Charlottesville Pet News
Charlottesville Rescue Dog Sunny Named Finalist in People’s 2026 World’s Cutest Rescue Dog Contest
One of Megan’s Pet Sitting’s own Charlottesville pet-sitting clients is getting national attention: Sunny, a 7-year-old local rescue dog, has been selected as a finalist in People’s 2026 World’s Cutest Rescue Dog Contest, presented by Pedigree.
Vote for Sunny
From Underdog to Top Dog
Meet Sunny
Sunny, also known as Sundance, is a 7-year-old Pekingese and Tibetan Spaniel mix with a big personality packed into a very small package. He loves people, exploring Charlottesville, sniffing everything worth investigating, keeping an eye out for chipmunks, and making the most of every adventure.
Sunny’s road to his happy ending wasn’t always easy. After being abandoned not once, but twice, Sunny found himself at the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA both times. But his story is a wonderful reminder that sometimes the underdog really does come out on top.
On September 27, 2025, Sunny finally found the loving home he deserved when Lisa and her family adopted him from CASPCA. Despite everything that came before, Sunny never seems to have lost his enthusiasm for people or for life. Today, he is safe, loved, and surrounded by a family that adores him.
He has even found a little romance along the way. Sunny has a special fondness for Pom Pom, a neighborhood Pomeranian who has become his canine crush — his own pint-sized version of Lady and the Tramp. ❤️
Less than a year after leaving the shelter for his forever home, this former underdog is now one of the finalists in People’s 2026 World’s Cutest Rescue Dog Contest and has appeared on CBS Mornings alongside the other finalists. It’s quite a journey for a little dog who was once left behind.
Sunny’s story is a reminder of just how much can change when a rescue animal gets another chance. He kept moving forward, found the people who were meant to find him, and now this Charlottesville rescue pup has a whole country cheering him on.
Giving Back Where His Story Began
A Win for Sunny Could Help CASPCA
Sunny’s favorite local rescue and shelter is the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA (CASPCA) . If Sunny wins the contest, CASPCA will receive a $1,000 donation to help support animals in its care.
That makes voting for Sunny more than a chance to cheer on a Charlottesville rescue dog — it is also an opportunity to support the local organization that helps connect pets in our community with new homes.
The Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA played an important role in Sunny’s journey, caring for him before he ultimately found his forever home. So it feels especially fitting that Sunny now has an opportunity to give something back to the organization that helped give him another chance.
Sunny’s story is just one example of what can happen when a shelter pet gets the opportunity to start again. A vote for Sunny isn’t only a vote for one very photogenic little Charlottesville dog — it could also help support CASPCA as they continue caring for other animals still waiting for their own happy endings.
Sunny on CBS Mornings
Sunny Makes a National TV Appearance
Sunny and the other finalists in People’s 2026 World’s Cutest Rescue Dog Contest were featured on CBS Mornings, giving viewers across the country a chance to meet the rescue dogs competing for this year’s title — including Charlottesville’s very own Sunny.
Watch Sunny’s national TV appearance below, then cast your vote to help support this Charlottesville rescue pup and the Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA.
Charlottesville Pet Sitting
One of the Best Parts of Caring for Local Pets
As a local Charlottesville pet sitter, I get to know pets with all kinds of personalities, routines, histories, and quirks. Each pet is different, and getting to care for them in the comfort of their own homes is a special part of running Megan’s Pet Sitting.
It is especially fun to see one of those familiar faces show up in a national contest. Sunny may be competing for a national title, but he is still one of the many Charlottesville pets I am fortunate to see as part of my everyday pet-sitting work.
Cast Your Vote
Vote for Sunny
Voting is open in People’s 2026 World’s Cutest Rescue Dog Contest. If you would like to support a local Charlottesville rescue pup — and help give CASPCA a chance to receive the contest donation — you can vote for Sunny on People’s official contest page.
Visit the Official Voting Page