Happy Tails &
Homeward Bound
Featured Happy Tails
To a shelter animal, there is nothing better than finding forever, and behind every forever, is an amazing story. We hope you enjoy these “happy tails” as much as we do.
Albert
Albert’s journey is a reminder that sometimes the best things truly are worth the wait.
Albert arrived at the shelter in December 2023 and waited patiently month after month, with no applications, just hope. And then, finally, his perfect match came along.
Now part of a loving home, Albert (affectionately renamed Wyatt Earp, a nod to his new family’s initials) is thriving. His family reports that he’s doing incredibly well. He walks politely right by their side with no pulling and their daily walks together have quickly become a source of healing and happiness for everyone involved.
Albert has also made it very clear how he feels about his new family with daily “free face washes,” endless affection, and plenty of kisses. As the weather warms up, he’ll be heading to the dog park to make new friends and enjoy even more adventures.
After waiting so long, Albert didn’t just find a home, he found the right one. Thank you to his adopters for choosing him and giving him the life he so deeply deserved.
Astro + Jett
Bonded Brothers
Some happy endings are twice as sweet, and this is one of them.
These bonded brothers arrived at the shelter as puppies in December 2024 and grew up side by side, forming a deep connection that only siblings can share. While bonded pairs are often overlooked and rarely adopted together, these two waited patiently, hoping for a family willing to open their hearts to both of them.
And then, the perfect family said yes.
Now in their forever home, the brothers are thriving. Their adopters shared that they are incredibly sweet and picked up “sit” and coming when called very quickly—proof of just how smart (and eager) they are. They’re fully embracing life outside the shelter, excited to explore everything new… especially when food is involved!
True to bonded-pair fashion, they clearly believe they are the same dog. Despite having completely different personalities, if one brother does something, the other assumes the job is already done—cue lots of laughs and double the charm. As their family put it: “Oh, my brother’s already doing it—kudos to us!”
Seeing these two stay together and grow into happy, confident dogs is a powerful reminder that sometimes the right home is worth waiting for. Thank you to their adopters for keeping this special bond intact and giving both boys the future they deserved—together.
Hilo + Kona
It took a little time, but Hilo and Kona landed in just the right home, and together! Tears of joy all around the shelter! Here is the update:
I wanted to share a quick update on Hilo and Kona as we’ve had them for about a month now. They’ve been settling in wonderfully, and we couldn’t be happier.
They’ve become our adventure buddies, and we’ve already had so many fun outdoor excursions together. They especially love playing fetch, and it’s been such a joy to see their personalities shine.
We’re so grateful to you for giving us the opportunity to adopt these two dogs—they’ve brought so much happiness to our home. Wishing you all a very happy holiday season and continued success with your incredible work!
Warm regards,
Ellysse & Andrew
The Perrrfect Pintler Family
We’ve been adopting shelter cats for over 20 years, and got our first cat from Pintler Pets in 2012. When another of our cats passed away, we had an “opening” in our home (we always have four rescue cats). Looking on the internet, I saw this black cat who had come into Pintler as an adult — and been there for five years. That seemed so sad! Having volunteered for many years in a shelter in another state, I knew that older cats, and black cats, often have a hard time finding new homes. And, I was so touched and impressed that Pintler had kept Sidney for so long, never giving up hope that someone would want him. We phoned Pintler and said we were coming to take Sidney home…and ever since then, our Pintler Pets family has continued to grow.
- Helen & Richard Rietz
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Sidney was the first of our cats to be adopted from Pintler Pets. In 2012, when another of our cats passed away, we had an “opening” in our home (we always have four rescue cats). Looking on the internet, I saw this black cat who had come into Pintler as an adult — and been there for five years. That seemed so sad! Having volunteered for many years in a shelter in another state, I knew that older cats, and black cats, often have a hard time finding new homes. And, I was so touched and impressed that Pintler had kept Sidney for so long, never giving up hope that someone would want him. We phoned Pintler and said we were coming to take Sidney home.
After years in the shelter, he had a hard time adjusting at first. So we simply left him alone. We made sure he had access to food, water, and a litter box, and let him stay in his “hidey hole” until he began to feel comfortable. Slowly, he started to emerge, venturing room by room until he joined the family.
Sidney bonded really well with our other cats. Often they would sleep together, one solid puddle of fur. Sidney had the longest, softest fur imaginable. He was gentle and quiet, with a soft purr you had to lean in to hear. Sidney also got comfortable with my husband and me, and gradually even claimed his place on the bed at night, where all our cats sleep at our feet.
Sadly, he was with us only a bit over two years before we lost him. Although that was hard, we like to think that Sidney’s last years were his best, and he spent them in a home where he was loved and very much part of the family
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Silas was our second cat adopted from Pintler Pets, in 2014. We had asked the staff to introduce us to cats who especially needed a home, and met several. Silas was of those. He was eight years old at the time, had belonged to a single woman who had died, and was unwanted by her family, who suggested he be put to sleep. Pintler staff refused and offered him for adoption. He’d been there many months, though, because he was mature, black, big, and very shy. At the shelter, he sat on my lap, but immediately ran to hide when other cats also jumped up to meet me. We decided to give him a chance.
Silas quickly got along OK with our other cats, but in truth he bonded to me. He has became my shadow, quietly following me and simply sitting and watching me whatever I am doing. He is still shy with strangers, and usually hides when anyone comes to visit, but when we are home alone, he is seldom far from me, purring quietly.
This is one big kitty. Silas was 20 pounds at one time, but now has “slimmed down” to 16 pounds. His coat is luxurious and his eyes bright and clear. Now almost 17 years old, he is beginning to be troubled by arthritis, so we have kitty stairs that help him climb up onto the bed or his favorite bench. He loves sitting in our bay windows and watching birds outside, or sitting on my lap when I read in the evening.
Silas is truly one of the overlooked gems we have found over the years at Pintler Pets.
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Dustin was 4 years old when we adopted him from Pintler Pets in 2015. We know his age exactly because he had been raised as a kitten by a family with a small child, and for some reason they now longer wanted him.
It’s a good thing for Dustin he was taken to a shelter! Dustin is sweet, handsome, funny — and has absolutely no survival skills. Here with us, he is always at risk of getting locked into a closet, sometimes oversleeps and misses a meal, and has been known to forget where his food bowl is located. When we play with him, he never seems to catch the “cat dancer” or tackle the toy. He’d never make it as a mouser. He just seems to be absent minded, or maybe absorbed in his own world.
He is also one of the most sociable cats we’ve ever had. Whoever comes to our home — a guest, a pet sitter, or a workman — will find Dustin is their new best friend. He just assumes everyone will love him, and they do. With us, Dustin is always there, always wants to be on a lap or beside us when we work on a computer. He “talks” with his own extensive vocabulary of sounds, some of which we’ve learned have special meanings.
Dustin is now about 11, as healthy and handsome as ever, and likely to be with us for a while. His role is, and will be, greeting everyone, including new cats who come to join our family.
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“From Urchin to Princess” is the way we think about Tabitha’s life. When we adopted her in 2015, the staff at Pintler told us that Tabitha, then about 10 years old, had been left in a cardboard box on a street corner in Anaconda. A kind woman found the box and brought her to the shelter, where it took nearly three weeks to comb out all the mats in her fur. She was a tiny little thing, and a Manx (a breed born without a tail).
Once we took her home, she became a princess. Our three other cats, all males and much larger, soon learned that she ruled the roost. She got along well with them, and would even sweetly groom them, as long as they understood she made the rules. Tabitha also made the rules for us. When it was time for dinner, for example, she would find us and tell us in clear kitty words that she was ready for food. If a footstool wasn’t in the right spot so that she could climb into a chair, she would come circle our legs and complain until we fixed that problem. When she wanted to go into a room and the door was closed, she would sit in front of the door, then look over her shoulder as if to say “are you going to open this for me?”
Tiny Tabitha also had the loudest purr we had ever heard, especially when she took a nap. She loved sleeping anywhere warm, which might be a sunny spot on the floor or next to the fireplace. She had no interest in the outside world —the birds in the yard or dogs walking down the street — and was totally focused on watching everyone and everything that happened inside the house. She was especially fascinated by watching me cook dinner at night.
Tabitha charmed and delighted us every day we had her, which was for six years. We lost her suddenly in 2021.
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In 2021 we met a little cat named Zara at Pintler Pets. She had been surrendered along with her sister by a woman who loved them both but simply couldn’t care for them any more. This little kitty won my husband’s heart when she climbed up on a bookshelf and gently head butted him, as if to say “please notice me.” At 9 years old, she seemed like the sort of mature cat we typically adopt. We gave her a new name, “Santosha,” which means “complete contentment”
What a surprise we had in store! As soon as she discovered the wonders of our house, her inner kitten came out. Santosha turned out to be a lively, playful, energetic, and funny bundle of energy. The long hallway became her racing ground as the zoomed up and down it. Toy mice were tossed into the air and pounced on. And the “red dot” from our laser pointer thrilled her — she never gets tired of trying to catch it with her paws. Our other cats stared at her in astonishment. Who IS this new girl?
Once again, we’ve been amazed how well each new cat we bring home finds a way to fit in. Santosha has livened up our feline family, and also become friends with each of them. She’s calmed down a bit in the year we’ve had her so far, but is still so active, amusing, and affectionate. And she still loves nothing more than to butt heads with people, especially my husband. Yes, she’s really his little girl.
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Ready to adopt another cat in 2016, we asked the staff at Pintler Pets “who really needs a home?” They immediately said “Big Boy.” This large, handsome cat had been surrendered several months before by a woman in the final stages of her own terminal illness. Clearly he had been loved and cared for, and was distressed to have been given up for reasons he couldn’t understand. Pining and losing weight, Big Boy had been put into foster care, but was still not thriving.
When we brought him home, he of course hid for a while. He was surprisingly creative in finding what we called his hidey holes, so we had to search the house to find him. Soon though he fully joined the family. Big Boy became one of the most cuddly cats we’d ever had. He especially loved to curl up against my chest and put one paw on each side of my face, gently touching my cheeks while he tickled me with his whiskers.
Big Boy got along well with all our cats, but had a special relationship with Silas, another male cat who was as big as he was. They loved to spar, circling each other, then grabbing one another and tumbling across the rug. It was like a gentle boxing match between two brothers who were teasing each other, exchanging friendly jabs, and it always ended with them curling up together and going to sleep. He also loved Tabitha, our little Manx female. Sitting side by side, they made an odd pair, with huge Big Boy leaning over so that tiny Tabitha could groom the top of his head.
Our time with Big Boy was, sadly, quite short. About 18 months after we adopted him, he was diagnosed with cancer. He went into remission, had another 18 good months with us, and then died peacefully in my arms in 2019. Our three years with him were too short, but very sweet.
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Button was another cat that the Pintler Pets staff steered us toward adopting. A mature cat, Button had come into the shelter as a stray, been given the name “Chuck,” and stayed for months without finding a family that wanted him. He was a staff favorite, but was being overlooked. We took him home in 2019 and changed his name because of that black fur spot “button” on his nose.
Button is a quiet, gentle, sweet cat who wins everyone’s hearts. Many of our friends, even those who aren’t especially “cat people,” adore Button. He’s a wonderful companion who just likes to be there with you, often reaching out a paw to touch your arm or leg, as if to say “isn’t life good.” He watches the world around him, and seems to take everything in stride.
When he went to the vet’s office for his post-adoption checkup, he became a huge favorite with the staff there — which turns out to be fortunate for us all. In 2020 Button developed medical problems — diabetes and then lymphoma. That means insulin injections and oral medications twice a day, and chemo meds every two weeks. Yet to our amazement, Button is handling it all so well and is strong and happy. He’s the perfect little “patient.” He knows when it’s time for his injection, and simply walks into the kitchen to get his shot (and the hugs and cuddles that follow.) And when it’s time to go see the vet, we simply open up his kennel and he hops right in, as though he’s delighted for the outing and looking forward to seeing his friends, the vet technicians.
We love Button especially for the way he accepts and enjoys every moment of the day, whether it is meeting someone new, or sitting with our other cats, or soaking up the sunshine on a windowsill. We hope and believe he will be with us for many years to come.
The Rietz family has been a dedicated Pintler Pets supporter for the past 10 years and have helped fund some major projects!
Learn more about their “why” for being a regular donor, volunteer, and adoption advocate.
Logan + Maze
Logan came to us in November of 2018. We weren’t “looking” for an additional dog but once we saw his sweet face we had to bring him home! We didn’t know much about Logan’s life before the shelter as he was found on the side of the road with no chip or collar. The Pintler team went out of their way to help us adopt Logan and volunteers helped arrange a caravan of caretakers through Montana Animal Transport to drive our sweet Logan to Bismarck, ND where we met the driver and brought him home to Stillwater, MN. He’s been an irreplaceable addition to our family.
Seven months after losing our first shepherd, we started looking for a puppy. After our first adoption, we had begun to keep an eye on Pintler and the animals they care for. It was after a volunteer-organized fundraising event for Pintler earlier this year (March 2021) that we came across “THE” puppy. Again, we filled out the paperwork, called the adoption coordinator, booked our ticket to Montana, and set up a visit as well as an afternoon to spend time walking other rescues who had yet to be adopted. I highly encourage anyone looking to adopt from Pintler to spend an afternoon volunteering with them. In May we brought home our sweet Maze. She is now seven months and has filled our home with laughter and sweet kisses.
We are thankful for two successful adoptions with the help of Rose and the rest of the Pintler volunteers. We will continue to volunteer, share, and support Pintlers ongoing rescue efforts.
- The Deleo Family
Nala
Nala has been an absolute blessing. I was so grateful to see a post on social media about a cute little lab/shepherd mix who needed a home. I had been thinking about getting a second dog for awhile and there was something about Nala that just made me jump at the situation. I adopted her around 6 months old from Pintler Pets and she is now (I think) approaching a year old.
She is such a light in my day, from her zoomies to her cute little happy noises she makes while rolling around on the bed, I have absolutely fallen in love with her. She is such a sweet puppy who constantly reminds me that life is beautiful and if you would just slow down a little and laugh, you may be able to see that too. I’m so grateful to have found her and she’s been a wonderful addition to our family.
- Melissa Hess
More Happy Tails
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Kiara
We adopted Kiara last October. She just turned one, and we wanted to let you know she is living life as a hiking partner, kid entertainer, dog sister, and all around best friend. Thanks for all you do!
-Sarah Laird
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Juniper
A little over 2 years ago on October 31, 2019, I picked up Juniper (formerly known as Gabby) to take her to her forever home. It’s hard to believe it has only been 2 years because it feels like she has been in my life forever. Sometimes I still can’t believe how lucky I am.
Since day 1, Juniper has been my adventure sidekick. We hike together, run together, climb mountains together, and camp together. Her favorite thing in the entire world is snow. She loves sliding in it on her belly. She isn’t a big fan of swimming, but she likes to wade in the water. She LOVES the outdoors, but when it’s time to come inside she wants to get cozy and snuggle. Our adventures have only just begun, and I can’t wait to see what we do next.
Juniper was the missing puzzle piece in my life and I am so incredibly grateful for Pintler Pets for choosing me for her forever home.
Thank you, Pintler Pets!
-Chloé Rose
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Ozzy
This is Ozzy (formally Austin). I love my boy!! He has grown into such a sweet dog. He loves hiking and kayaking with me and is my adventure buddy. I had him DNA tested to see what he was and he has shepherd, border collie, pit bull, cattle dog, and super mutt. I have nicknamed him “Ozzy the super mutt”. Thank you so much for connecting us!!
-Casey Ferguson
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Remi
Thought I’d give you an update! Yesterday was a year since we adopted Remi and we couldn’t imagine life without her! Thank you so much for choosing us to be her family!
-Kayla Nicholson
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Our most inspiring stories come from you, our adopters. Do you have a story you would like to share about your pet adopted from Pintler Pets? Tell us about your adoption experience and how your new four-legged family member impacts your life. Photos highly welcomed and encouraged!
By sharing your story, you just might inspire others to adopt a homeless pet of their own.
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