Top Heartwarming Moments from the #FirstPicChallenge: Pets’ First Photos

People are sharing the first picture they took of their pets when they adopted them and it is just too pure. Brace yourself for strong feels, powerful memories and heartwarming rescues.

1. "Emily at 3 months. #firstpicchallenge"

2. "Sampson then & Sampson now #firstpicchallenge"

3. "Five years ago, I was traveling around Thailand when this adorable lil mutt was getting picked on by a bunch of other street dogs. I was able to break the dog fight up and wanted to check the bullied dog was OK without intruding on her space. As I sat nearby, she came rushing over to me and curled up in my lap, wrapping her front legs round my arms. There and then I knew she was my baby.

It took four months of vet checks for her to be allowed to fly into Europe, but finally I was able to pick her up from Amsterdam then drive her home to the UK (doggy immigration rules complicated the process). Anyway, five years later she is the diva she always was meant to be, refusing to lie on any surface without a soft blanket and demanding pets 24/7. #firstpicchallenge"

4. "Friends, meet the goodest boi, Jack. #firstpicchallenge"

5. "This is Chris at the shelter in 2009 trying to convince my wife to agree to take him home. #firstpicchallenge"

6. "Charlie in the car after we finished signing the paperwork at the shelter #firstpicchallenge"

​AWWW: The Very Best Of The Then & Now Pet Photo Challenge​

7.  "My baby boy Jasper on his adoption day. He climbed into my arms and that was that #firstpicchallenge"

8. "I saw Missy and Pea’s picture on Facebook. They were surrendered as a pair. I knew the shelter they were at would only give them 2 weeks and since smaller dogs would be easier to find a home for, Missy would be euthanized. I could see the hope in her eyes and started crying. I knew I had to have them and adopted them together. They're the best and this is them on their gotcha day in 2015 #firstpicchallenge"

9. "We typically rescue people so this call was definitely special to begin with. We got a call that some mountain bikers found a dog stuck 40ft down in a sinkhole in the middle of a national forest. They had no equipment with them and the dog seemed terrified and hungry. That’s when we decided to take the 45 minute trip up the mountain.

We met one of the bikers at the bottom of the trail, and hiked 2 miles until we came upon the abandoned mine shaft. What we saw when we looked inside hit us to the core. A terrified looking dog that had been stuck for at least a week, miles away from civilization. How did he get here? How long had he really been out here? We had so many questions but we were there to help.

After a few pieces of beef jerky and some calm talking, we were able to lower a rescuer into the hole. He made a harness and safely secured the dog to be raised out. He was so scared that he wouldn’t let any of us touch him. He was nipping, growling, and jumping. He was subsequently taken to our local shelter to try to find his owners and for an evaluation. Miraculously, he only had a few cuts, but they estimated he had been without food for at least two weeks. His owners were never found and he was put up for adoption. We immediately went to the shelter and adopted him.

Everyone, meet Sinker."

UPDATE: Here is Sinker, happy, healthy and living the good life in his new digs.

10. "This was my pup Amigo! 🤍I begged my parents for years that I wanted a pup of my own - after a two years I was set with guidelines of the breed and gender of pup was preferred around the house.Legitimately directly after my Mum laid down the law of 'cattle dog and male - that’s all we will consider' a mate of mine posted she had two male cattle dogs available for adoption.It was fate Amigo was meant to be my little man!Shoot forward 2 weeks and this was his very first photo at home in the sink bathtub! #firstpicchallenge"

11. "Yes i took a picture of a picture, lol. His name is Simon and he was about 2-3 weeks old in this pic. I rescued him from the shelter in Oct. 2019 for $10 (including microchip, neuter, and vaccinations), only to work there later on. He will be 2 in April and he likes to scream 💜 #firstpicchallenge"

12. "Here's Bidou! (It's french, it's pronounced Beedoo) I don't have an after picture because I just adopted the little guy 2 hours ago! One month and a half old. Been looking for like 6 months for a kitten! I almost cried like a baby! I'm in love and so happy. Friends for life!! 😍 #firstpicchallenge"

​IT WAS MEANT TO BE: 17 Foster Fails That Prove Resistance Is Futile​

13. "I told my boyfriend of nine years I wanted a dog more than a ring. We had been looking for a border collie rescue, since he grew up with BCs and I have always had a rescue. My only experience with online 'dating' brought up this petfinder profile of a pup named Splash. I showed my then boyfriend, who said, 'She looks like trouble.'

We never would have guessed that the goofy, crazy puppy who had been passed around for being out of control would grow into our regal, snooty, princess of a pup, now named Zoey. She is like the matriarch of an old money family, constantly judging us and how we choose to raise her two human brothers. We wouldn't have it any other way! As a puppy, we called that crazy look her Ed face, as in the hyena off of Lion King. Alas, my now husband was correct. She is definitely trouble! She will be nine in March. #firstpicchallenge"

14. "Hopping on this bandwagon with my little guy, Caspurr! This was when I first met him, before he was old enough to come home. Probably around 5-6 weeks old here. #firstpicchallenge"

15. "I was scrolling through pet groups on Facebook and I came across an ad for a 'beagle needing a new home ASAP.'A girl and her boyfriend had gotten this puppy without telling their landlord and they were going to be evicted if they didn’t get rid of the pup. Their ad said if she doesn’t find a new home, they would have to take her to the shelter. $200 and a 3 hour car ride later, this beagle became my Piper. ❤️She saved me from an extremely dark time in my life and still is my joy!! #firstpicchallenge"

16. "My special cutie Maui. When we got him, we knew he was going to be a big boy just based on the size of his paws. #firstpicchallenge"

17. "This is a picture of my Kenya the very moment I met her at the adoption center. It was love at first sight 🥰🥰"

18. "The day we brought our Natasha (aka Mitty) home 🥰 rescued her when she was 10 weeks old! She’s a little over 1 now! #firstpicchallenge"

​TO THE MOON: 17 Dogs Who Are Ready For Space Travel​

19. "This burrito was found in my dad’s tool shed abandoned. My dad kept an eye on her since she was extremely tiny. When momma took the rest of them and left her, he called me. Her face says it all, fam. She will have nothing to do with my three other cats so she lives upstairs in our bedroom (her own apartment 🙄). Four years later, she’s still only 5 pounds so she’ll be a kitten for life. #firstpicchallenge"

20. "My sweet Roo the day we brought him home 🥺🥺🥺 #firstpicchallenge"

21. "Just look at him. 😍🥰 I’m ready for another puppy now! #firstpicchallenge"

​Do you still have the first picture you took of your cat or dog? Share it with us in the comments below or at the Cuteness.com Facebook page!​