If you have a pet, you know their healing properties. If you don’t, there’s well-documented science to back it up. Even just a few minutes with a dog or cat can make someone happier and less stressed.
So with that in mind, here are some animals that boosted our mood this year, made us laugh and feel less lonely, and even saved some lives. Basically, they helped us get through 2025.
They improved our mental health
Norm Feigenbaum, a 93-year-old Los Angeles man, described his yellow Lab, Sunny, as his best friend. When Sunny went missing for nearly two weeks, Norm felt anxious, had sleepless nights and said he felt a profound sense of emptiness. Volunteers worked tirelessly to reunite them, and when they did, Norm’s emotional state steadied.
“Without her, there’s nothing,” Norm said.
Then there’s Kynlee, a girl from Kentucky, who adopted Tennessee, a Boston terrier with a cleft lip that matched her own. Their bond lifted Kynlee’s confidence and brightened her outlook on life.
“Tennee is just like her,” said Kynlee’s mother, Kimberly Rogers, adding that they happen to share the same birthday, June 4. “It just gives her something she can relate to. She’s not alone.”
They gave us many laughs
Some pets have big personalities. Ray Ray, a mischievous house cat from Pennsylvania, turned a family road trip into an adventure when he hitched a 100-mile ride on the roof of his family’s van before anyone noticed he was there. He ended up getting a New York City vacation out of it, though his family toted him around in a cat backpack and on a leash for safety.
Then there’s Duke, the golden retriever whose talent for “stealing” household items turned him into a social media fan favorite. Lamps, reading glasses, picture frames, purses, even plates — nothing is safe. Duke parades his treasures around proudly in his mouth, before guarding the items on his bed. He keeps his owner — and thousands of followers — amused with his mischief every day.
They strengthened our community
Faygo, a friendly goldendoodle from Virginia, was diagnosed with terminal cancer earlier this year. Knowing how much Faygo loved getting attention from people, his owners asked neighbors to stop by and give Faygo a pet. Dozens of people visited to offer Faygo comfort, treats and affection in his final days. Through Faygo, a community came together for a dog they barely knew.
They saved people
Dogs have been known to alert people to perilous situations and even detect health issues or medical emergencies. Earlier this year, a shelter dog at an adoption event alerted a man that he was about to have a seizure, prompting his wife to take her husband home and give him his meds. She said the pooch’s instinct helped her husband avoid a dangerous seizure.
Another standout pooch this year is Freyja, a certified search-and-rescue dog in New Hampshire. When a 2-year-old girl went missing in the woods, Freyja and her handler spent nearly five hours navigating the dense, cold forest. Using her keen senses, Freyja tracked down the child, who was returned to her parents. Authorities noted that without Freyja’s tracking skills, the outcome could have been very different.
They helped us live with purpose
Beef, an English bulldog recovering from pneumonia, helped his owner’s father, Manny Miranda, stay motivated to exercise. Their slow, short daily walks became a shared fitness journey, and beloved on social media.
Courtney Proctor Cross transformed a struggling West Virginia animal shelter that was euthanizing most of its animals into a nationally recognized no-kill shelter.
And Kate Cramer’s story shows how an animal can reshape a person’s life. She rescued Little Leaf, a newborn goat abandoned by her mother. Feeling a void after her daughter left for college, Kate devoted herself to nursing Little Leaf back to health, and now they travel the country together. Little Leaf is not just a pet to Kate — she is an anchor in her life.
“She really grounded me and gave me something to take care of and focus on again,” Kate said.
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