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Annie was adopted twice and returned twice. Her third home, with adopter Priscilla Beasley, is the one that stuck. It came after foster stays, patient staff work and a volunteer who gave her a long weekend that turned into much longer. Best Friends Animal Society told her story on June 16, 2025 in its “Faces of No-Kill” series.
Who Annie is and how she got to Best Friends
Annie was three years old when she arrived at the Best Friends Pet Resource Center in Bentonville, Arkansas. She came from another shelter, which made room there for other pets in need.
Why two adoptions didn’t work
According to Best Friends, Annie was adopted twice and brought back both times. The story names three behaviors that didn’t mesh with those homes:
- Loud barking
- Pulling on the leash
- Going to the bathroom indoors
The story treats these as a mismatch between Annie and those households. It doesn’t treat them as a verdict on her. That framing is the point of the piece.
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- BASED ON REAL, ADOPTED PETS: Each Shelter Pet is based on a pet that was adopted through shelters around the USA, with their stories on the Shelter Pets website along with photos of the real-life pets that each Shelter Pet is modeled after.
- BENEFITS LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTERS: For every Shelter Pet sold, 10% of net sales will be donated back to the shelter they were adopted from. We hope to raise awareness for animal shelters across the USA through Shelter Pets.
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- SUBMIT YOUR OWN ADOPTED PET: Each series of Shelter Pets will be based on real, adopted pets from all over the country. We will open up submissions for your own pets to be a part of future series of Shelter Pets on our website, and help spread the word about animal adoption while raising money for your local shelters.
- HIGH QUALITY, ADORABLE PLUSH: Shelter Pets are made from the highest quality materials so that they are soft and cuddly when they arrive on your doorstep. Every Shelter Pet features soft velboa fabric and is stuffed at just the right level for perfect cuddling! The attached hangtag features information on each Shelter Pet along with our website to read more about each pet as well as pictures of their real-life companion!
What changed: time, fosters and information
Staff spent extra time working with Annie, and she had several foster stays. Those stays let the team learn more about her personality and how best to support her, which a kennel setting may not show as well.
Heather Dark’s long weekend
Foster volunteer Heather Dark took Annie for what was meant to be a long weekend. She then offered to keep fostering her until she was adopted. According to the story, Dark did three things:
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- She helped Annie build confidence on walks, where meeting other dogs had been hard.
- She gave Annie chances to meet people, which Annie enjoyed.
- She used puzzle toys to keep Annie’s mind busy. The story names no brand or model.
Annie was also on a diet, and the story says she liked broccoli as a low-calorie snack. That is a detail about Annie, not feeding advice for other dogs.
The adoption that stuck
Priscilla Beasley adopted Annie. Her household includes two children and a cat. Beasley kept up the training Dark had begun, and Annie kept progressing, especially in how she interacts with other animals.
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- BASED ON REAL, ADOPTED PETS: Each Shelter Pet is based on a pet that was adopted through shelters around the USA, with their stories on the Shelter Pets website along with photos of the real-life pets that each Shelter Pet is modeled after.
- BENEFITS LOCAL ANIMAL SHELTERS: For every Shelter Pet sold, 10% of net sales will be donated back to the shelter they were adopted from (about 75% of profit). We hope to raise awareness for animal shelters across the USA through Shelter Pets.
- COLLECT THEM ALL: Shelter Pets feature adorable plush animals from shelters all over the United States including eight dogs, four cats, a fox, a horse, a raccoon, a bunny, and rat. Each Shelter Pet has their own unique story about being adopted, how they impacted their families, and why adopting pets is such a great event for both the pets and their human families.
- SUBMIT YOUR OWN ADOPTED PET: Each series of Shelter Pets will be based on real, adopted pets from all over the country. We will open up submissions for your own pets to be a part of future series of Shelter Pets on our website, and help spread the word about animal adoption while raising money for your local shelters.
- HIGH QUALITY, ADORABLE PLUSH: Shelter Pets are made from the highest quality materials so that they are soft and cuddly when they arrive on your doorstep. Every Shelter Pet features soft velboa fabric and is stuffed at just the right level for perfect cuddling! The attached hangtag features information on each Shelter Pet along with our website to read more about each pet as well as pictures of their real-life companion!
What Annie’s story shows
- Returns don’t define a dog. In this account, more support and more knowledge of Annie made the difference.
- Foster homes give dogs practice at home life and give caregivers a chance to learn what each dog needs.
- Enrichment, such as puzzle toys, was one tool used to occupy Annie’s mind.
- The support carried across both foster and permanent homes.
This is one dog’s experience. It isn’t a formula for treating barking, leash pulling or house-training problems in every dog. Dogs with persistent behavior issues are best helped by a shelter’s behavior team or a qualified trainer.
What “no-kill” means here
Best Friends defines no-kill as saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, while accounting for community safety and pets’ quality of life. That is the organization’s own definition, not a universal standard. Its copy adds: “No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.”
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The story says that hundreds of thousands of pets were killed in shelters “last year,” but it gives no figure, year or data source, so that claim can’t be checked here.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How people can help pets like Annie
Best Friends points readers to three ways to help: foster a pet, adopt a pet, and advocate for homeless animals. Annie’s story shows how the first two connect. A foster home gave her time, and an adopter finished the work. You can also use Best Friends’ “Is your community no-kill?” tool or search for adoptable pets near you.
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