Spotify Wrapped is cool, but have you seen TEARS Animal Rescue’s 2025 Wrapped? It’s a positive reminder that good things are happening for animals – and it’s encouragement for other animal welfare organisations to share their wins from the past year, too!
Cape Town, South Africa (06 January 2026) – Cape Town-based animal welfare organisation, TEARS, has shared a snapshot of what the past 12 months have looked like behind the scenes. The stats tell a story of second chances, and remind us that every bit of support goes a long way!
In 2025 alone, the team helped more than 840 animals find their forever homes, with more than 320 dog adoptions and over 494 cat adoptions making up a big part of that total. Yes, puppies and kittens were the most popular (with 54% of kennel adoptions being puppies and 60% of cattery adoptions being kittens) but six of TEARS’ long-stay animals finally walked out the gates in 2025 too, heading home after months (and in some cases years) of waiting.
Adoptions are only one part of the picture in animal welfare. Last year, TEARS’ vets and staff performed over 6351 sterilisations and implanted more than 620 microchips.
The year also didn’t come without its challenges. The organisation had to rebuild after fires and floods, including a devastating blaze that tore through parts of the shelter in September. Thanks to quick action, every animal made it out alive.
Much of the work TEARS does is enabled by its volunteers. Last year, kind people clocked in at the shelter on 106 out of 365 days, taking TEARS dogs out for walks, adventures and much-needed breaks from kennel life. Those walks are often the difference between a dog shutting down and a dog learning how to trust again.
And to wrap up the year, TEARS even found a way to mix fashion with fundraising, when rescue doggies hit the runway in a sold-out charity show that raised R250,000 for the organisation’s work.
“We’re grateful for every single one of our supporters, volunteers, and adopters who made these numbers possible! As we look to the new year, we’re excited to continue our mission of rescuing, rehabilitating, treating and rehoming to those who need it most. Thank you for being part of the TEARS family!” shares the team.
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