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Surely you’ve seen the 2007 Sarah McLachlan SPCA commercial – warning: may cause you to hold your cat and uncontrollably sob. But, once you stopped crying, did you go out to adopt a pet? Apparently, many people did – those ads raised over $30 million for the ASPCA + the amount of animals entering shelters has decreased from 7.2 million in 2011 to 6.5 million.

While progress has been made in finding shelter animals homes, there are still 6.5 million companion animals entering shelters each year.

For National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day today, we’ve matched up personality/lifestyle traits with pets from 12 local shelters – so you can find your ideal 4-legged friend, or add to your growing fur-amily. 👣🐾 Find your personality, then meet your perfect pet. (Make sure you’re ready to start a relationship by reading this first.)

If you’re not in a position to adopt a pet at this time, you can:

• Give to 23 animal nonprofits online during Midlands Gives tomorrow, when they’ll get an extra boost from your philanthropy (or schedule your donation today)
• Foster a pet
• Volunteer at one of the shelters (click the button for a list)
• Donate supplies to shelters (Columbia Animal Services needs a bunch)
• Share these pets with someone who might be their purr-fect match

Find your personality, then meet your perfect pet.

(Make sure you’re ready to start a relationship by reading this first.)

For the:

Multi-animal household

Your pet is: Chester

🐶 9 years old | male | golden-colored Retriever mix (medium coat) | large dog (~50 lbs) | $80

📍 Fairfield County Animal Adoption Center | see all pets

Chester is a “very sweet boy simply wanting your attention” and he’s good with other dogs. Don’t you want to add him to your growing family?

Single gal in the city

Your pet is: Candice

🐱 young | female | domestic medium hair & Tortoiseshell mix (medium coat) | $100

📍 Animal Protection League of SC (APL) | see all pets

Candice adjusts well to change – good for someone who’s living in an apartment and may move around a bit before settling down. She loves human companionship but can also entertain herself with toys while you’re at work or school. She’s “full-figured” but super playful (YGG) and is good around other cats (and would probably do well with children + dogs, too).

Retired grandparent

Your pet is: Adeline

🐶 8 years old | female | Beagle | medium dog | $200

📍 Heartworm Project | see all pets

Adeline has a slightly bad knee – but it doesn’t slow her down (maybe like you?); just no stairs, please. She is super sweet + cuddly and needs a friend to take her on walks to help her lose ~10 pounds – but she loves being outside, so strolls with her will be easy (and good for both of you). She also gets along well with other dogs + cats.

Parent ready to teach responsibility

Your pet is: Raider

🐶 adult | male | white, black + brown Hound mix

📍 Orangeburg SPCA | see all pets

Raider is leash-trained + house-trained, and good with kids – so perhaps it’s time to train your kids on responsibilities like daily walks, scheduled playtime, feeding and cleanup for their new furry brother.

Couch potato (no judgment)

Your pet is: Angel

🐱 5 years old | male | white/grey domestic shorthair/mix | small cat | $80

📍 Pawmetto Lifeline | see all dogs | see all cats

Angel is super friendly and loves to just hang out, cuddle and watch TV. Our kind of girl. She can entertain herself, too – but mostly loves to chill + relax. She gets along well with other cats.

Introvert

Your pet is: Gus

🐶 5 years | red American Staffordshire Terrier/Hound mix (short coat) | large dog | $150

📍 Cullen’s Archangel Rescue, Inc. | see all pets

Gus is a lover, looking for a family to snuggle with for life. He won’t at all mind if you want to stay home and have ~me and Gus~ time.

Couple looking for a pair

Your pets are: Godiva + Mathilda

🐶 females / Godiva: ~2-year-old Chocolate Lab mix / Mathilda: ~4-year-old Blue Heeler-Australian Cattle Dog mix

📍Columbia Animal Services | see all pets

Godiva & Mathilda are a bonded pair looking for a home together. These sisters are really cute.

Gamecock fan

Your pet is: Cocky

🐶 adult | male | white Terrier/Bully mix | $150-250

📍 PETSinc | see all dogs | see all cats

Cocky needs a big yard to play in and lots of love (his last adopted family returned him because they didn’t have enough space). Wouldn’t he look handsome in a Gamecock jersey?

Newlyweds

Your pet is: Triumph

🐶 7 months old | male | Tan and white Lab/German Shepherd mix | $20

📍 Lexington County Animal Services | see all pets

Triumph is still a puppy so you two can have the opportunity of raising him together in your new home, teaching him a life of love and maybe some tricks, too. Plus, the shelter is running a $20 adoption special today, so you don’t have to break the bank after that honeymoon in Jamaica.

Looking for a unique breed

Your pet is: Mya

🐶 3 years old | female | tan Shiba Inu/Chihuahua mix (short coat) | small dog | $175

📍 Homeward Bound Pet Rescue | see all pets

Mya almost looks like a fox with her Shiba Inu features. Such wow, much gorgeous, so adopt.

Family with young kids

Your pet is: Bogey

🐶 adult | male | black and white Hound mix | large dog | $150

📍 Wescott Acres Pet Rescue | see all pets

Bogey is a “perfect family pet for young kids to play with” – he loves children and gets along with all people + pets. He loves fetch, has good house manners + knows a few tricks, too. He’s a hole-in-one for a young family.

Lake Murray regular

Your pet is: Kobe

🐶adult | male | brown and white Labrador Retriever/Australian Kelpie mix | medium dog | $180

📍SQ Rescue Inc. | see all pets

Meet your new boating or Riverwalking buddy – Kobe loves to swim. He’s extremely friendly + loving and gets along well with other dogs + children (but can be a bit too exuberant for smaller ones). He would prefer no cat siblings.

Some local shelters don’t have their pets online, but you can contact them to come see their pets:

FIDO Dog Rescue

Midlands Kitten Rescue

And some local organizations don’t have shelters, but support animal adoption at local shelters – and need resources like donations + volunteers:

The Humane Society → adopt pets through local organizations or Petfinder

The Animal Mission → adopt pets through Columbia Animal Services

City of Cayce Animal Service → adopt pets through Lexington County Animal Services

Richland County Animal Care → adopt pets through Columbia Animal Services

See more animal rescues + shelters in the Midlands here + here.

We’re big fans of animal adoption here at COLAtoday. Sam is passionate about pit bulls, and adopted her dog Mako at South of the Bully Rescue. I found my cat, Annie, in the parking lot of 701 Whaley when she was 6 weeks old, and now I couldn’t imagine my life without her.

Animals are great like that – sometimes you find each other at the exact perfect moment. Could this be the perfect moment for one of these animals + you?

If you’re ready, I encourage you to adopt (don’t shop) a new friend. (Then get them fixed as soon as they’re old enough.) It’ll change your life – and probably save theirs.

And if I’ve convinced you and you end up adopting one of these little babes, let me know.

–Chloe