36 Photos That Will Make You Believe In Love Again (2025)

Two things will always choke me up when I come across them on the internet: Pets reuniting with their humans who were serving in the armed forces, and pets who look SO sad at shelters and then SO safe and comfortable in their forever homes. Because it would be embarrassing to explain to IT that my laptop got water damage from all the tears I shed watching reunion videos of service members and their dogs, here's the latter. I welled up, but kept it together for these 36 photos: 1. These two photos taken an hour apart that show just what a little change of scenery can do. 2. This transformation from a kitty with "not much time left" to a kitty that spent its final four (!) years of its life in a better home. 3. This deflated soul that turned into an upright-standing happy goof when it got adopted. 4. This little furball that looks like it's finally experiencing comfort for the first time. 5. This frown that quite literally got turned upside down. 6. This shiba whose worrying eyebrows were no more once they found a new family. 7. This absolute ham you can TELL is so excited head pets are on tap now. 8. This lil' lady who finally had a reason to perk her ears up after getting scooped out of a kill shelter. 9. This lonely lad who is probably so happy they have all the blankets in the world now. 10. This purrfect bean, whose entire character arc from shelter to home can be seen in just her eyes. 11. This handsome hairball who had to learn to trust again, but it was totally worth it. 12. This success story that shows just how far a little love can go. 13. This kennel-bound boy, who came to the shelter so injured, they didn't know he would make it, and is now thriving and rolling in all the patches of leaves he can find. 14. This sweet cyclops who was able to get medical attention and a little eye patch. Photographic proof: 15. This feral kitten turned family member who reminds me so much of my cat, I can't help but well up looking at her. 16. This little angel who is finally able to relax poolside. 17. This darling who was in desperate need of medical attention and TLC, but then someone got there just in time. 18. This kitty who is now able to rest easy. 19. This sweetie who was finally able to eat a good meal and get a good brush. 20. This beta fish, who honestly looks like it's on death's door when a guardian biped came along. 21. This kitty who miraculously made a full recovery. 22. This dog showing what a difference a year makes. 23. This kitty who can tell you their mood in both images just by body language. 24. This gentleman, scared in a corner, who was given a new human and a new bowtie and now has a glimmer in his eyes. 25. This little kitty who went from sitting on a hard sterile shelf to a warm comfy bed because he was adopted. 26. This sweet pup who got a new leash on life after finding a loving owner. 27. This dog who was abandoned in the snow to guard a shuttered factory, but was then taken in to a nice warm foster. 28. This astute guy named Ricky who went from a pound pup to a tie-wearing fluffball. 29. This dude who was given back to the shelter for destructive chewing, but when another owner gave him a shot, he didn't chew anything and was just a big bucket of love. 30. This dog who was picked up with a collar ingrown to their neck, and now takes walks with their compassionate new human with a harness instead. 31. This puppy, who, after being found in a school parking lot, was guided to a new home to make a full recovery. 32. This little cutie I can feel taking the biggest sigh of relief between these two pictures. 33. This wumble bumble (a scientific term), who had a tough start, but eventually found their footing. 34. This adorable rescue from the kitten mill that was given a brand new set of lives. 35. This void whose eyes at the shelter look worried and sad, then after adoption, look like "Excuse me, this is my seat. Go sit somewhere else." Typical cat behavior! 36. Finally, this dumpling who was brought to the shelter to be euthanized, but then found someone ready to nurse them back to health. A real second chance! I know you have the photos. My dog, Apollo, reached his hand under the metal bars at the shelter to me AND HE KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. Fourteen years later, he's my very best friend! Show us pictures of your pet at the shelter vs. now in the comments below! Here's Apollo: