Adopting a pet is a great way to add love and companionship to your life while helping an animal in need of a family. Below we’ve gathered some pictures that users of the r/aww subreddit submitted about their newly-adopted fuzzy friends.

Welcome to this post showcasing the excitement of adopting a furry and not-so-furry friend! Most people think of dogs or cats, but don’t worry, abandoned lizards, rodents and even horses feature here as well!

Be sure to upvote your favorites and leave some comments! And if you feel like seeing more aww-inducing animals, check out Bored Panda’s previous collections here and here!

#1 We Adopted Klaus Today! He Has 1 Eye, Half Of Each Ear, And A Partially Amputated Tail, But We Think He’s A Perfect Handsome Baby

Image credits: RoopeyScoobie

#2 Abandoned By His Owners, Rescued From A Dumpster Behind Taco Shop..my New Adopted Ginger, Pancho

Image credits: Strongry-145

#3 A Family Meowed On My Door And Adopted Them

Image credits: ericadias

Adopting a pet from a shelter or rescue organization is a great way to save an animal’s life. Most animals that we would think of as pets are pretty social and would prefer to be with a family. Some US states even have laws that prioritize shelter animals. California, for example, mandates that pet stores have to source their animals from shelters and rescues. And you don’t have to adopt to help the animals in your area! Find a shelter or rescue organization and donate to them! Many also accept pet food and other useful items. You can even volunteer with walking the animals if you want to socialize without the commitment of taking a pet home.

#4 Meet Mochi, Our Adorable Rescue Kitty With Three Legs, No Ears, And No Tail

Image credits: romgm

#5 Here Is Our Velvet Hippo That We Adopted A Couple Weeks Ago. She’s Almost 10 Years Old And Her Name Is Halo! She Is A Mixed Breed Of Hippo/Manatee/Dog

Image credits: cragpossum

#6 Adopting These 2 Rescue Dogs Together Was The Best Decision I Could Possibly Make

Image credits: Miss_Dark_Splatoon

Adopted pets are just as loving and capable of forming strong bonds with their new owners as animals purchased from breeders or pet stores. Many shelter pets are already trained and have known personalities, making it easier to find the perfect pet for you. There is an old-fashioned myth that many of the animals in shelters, particularly dogs and cats, are mutts or mixed-breed. In fact, the recent popularity of purebred animals has unfortunately led to a situation where extremely rare breeds can be found in shelters. In US shelters, up to 25% of dogs may be purebred.

#7 My Aunt Rescued A Hummingbird And Now It Won’t Leave

Image credits: carlitos__way

#8 Adopted This Little Sweetie

Image credits: uniquorn23

#9 Adopted This Guy A Few Weeks Ago, Hes Gone From Timid Around Me To This But I Don’t Mind

Image credits: HamptonHangingPork

Many shelters and rescues conduct thorough evaluations and provide medical care for animals before putting them up for adoption, ensuring that you are getting a healthy pet. Adopting a pet from a shelter also ensures that your pet has been vaccinated and spayed or neutered. In fact, some places mandate it, so if you are worried about adopting, you can always call your closest shelter and ask!

#10 We Adopted A Cat – Here’s Ava On Her First Night With Us!

Image credits: JustAVillager

#11 Meet Vanya, The Catch And Release Stray I Adopted From The Alley Behind My House

Image credits: Sad_day_Stpete

#12 Couldn’t Decide Which To Adopt, So I Kept The Family Together & Adopted All 3

Image credits: greestaspdy

Adopting an older animal has its own set of benefits, including the fact that they’re often already trained and have a known personality. Older pets also tend to be calmer, making them great options for families with young children or older adults. Sometimes you can even find abandoned work animals with thoroughly impressive skill sets! As cute as they are, puppies are a lot of work! Potty training, dog school and tiny bladders mean that the first year or so can be time intensive. Older animals could fit your busy schedule better.

#13 I Officially Adopted Bernard After Fostering Him While He Was Healing From His Amputation. One Of The Amazing Veterinarians At My Work Saved His Life After He Was Brought In As A Stray With A Severely Broken And Infected Leg

Image credits: Creatures89

#14 I Told Her That She’s Adopted

Image credits: vostakoyev

#15 Our Newly Adopted Blind Cat

Image credits: islovesoftegg

Adopting a pet can be a wonderful, life-changing experience for both the animal and the adopter. Not only do you get a new companion, but you also get the satisfaction of knowing you made a difference in an animal’s life. Adopting a pet can also have many health benefits, such as reducing stress, decreasing depression, and increasing feelings of companionship. Dog owners in particular benefit from improved physical health, since frequent walks is great for stretching your muscles and getting some fresh air.

#16 Rescued This Girl From The Animal Control Shelter One Week Ago – Her ‘Aww’ Factor Has Only Increased As We’ve Gotten To See Her Lovely, Silly, Personality Really Come Out

Image credits: ThirdPlanet0

#17 This Little Darling Was Adopted By A Friend Of Mine. What Do You Think Of Him?

Image credits: Irisha_Shy1

#18 Just Adopted My First Puppy And First Pit And I’m In Love

Image credits: cclark2156

#19 Tripod – Adopted From The Mountains, Now A House Cat

Image credits: millseverwhite

#20 Arrival vs. An Hour At Home (Adopted Fur Babies)

Image credits: sheilasummer

#21 My Little Rescue Girl. Them Ears Though

Image credits: AnonymousWolf93

#22 The Stray Cat I’ve Been Feeding Came Into My House A Few Days Ago And Never Left

Image credits: kirunaai18

#23 Adopted A Little Void Baby The First Thing She Did At The Pound Was Jump On My Shoulder

Image credits: East-Icy

#24 Hello, Say Hello To Paquito, My Little Ball Of Fleas Rescued From The Street, He Currently Has Sick Eyes But Soon He Will Recover, He Is An Adorable Naughty Kitten Who Loves To Play

Image credits: kendra__m

#25 What Kind Of Cat Have I Adopted?

Image credits: kahiny

#26 My GF Just Adopted A Dog. This Is His First Time Trying Peanut Butter…he Loves It

Image credits: anthro_punk

#27 Seth Adopted A Kitty

Image credits: breaktime1

#28 My Name Is Krypto And I Just Got Adopted. Life Is Wonderful!

Image credits: daniel_zoe

#29 People Always Ask Me Why I Volunteer At A Cat Shelter. It’s Because Of Pictures Like This One. This Is Réglisse, Who Was Recently Adopted, In Her Forever Home. To See Her Relax And Smiling Is So Worth All The Work

Image credits: sonia72quebec

#30 My Rescue Rainbow Lorikeet The Day After I Adopted Him

Image credits: Tanilba

#31 We Adopted This Little Sweetheart From The Shelter. I Mean, Look At Her Face!

Image credits: ms_huntr3ss

#32 Meet Vader! I Recently Adopted Him From The Shelter

Image credits: Cocaine4Fame

#33 We Adopted The Sweetest Little Man! Welcome To The Family, Gus!

Image credits: Leannor

#34 My Boyfriend And Little Rescued Ava- She Has Officially Reached Inside Cat Status

Image credits: Curb_driver

#35 Our New Rescue Pup, Otis!

Image credits: Feasterfamine

#36 Shortly After We Adopted This Neglected Little Cutie She Became The Happiest Little Baby Ever

Image credits: ThePsycho96

#37 Got My Two Girls Neutered Today. Adopted Them About 10 Days Ago. I Was Afraid They Would Hate Me For It And That I Lost Their Trust. This Is How They Are Recuperating 2 Hours After The Operation

Image credits: ZarahCurlyfries

#38 Our First Cat Since We Moved Together. We Adopted Nati. She Is Very Sweet

Image credits: Lamboronald

#39 Any Idea What Kind Of Cat I Just Adopted?

Image credits: pedrowyatt

#40 Look Who We Adopted!!!

Image credits: DevByDany

#41 Getting Adopted Is Hard Work!

Image credits: BanditKnightSlave

#42 This Guy Escaped The Dog Shelter Few Days Ago Just Before His New Family Adopted Him. He Was Finally Found

Image credits: soulkeyy

#43 Adopted The Goodest Girl On Friday