Josh and Annie Gaffney had been married for six months when they decided it was time to add to their family.

On Friday, Sept. 9, they adopted a 5-month-old pointer mix from Best Friends Animal Society. Now Josh was looking for a big dog while Annie was drawn to smaller dogs. So they compromised and settled on a medium-sized dog. They named him Duke and it turns out he was a perfect fit. He’s already settling into his new home, chewing on bones, playing with toys and learning the finer points of the game of Frisbee.

Duke has found his forever home with Josh and Annie Gaffney 

“He likes to chase it, but he doesn’t know how to catch it and bring it back,” Josh says.

Practice, practice, practice.

Duke was just one of 249 dogs and 114 cats who found homes of their own at No More Homeless Pets in Utah’s Fall Pet Super Adoption, a three-day weekend event at PetSmart in Salt Lake City that wrapped up Sunday, Sept. 11. Some 19 Utah shelters and rescue groups brought animals to the event.

“I’m really happy that we were able to host another successful Super Adoption event,” says Danielle Slaughter, fundraising and events specialist for No More Homeless Pets in Utah, a program of Best Friends Animal Society. “Knowing that more than 350 pets are now in loving homes is the best reward of all.”

Two of those pets were 4-month-old brothers Jake, a black and white tuxedo cat, and Chase, a sleek, solid black feline. The kittens had come a long way since being caught in a trap/neuter/return project last June. Lezlee Beckstead, a volunteer for both No More Homeless Pets in Utah and the Community Animal Welfare Society, a No More Homeless Pets Network partner, took the two kittens under her wing, nurturing the delicate duo back to health, socializing them and giving them plenty of TLC. All that hard work paid off on Saturday when they went home with Jessica Warbington of West Valley City, Utah. Jessica, who had grown up with animals, says she promised herself that when she got settled in a home of her own, that she would adopt a pet. On Saturday, she adopted Jake and Chase from CAWS, and she got two for the price of one, thanks to a Best Friends Back in Black promotion. Read more about Best Friends’ Back in Black campaign.

Jake and Chase (above) found a home together thanks to the Back in Black promotion

It filled Lezlee’s heart with joy to see Jake and Chase find a home of their own. But at the same time, saying goodbye tugged at her heartstrings just a little.

“It was so hard to see these boys go, especially when I got so attached to them” Lezlee says. “But when they got their forever home, it was truly a reward.”

Super adoptions like last weekend’s wouldn’t be possible without the help of volunteers like Lezlee. Danielle says between 400 and 500 volunteers helped out in one way or another with this year’s No More Homeless Pets in Utah Fall Pet Super Adoption.

A home for Stanley
Stanley was one of 10 puppies who came to Salt Lake County Animal Services from a shelter in southern Utah. On Friday, the 9-week-old border collie-Labrador mix went home with Vanessa and Chad Corbin. Vanessa and Chad figured he’d be the perfect addition to their family, which includes another border collie-Labrador mix named Scout and a blue heeler mix named Gracie. When Stanley hopped up against the screen of his kennel at the adoption event when Vanessa and Chad came by, “We knew he was exactly who we were looking for,” Vanessa says.

Stanley is one lucky pup in the arms of Vanessa and Chad Corbin

“We knew we wanted a black dog and we wanted a border collie mix, so he was just perfect,” she says.

That’s one of the wonderful things about super adoptions — there’s a dog or cat there for just about everyone. Super adoptions like these are an important tool in bringing us closer to a time of No More Homeless Pets. Not only do they bring many people and animals together in one place, but potential adopters get to interact with the animals outside a shelter setting.

Danielle says super adoptions “are a great opportunity for people to meet hundreds of wonderful dogs and cats at one time. There’s no better venue for these animals to be seen and hopefully find loving homes.”

Sadie, now named Febe, is one of those lucky animals. Meghan DeGemmis and Dan Soria adopted the sheltie-collie mix from Salt Lake County Animal Services on Friday.

“I fell in love with her,” Meghan says. “She’s so sweet. She’s very calm and just goes with the flow. She just kind of fits in.”

As for Stanley, he’s also fitting right into his new home, too.

“He’s doing great,” Vanessa says. “He hasn’t missed a beat.”

Second chances
Poor Stella was abandoned in a home last February when her people divorced and went their separate ways, leaving her behind. A realtor found her and took her to the South Salt Lake Animal Services. On Saturday, Stella got a brand new home with David Lloyd and Stephanie Weeks.

David says it was the 2-year-old pit-bull terrier mix’s caring, soulful eyes that drew them to her.

“We fell in love with her right there,” David says.

It was love at first sight for Stella, now renamed June

Stella got a new home and a new name — June. She’s fitting in just fine with the family, which also includes an Australian shepherd-Labrador mix named Brutus and a cat named Diva, who lives up to her name. There was a brief boxing match between Diva and June and “June learned who was boss real quick,” David says.

“She fits in fantastically,” David says. “She’s great. She made herself right at home. She likes to play with tennis balls and rope toys and she loves to sleep in our bed.”

David recommends that everyone looking for a pet consider adoption.

“There are so many pets who need homes,” David says. “Love goes a long way with animals.”

Shelters and rescues can always use more volunteers. Check out the volunteer opportunities at the shelters and rescues in your community.

Read more about Best Friends No More Homeless Pets Network partners.

Read more about No More Homeless Pets in Utah.

Photos by Melissa Lipani and courtesy of Lezlee Beckstead