Adopting a pet is a great way to find a loving companion in need of help. There are shelters all over the world willing and able to help people find the right pet for them. Gone are the days of mutts and street cats, shelters now have to deal with people abandoning rare and expensive breeds. 

If you are looking to brighten up your day, look no further. Here is a collection of furry friends who were adopted this May. We also reached out to Nina Thompson from the San Diego Humane Society to learn more about what people can do to help and some tips for adopters. So scroll through, upvote your favorite stories, and comment your thoughts below. 

#1 Our Mail Lady Heard Something Crying From A Storm Sewer Drain. I Was Able To Find A Nearby Manhole And Get Down There

Found this little girl Saturday afternoon in the sewer. Completely covered in muck. Cleaned her up and gave her some KMR the first night. She was very timid and afraid. Lightened up Sunday and ate some soft kitten food. Slowly let our cats get acclimated . By Sunday night our big boy Siamese had adopted her. It is the cutest thing ever

Image credits: bdub1391

#2 Finally, After 5 Years Of Taking Care Of This Very Friendly, But Also Kinda Shy, Stray Cat, We Were Able To Catch Him, Take Him To The Vet And Finally Officially Adopt Him

Welcome to the family, Max! (even though you where part of it the entire time :) )

Image credits: Soul0408

#3 On Sunday, Hospice Told Me That Mom’s Lungs Were Starting To Fill With Fluid, Indicating The Start Of Organ Failure. My Mom Is Likely In Her Final Weeks Of Life

On the way home, my fiancé and I saw a tiny kitten miraculously dodge 4 lanes of speeding cars. We pulled over and got the kitten as fast as we could. Today, she met mom.

Image credits: NotedHeathen

Bored Panda asked Nina Thompson from the San Diego Humane Society some questions to help guide potential adopters. We wanted to know what is the best way for animal adopters to set themselves up for success. “Before you adopt a pet, consider your own lifestyle and how you want your new family member to fit in. Here are some good criteria to consider before getting a pet: Activity level: Are you active and want a running buddy? Or are you looking for someone to keep you company on the couch? It’s important to balance the pet’s needs with your own.”

“Organization: how much fur can you tolerate on the upholstery, or carpets, or anywhere else? Time management: How much time are you at home? Dogs were bred to be our companions, and often we are their only company. Their happiness is in our hands. We don’t recommend leaving any dog at home alone for more than a half-day. The same goes for cats, but their tolerance is probably a full day. If you can’t bring your pet to work with you, consider using a dog walker or doggie daycare.”

#4 The Beautiful Kitty I Found In A Trash Can, Whoever Abandoned Her Lost Out On The Most Sweet And Smart Cat I’ve Ever Met. She Knows How To Do Tricks And Helps Me Through Ptsd Flashbacks

Image credits: GarbageMajestic7481

#5 I Adopted This Senior Corgi From A Couple In Assisted Living Who Could No Longer Care For Him. Say Hello To Binki!

Image credits: Marcia-Marsha-Marcia

#6 These Boys Were Found Inside A Storm Drain Last Week. They Ended Up With Me After No One Else Would Take Them, Not Even The Shelter. I’m So Lucky Cause They Are A Perfect Set!

Image credits: Fickle_Meet

Nina gave some other important criteria to consider, for example, “Space: If you’re considering a dog, will the dog have access to a safe, enclosed outdoor space? Some pets need more space than others. Family dynamics: Do you have children? Are they ready to safely co-exist with a pet? Do you have other pets? Have you considered how they will react to a new pet in the house? Some pets don’t enjoy the company of other animals, but many do. Climate: Do you live in a dry, hot desert or a colder climate where you get snow? Consider the needs of the animal you wish to bring home.”

#7 Lost My Brand New Kitten For Over An Hour. After Literally Tearing My Room Apart, Found Her Inside My Lamp Passed Out The Whole Time

Image credits: BoatyMcBoatFace89

#8 I Just Adopted This Old Man (15yrs) With A Lot Of Health Issues. His Owner Passed Away And They Were Going To Put Him To Sleep. Welcome Home Buddy!!

Image credits: Oneeyedpopeye

#9 Was Told This Little Lady Was Unfriendly To Visitors… Apparently I Am The Chosen One!

Image credits: malak_oz

“Finances: Have you considered your budget? For example, keeping a horse and keeping a hamster are very different financial commitments. Commitment: A pet is a lifelong commitment. Are you in it for the long haul? Consider the lifespan of the pet before you adopt. Guinea pigs lives on average five years; Dogs and cats can live 10 to 15 years or more. Make sure you’re ready before starting your pet search.”

#10 Got My New Puppy Today

Image credits: kbt525

#11 Found This Little Guy On The Road In A Closed Box. Welcome To The Family, Nugget

Image credits: Weirdoch

#12 My New Kittens Eclipse And Gelato. They Are 2-3 Months Old. Came Into The Shelter As Strays And Are Almost Fully Recovered From A Bad Case Of Fvr. Just Adopted Them Yesterday After Many Years Of Not Having Cats. They Are Adorable, Affectionate Little Bundles Of Energy

Image credits: marie-0000

We also wanted to hear some good resources that first-time adopters could use to help integrate a pet into their homes. “Dr. Gary Weitzman, president and CEO of the San Diego Humane Society has authored nine books all intended to be the best pet owner you can be. You can find them here.” She also wanted to give some additional advice to remember. “One in three pets will become lost during their lifetime. As a pet owner, there are important steps you can take to prevent your pet from being lost.”

#13 My Nephew With His New Puppy

Image credits: Foxie133

#14 I Rescued This Blue Eyed Beauty After Her Littermate Had Been Hit. They Were Dumped

Image credits: BeautifulPainz

#15 This Street Pupper Has Been Living On The Construction Site Of Our House, So We've Adopted Her

Image credits: intisun

“It all starts with the basics: a well-fitting collar with an ID tag. This is essential, even for pets who remain primarily indoors or in fenced yards. Make sure your contact information is always up-to-date, and even if you don’t have tags, writing your phone number in permanent marker directly on a collar can be the difference between a pet going straight back home or entering a shelter!” This is an important tip that many first-time owners won’t even consider until it’s too late.

#16 I Was Just Told About This Subreddit And Wanted To Share. This Is Winnie, We Just Adopted Her Today - She Is An 11 Year Old Pitbull/Potato Mix!

Image credits: carpecarp1

#17 My Sister Brought This Guy Home

Image credits: Codabonkypants

#18 Meet The Newest Member Of The Family, Charlie Brown!

Image credits: Jalawa36

“Microchipping is another important step to make pets easily identifiable if they’re found by someone else. A tiny chip (the size of a grain of rice) containing a unique identification number is placed under the skin of your pet in a quick and painless procedure. Animal shelters and veterinarians can quickly and easily scan for the microchip. Your contact information will show up, making it easy to identify the lost pet and reunite them with you.”

#19 Just Brought This Sweet Angel Home, Meet Charlie

Image credits: samspastic

#20 Adopted This Little Polydactyl Gremlin. Meet Pastina

Image credits: incognicko24

#21 From Shelter Cat To Couch Potato. Meet Kirsten Who Turned Me Into A Cat Person

Image credits: Ninjakaj

“A third piece of protection for a dog is their license, which is not only required by law but gives you additional protection. Microchips and licenses serve as supplemental methods of identification to collars and tags, which — while still critical — can fall off or become lost. They can also help protect your dog from theft, giving you recourse to reclaim them if they are found in someone else’s possession. The San Diego Humane Society provides dog licensing services for pet owners in their jurisdiction, as well as affordable microchipping clinics for dogs, cats, and other pets. These investments can save pet owners both time and money spent on searching for a lost pet or paying reclamation fees — and provide valuable peace of mind.”

#22 New Kitten Definitely Has Preferences As To The Most Comfortable Place To Sleep

Image credits: soverylucky

#23 We Just Adopted This Little Boy An Hour Ago. We Plan On Calling Him Icarus

Image credits: DontPanicTitanic

#24 Rescued A New Kitten.. Pupper Approves

Image credits: Idontactuallypost

#25 I Think These Brothers Look Comfortable In Their New Home

Image credits: noknam

#26 I Present To You The Best Thing I’ve Ever Pulled Out Of A Dumpster: Zap

Image credits: Paratrooper101x

#27 We Have A New Adoptee Joining Our Family. Reddit, Meet Olive!

She's still a little shy, but she's warming up to her new home. Soon she'll get to meet her brother who's been trying to talk to her through the door.

Image credits: TheTeddly

#28 New Puppy / Little Polar Bear Cub!

Image credits: vixenel

#29 We Found This Beauty At The Market. She Was Very Hungry And Covered In Ticks. We Decided To Take Her To Our Family, Had Her Spayed, Treated For Parasites And Now She Is A Very Sweet, Affectionate And Grateful Kitty

Image credits: Mia_Moor_Love

#30 Our Newest Addition

Image credits: diariess

#31 Look At This Happy Dog!!! She Was The Smallest Of Her Siblings And No One Wanted To Take Her. And I Took! She Seems To Really Love Me❤️

Image credits: MissJulesWarm

#32 Adopted This Boy Yesterday, His Crest Makes For Perfect Snack Storage

Image credits: zykafire

#33 Adopted This Fluff Nugget A Week Ago. Safe To Say Cleocatra Seems Pretty Ok With Me

Image credits: dodgergirl83

#34 Update On Eddie, The Feral Cat No That One Wanted, Who Needed Lots Of Space….currently Chilling On My Lap

Image credits: babushkabutterfly

#35 Saw A Sign That Said Free Kittens So Now I Have A Free Kitten

Image credits: schleeey

#36 I Hit The Jackpot Today

Image credits: cgatlanta

#37 About To Adopt This Little (Big) Boy From The Shelter I Work At. He Went A Year With No Applications, And Now, I'm Finally Financially Ready For A Cat!

Image credits: FCK-I-HATE-MY-LIFE

#38 My New Littles Ones, They Need To Be Bottle Fed, Mom Got Hit By A Car, I Feel Horrible

Image credits: AntAdor00

#39 Kubo Became A Part Of Our Little Family Today. Such A Perfect Gentleman

Image credits: mymymytrashbat

#40 We Just Adopted This Sweet Girl, She's Six Weeks Old

Image credits: TwistedBlister