Heartwarming Animal Photos to Get You Through Your Week

Arthur’s Acres

Having a case of the Mondays? Allow Baby Max to cure you. Max was rescued by Arthur’s Acres Animal Sanctuary back in 2019. He was very sick when he first arrived after falling off a transport truck. But Max persevered, and is now a 700-pound healthy piggy living out his days in sanctuary. We sure do love a happy ending!

Kelly Dinham Photography

Do we even need to say more? The adorable photo speaks for itself. Kelly Dinham takes the sweetest photos of rescued sheep living their best lives in Australia and we just can’t get enough!

Wolfgang 2242

Steve Greig first started rescuing senior dogs after he unexpectedly lost his best dog friend back in 2012. What began as a way to work through his grief ended up becoming Greig’s greater life purpose. Now, he exclusively rescues senior dogs, and documents their lives together on his Instagram. But that’s not all—Greig also has a pig named Bikini, and a chicken named Betty, as you can see in the picture. This quirky, mixed-species family always makes us smile!

Jo-Anne McArthur

(credited Riki Higgins)

Jo-Anne McArthur is an animal photojournalist and founder of We Animals—dedicating her life spreading awareness about the abuse that animals face all over the world. It’s safe to say that someone who spends a lot of time witnessing the cruelty on factory farms firsthand needs to also prioritize time to unwind and “recharge”, as McArthur says. That’s why this photo of McArthur cuddling up with rescue turkeys Lesley and Tai from Woodstock is so heartwarming to see!

Singer Sanctuary

Unlikely friendships always make us smile! This cute little pig is named Kevin, who lives with other rescued animal friends at Singer Sanctuary, including ducks, goats, chickens, and more! Plus of course, the occasional squirrel friend, which you see here. Happy napping, Kevin!

Chicken Run Rescue

Lunaris came to Chicken Run Rescue in 2016, becoming their 1,039th bird rescued! Lunaris was diagnosed with a health condition that made it impossible for her to grow feathers, so she had to wear custom clothes to stay warm and safe. It’s clear by this photo how adored Lunaris was, celebrating her birthday surrounded by love and comfort. Though sweet Lunaris has since passed, her memory lives on in the hearts of her rescuers and fans all over the world.

The Gentle Barn

Say cheese! The Gentle Barn is an animal sanctuary that is [home to nearly 200 rescued creatures](https://www.gentlebarn.org/about-us/). They take us along on their day-to-day of running a sanctuary on their Instagram page, showing us how fulfilling it is to spread kindness towards farmed animals!

Moustache Farmer

(credited @scenes_by_saesch)

Three of our favorite things in one photo: a cow, a pup, and a dedicated animal lover! Joar Berge is the founder of Lebenshof Odenwald sanctuary in Germany—which has become a loving home for about 50 rescued animals. When he was young, Berge notes that cuddling cows was of the utmost importance—and judging by this photo with Luise and Kalli, it seems it remained a top priority!