tear off any pieces they could swallow.
- Nothing screams Christmas like the smell of homemade pet biscuits. These also make the perfect gifts for all of your pet-owning friends – just remember to only feed your pets an appropriate amount for their size and ideal weight.
Meanwhile, for more tips and advice for the festive period, feel free to download PDSA's Christmas Survival Guide.
#7 Found This Cold Little Guy In A Bush. I Think My Cat Has Adopted Him
Image credits: Alarming-Research_
#8 Meet Poppy ???
Image credits: Solarpoweredhippie
#9 The Cat I Adopted Jumped On My Lap For The 1st Time And I Cried
Image credits: WrathfullMedea
There is an epidemic of animals in need of new homes. While there have (arguably) been some improvements in the situation over the years, things are still dire. The ASPCA reports that in the United States, there are around 78 million owned dogs and 85.8 million cats.
6.3 million companion animals enter shelters every year. 3.1 million are dogs while 3.2 million are cats. Over a decade ago, back in 2011, around 7.2 million animals entered shelters.
Around 4.1 million American shelter animals are adopted each year, nearly identically split between dogs and cats.
#10 We Have Added A Void To The Family
Image credits: wonderingdragonfly
#11 I Adopted My First Own Dog And Her Name Is Dana
Image credits: BlueberrySympathizer
#12 My First Kitty Cat Ivy. She’s 17 Years Old
Image credits: Haunting-Particular7
However, the sad reality is that many animals that do not get adopted end up being put to sleep. In the US, around 920,000 companion animals get euthanized every year, down from 2.6 million in 2011.
23% of dogs and 31% of cats were obtained from animal shelters and humane societies in the US. 20% of dog and 28% of cat owners learned about their pets through family and friends, while 34% of dog and 3% of cat owners did so through breeders.
Overall, around 40% of dog owners and 46% of cat owners learned about their pets through word of mouth, as per APPA.
Small shifts in social and cultural trends can have major positive impacts in the future. The Best Friends Animal Society claims that if 6% more Americans adopted pets rather than bought them from breeders or pet stores, no more dogs or cats would have to be put to sleep in shelters.
“Pets don’t belong in shelters, they belong at home. Our ‘Bring Love Home’ campaign is designed to bring awareness to dogs and cats still being [euthanized] in US shelters simply because they don’t have safe places to call home,” says Best Friends Animal Society CEO Julie Castle.
#13 The Day We Adopted Ingrid, She Kept Looking For Rocko To Play With
Image credits: LMojito
#14 I Adopted This Sweet Old Lady Whisper (Estimated 10-11), She’s Such A Sweetheart Despite What She’s Been Through!
She was a stray majority of her life, and was up for adoption for several years before I took her in. She’s had her pelvis broken in a standup against a stray dog, stood up for herself against other stray cats, on top of having stomatitis. Her foster mom was looking after here for some time and held onto the hope that someone would take Whisper in, since she really loved being indoors and snuggling. I hope I can give her a happy life for however long she has. She’s a strong little girl with such a gentle spirit.
Image credits: SashimiCake
#15 Update On The Void We Adopted 4 Days Ago
The cat distribution system works in mysterious ways. We adopted this cat from the shelter 4 (!!!!!) days ago and she was incredibly shy, timid, and scared. She would hiss at us when we came into her room and would hardly leave her igloo bed. Fast forward to now, she is quickly becoming my Velcro cat. After two days I coaxed her to come to the living room with treat bribery, and to my surprise she jumped up on the couch with me. Now, she follows me around, comes when I call (usually. She is still a cat after all), and sleeps curled up next to us on the couch. I was expecting weeks of aloof-ness from her. She truly was meant to be with us??⬛
Image credits: punkmetalsquid
When it comes to altruism, you need to be able to take care of your life first before helping others. At least when it comes to the main basics like finances, housing, and your health. This holds true for pretty much everything, whether it’s helping out animals, volunteering at home or abroad, doing favors for your loved ones, etc.
You can help your local community more when you’re well-rested, (partly) financially stable, and energetic than when you can barely make ends meet and are exhausted. There won’t ever be a ‘perfect’ time for philanthropy, but you shouldn’t be sacrificing every last remaining resource of yours—your health, time, energy, and cash—if that means you’ll end up hurting yourself or those you’re trying to help.
#16 Her Adoptive Dad
Image credits: -rock_on-
#17 First Guinea Pig!!
Image credits: LightBlue_LavaLamp42
#18 We Adopted A “Fully Grown 2-3 Year Old Cat”. But He’s Actually A 1-Year-Old Kitten, Is Now 18lbs And Over 36” Long And Still Growing
Image credits: mittenthemagnificent
In short, you want to be in a position where you can truly make a difference. For instance, adopting a pet is a big responsibility. If you’re in a precarious financial position, don’t have stable housing, have serious health issues, and are exhausted from work and barely ever home, then you won’t be doing anyone any favors by welcoming a dozen doggos or cattos into your life.
Yes, love, care, and affection are important! But you also need to be practical and rational. It would be heartrending to adopt pets that you’ll have to give back to the shelter because you can’t provide for them.
#19 This Is Charlie - She Is A Beautiful Whirlwind Of Chaos!
Image credits: esmeuk
#20 Welcome To The Family, My Lil Toast Boys!
Adopted two little brothers who had gone from one shelter to another due to the shelter running out of room. They're both 4 months old!!! The smaller boy of the two with the green collar is named Honey and the larger yellow collar boy is Butter!
I've been so overjoyed by their presence in mine and my partners lives. I've been wanting my own cat for decades now.... I can't wait to see them grow and show us what their personalities can become!
Image credits: mythicapixy
#21 16 Year Old Cat Niuniu (It’s His First Time In A Home!)
Image credits: ayaoops
Be realistic about whether you’re in a position to truly provide an animal with what it needs to live a fulfilling life according to its nature.
Will you be able to buy your new pet the food and items it needs? Do you have enough money for any vet and emergency expenses that might come up? Is there enough room in your home for your pet to comfortably move, play, and sleep?
#22 My Mom Adopted This Adult Cat, And Now She’s The Boss Of The Couch
Image credits: Fun_City_3764
#23 New Kittens Are Ridiculous At Night
I adopted two 6 month old kittens (brother and sister) about 3 weeks ago. They are adorable and have adapted really well to their new home. They greet me when I get home from work and like plenty of snuggles and pets. The problem is around 8 or 9pm they turn into absolute terrorists.
They start playing which is really cute because they hide and stalk each other around corners. But then they chase each other like maniacs around my small apartment knocking things over, climbing my curtains, jumping and making all kinds of noise. I have put away everything I possibly can so only the bare minimum is sitting out but they still wreak havoc for hours.
They were in the bathroom exclusively for a few days when I first got them and they did the same thing in there.
I know cats are more active in the evening so I’m not really concerned that it’s abnormal but holy moly is there anything I can do?? I’m mostly concerned about the noise bc I live in an apartment and I’m worried my neighbors will complain.
Image credits: blt9429
#24 What Was This Cutie Doing At Rescue Centre?
Recently adopted this cute fella from rescue centre. He is only 1.9yo and he was from an animal cruelty case? Cant imagine how much he has been through! Glad that he is slowly opening up to me way to go?
Image credits: anonymousjj_
Does your lifestyle afford you enough time to take your dog for walks multiple times a day? Who is going to take care of your pet if you go on vacation or travel for work?
Do you have family or friends who could feed and walk your adorable pet while you’re away? Are there any (affordable) pet hotels in the local area? There are lots of questions to consider.
Nobody wants to reduce your enthusiasm for adopting pets, but you need to have concrete answers for all of these things to avoid serious issues down the line. Shelters that take their mission to help animals seriously are also keenly aware of the practical side of things. Shelter employees are likely to screen potential pet owners to ensure they’re up to the task!
#25 Welcome Home Big Boy!
Hello husky people I just wanted to show off our beautiful new 8-year-old rescue. I wanted to share my great story. My daughter found him roaming when she got off the school bus, naturally brought him home where we kept him overnight, fed him gave him water and had animal control take him to the shelter the next morning. Turns out he was chipped but when they took him to his address associated with the chip the people no longer lived there so they kept him at the shelter for 7 days. After 7 days he became property the shelter and we adopted him immediately. He is kinda skinny that we will work on. And had insanely overgrown nails, and needed a major brushing, which we took care of on day 1.
And here we are 2 weeks later with Mr. Juno. He's not as loud as I was led to believe husky are. Like not even a single bark yet. And we are just now getting to enjoy watching him playing with his border Collie brothers toys. And sometimes an occasional kitty toy.
Oh and boy she's he love my daughters bed. It's seriously the comfiest place on earth he thinks.
Image credits: DeedleGuy
#26 Boots & Scarlett
Image credits: NancyInPa
#27 My 11 Year Old Mutt
Image credits: jessdep18
Forever homes have to be safe, stable, and well-stocked. Meanwhile, the owners have to have the time, patience, and willingness to look after their new pets for the rest of their lives.
Sadly, some people realize far too late that their lifestyles completely don’t match up with being pet owners, meaning that they give the animals to shelters. It’s heartbreaking for everyone.
#28 First Time Adopting
Image credits: bwasilewski
#29 My Boy
This is my bestest boy Ares or pud pud as I call him, he's a retired bomb detection dog and was retired early as he's gone deaf (not a work related injury). He's been a working dog all his life until we got him and now he's a couch potato. He was trained to be rewarded with a tennis ball so he goes crazy over any ball. He never had toys before so we bought him an array of different toys to see what he would like and he didn't know what to do with them, but slowly he's learned how to be a dog and play. He's my 5th dog, second lab and fourth lab throughout our family, but he's my wife's first ever dog, she was never a dog person before and didn't understand the relationships and bonds people form with their dogs untill he came into her life, and now she is a full on dog mum who pays more attention to him then me hahaha Just wanted to drop in and introduce our boy
Image credits: raccoon-overlord
#30 My Cat Adopted Me
Image credits: Vegas-_-666
Which of these rescue animal photos affected you the most, dear Pandas? Have you ever adopted a pet? Do you volunteer at any local animal shelters? We’d love to hear all about it!
Share your experiences in the comments. In the meantime, feel free to share photos of your adopted pets in the comments section at the very bottom of this post!
#31 This Cat Literally Adopted Me, Not The Other Way Around
Image credits: Heavy-Mechanic-9707
#32 Just Adopted This Dog From The K*ll Shelter For $25. I Believe He’s A Dogo Argentino. He Was Found As A Stray, And He’s The Sweetest Dog!
Image credits: No_Rice8282
#33 I'm 38 Years Old And Finally Adopted A Dog (The Love Of My Life) Today
Image credits: thenothingsongtx
#34 New Foster Pup (Maryland)
Image credits: Abner_Dabner
#35 Not One Single Brain Cell
Charley-Pride is so naughty lol! Are all dust kitties crazy?
We also adopted his sister who is a calico. She's very sweet. CP is sweet but he's also quite crazy. He climbs the curtains, the dog (Great Dane), his people. He'll hide and attack you. We've enjoyed the laughter he brings for sure
Image credits: HeyEweDane
#36 It's Only Three Weeks Old And So Cute! My Friend's Cat Gave Birth To 4, Which I Just Adopted
Image credits: WorriedTie8626
#37 Meet Mr. Louis!
Image credits: EconomistOk3262
#38 My Partner And I Adopted A Little Void For Our 10 Year Old Cat And It Turned Out To Be A Great Decision. Her Name Is Zira So We Conveniently Named Him Zero ?
Image credits: Infinite_Femininity
#39 I Adopted Him Two Weeks Ago From The Animal Shelter.. What A Blessing ! I Already Love Him To The Moon And Back ☺️
Image credits: Realistic-Shallot288
#40 Adopted Great Pyr
Image credits: rshacks1000
#41 Rescued This Calico Angel Three Weeks Ago And Now She's Fully Part Of The Family ?
Image credits: vainglorias
#42 Our Manager Adopted A Beach Dog Today
Image credits: Bitter-Awareness5285
#43 My Husband And The Dog He Did *not* Want To Adopt
Image credits: jenn_d
#44 Adopting Lucy The Beagle
My boyfriend and i adopted Lucy from Dogs Trust about a month ago. She is the best decision we have ever made. Snores louder than said boyfriend!
Image credits: logandee123
#45 This Baby Randomly Showed Up In Our Compound One Rainy Day. Now, He’s Our Family Member! Meet Shiro ♥️
Image credits: Artistic_Maybe_5749
#46 It's Starting To Look Like I Have A Catto
Took in a stray, and it was friendly enough that I was convinced it would be chipped, or someone would claim it. After hearing nothing, and it not having a chip, I think I have gone from an old dog lady, to an old pet lady. This little thing is so sweet. The appointment to adopt it officially is in a few days. It even is starting to accept my dog in the same room. Not qorhin 3 feet. That means a hiss, but if they are 3 feet or more apart they just ignore eachother. It's pretty cute.
Image credits: ReDemonRe
#47 Adopted 1 Braincell
Image credits: Shokuhouu
#48 Our First Foster Cat Is Round!
Image credits: JStock013
#49 Star Has Been Saved!!!!
She made it home to the farm! She has met a couple of goats, a chicken, the cat, French Fry, and the pack!!! Draven, silo, and goose all welcomed star immediately. She had her tail rem9ved when she was spayed but it did not stop her from wagging her NUB!!!! She's an angel and has been nothing but a pure sweetheart. She's got a long way to go still before she is gonna be full time with the rest 9f the pack but she's here, safe, and in a very loving place. She immediately attached to my daughter and it is a beautiful thing!!!
I want to thank Be Their Voice Rescue for helping facilitate this and going way above and beyond for picking her up from the shelter, getting her spayed and the surgery for her tail. Without the pledge money yall put up she would have had to pay for it all out of her own pocket. Just to make sure I made a donation to her as well. Maybe it will help another one of us get a dog from her organization!!!
I encourage anyone that can foster or adopt to do so! There are a lot of dogs that aren't as lucky as Star, Draven, Goose, and Silo... many live a very short, sad existence in a cold, hard place just waiting to be put down. Rescue animals will always be better than purchased animals. The rewards will be higher and the love unlimited! Please help if you can, even by pledging $1.00!!! It all goes to help these wonderful animals get placed in a loving home. I will keep yall updated on her progress!
Image credits: EnvironmentNo1879
#50 Please Help Name This Dainty Lady (Human Names Preferably)
Adopted this sweetie pie over the weekend. She’s 3 (older than our other cat but half his size) and was rescued from someone with WAYYYYY too many animals. She’s a princess (a big sweetie and snuggle bug but she’s also a spunky/ feisty gal)
Image credits: Vegetable_Sale_1797
#51 We’ve Officially Converted To Cat People
Image credits: DoTheDishesDude
#52 Adopted Mia From A Farm A Few Days Ago!
Image credits: _Precht_
#53 Meet Opal, All 1.14 Lbs Of Her
We brought her home last night. I work at an animal shelter and will bring her back for alteration once she reaches 2 lbs. First kitten I’ve adopted in my 10 years of working there!
Image credits: hysterical_momness
#54 This Hound That I Adopted Last Week Is Turning Out To Be The Best Dog I’ve Ever Had. Everyone Meet Hendrix
Image credits: Identified829
#55 This Sweet Boy Y’all Loved Last Week Got Adopted!
I’m so grateful for this community! Neckbone was adopted this morning, I’m not sure if his new owners saw him here but I’m sure your upvotes got him some attention! I’ll be taking a new dog out tomorrow. If you are interested in adopting an amazing dog like Neckbone, visit www.lifeline.org
Image credits: dandatdan
#56 Meet Archie, Our Golden German Shepherd
Image credits: m-ozzie
#57 My Sassy Black Pound Puppy
Image credits: DeathCait
#58 My Creature. Her Name Is Karma
Image credits: Actual_Newt_2929
#59 We Adopted Ben Here A Week Ago
Image credits: ElyriaRose
#60 7th Week… Definitely Worth It
Image credits: Major-Grapefruit1641
#61 Adopted Milo From The Humane Society In Colorado Springs 17 Days Ago. He Is A 1 Year Old Golden Mix And A Mama’s Boy. He Has Separation Anxiety And Is Skittish Around Other Dogs And Humans, But We Are Actively Working On It
Image credits: barelyholdingon97
#62 Recently Adopted A 2 Year Old Good Boy
Image credits: BlackWillow9278
#63 Meet Poky!
Image credits: Just4TheCuriosity97
#64 My Mom Adopted A 23lb Cat Named Cupcake
Image credits: StickyWhenWet1
#65 The Cat We Adopted Today
Image credits: zerothepyro
#66 My Girls ?
Image credits: Noxfaelis
#67 We Are New Aussie Parents!
Image credits: Elizerdbeth
#68 My Orange Twins, Murdoc And Stuart!
murdoc is the one with white on his chest, paws, and face, and stuart’s orange all over! my sister, a borderline animal hoarder, found out her non-spayed, outdoors cat was pregnant. we were already looking for two new additions to the family, but both my parents preferred to adopt a kitten and puppy duo from a breeder. it took a lot of convincing, but i persuade them into letting me adopt murdoc and stuart. now, they are happy, fat, and healthy. murdoc spends all his time in my room and cries if he isn’t in there with me, and stuart spends all his time in the same cat tower shown in the first photo.
Image credits: OllieIsaClown
#69 Adopted From The Shelter Yesterday, What Is She Mixed With?
Image credits: AyooMixx
#70 My Girl Montana
She’s our first husky and we are so obsessed with her. Her favorite things to do are camp, hike, give us attitude, go to Yellowstone, pretend that she doesn’t know her name and cuddle in bed. We feel so lucky that she’s a part of our family. They really are the best dogs!
Image credits: 406MILF
#71 Daisy Girl
Image credits: pittieperson1
#72 I Got My First German Shepherd!
My partner and I adopted a german shepherd puppy recently. We already have a cattle dog ((4). Advice is welcome, figured I had some functional knowledge dude the cattle dog is high drive but boy i was wrong. She likes puzzles and sticks and balls. But i can’t get her to stop biting. Picture of the girl. Help lol
Image credits: likeydistracted
#73 Our Female Adopted Rescue Dog!
Image credits: Antique-Mud2186
#74 Just How Overweight Is My New Girl?
I just adopted this adorable female beardie today. I'm thinking she's leatherback and maybe some lemon or hypo?
She is supposed to be going on 2.5 years old and it's clear she was loved...maybe a bit too much.
Image credits: DrViper711
#75 Just Adopted The Most Perfect Girl. Why Did I Wait So Long??
Image credits: Admirable_Can_346
#76 A Dog Named Sue
Image credits: Momtothebestdaughter
#77 Frenchie Was Abandoned In Front Of My Friend’s House, We Offered To Take Her But Know Nothing About Frenchies
Image credits: unicorndanceparty
#78 Meet Nori ?
Image credits: shantot
#79 Just Adopted 5 Month Old From Shelter
Image credits: PrefrontalExecutor
#80 Adopted A Cat, Life's Different Now
Image credits: Useful-Break-6320
#81 I Adopted My First Cat, She's So Cute!
Image credits: Green_Literature_423
#82 First Time Tortie Owner
Image credits: mushie_pineapple
#83 Birdie Doin Fine
Image credits: TrulyAnnyel
#84 Hello World! I’m Nico It’s So Nice To Meet You!
Image credits: McJoben33
#85 Calling All Black And Tan Chihuahuas
Image credits: KJTorres_WasTaken
#86 New Puppy!
I adopted this sweetheart today, shes a 9 week old purebred Pyrenees, Ive worked with these dogs before, but only in the kennel I used to work at for aggressive dogs. What should I know/any tips or advice? Thank you all!!! Have a great day!
Image credits: Amazing-Cause-8657
#87 Adopted A 6-Year-Old Husky
Image credits: keith3235
#88 My New 2 Year Old Girl
Image credits: Efficient-Silver-226
#89 This Is The Dog I Had To Care For At The Adoption Event I Attended, She Was Adopted?
Image credits: pancakesyrup26
#90 Just Adopted, Definitely A Cattle Dog Right?
Image credits: Key_Meal_2894
