Here’s a look back at Year 1 of Lawrence Humane Pet of the Week; these dogs are still looking for homes

Pet of the Week puts a spotlight on a furry friend who is available for adoption at the Lawrence Humane Society at the time of the article’s publication. According to ASPCA, dog adoption numbers are down nationwide, which adds additional strain on shelters that are already struggling to accommodate high volumes of animals. Lawrence Humane is no exception.

Through Pet of the Week, readers can learn about a pup before they visit the shelter. The featured furball is selected by shelter staff members, who provide all details on the animal’s personality and history.

Pet of the Week kicked off July 8, 2025 with a feature on a sweet senior gal named Athena Bambina. In the last year, we’ve highlighted 46 dogs, and 34 of them — nearly three quarters — have found their forever families.

Elina Alterman, chief development officer at the shelter, said at least seven adopters specifically mentioned finding their new friend in a Pet of the Week column.

Pet of the Week aims to make meeting animals more accessible by bringing their stories to people’s homes. It also focuses on animals deserving of love and creature comforts who are struggling to find good fits. Some may be traumatized and unable to live with other pets, and some may have unique care needs.

For example, Kiba the English bulldog had it rough — before he was adopted, he faced housing insecurity due to his size and weight. Sparky hadn’t had any adoption interest before his column, when the phone at the shelter started ringing off the hook. Lulu arrived at the shelter nearly feral and recently left to enjoy a well-adjusted life in her new home.

As we prepared for this one-year lookback over the last few days, Fly, featured in October, and Rocket, featured in March, found their new families.

In total, 32 dogs have been adopted from Lawrence Humane, and staff moved two to other shelters, where they were scooped up. Staff transferred a third dog to another shelter, where she’s still waiting for eternal love and snuggles.

The shelter needed to administer quality of life euthanasia to two of the featured fur babies. LHS has a lifesaving mission with a 95% success rate, according to Alterman. However, when an animal isn’t adopted and doesn’t adapt well to stressful kennel environments in the shelter, they may deteriorate or exhibit behavior that is harmful to themselves or the community. In these cases, staff will make the choice to use euthanasia when they have exhausted all other outlets and deem that it is the more ethical approach and more fair to the animal.

For the full breakdown of Pet of the Week stars and where they are now, check out the spreadsheet on the column’s homepage.

Nine of the canine stars from the last year are still hanging out at LHS or in foster care around town. To celebrate one year of Pet of the Week — and another year to come — the goal is to bring that total down to zero.

Here are the most recent updates on the pups still looking for homes.

Note: This post was updated July 17, 2026 to reflect recent adoptions.

Cardi B

Staff say Cardi B’s personality has bloomed after 5 1/2 months in foster care.

Her reliance on anxiety meds has gone down, and she sleeps in her fosters’ bed each night. She hates crates, but doesn’t need them, since she can roam around the home without destroying anything.

Read more about Cardi B in her feature from December.

Charli and Bo

“Charli and Bo are enjoying the retired life in foster care!” Alterman said.

Those two are still glued at the hip. The elderly years for them include a lot of leisurely strolls, naps and puttering around with their foster dad as he works on household chores.

Read more about Charli and Bo in their feature from April.

Miley

Good news: the shelter has learned that Miley can roam without being kenneled, and she isn’t destructive.

She shouldn’t live with cats since she has a prey instinct, but she sure does purr like one when people give her scratches. She’s having a grand ol’ time in foster care.

Read more about Miley in her feature from April.

Update: Miley was adopted within a week after this article was published.

Bob

Bob is the social director of daily doggy playgroups at the shelter, Alterman said.

He has been in and out of foster care through no fault of his own, and he’s back at the shelter. He’s getting to the point where he really needs a foster or adoptive home to land in. He’s mostly potty-trained, and will master it once he has a stable environment.

“[Bob] is very silly and clumsy,” one foster wrote. “He loves to play and overall is just super loving. He’ll follow you everywhere!”

He’d thrive in a home with other dogs.

Read more about Bob in his feature from May.

Update: Bob was adopted within a week after this article was published.

Axel

Who better to talk about what a good boy Axel is than the foster mom he’s been with for 3 1/2 months?

“Axel is potty trained, kennel trained, and so well behaved that he doesn’t even need to be kenneled when left alone,” she said. “He’s the kind of dog who settles right into family life and just wants to be loved. Since being with us, he has shown us over and over what a wonderful companion he is. He loves being with his people, lounging on the couch, and being part of the family.”

He gets along with his current dachshund sibling, has moderate energy, and he recently handled a crowded graduation party like a pro.

Read more about Axel in his feature from May.

Sammy

Shelter staff learned that 2-year-old Sammy is potty-trained and can free-roam the house without making a mess. He’s been in some short-term foster homes that have noted he has anxiety. Staff think that’s due to his age and the lack of a stable home.

“It’s really promising that he hasn’t been destructive in his foster homes despite any anxiety he’s felt, so imagine how he could thrive in a forever home!” Alterman wrote.

One foster said he will make himself at home on any furniture and loves to cuddle. He’s currently with a foster.

Learn more about Sammy in his feature from June.

Phineas

Short king Phineas is still his steady self at the shelter.

“He’s been with us for 120 days and that simply is mind-boggling,” Alterman said.

He could easily slot into a family with other dogs.

Read more about Phineas in his feature from two weeks ago.

Update: Phineas was adopted within a week after this article was published.

Cowboy

Cowboy went on a rootin’ tootin’ adventure to Cycle Works on a Mass Street Mutts outing, where he was the “perfect angel baby.” The store owner said he was “friendly to everyone we met, housebroken, didn’t bark or jump.”

He handled the car beautifully and snuggled up with their kiddo for a nap. He’s the kind of dog someone could bring to work or welcome into a family with children. Cowboy is currently in foster care.

Read more about Cowboy in his feature from last week.

Those interested in adopting pets in foster care can email the Lawrence Humane Society’s adoptions team at [email protected] or call 785-843-6835.

People can either contact the adoption team in advance or go straight to the shelter at 1805 E. 19th St. to meet dogs that aren’t in foster care. The Humane Society is open to potential adopters from noon to 6 p.m. every day. People can also sign up for the Mass Street Mutts program to get to a know a dog before adopting.

Potential foster parents can email the Foster Coordinator at [email protected] and fill out an application here. The Lawrence Humane Society provides foster parents with all necessary supplies and food, and they cover bills for medical care, behavioral support and more.

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Wulfe Wulfemeyer (they/them), reporter and news editor, has worked with The Lawrence Times since May 2025. They can be reached at [email protected].

Read their complete bio here. Read their work for the Times here.

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