Adoption

Sometimes we can’t help ourselves. It’s not uncommon for an ASPCA employee to fall in love with one of the animals at our Adoption Center—in fact, it happens all the time. For Dea Taylor, it happened to her when she met a spunky little dog in our care who had been struggling to find a forever home.

“Halo is sweet, energetic, and the friendliest dog I’ve ever met,” Taylor says. “I knew she would be a challenge when I learned she was returned to the ASPCA three times. But I knew I was up to the challenge.”

Taylor was right. The first night she took Halo home, the little dog was a bundle of energy. In fact, Halo had “energy bursts”—short periods of time when she ran around the apartment until she tired herself out. “When I put her in her crate, she calmed down,” Taylor says. “Then I looked at those cute little eyes, and thought about how many people didn’t give her a chance.”

Lucky for Halo, Taylor gave her all the time she needed to settle in. In the end, Halo just wanted a patient adopter who would let her play and learn the joy of relaxation.

Did you adopt a cat or dog from the ASPCA? Send us photos at happytails@aspca.org for a chance to be featured on the blog.

At the ASPCA, we meet a lot of dogs…and to be honest, we fall in love with most of them! But some pups stand out as very, very special. A few even seem to serve as role models for us, reminding us to stay positive even in the face of adversity.

Johnny is a dog like that. Rescued by our Humane Law Enforcement department in August, Johnny had already been through a lot in his four years of life. He wasn’t able to use his back legs, and at first we thought he had been injured. Then our veterinarians learned he had a severe spinal infection that had left his hind legs paralyzed.

Our vets addressed his long-untreated infection right away and began the task of rehabilitating him. Slowly, Johnny regained his strength until finally, it happened: Johnny learned to walk again.

Through it all, Johnny remained the happy-go-lucky, cuddly, sweet little muffin he is to this day. He thinks he’s a lap dog and essentially lives for snuggling. Frankly, his cheery outlook on life is downright inspiring.

Though he won’t ever have a full range of motion again, Johnny gets around just fine and loves to use his legs. Now, he’s ready to go home—in fact he’s already waited months to meet his match.

Could you please help us spread the word about Johnny? We can’t wait to see his well-deserved happy ending. He doesn’t seem to want much beyond affection and kindness. He can live with kids eight and up and other pets, and he’d be happy in a home just about anywhere—he only needs people who are up for tending to his sensitive skin, and who have as much love to give as he does! 

We bet you agree: One of the best parts of adopting a pet is the sheer joy of visiting the shelter and choosing your new pal. Whether an exuberant puppy kiss or a kitty head-butt seals the deal, you usually know in a single moment that you’ve found your newest furry family member. We wouldn’t trade that experience for the world!

So when we hear about people giving pets as gifts (usually a no-no in our book) we don’t really see the appeal. Why deprive your loved one of that special time at the shelter—the instant she realizes she’s met her new best friend?

At the ASPCA, we have a much better idea. Through our Gift-a-Pet gift certificates, you can pay an adoption fee for your loved one but still give her the joy of choosing her own pet. Each certificate is good for one kitten or cat adoption at the ASPCA Adoption Center on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.

Interested in giving an ASPCA Gift-a-Pet gift certificate? Find out how on our Gift-a-Pet page.

When Alex Borghi was a bit tired of living solo in his apartment, he decided to find a four-legged roommate. But he didn’t want just any roommate. So Borghi met each of the dogs at the ASPCA Adoption Center in Manhattan, trying to find the perfect pooch with whom to share his home. He didn’t find a match at first, but after he saw Brad on the ASPCA website, he decided to go back to the Adoption Center to meet him.

Borghi decided that Brad, a beautiful tan-and-white pit bull terrier mix, was the best candidate for the job. He tells us Brad is adjusting very well to his forever home, and that he stays by his pet parent’s side at all times. It’s safe to say that these two are thrilled to share the apartment.

Plus, in addition to roommate and sidekick, Brad has another new role: He poses for lots of photos for his photographer dad. In just a few weeks, Borghi has taken plenty of adorable pictures of Brad, and this furry model seems to love posing for the camera!

Have you adopted a cat or dog from the ASPCA? Send us photos at happytails@aspca.org for a chance to be featured on the blog.