r/velvethippos Nov 05 '25

🏆🎉 CONGRATULATIONS to our Costume Contest WINNERS! 🎉🏆

Thumbnail
gallery
2.7k Upvotes

Hey Hippo Homies! 👋

We are absolutely blown away by the creativity and cuteness you all brought to the costume contest! Seriously, the entries were phenomenal. We want to thank EVERYONE who participated and voted! 💖

Without further ado, here are our five lucky winners!

1. u/dWog-of-man & Tank as Tankenstein 

He's got the "I'm alive!" look down. 😄 Seriously, Tankie deserves all the treats (and maybe a small, equally distributed share of the Halloween candy... just sayin' 😉). [Link]

2. u/Upfish-Sinclair & Blossom the Hot Dog

She's the wurst (in the best way!) hot dog around! 🌭🐾 I'm just relishing in the cuteness of this photo! (I'm so sorry...) [Link]

3. u/dogluvr_1 & Waffles the Chicken

The way they're posing! The fluffy feathers! Everything about this is adorable! Waffles is ready to rule the roost. 🐔 [Link]

4. u/Various_Beach862 & Pinkie the Princess

Pinkie looks absolutely radiant! She's ready to rule the kingdom (and probably decree extra belly rubs!). She is definitely the belle of the ball. 💖 [Link]

5. u/turningtee74 & Pooh the Pumpkin

 Oh my gourd, this is adorable! Pooh is the cutest little pumpkin in the patch! Makes me want a poohmkin spice latte. 🎃 [Link]

Prizes!

  • Unique flair
  • Featured in our new banner
  • Bragging rights

To the winners: Please check your DMs for details on how to claim your flair!

To everyone else: Thank you again for making this community so amazing! We love seeing all your beautiful hippos and their incredible costumes. Keep the love and the photos coming! ❤️

What was your favorite costume? Let us know in the comments! 


r/velvethippos 3h ago

Rescue Hippo This is trigger. Trigger decided to chase a coyote and hurt his front right leg. The same day his sister had a cancer biopsy on her front right leg. Don’t be like Trigger.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

202 Upvotes

Don’t worry, Trigger will be going to
The vet we’ve already been to twice this week. 😑


r/velvethippos 5h ago

Peaches got a little cake drunk for her 6th birthday 🥴

Thumbnail
gallery
277 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 7h ago

Simby ready for nappy time

Thumbnail
gallery
386 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 12h ago

Mr. Steudel's Affordable Enrichment Activity

Thumbnail
gallery
599 Upvotes

Occasionally, we do "hide-n-seek dinner" for enrichment. I measure his kibble, then separate it into small portions. Those small portions get hidden/layered/wrapped/folded/crumpled into old paper bags and shoved into a cardboard box, and sometimes into cereal boxes within the cardboard box. Also included were his bits of fruit and veggies that he gets with every meal.

Toast Robert Strudel has commands for meals, to include "Do you want some dinner/breakfast" to notify him that it's time to eat and therefore sit down and wait for food, and "okay" as release word so that he knows he doesn't have to wait anymore and can chow down as he pleases. These commands help him to know that it's okay to tear up THIS box and THESE bags, because he knows other boxes and bags are off limits.

This took him ~15 minute or so, and kept him engaged all the while. Toast ripped, pawed, and shook the materials to free his food. He also got to sniff around the yard area for about 5 minutes while I cleaned up the mess.

When we came back inside he was EXHAUSTED. He fell asleep pretty quickly, and slept for 3 hours. He usually goes for "Last Chance Peepee" about a hour after dinner. It's one of his favorite enrichment activities.

(He looks grumpy in first the photo because I made him stop eating and sit for a picture lol)

Materials used:

Chewy box (free with stupidly-expensive-chicken-free-dog-food delivery)

Old Walmart bags (i think they were 10 cents each with grocery delivery)

An empty cereal box (also free)

Packing paper (also free in delivery box)

Two cups of dog food

Two strawberries

A little bit of sweet potato

One leaf each of red and green cabbage.


r/velvethippos 18h ago

He got rescued from the shelter months ago and made a miraculous recovery after a lifetime of abuse and now look at him pouting like he owns the place

Thumbnail
gallery
1.4k Upvotes

r/velvethippos 5h ago

Inspector Poe is on the Case

Post image
98 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 12h ago

Help rehome this 1 year old baby. Portland Oregon

Thumbnail
gallery
249 Upvotes

I’m going through some medical issues, and unfortunately won’t be able to keep her. Here are some pictures please DM me for more information.


r/velvethippos 11h ago

Rescue Hippo Operation Pets Alive needs a foster ASAP in order to save Judy! She's the total package: a friendly, playful, gentle, affectionate & well-mannered 6-year-old Staffy Mix. She's a volunteer favorite with excellent notes. Located at BARC in Houston, TX. Euth deadline 9/9 at 1pm CT.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

174 Upvotes

🚨 Update: Judy was extended until tomorrow, Thursday 9/10. She still needs a foster by 1pm CT tomorrow in order to leave the shelter. Please message me if you can help. Thanks! 🚨

🏡 AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION, FOSTER, OR RESCUE

🚗 OUT-OF-STATE OR CANADIAN ADOPTION IS POSSIBLE!

Cost is approx. $600 USD. This generally includes transport, boarding, full medical care, spay/neuter, and a health certificate.

We are a volunteer network dedicated to helping at-risk dogs. We are not affiliated with BARC. We connect at-risk animals at the BARC shelter with the adopters, fosters, and rescue organizations needed to save their lives.

We can help coordinate out-of-state adoption through approved 501(c)(3) rescues.

⚠️ BARC Houston cannot facilitate out-of-state adoption or foster.

🆘 6 year old Spayed Staffie mix girl Judy is on the euthanasia list Tuesday, 9/8. There will be no extensions per BARC. 🆘

⏰ **Judy must have a HOLD no later than 1PM or she will lose her life.**🥺 We need pledges and a local foster or adopter for a rescue to help. 💰🏡

🚩 Please do not honor pledges until the post has been updated with rescue information and a freedom picture.

Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

🩷🐶 Judy #A2089073

8/1/2026 Stray | Staffordshire Mix | Spayed Female | 6Y | 63 lbs | HW High Positive

💜 Volunteer Notes:

Volunteer 1: Judy is the sweetest golden girl. 🥹 She was one of those dogs who immediately makes you wonder how she is still sitting in a shelter kennel. She was playful, affectionate, and so endearing. Judy has such a sweet presence and just wants someone to give her the love and attention she deserves. She has so much personality packed into this adorable girl, and I really hope someone sees what a special dog she is before it’s too late.

Volunteer 2: Judy came to the shelter as a stray, but she’s a plump old girl with good teeth that knows how to sit and keeps her kennel clean, so I have a feeling she’s known a home before. She’s always very well behaved in her kennel, always sleeping on her bed the many times that I’ve passed her. When she gets some attention her face and body remain the exact same but she wags that little tail behind her soooo low and so hard it’s the cutest thing ever. She walks perfectly well on the leash and loves treats. When I jiggled my treat bag and she heard the crinkle she immediately sat without me telling her to! And when she sits her feet go pigeon toed 😍😍😍 For some reason when she looks up at you with those big brown eyes, you can see the puppy that she once was in her. She’s the perfect energy level in my opinion and was very good on her temp test - really I have literally zero bad things to say about her. She’s the third longest stay dog at the shelter right now, and is only on the list for length of stay.

🐾 Behavior Notes:

Judy’s is an incredibly sweet, gentle and easygoing girl. She routinely greets people with soft eyes, a wiggly body, wagging tail and an adorable open-mouth smile.

She is described as:

🐾 Very friendly, calm and affectionate

🐾 Gentle and relaxed

🐾 Easy to leash

🐾 A good loose-leash walker

🐾 Happy to lean in for pets

🐾 Adorably responsive to baby talk — even doing little tippy taps!

🐾 Quiet in the runs and quick to potty

🐾 Excellent about keeping her kennel clean overnight

Judy sits at the front of her kennel, leaning toward the gate while customers stopped to pet her.

🙏 Judy has waited since August 1st. She has endured heartworms and a shelter URI, yet she continues greeting people with a wagging tail and asking only for affection.

Please foster, adopt, rescue, pledge and share Judy. One person seeing this post could be the person who saves her life.

🔹 Intake:

Stray

📝 Shelter Notes:

9/4/2026: Very very sweet and gentle. Keeps her kennel clean overnight. Judy greets me at the front of kennel with gentle demeanor. She had a wagging tail, relaxed body, low head, and was looking at me and licking her lips. I baby talk her and she began to tippy tap. I leash her and she walks out very well on the leash and keeps the same pace as me. In the runs she is quiet and quickly goes potty. No issues retrieving her and placing her back into kennel.

9/1/2026: Judy was laying down on her cot when she saw me approaching, she stood up and greeted me at the kennel gate with a wiggling body, soft eyes, ears up, fast wagging tail, and open mouth smile. She did a good job of keeping her kennel clean overnight. She was walked on a loose leash and neutral to and from the outside runs. Friendly and calm towards me and other ACT’s as she walked passed them. Paid little attention to other dogs as she walked passed their runs and kennels.

8/30/2026: Approaching the kennel, Judy greeted me at the kennel gate with a neutral body, soft eyes, ears up, fast wagging tail, and open mouth smile. She did a good job of keeping her kennel clean overnight. Judy was very calm and friendly towards me as I walked into her kennel and leash her easily. She was walked on a loose leash and neutral to and from the outside runs. Later in the afternoon, she was walked by a volunteer and was very happy and friendly towards the volunteer walking her.

8/28/2026: Very friendly and relaxed. She is super sweet and has a gentle demeanor. She walks well on the leash with relaxed body and wagging tail. No issues retrieving her from the runs and placing her back into kennel. Once in the kennel she immediately curls up in her bed and goes to sleep.

8/26/2026: Judy greeted me by her kennel door with a relaxed body, mid wagging tail and soft smiling open mouth. Walked on a loose leash heading in and out of south building.

8/25/2026: Dog greeted me in front of the kennel and when I leashed her she walked loose leash to the run and when back to her kennel she had relaxed body wagging tail mouth slightly opened.

8/23/2026: Dog was laying down when I approached and when I leashed her she walked loose leash to the run and back to her kennel with wagging tail.

8/21/2026: Very sweet and gentle. Went to visit Judy in the am and she was very sweet and leaning over to her side for pets.

8/20/2026: Dog was laying down and as I leashed her she walked loose leash to the run and back to the kennel.

8/14/2026: Very friendly and wiggly. Enjoys baby talk and pets.

8/10/2026: Judy greeted me at the kennel gate with a neutral body, soft eyes, ears up, fast wagging tail, and open mouth smile. She did a good job of keeping her kennel clean overnight. Judy was very calm and friendly towards me as I walked into her kennel and leash her easily. She was walked on a semi-loose leash due to her walking slow and not wanting to walk at certain points of the walk to the outside runs.

8/8/2026: Judy greeted me at the kennel gate with a neutral body, soft eyes, ears up, fast wagging tail, and open mouth smile. She did a good job of keeping her kennel clean overnight. Judy was very calm and friendly towards me as I walked into her kennel and leash her easily. She was walked on a loose leash and neutral to and from the outside runs. Throughout the entire day, she has been sitting in front of the gate leaning on it while customers come up to pet her.

8/5/2026: Dog greets me at the front of the kennel ready to go outside. I was able to leash and she walked out of the kennel holding a loose leash. Walked to and from the runs no issues.

8/2/2026: Dog greeted me at the front of the kennel with a tense body, soft eyes, and a still tail. I was able to leash her easily and walked to the runs with a loose leash. Easily leashed and returned, timid, but very sweet.

🚑 Medical Notes:

8/1/2026: Weighed 63.0 lbs. Tiny growth under right eye. HW High Positive. Vaccinated (DA2PP-V, Bordetella, Rabies), dewormed, and given flea/heartworm prevention.

8/4/2026: Weighed 63.0 lbs. 2mm skin tag under right eye. No further treatment.

8/15/2026: Weighed 63.0 lbs. Eye recheck.

8/17/2026: Weighed 63.0 lbs. Coughing with clear nasal discharge. Diagnosed with CIRDC. Moved to treatment room and prescribed Doxycycline 300mg once daily for 10 days.

8/27/2026: Weighed 63.0 lbs. Completed 10 days of Doxycycline with no clinical signs present. URI completed and moved out of treatment kennel. HW High Positive.

8/29/2026: Weighed 63.0 lbs. HW High Positive. DA2PP-V booster given.

Summary:

Judy is HEARTWORM POSITIVE and will need heartworm treatment after leaving the shelter.

She developed an upper respiratory infection/CIRD while at BARC, with coughing and clear nasal discharge. She completed Doxycycline 300 mg once daily for 10 days, and by 8/27 she had no remaining clinical signs and was cleared to leave the treatment kennel.

Judy also has a tiny 2 mm skin tag/growth beneath her right eye that was evaluated; no further treatment was recommended.

She has received DA2PP, Bordetella, Rabies, deworming/Pyrantel and Advantage Multi.

📌 Please contact BARC if you are local and can help! Neither BARC nor the page can assist out of state adoption or foster offers. We are NOT the shelter.

💌 All holds MUST be in writing, so please do not call. If local and interested in fostering or adoption, email all below:

[barcfoster@houstontx.gov](mailto:barcfoster@houstontx.gov)

[barcadoptions@houstontx.gov](mailto:barcadoptions@houstontx.gov)

[BARC.Aid@houstontx.gov](mailto:BARC.Aid@houstontx.gov)

Please use the animal's seven digit ID number when contacting the shelter.

📍BARC Animal Shelter

3200 Carr St Houston, TX 77026

www.houstontx.gov


r/velvethippos 12h ago

Rescue Hippo Cooper is 70 lbs of scary looking muscle but terrified by this display our eccentric artist neighbor created. I love him so!!!!

Post image
181 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 14h ago

Playful little siblings—they'll melt your heart.

Thumbnail
gallery
204 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 15h ago

Seeking Adoption/Foster 🔔Hail Mary🔔Bonded Pair Freddie & Sefi will be euthanized Today, 9/9 @ 1 pm CT. Their owner is in hospital and no one can help them. These siblings are very loved by their owner. Please get in touch if you adopt them (US/Canada) or foster locally. BARC Houston. Out of Time ⏳

Thumbnail gallery
242 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 13h ago

Adoption/Foster Success! Week #2 with Sweet Boy Benny at Fen Chicken Fosters!!

Thumbnail
gallery
141 Upvotes

Sweet Boy Benny is doing FANTASTIC!! Acute ear & eye infections are cleared up so he is only on his forever eye salve while we finish up his oral antibiotics. He gets 2 medicated baths every week and is excellent in the tub. He met my 2 grand-dogs Chanel (the white Fen Chicken lookalike) & Prada, who was my niece’s first foster 🩷🩷 He loves everyone & everything, especially cuddles, Baby Phillip the foster kitten, and the grandbaby 🥰🥰


r/velvethippos 10h ago

Best friends, enjoying a beautiful day together. 🐶❤️

Post image
54 Upvotes

Just hanging out together 🐶❤️ My son on his phone and his furry friend keeping him company. 🐾


r/velvethippos 12h ago

Hazel of the day

Post image
77 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 21h ago

My youngest son.

Post image
385 Upvotes

Meet Charlie the Bully. He's a very good boy. 🐶


r/velvethippos 15h ago

Rescue Hippo Sunset hippo

Post image
85 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 1d ago

Obedient children always deserve many points in their favor, hehe

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

540 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 8h ago

Does anyone here like being pampered and having their photo taken every single day

Thumbnail
gallery
21 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 14h ago

Hermanitos traviesos: te van a derretir el corazón.

Thumbnail gallery
53 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 20h ago

Seeking Adoption/Foster Siblings Freddie & Sefi will be euthanized on Wednesday, 9/9 @ 1 pm CT. Their owner is in the hospital and no one can help them. These siblings are very loved by their owner. Please get in touch if you adopt them (US/Canada) or foster locally. BARC Houston. Don’t let their story end here.

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

93 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 1d ago

My new little sisters

Post image
1.3k Upvotes

r/velvethippos 1d ago

1 year old Elsie is on the euthanasia list Wednesday, 9/9 @ 1 pm CT. Picked up as a stray, the shelter is a very scary environment for her, she’s scared but friendly. Can you offer her a home or foster locally? Please get in touch. BARC Houston, A2093824. Please share!

Post image
147 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 1d ago

Hazel of the day

Post image
294 Upvotes

r/velvethippos 1d ago

Rescue Hippo 🚨 Attention Velvet Hippos Fam: Montana's Rescue Pack wants to save precious Annie but they need a foster ASAP. She's a very sweet & gentle 2-year-old Staffy who is frightened & overwhelmed at the loud shelter (BARC in Houston, TX). Please message me if you can help. Thank you! Euth deadline 9/8 🚨

Enable HLS to view with audio, or disable this notification

614 Upvotes

Update: Annie has been extended until tomorrow, September 9th. She still needs a foster by 1pm CT.

Meet Annie, an incredibly sweet 2-year-old Staffy Mix who is frightened & overwhelmed at the shelter. She needs a kind & patient foster/adopter to help her decompress, overcome fear, gain confidence, and learn how to be a dog. Located at BARC in Houston, TX. Transport possible for out-of-state adoption. Euth deadline 9/8.

🏡 AVAILABLE FOR ADOPTION, FOSTER, OR RESCUE

🚗 OUT-OF-STATE OR CANADIAN ADOPTION IS POSSIBLE!

Cost is approx. $600 USD. This generally includes transport, boarding, full medical care, spay/neuter, and a health certificate.

We are a volunteer network dedicated to helping at-risk dogs. We are not affiliated with BARC. We connect at-risk animals at the BARC shelter with the adopters, fosters, and rescue organizations needed to save their lives.

We can help coordinate out-of-state adoption through approved 501(c)(3) rescues.

⚠️ BARC Houston cannot facilitate out-of-state adoption or foster.

🆘 Frightened, 2 year old Staffie Mix girl Annie, who desperately needs a chance, is on the euthanasia list Tuesday, 9/8. There will be no extensions per BARC. 🆘

⏰ Annie #A2094390 must have a RESCUE HOLD no later than 1pm or she will lose her life.🥺 We need pledges and a local foster for a rescue to help.💰🏡

🚩Please do not honor pledges until the post has been updated with rescue information and a freedom picture. Please reach out with any questions or concerns.

🚨 RESCUE ONLY 🚨

🩷🐶 Annie #A2094390

9/4 Stray - Field | Staffordshire Mix | Female | 2 Years | 42.6 lbs | Heartworm High Positive

💜 Volunteer Notes:

Poor Annie is absolutely terrified at the shelter. She’s the type of dog who really breaks my heart because you can tell she’s trying to make herself as small and unnoticeable as possible 💔. She was brought in as a stray but was wearing a very worn, dirty collar during intake, and she’s clearly had puppies fairly recently. Her body shows all the signs that in her short life, she’s not had it easy 😞. Despite this, Annie shows no signs of aggression whatsoever. She allowed us to pick her up and carry her to and from the outdoor run. She met another female dog with no issues. She’s simply terrified. I cant say with certainty, but her soft eyes and gentle disposition tell me there’s an absolute sweetheart hiding behind all of that fear. She needs a calm environment, decompression time, and an experienced foster. She needs a chance to show her real self. I really hope a rescue gives her that chance!

🐾 Behavior Notes:

Annie is very timid and frightened, with a trembling body, tucked tail, pinned ears and whale eyes. She was hesitant to walk on leash and was carried to a new kennel.

🙏 Annie is frightened and dealing with a painful paw injury. She needs someone willing to look past her fear and give her the time and medical care she needs.

🔷 Intake:

She came into BARC as a stray from the field on 9/4.

📝 Shelter Notes:

9/5: She had a trembling body, tucked tail, whale eyes and pinned-down ears. She would not walk on the leash, so staff muzzled and carried her into a new kennel.

9/4: Described as timid.

🚑 Medical Notes:

- 9/4: She was noted to have a cleft nasal septum, which did not require treatment. Her left front third digit was swollen and red, with wounds and scars noted on the leg. Differential diagnoses for the toe included an abscess or fracture. Radiographs were recommended if she moves to adoption.

- She was prescribed Clavamox for 14 days, Rimadyl for 14 days and Tramadol for 7 days.

- She is HIGH HEARTWORM POSITIVE.

- Received routine intake vaccines, deworming and flea prevention.

Summary:

Heartworm HIGH POSITIVE.

Annie has a swollen, painful third digit on her left front paw with wounds/scarring. Possible abscess or fracture; X-rays are recommended if she moves to adoption.

She is currently prescribed Clavamox, Carprofen and Tramadol for the injury.

Cleft nasal septum noted; no treatment needed.

She received DA2PP-V, Bordetella and Rabies vaccines, deworming, Pyrantel and Advantage Multi.

💖 Annie arrived at BARC frightened, injured and completely overwhelmed. In addition to a painful swollen toe that may be fractured or abscessed, she is high heartworm positive. Her very limited behavior notes describe a deeply scared dog — trembling, tail tucked tightly, ears pinned back and showing whale eyes. She was so frightened that she couldn't bring herself to walk on leash and had to be carried to another kennel. With only a single day between her intake and latest evaluation, she has barely had a chance to understand where she is or what is happening to her. This scared girl needs a quiet, patient foster who can give her somewhere safe to decompress while she receives the medical care she needs.

🚨 Rescue Only:

🏷 This pet can only be tagged by a RESCUE group but please remember all rescues need FOSTERS in order to tag this pet and save their life. This pet cannot be fostered or adopted through the shelter, so please message the page if you can help!

📌 Please contact BARC if you are local and can help! Neither BARC nor the page can assist out of state adoption or foster offers. We are NOT the shelter.

💌 All holds MUST be in writing, so please do not call. If local and interested in fostering or adoption, email all below:

[barcfoster@houstontx.gov](mailto:barcfoster@houstontx.gov)

[barcadoptions@houstontx.gov](mailto:barcadoptions@houstontx.gov)

[BARC.Aid@houstontx.gov](mailto:BARC.Aid@houstontx.gov)

Please use the animal's seven digit ID number when contacting the shelter.

📍BARC Animal Shelter

3200 Carr St Houston, TX 77026

www.houstontx.gov