Meet the “Unadoptable” Rescue Pets of Instagram!
Adopt, don’t shop!
Do you live for rescue pet pics on Instagram? If so, these 10 accounts are ones you need to follow, stat. Rescue pets are the best pets, and every one of these adorable animals has a heartwarming story to tell- their owners overlooked their so called “imperfections” or challenges, and gave them their forever home.
Daisy Underbite was dumped on the streets as a puppy, probably due to her tiny, twisted front legs and paws (a sign of an irresponsible breeder). Today she runs with joy in her sparkly wheelie cart, keeping up with the other dogs in her adopted family and grinning the whole way!
Lazarus was found frozen in a lake, but with a little TLC, the breath of life returned to this cream-colored cat. As an Insta celeb, he likes to spend most of his time napping in unusual places, like the sink or on top of a warm laptop. And remains unafraid of the snow!
When Steve Greig’s beloved dog Wolfgang ran free over the Rainbow Bridge in 2013, he wasn’t sure the hole in his heart could be filled again. But he went to the animal shelter, picked out an “unadoptable” Chihuahua with four bad knees and a heart murmur, and named the old pup Eeyore. Today he has a menagerie of senior dogs and other animals (including a Turkey named Tofu and a pig named Bikini) plus a thriving Instagram page to share the love.
Hamilton the Hipster Cat was living on the streets as part of a feral colony before he was rescued. Typically, feral cats are considered unadoptable, but Hamilton’s rakish ways were tamed, and today the “hansum gennlemun” lives in the lap of luxury. He’s best known for his artful moustache and the glint in his canny green eyes.
Puddin was only one month old when neglect allowed an infection to take both of her eyes. Fortunately, Puddin was rescued and her zest for life is utterly undimmed. She bounds through the photos of her Instagram feed undeterred by lack of sight.
Black cats are notoriously hard to adopt out, due to superstitions. Lizzy lucked out when she was adopted by a video editor named Theo. The rest was movie magic: under her stage name, OwlKitty, this dazzling starlet has been popped into the frame of countless iconic clips, sliding across the floor with an undie-clad Tom Cruise, and cuddling up to chemistry teacher turned meth kingpin Walter White.
We’re up all night to have fun, we’re up all night to get Loki! Wolf hybrids often live out their lives in shelters or are euthanized, as they are too dangerous for the average owner. Loki is a gorgeous malamute/husky mix with a healthy soupcon of wolf a few generations back – and just what Kelly Lund was looking for in a companion. Loki and Kelly enjoy the wild outdoors together and the athletic photog and his wolf hybrid are Insta darlings.
Dogs and cats can’t take all the glory. In 2012, Hurricane Isaac blew this little beauty clean out of her squirrel nest. Fortunately, she was found by her human mom, and Jill was allowed indoors “temporarily, just to recuperate.” Well, it’s been years since then and Jill antics have made her an Insta star!
Pumpkin the raccoon was only a month old when a fall from a tree left her with a broken leg. Today she’s completely mended, but vowed never to give up life with her human mom and two rescue dogs, Oreo and Toffee. Why would she? There’s pizza!
For those who prefer pets of the feathered persuasion, Nigel the hyacinth macaw and his friends fit the bill. Nigel was rescued by animal rehabilitator Michelle, and now she helps him run a parrot aviary store. He and the other eight permanent members of the rescue flock who cannot be returned to the wild help normalize life for foster birds and get them ready for adoption.
Whether you love fur and fuzz or feathers, these Instagram accounts are all worth following. Every one of these rescues has the same message: adopt an “unadoptable” rescue pet, and your life will never be boring!
Written by Grace Alexander