Penny the dog and Buttercup the cat arrived at the Animal Rescue League of Iowa after their owner was hospitalized with no chance of returning home. It was a heartbreaking situation and it was also clear from the start that 9-year-old Penny and 16-year-old Buttercup shared an extremely strong bond.
Penny cried and paced when she couldn't see Buttercup, but once Buttercup was brought to her, she made sure her friend was okay and settled right down.
There was no way we would separate the two of them, so we made special accommodations for them in a staff office in the shelter and as soon as we could, we moved them into a foster home. We made them part of our Bonded Buddies program to ensure they would be adopted together.
Before they were ready for their new home, they both needed major dental surgeries, which we provided. X-rays also showed that Penny had hip dysplasia accompanied by arthritis, so our staff veterinarians worked to find the right management plan to ensure she was comfortable.
In their foster home, just like in the shelter, Penny and Buttercup rarely left each other's side. They spent several weeks with their foster family, napping together, watching birds out the window and getting lots of love and attention. And then their perfect family came along.
The family was looking for both a cat and a dog. The daughter wanted a cat to cuddle with and the son wanted a dog to walk and watch football with. When the family learned about Penny and Buttercup, they were excited to give them a comfy life for the rest of their lives!
After their adoption was finalized and as the family headed to their car with their new buddies, Penny's nose didn't leave the side of Buttercup's carrier—just another example of how bonded these two are and how important our Bonded Buddies program is to best friends like them.
Your support makes happy tales like these possible. To learn more about the different ways you can help animals in our community, please contact Lora Rogers at (515) 473-9119 or legacy@arl-iowa.org.