Arguably actor Shailene Woodley’s most beloved role is her role taking care of her rescue cats Bear and Pharrah. The Big Little Lies actress was spotted this week at an animal shelter surrounded by furry friends, as she teams up with leading petcare company Mars and mental wellness company Calm to spread the word about the transformative powers of pet adoption and the wellbeing benefits that our relationship with pets can bring.
Woodley looked right at home holding kittens and playing with dogs waiting at Animal Haven in NYC for their forever families.
“My rescue cats transformed my world,” Shailene says. “They bring me peace when I’m overwhelmed with a busy filming schedule, and every day, they remind me to breathe, slow down and live in the moment. I want more people to see that adoption isn’t just an act of compassion for an animal; it can also be an act of care for yourself. In rescuing Bear and Pharrah, they have changed my life as much as I have changed theirs.”
The actress has joined forces with Mars and Calm ahead of the Mars Global Adoption Weekend (October 3–5, 2025) – a worldwide push to show support for shelters and help loving animals find loving owners.
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Woodley has also recorded a new Sleep Story called Finding Four-Legged Friends, inspired by her rescue experience. The story is part of Mars and Calm’s first-ever pet-inspired content collection.
To learn more about Mars Global Adoption Weekend and Shailene’s rescue story visit https://www.kinship.com/
