Barney, the nine-year-old kitty, spent his entire life, until recently, at the Emmet County Animal Shelter. (ECAS) But then suddenly, Barney became a media sensation, appearing in local and national news. Overnight, Barney got the spotlight he needed, changing lives and bringing attention to the Estherville, Iowa, shelter where many other pets need homes.
“Sweet, gentle Barney has been looking for a forever home since he came to us as a baby. Born of a feral mother that was caught in a trap, Barney and his siblings were given the chance to become house cats. Although things are fun here at the shelter, Barney would still love to have the chance to live out the life he was saved to have and find himself in a loving forever home where he can have a family to call his own!,” ECAS shared in 2018.
It wasn’t until the summer of 2023 that Barney’s luck changed because of the adorable picture below, shared on Reddit.
“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 Reddit post caption stated.
The smiling Barney was upvoted over 53K times. Although this cat lived in the shelter since birth in 2014, people all over the world wanted to adopt him after hearing about his story and seeing just one smiling picture.
Few could understand how he could have been overlooked for nine years, but as Kristy Henning, the director of ECAS, told PEOPLE, “Wonderful cats being overlooked by potential adopters [are] unfortunately common, especially in Midwest shelters, where there are “way more cats looking for homes than homes looking for cats.”
Fortunately, Barney’s search for a furever home got a giant boost. People in Europe and Canada expressed interest in him, but after reviewing a pile of 15 adoption applications, ECAS chose a family living about six hours away.
Amanda Sherer spotted Barney on Reddit and thought he was “super cute.” The distance was no obstacle, and she and her mother drove to bring Barney home. However, the first attempt was delayed when the kitty developed a fever from his booster shot. After he felt better, they traveled to bring him home, feeling lucky to be chosen as his adopters.
Finally, Barney was home but adjusting would take a while. He hid under the bed, as is normal for adopted cats. It can take on average around three months for newly adopted cats to adjust to any new home. Having realistic expectations is critical since many pets are returned to shelters when they only need a little time to adjust. The adjustment could take much longer for many pets living in shelter environments for such a long time.
On Reddit, everyone wanted to see how Barney is fairing, so they were thrilled to see he’s doing great! He loves his scratching post, toys, and the feel of carpet, which he’s not experienced before.
“Barney and everyone from the Emmett County animal shelter wanted to thank Reddit for all of the support you have all given them. Barney’s new family is showing him so much love and wanted to share him getting comfortable with all of his new [toys.],” the follow-up post stated.
According to the Des Moines Register, the family has fun plans in store for Barney:
“The Scherer family has big plans in store for Barney’s new life, including a family Halloween costume. He’s even got a harness and leash in case he ever wants to explore the great outdoors,” they shared.
Congratulations to Barney and family! We love that Barney’s success story has shined a needed spotlight on the shelter that cared for him all those years. You can follow and support them on Facebook.
“We absolutely love that Barney has found his family and in turn has garnered so much attention…we truly hope this will shine a positive light on overlooked cats in shelters everywhere!” ECAS shared.