126. National Adoption Week, Shelter Success Stories & Finding Your Perfect Pet

In this special National Adoption Week episode of the Pets Add Life Podcast, hosts Chris Bonifati and Kristen Levine celebrate the incredible progress being made in animal welfare while sharing inspiring stories from the front lines of pet adoption and rescue. From lifesaving transport flights and shelter innovations to practical advice for first-time adopters, this episode is dedicated to helping more pets find loving homes and helping families find the perfect companion. Story Time features: Kristen shares encouraging new shelter data showing that the national shelter save rate has reached 82.5%, while cat save rates have climbed to an all-time high of 82.9%. She also explains what it means for a shelter to achieve "no-kill" status and highlights the growing momentum behind lifesaving efforts across the country. Chris shares the story of 135 research beagles that successfully found forever homes through the efforts of the Beagle Freedom Project, demonstrating how collaboration between research organizations and animal advocates can create positive outcomes for animals. Special Guests: Cassie Davidson, Vice President of Marketing, Communications & PR, Humane Society of North Texas, and Vice President of Marketing, Wings of Rescue April Huntsman, Senior Director of Adoption Experience, Adopt a Pet Pet Product Recommendations: Bissell Little Green Portable Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner – https://www.bissell.com/little-green-portable-carpet-cleaner-3369.html Oxbow Enriched Life Play Table for Small Pets – https://oxbowanimalhealth.com/product/enriched-life-play-table/ Q&A Topics: What are the most important factors families should consider before adopting their first dog to ensure it's the right fit for their lifestyle? (Submitted by Amanda from Phoenix, AZ) Are adult shelter cats harder to adjust to than kittens, and how can new owners help adopted cats feel safe and comfortable in their new home? (Submitted by Brian from Boston, MA) Related Links: Humane Society of North Texas: https://www.hsnt.org Wings of Rescue: https://www.wingsofrescue.org Adopt a Pet: https://www.adoptapet.com Beagle Freedom Project: https://bfp.org Best Friends Animal Society: https://bestfriends.org American Pet Products Association (APPA): https://www.americanpetproducts.org DOGTV: https://www.dogtv.com Pets Add Life: https://www.petsaddlife.org Social Channels: Humane Society of North Texas (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/humanesocietyntx Wings of Rescue (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/wingsofrescue Adopt a Pet (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/adoptapet DOGTV (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/dogtv Pets Add Life (Instagram): https://www.instagram.com/petsaddlife Pets Add Life (Facebook): https://www.facebook.com/PetsAddLife Pets Add Life (TikTok): https://www.tiktok.com/@petsaddlife Pets Add Life (YouTube): https://www.youtube.com/@petsaddlife Subscribe & Listen: Available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts! Submit a question to the podcast: https://www.petsaddlife.org/podcast Presented by: American Pet Products Association (APPA) & DOGTV