12 Stars Who Adopted Rescue Animals, and the Oscar-Nominated Songwriter Who Won a Runaway Pig

Animals
10/27/2026
12 Stars Who Adopted Rescue Animals, and the Oscar-Nominated Songwriter Who Won a Runaway Pig

Pickles came home from the shelter with a card on his kennel that said “shy, needs time,” and he climbed into my lap in the parking lot before I found my keys. The card is still on my fridge, under my own note: “not shy.” These 12 celebrities adopted rescue animals, from a German shepherd puppy who went through three names to a runaway piglet won at an auction.

Megan Thee Stallion Took One Look at Tyger and Said, ‘Just Give Him to Me’

Megan Thee Stallion adopted Tyger in March 2026. The ASPCA says he was first in the care of Animal Care Centers of NYC and went home with her through one of its rescue partners. She has said she decided on the spot: “No way. Just give him to me.”

In August 2026 her foundation backed a fee-waived adoption event with the same shelter network, and 29 animals found homes. Adopting Tyger, she said, “has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life.”

“Meet my new rescue son TYGER”

An Olympic Skier Left the Winter Games Without a Medal but With a Rescued Puppy

Freestyle skier Gus Kenworthy didn’t bring a medal home from the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang. He brought home a puppy he had rescued in South Korea and named Birdie. It wasn’t his first time: after the 2014 Games in Sochi, he took home two puppies, Jake and Mishka, found near the Olympic Village.

Eight years after PyeongChang, Birdie is still with him, and on Oct. 1, 2026, he marked the month with a one-word post.

“SeptemBird.”

The Kelces Adopted a Shepherd Puppy, and Her Name Changed Three Times

Kylie Kelce visited Main Line Animal Rescue of the PSPCA in Pennsylvania for an episode of her YouTube series and came home with a German shepherd puppy. Her husband, Jason, agreed on one condition: he got to name her.

The puppy went from Bernadette to Matilda, and on April 8 Jason announced on his podcast, “This is Frida, or as everyone is calling Freddie.” When he tried out “Gunda” on air, their 6-year-old daughter, Wyatt, overruled him. For now, it’s Frida.

“Kylie takes us all on a tour of Main Line Animal Rescue to visit with all sorts of amazing animals and learn about their mission.”

Diane Warren’s Foundation Won a Runaway Piglet at a Shelter Auction

In August 2026, a piglet was filmed running loose through the streets of West Hollywood. He was taken to the West Los Angeles Animal Services Center, and no owner came forward. Four people wanted to adopt him, so on Aug. 20 the shelter held a silent auction, and the winning bid came from Diane Warren’s foundation.

Warren, the songwriter who has been nominated for more than a dozen Oscars, told reporters: “I lose Oscars but I won a pig... it’s fun.” The pig, nicknamed Wilbur online, now lives at her seven-acre animal sanctuary in Malibu.

Jennifer Aniston’s Rescue Dog Clyde Became the Hero of Her Children’s Books

Jennifer Aniston turned her rescue dog Clyde into “Clydeo,” the star of a children’s picture-book series. The first book, Clydeo Takes a Bite Out of Life, came out on Oct. 1, 2024.

Clyde isn’t her only rescue. In 2020 she introduced a puppy named Lord Chesterfield and thanked the group that saved him: “you take such great care of these rescues and find them their forever homes.”

Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling Adopted a Doodle and Thanked the Rescue by Name

Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling adopted a doodle named Charlie in July 2026, from California Doodle Rescue. Mendes thanked the group by name, and Charlie joined the family’s older dog, Magic.

“Introducing Charlie, our newest member of our familia. We’re in love!”

Gavin Rossdale Adopted Kaya From a City Shelter, and Now They Front an Adoption Campaign

Bush frontman Gavin Rossdale adopted Kaya, a 2-year-old Belgian Malinois and husky mix, from Los Angeles Animal Services in 2025.

In August 2026 the ASPCA named him an ambassador for its Rescue Effect adoption campaign, with a portrait series and a video of the two of them. “I’ve been lucky to have some incredible dogs over the years, including Kaya, and every one of them has made my life better,” he said.

Grey’s Anatomy’s Camilla Luddington Calls Rescuing Her Black Lab One of Her Best Decisions

Camilla Luddington, who has played Jo Wilson on Grey’s Anatomy since 2012, posted about her dog Scooby for the ASPCA’s Rescue Effect campaign in September 2026. The ASPCA’s October release lists her among the campaign’s supporters.

“Rescuing our black Lab, Scooby, was one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.”

Ariana Madix Adopted Her First Dog in College and Her Second During the Pandemic

Ariana Madix adopted her first dog on her own while she was a student at Flagler College in Florida, from the St. Augustine Humane Society. During the pandemic she adopted Mya Moon, an 11-month-old pit bull mix who was living with a foster family.

In 2025 the ASPCA made her the face of its Rescue Effect campaign. “Pet adoption and rescue have been important to me since I was a little kid,” she said.

Dance Moms’ Nia Sioux and Her Adopted Dog, Sherman, Joined an Adoption Campaign

Nia Sioux grew up on TV as one of the young dancers on Dance Moms, and in 2025 she published a memoir, Bottom of the Pyramid. In September 2026 she joined the ASPCA’s Rescue Effect campaign with her adopted dog, Sherman.

“for actress, author and dancer @niasioux, that special bond is with her adopted dog, Sherman.”

Glen Powell Saw a Rescue Puppy on Instagram and Recorded a Video to Plead His Case

While filming Twisters in 2023, Glen Powell spotted a small white rescue puppy on a nonprofit’s Instagram account. He told Vogue in 2024 that he “was very desperate” to adopt him, so he made a video to plead his case.

It worked, and he named the puppy Brisket.

Maggie Q’s Advice on Rescue Dogs: You Get the Dog You Need

Maggie Q, who plays Detective Renée Ballard in the series Ballard, posted about her adopted dogs on Oct. 1, 2026, for the ASPCA’s Rescue Effect campaign. The ASPCA lists her among the campaign’s supporters this year.

“Adopting my dogs was some of the best decisions I’ve ever made. They say you get the dog you need, and I am a big believer in that... Don’t give up on them.”

Maggie Q says you get the dog you need, and anyone who has brought a dog home from a shelter knows what she means. Pickles climbed into my lap in a parking lot, and I took the hint. The card on my fridge still says “shy, needs time,” and I have yet to meet the dog it describes.

Where did your best pet come from? Tell us in the comments.

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