YouTube Star Creates Dog Adoption Video For Furkids Shelter

CUMMING, GA — A new video about dog adoptions posted last week by YouTuber MrBeast was shot at the Furkids Animal Rescue and Shelters dog shelter in metro Atlanta, promoting adoptions.

Jimmy Donaldson, a.k.a. MrBeast, is known for his stunts and generosity in conjunction with the videos he produces for his YouTube channel. He has close to 40 million followers on YouTube and recently raised more than $1 million to fight COVID-19 in a rock, scissors, paper tournament as well as spearheading the “Team Trees” campaign that raised more than $22 million to plant trees worldwide.

Furkids is a nonprofit animal rescue and shelter organization that operates one of Georgia’s largest cage-free, no-kill shelters for homeless cats and a state-of-the-art, no-kill shelter for dogs.

“MrBeast has said his mission is to make the world a better place before he dies," said Samantha Shelton, CEO and founder of Furkids. "Furkids makes the world a better place for homeless dogs and cats who have been abandoned, lost, injured or sick. Our goals are aligned, and Furkids was profoundly honored to have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with MrBeast and his extraordinary team. It was a thrilling, intensely emotional experience for us, and we are so grateful to MrBeast for making this project a part of Furkids history."

The video, the first of its kind to be successful for MrBeast, was part of a challenge to get 14 rescued Furkids dogs matched with adopters within two days. Furkids granted access to its dog shelter to MrBeast and his friends, giving them free rein to tell the story. But it all had to be done in secret so not to sway adopters.

The campaign was launched on July 6 with a Furkids billboard in Suwanee promoting dog adoptions, with an 49 additional billboards appearing across metro Atlanta. Furkids promoted adoptions on its social media channels and through its network of friends and followers, and scheduled appointments with people interested in adopting. The shelter is open by appointment only as a precaution during COVID-19.

MrBeast and the team showered the pups with grooming, pampering, toys and treats, so they would be at their best before meeting potential adopters. The families knew nothing about MrBeast’s involvement until they signed the adoption papers. The families who adopted dogs got the surprise of their lives when MrBeast and his friends bounced into the room with gifts, cash, and cheers. All 14 dogs were adopted and are happy members of new families.

MrBeast's dog adoption video tells stories about the rescued Furkids dogs and their new families.

Once the shooting at Furkids wrapped, MrBeast tweeted: “It’s been 3 super long days, but I think we just filmed the best video in the history of the channel. One ups everything.”

“What a great opportunity to help people understand the urgent need for animal rescue and tell the Furkids story to an entirely new audience—sharing our lifesaving work in rescuing homeless cats and dogs, healing them physically and emotionally, and matching them with loving families in their forever homes," Shelton said.