After nearly a decade of patiently waiting, Barney, the 9-year-old cat, has found his forever home.
On August 26th, the Emmet County Animal Shelter (ECAS) in Iowa made a heartwarming announcement on Facebook, sharing that Barney, who had spent his entire life longing for a family, had finally been adopted.
Barney’s journey began nine years ago when his pregnant mother was abandoned in a feral cat colony. A compassionate animal rescuer took her in, providing care not only for the pregnant feline but also for the kittens she gave birth to, including Barney. Eventually, this furry family moved to ECAS, ready to find loving homes, as recounted by Kristy Henning, the director of ECAS.
Despite Barney’s friendly and affectionate nature, he had been overlooked by potential adopters for years. Henning notes that it’s an unfortunate reality that many wonderful cats like Barney often go unnoticed in Midwest shelters, where there is a surplus of cats seeking homes compared to families looking for feline companions.
Barney’s fortunes changed when a heartwarming photograph of the gray tabby, captured by ECAS’s kennel manager, Lindsey Rohrbaugh, made its way onto Reddit just two weeks ago. A Reddit user shared the image with the caption: “Meet Barney, he’s been at his shelter since he was born. He’s 9 years old and the happiest-looking cat you’ll see today.”
The post quickly gained traction, amassing over 51,000 upvotes and more than 1,100 comments, with interested adopters expressing their desire to bring Barney into their homes.
Among those captivated by Barney’s photo was Amanda Scherer, who shared her fascination with the Des Moines Register, stating, “I was scrolling through Reddit, and he popped up… I saw him and thought he was super cute.”
On a heartwarming note, the ECAS later announced on social media that, following a careful review of numerous adoption applications received in response to the viral Reddit post, Amanda Scherer’s family had been chosen to offer Barney his forever home.
The ECAS expressed gratitude in its announcement, saying, “Thank you to Amanda and her family for opening their hearts and their home to this sweet boy. He instantly loved them on the day they finally met.”
With Barney settling into his new life in Missouri alongside Scherer’s family, which includes her husband, their 3-year-old daughter, and another furry sibling, the ECAS reported that Barney’s new family has maintained regular contact with the shelter, providing updates on his progress.
According to Henning, after a brief adjustment period to his new surroundings, Barney is thriving, reveling in the comforts of his new home. Henning shares, “He really loves the carpet in his new house. He never had that at the shelter.”
Barney’s heartwarming journey serves as an inspiration for animal lovers to consider adopting long-term shelter residents. Henning urges people not to assume these pets are in shelters for negative reasons, emphasizing that Barney did nothing wrong, nor did the shelter or the individuals who came to adopt.
In closing, Henning encourages those who cannot adopt to contribute to the cause by having their pets spayed and neutered and supporting local rescues. Volunteering and donating to shelters are also excellent ways to help pets like Barney find their forever homes, even without physically entering the shelter, as many offer remote volunteer opportunities.
