28 Pet Adoption Posts to Pull at Your Heart String When When Everything Feels Gray and Dreary

Laurent Shinar • Writer and Editor

Aug 20, 2026 12:15 PM EDT

Let's face it, if there is one question you can always ask a pet pawrent, it is whether they are thinking of bringing home another pet. Even if they had not been considering it the very thought lights them up. And seeing as the work week has become so weighty upon our hooman shoulders we figured we would try to share your burden and lighten your load with a collection of awwodorable pets just waiting to be adopted.

It is no big secret that just by thinking about something, we hoomans are able to improve our mood. So with that reasoning we said why not have you think about the most pawsitive thing any hooman can, adopting a pet! The excitement, the nerves, the overwhelming emotions. No one enters the pet adoption process without them and they are such a wonderful collection of feelings that we wanted to bundle them up and give them to you as a gift for being good boys and girls all week long.

So we want you to put aside your work and for a moment imagine you are stepping into your local shelter. Your home is large enough for another pet, you have the money to spend on them and much to your luck you only work half a week and can spend tons of time with them. Everything is just right and all you need to do is go forth and meet the love of your life. So go forth and lay your eyes upon these sweet cats and dogs, you never know who you might fall in love with.

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01
For any Eastcoasters living on the West Coast and missing home.

via petfinder.critters
02
As an Aries she is bold, fast and direct. As a cat she is also bold, fast and direct.

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03
Pronounced Ribeye for the obsession this pupper has over the steak.

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04
Could there be a more delicious kitty?

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05
Someone at the shelter was really scraping the bottom of the barrel with this one.

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06
Two faced and she knows it. Watch out for this one.

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07
The third of his name and fifth in line for the Lordship of Cheshire.

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08
When did shelters start naming cats after what they found them eating?

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09
When you name your dog after what food they would be to a dinosaur.

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10
While she might not look it her star sign makes her out to be a very sweet kitty.

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11
The reason why too much sauce and dog naming don’t mix.

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12
Apparently her star sign sets her up to be a brilliant interior designer, which explains the chair.

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13
Simple and straightforward, we like it.

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14
She is intensity, she is passion.

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15
A great guitarist’s name, for a good boy.

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16
You might think you’ve won the lottery with this one but she will tell you the truth to your face when you least want it.

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17
Apparently fake news is not exclusive to hoomans anymore.

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18
Confusing more than anything else…

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19
One fears to find out the origin of this salty dog’s name.

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20
A cat you can build a home with and who will diligently build you a home as well.

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21
For the hooman with no sense of smell there is…

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22
If ever you wanted to name a cat something that every time you call them you also deeply offend them, this is it.

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23
Named so for his many covert operations to steal salami.

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24
A deeply spiritual critter that somehow looks like a cat.

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25
How can you not get adopted with a face like that?

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26
Sometimes mom has too many inside jokes piled up and your name becomes a mess.

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27
So many questions, none of them that make us want to adopt though…

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28
We really hope this isn’t the nickname some horrific event was given.

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