KANSAS CITY, Mo. —

Most animal shelters admit it's easier to get dogs adopted than cats.

Wayside Waifs in Kansas City did something this week that not only got international attention but also found several felines a forever home.

Sometimes you really have to think outside of the box to get animals adopted or, in this case, take to social media.

Wayside Waifs posted a lighthearted video on TikTok with the simple intention of showing off some of their cats up for adoption.

The simple video got more than one million views. Thanks to that video, all but two of the cats were adopted.

"It was actually something that one of our feline care technicians thought of. What kind of animal likes people? What kind of animal would wanna snuggle with the other kittens?” Casey Waugh with Wayside Waifs said.

The goal was to get these shelter cats some attention. They had no idea just how much response they’d get.

"The dogs are sometimes easier, you know, to make TikToks about things like that, but we’ve got lots of different personalities,” Humane Educator Amy Putman said.

Those personalities are now a worldwide hit.

"We have comments from Brazil and the Philippines and the UK, all these amazing places," Waugh said.

Wayside Waifs said they still have plenty of animals to adopt. They’ll be looking to come up with more fun ways to get that done in their next video.

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Judith Doughty cried tears of joy and disbelief as she was reunited with her dog, Skylar, who went missing three years ago.

Skylar is a 6-year-old Maltese. Doughty said she got him when he was a puppy, but one day he disappeared after going outside to use the bathroom.

She said he was with another dog but didn’t return. Her family searched for him and was devastated when they couldn’t find him.

Three years went by with no sign of Skylar, until last week, when Sherae Battle was driving to the hospital with her kids in Newport News.

“My kids were like, 'Mom, Mom, Mom, hold on. It’s a dog.' I'm like, 'Where?' He was just walking in the street, and I'm like, ‘Oh, my gracious,' so I did a U-turn in the middle of the street,” Battle said.

She said the dog went to a nearby wooded area to drink from a pond. She said she was worried he would fall in, and her kids used Goldfish crackers to lure him to them.

They brought him to the car and kept him for two days until the Peninsula Regional Animal Shelter opened back up.

“I immediately scanned for the microchip, which is standard procedure for us when strays come in,” said Susan Jacobs, an animal services technician at the shelter.

She called the number on the chip, and it was owner Judith Doughty’s daughter, Ginger Vassar, who answered.

“I could hardly speak to her because she was screaming in excitement,” Jacobs said.

Vassar arranged to bring her mom to the shelter, but they didn’t tell Doughty why.

“The lady told me to have a seat,” said Doughty. “They said, 'We've got a surprise for you.'”

Skylar came strolling out, and Doughty was elated to have her precious pooch back in her arms.

“He started licking me; I started crying,” Doughty said. “It was a miracle to me. I still can’t believe I got him back after three years.”

Skylar was found about 15 miles from where he went missing.

"I'm so happy she was able to get her dog back. That's all that matters. I'm so happy," said Sherae Battle, the woman who brought the dog to the shelter.

Jacobs said Skylar was in good condition and appeared to have been taken care of. She said it's rare to see a dog reunited with his owner three years after going missing.

“It doesn't happen that often, but it has happened before. We're always so happy when it does happen -- thank goodness for microchipping. It's just awesome,” Jacobs said.

“Glad we got him to his right owner. I'm so happy that she got her dog back,” Battle said.

“I was sad when he was gone, but I didn’t give up. I prayed and prayed, and the Lord answered my prayers. Anyone else who sees this, I hope they try to look for their dogs,” Doughty said.

Watch the surprise video below:

This story originally reported by Margaret Kavanagh on WTKR.com.

A South Carolina animal shelter hosted a canine wedding Thursday to support donations for the new Have a Heart Heartworm Treatment Fund and raise awareness to adopt shelter dogs.

Greenville County Animal Care in South Carolina hosted a livestream of the ceremony for Sassy and Spero.

Click the video player above to watch the full ceremony.

The event was planned by Wedding Festivals and Upstate Bridal Association, according to the shelter.

Sassy and Spero have been together since Sassy started her heartworm treatment, according to the shelter.

"Every heartworm positive dog will have their treatment covered in full, making it easier than ever to adopt a heartworm positive dog," the shelter posted on Facebook.

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This tradition of doggy weddings has gone on for multiple years, with last year's couple being Honey and Duke.

This content is imported from Facebook.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

CINCINNATI —

A year on, and Cincinnati Animal CARE is finding its stride after taking over the Northside shelter and partnering with Hamilton County.

It's been a tough year, but the organization is renewing is commitment as their anniversary approaches Aug. 1 to save more lives and remove barriers to adoption and fostering.

The employees inside will tell you they embrace the chaos but make sure to create opportunities for pets to find love that they truly deserve.

For a majority of the last year, CARE has been operating on code red with 191 animals coming in during the last week alone.

Some have been returned to owners, as people acclimate themselves to CARE providing services for Hamilton County and not SPCA currently. But, there are still nearly 200 pets waiting to find that forever home, whether through adoption or foster care.

Ray Anderson said to WLWT, "When it gets really bad we've got dogs living in offices, using emergency kennel space. But a big thing is when we put word out that we need help, our community steps up."

The overall goal is adoption, of course, but fostering is just as important.

It creates space inside the shelter while the animal is still in the shelter's care. This also helps give valuable information for future pet owners on how that dog or cat could work within a home.

Another focus for CARE has been knocking down barriers to adoption and foster care for families of any shape and any size. Adoption fees include spay/neuter surgery, microchip, and age appropriate vaccines. They don't require a fence-in yard, credit check, employment or references. They just ask that you provide a photo ID, have a safe loving home, and speak with an adoption counselor.

That said, they are eager to find single people or couples without pets or small children for animals that would thrive best in a quieter home. This category seems to be the hardest to find.

Open save days a week at the Northside Shelter, adoptions and fostering can happen noon to 6 p.m. each day. Donations are always needed and appreciated. CARE has made it easy by providing a Chewy and Amazon list, including adding donation space on their website.

As CARE continues to acclimate to the influx of pets, any owners who may have lost a pet should call them first as they handle services for Hamilton County. To donate, follow the following link.