24 Shelter Dogs Before & After Getting Forever Homes

This story originally appeared at InspireMore.

Dogs are some of the sweetest creatures to grace our planet. They have so much love to give.

That’s why it’s absolutely heartbreaking to see them stuck in shelters, waiting and wishing for a good home. But while the sweethearts below may have been lonely, scared dogs once before, they’re only filled with happiness and contentment now because they’re finally where they belong!

Get ready to rejoice when you see the before and after photos of 24 dogs who finally got adopted.

1. From terrified eyes to all smiles.


2. Without the worry of survival weighing him down, he’s free to be his sweet, goofy self.

3. “Toby at the county shelter 2 years ago and is now king of our house.”

4. “This is Lady, one year and 20 pounds later.”

5. The difference here is truly night and day.

6. “This is Jake. We adopted him in January and he is a senior. All it took was some love (and many belly rubs) and I’m happy to say he’s finally living the life he always deserved.”

7. This sweet girl was rescued from a backyard breeder. Now, she runs the house at her loving forever home.


8. “Meet my little old lady Peach. She’s about 10 years old and has a derpy back leg. Top picture is the day she was rescued from a meat truck in China vs first day home with us.”

9. “6 months with my boy, who has finally learned to be happy!”

10. It’s amazing what a few days in a loving home can do for a frightened pup.

11. This sweet girl went from drab to FAB!

12. You can really see the restored hope in his eyes.

13. “He was so heavy for a Corgi when we first got him. Had a very hard time getting around. 2 years later, he’s down 15 pounds and goes up and down the stairs like a champ!”

14. She was starving for love before. Now she’s showered with affection every day.

15. “She tricked us with her gloomy face into thinking she was a docile, mild-mannered pup. She is actually a complete MANIAC and we love her to pieces.”

16. “This shy guy turned out to be a social butterfly. He loves exploring. No more worms, ticks, or giardia for him.”

17. “They warned us he may not warm up to us after a life of mistreatment. He did.”

18. “There was a happy, lovable dog hidden behind all that fear.”

19. “Wyatt went from a young pup hanging out at the shelter to a distinguished gentleman hanging out in my husband’s shirt.”

20. This adorable little guy got a new haircut to go with his brand-new life.

21. “My ex bf and I got her at animal control (it was her last day – they told us after we signed all the paperwork). This dog has kept me alive through losing almost my entire family.”

22. This forlorn canine transformed into a majestic beauty.

23. Making eye contact is no problem for this cutie now.

24. “When we met her in the shelter my daughter immediately started whispering in her ear, ‘You’re okay, we’ll take you home and keep you safe, we love you already.’”

Every dog deserves a loving family, and we’re so happy these furry nuggets found theirs! Do other shelter dogs a favor and share this story to show everyone what a difference adoption can make.

July is one of the busiest months of the year for shelters and rescues. As the stray population explodes and more homeless pets are taken in, these facilities often find themselves struggling to keep the animals fed.

A single rescue pet will need 100 meals on average while housed at a shelter awaiting adoption into their forever home. National Feed a Rescue Pet Week is aimed at drawing attention to shelter needs during this critical time, and support from animal allies around the world. GreaterGood is stepping up to the challenge with the goal providing 4 million meals for homeless pets, but we can’t do it without your help!

Click the button below to make a difference during National Feed a Rescue Pet Week, feed animals in need, and help us reach our goal!

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