Happy Tails
The happiest part of our work is seeing the love between people and their pets, and knowing a pet has made it home. "Happy Tails" is where we try to share that feeling, because these "tails" wouldn't have happy endings without you. Whether you're an adopter, donor, volunteer, sponsor, social media follower, or friend, thank you for helping to put smiles on faces.
Please enjoy photos of adopted dogs, cats, and small animals, happy in their homes, as well as the profile photos of pets who have recently been adopted. Thank you for being a part of our pet-loving community.
If you've adopted from CCHS and would like to tell us about how your cat, dog, or critter is doing, we would love to hear your own "happy tail"! Whether you adopted one week or one decade ago, your pet is an important part of your story, and ours.
Share an adoption update with our team, and we may publish it here, on social media, or in newsletters. We may also post them in the shelter, or as updates for our staff and volunteers. We're looking forward to seeing our friends again, happy at home (and we know you have the pictures to prove it!).
Also Known As...
So many of us have nicknames and, well, pet names, for our pets! So, when we get updates about our adopted friends, we always ask their family to share any of the other loving names they have! Here are some of our favorite recent answers:
Calliope
AKA "Miss Ma'am"
Riggs
AKA "Silly Butt"
Persephone
AKA "Shrinky Dink"
S'mores
It's been barely more than a year since this bright-eyed bunny was brought home to his family. While he may have started off a little shy, he’s quickly grown more comfortable in his space, exploring his surroundings and enjoying the simple pleasures of bunny life.
With a wonderful new family and plenty of cozy spots to relax and hop around, S'mores has fully adjusted to his new environment and become an integral member of the family. We're thrilled to see him settling into a life that's just as sweet as his name!
4 Months & 4 Thriving Kitties
We're excited to share some heartwarming updates on 4 of our cats who have been in their loving new homes for four months now:
Acai
Four months into her new home, Acai has fully embraced her role as her new family's very own one-woman show. Described as "the perfect ball of chaos," she brings nonstop energy, curiosity, and thrill to her new parents each and every day. Whether she's helping fold (or unfold) the laundry, or excitedly exploring the multitude of nooks and crannies her new house has to offer, it is abundantly clear that Acai is right where she belongs. Her confidence and comfort show just how well she’s adjusted, and it’s evident she’s exactly where she belongs—bringing joy, laughter, and a little bit of chaos in the best possible way.
Kuko
This cuddly cat has settled into her new life effortlessly—and claimed her spot on the couch even faster. Though she’s only been home for four months, Kuko has settled in seamlessly, her gentle and affectionate nature making the transition an easy and enjoyable one. Described as a "sweet baby," this cuddlebug is being pampered and adored like the queen she is. Kuko’s calm presence and loving personality have made her a truly cherished member of the family. Whether she’s curled up for a cozy night or simply enjoying quiet moments, it’s clear she’s found exactly where she belongs.
Misty
Misty's transition into her new home has been truly heartwarming. In just a short time, she's formed an unbreakable bond with her new feline sibling. Her adopter was happy to share that the two cats play together every single day, and that Misty's adaptability and friendly nature have made her the perfect addition. She’s thriving in her new home, surrounded by love, play, and companionship—exactly what every cat deserves.
Eddy
Eddy, also known as Edwin, was adopted as a tiny kitten and has grown considerably since. This spunky, fiery little guy has brightened up the lives of not only the kind hearts who adopted him, but also that of his new sister Mochi! His affectionate and playful nature made their bond almost instant, and the two have been inseperable ever since. But it wouldn't be a post about Eddy without mentioning the passion he's acquired for a certain household object:
"His favorite things are straws! He steals them from any cup, no matter the size!"
It's incredible to see how all four of these cats have blossomed in their new homes in just four months. From chaotic, playful furballs to calm, affectionate cuddlers, their stories inspire us to ensure every pet finds a place where they truly belong. We’re so grateful to their adopters for giving them the care and happiness they deserve, and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for each of them!
Sawyer & Roo
Although these two best friends were adopted long ago, they and their families continue to be supporters of CCHS. They recently checked in to say, "We adopted Sawyer and Roo about 11 years ago. They are having a happy and loving life," and we just had to share their adorable smiles and unbreakable bond with you all.
Roo and Sawyer did not arrive at the shelter together, but it seems they were destined to go to the same home. "It was fate that we came and rescued [Roo] when we did! She is the sweetest pit bull ever! Sawyer was a rowdy puppy and he continues to be full of life today! Both have been a joy for all who have known them."
Oliver Aang
About six months ago we shared the story of Stitch, a guinea pig who had a very loving home until he passed. It wasn't long before his family brought another CCHS alum, Oliver Aang, into their lives. We were so happy that Oliver Aang made it home with people who would give him so much love (and luxury!). So, when we heard from them about how he's been doing, we were unsurprised (and very happy) to hear he's moved into his very own "guinea pig mansion."
"He's doing well. He has a friend now called Taffy, who I adopted from Bloomington. They're sharing a gigantic guinea pig mansion right now... Currently, Oliver and Taffy live together in mostly harmony, in a gigantic 30 sq ft mansion made from interconnected cages. It was a rocky start, but they have a lot of shared interests."
One of those shared interests was a miniature Oliver toy that went home with him from CCHS, unfortunately, and it had to be removed from play. We hope he'll be able to be reunited with his "mini me"! As you can see, from the photos the family shared... they're very cute together.
Small animals have their own personalities (and big opinions!), so it was heartwarming to hear Oliver's family talk about his likes, dislikes, and attitude so thoroughly. They shared, "He has a very different personality from his predecessor [Stitch]. Oliver is a homebody who likes to drag his pellet bowl under his blanket so he can eat in bed. He also likes to knock the bowl over and spill it, so he can eat the pellets without needing to crane his neck into the bowl-too much effort!" They really know and care for him, as well as his new brother Taffy, and CCHS is grateful to have such animal lovers as friends.
Thor
An update from Thor's new family:
"Hello!
We adopted Thor in February, and I just wanted to give an update - we love him so much. ❤️
Thor is an amazing dog, and has adapted super well. He’s getting along great with our cat and is a total “Velcro-dog” to us. He has no idea how big he is and will climb all over us but that’s perfectly fine. 🤣
He loves:
- fetch
- toys
- bully sticks
- watching tv, and
- cuddling as much as possible
We have a large fenced in backyard and his zoomies go crazy out there!
We took him to our vet this past week and they said he’s a healthy dog with a “runners heart”!
Thank you for taking care of him until we found our way to him. We are so happy to have him in our family and the process with CCHS was smooth and wonderful.
Thank you,
Thor 🐶 and his new family"
Thank YOU for bringing Thor home!
Morrigan (Tortellini)
This proper young lady is Morrigan (formerly known as "Tortellini"). We were delighted to see this update from her new family:
"When we initially came in to adopt we were hesitant to get another female cat as we already had 2 in the house who sometimes don't get along, but Morrigan has put all of our concerns at ease. She gets along with all the cats and dogs, and even regularly plays with one of the other females in the house...She's a fearless explorer but also socially astute (she's smart enough to give the more temperamental cat her necessary space) and exudes a happy, playful energy all the time."
We're glad you made it home, Morrigan!
Rudi
Not every transition home is seamless! Animals have minds and preferences of their own, and there can be a learning period as they acclimate to their new lives.
That was the case with Rudi! There was already a cat in the home, and it took some time for them to get friendly. Now, both are happy hanging out, and enjoy watching all the household goings on together.
We are so grateful to this family, for giving Rudi and their other cat all the patience and space they needed to settle in comfortably. Thank you for adopting!
Want to see more pets at home? We'll update this page periodically, with new photos and stories. You can also catch an occasional "happy tail" on our Facebook or Instagram.
Plus, our monthly donors receive even more happy dogs, cats, or critters to their inboxes every month, to thank them for their support!
!Notes about Happy Tails Formatting!
This section is not visible on the page and is for our reference only. Each pet's feature should have a different layout, to keep visual interest on the page and so it doesn't appear repetitive. However, the overall formatting of the page should remain consistent, as described below.
On this page, please do not post photos with human faces, !!especially children!!
Here, we refer to the pet owners only as "the family", "the adopters", and "the relinquishers". Keep it plural, even if the adopter reached out as a single. Please don't use names.
Videos can be added by uploading them to Canva and embedding them with an iframe. Please ensure you either mute the audio, or listen to it thoroughly, all the way through, to ensure there is no revealing information, swearing, inflammatory opinions, etc. from any humans present.
Lines should be added before every pet name. Do not end the page with a line.
Paragraph Element. Style is Large Text (underlined)
Photos and text about the pet's story, in any grid or layout you think looks good. In terms of formatting, try to switch it up visually, story to story.
If the pet was renamed, the title of the section should be "Current Name (Shelter Name)". In the copy, the first time they're named write it as: "Name at Home" ("Name at shelter" at the shelter) or (here he was called "Name at Shelter"), etc, and then moving forward, only refer to them by their new name. If quoting a volunteer or staff favorite write up that uses the shelter name, replace it with "[Name at Home]". If quoting the family do not refer to the pet by their shelter name, even if it's the first mention of their name in the text. UNLESS you are directly quoting the family
For example:
Penny (Mrs. Lincoln)
Penny ("Mrs. Lincoln" at the shelter) was a volunteer favorite. Here's what Volunteer had to say about her: "I always look forward to coming to see [Penny] during my shifts!" At the shelter, Penny loved playing with her mouse toys, and she still does. Her adopters said "We loved Mrs. Lincoln immediately and couldn't wait to get her home. We call her Penny now..." etc
If the story features multiple pets, it should also include the shelter names (when applicable), and should not use an ampersand.
For example:
The bottom space should be at least 30 px