On October 23rd, Ryan Reynolds’ 48th birthday, his friend and business partner (co-chairman of the Wrexham AFC team) Rob McElhenney came up with a hilariously adorable and heartwarming way to celebrate the Canadian actor.

He posted on Instagram that he has partnered with Best Friends Saves Them All Animal Rescue and renamed pets awaiting adoption ‘Ryan Reynolds’ to boost adoptions and celebrate the Deadpool star.

“There’s no better gift for Ryan than unconditional love, but if any of us tried to give him that unconditional love, we’d be slapped with a restraining order by a powerful Hollywood attorney,” McElhenney joked.

So, he proposed that everyone should have their very own Ryan Reynolds that they can shower with love and affection, and he suggested that doing so would make the world a better place. It’s not a bad idea!

A Unique Way to Celebrate

The two are known for giving each other unique birthday gifts, for example, Ryan commissioned a Titanic-inspired portrait of the Always Sunny in Philadelphia creator and actor, and Rob returned the celebratory favor with the ‘Ryan Reynolds Memorial Blimp’, a custom-built advertising blimp complete with Ryan’s face (with a strange but funny filter on it).

McElhenney is a firm believer that every pet deserves a loving home and took the opportunity to celebrate his friend’s birthday to help make a positive change for animals across the US.

McElhenney and Best Friends Saves Them All Animal Rescue have partnered to turn this vision into reality for adoptable dogs and cats nationwide—as well as select Sanctuary animals like donkeys, pigs, goats, rabbits, ducks, parrots, a horse, a rooster, and even a turtle—by giving them the name “Ryan Reynolds.” For two days, October 23 and 24, adoption fees were waived, followed by a reduced fee of just $10 from October 25 through 31. It’s a chance to save a life and welcome home your very own Ryan Reynolds.

Adopters, fans, friends, and donors have been encouraged to join in on the celebration and bring home their own Ryan Reynolds from their nearest Best Friends rescue and can document their contributions and new pals on social media by using the #AdoptARyan hashtag.

In an effort to save all cats and dogs across the country, Rob McElhenney is going to match all donations to Best Friends Save Them All from October 23 through October 31, 2024, up to $25,000.

It’s important to note that even after their names are changed back from ‘Ryan Reynolds’ on November 1st, there are still plenty of animals who need loving homes. A shockingly painful statistic that Best Friends shared is that every 90 seconds a dog or cat is put down in America simply because they don’t have a place to call home. By donating or adopting, you can help Best Friends Save Them All.

Adopt, don’t shop, whenever possible, and help give animals the love they deserve.

For more information about Best Friends Save Them All, you can visit their website here. Any support is welcome and appreciated immensely.

Featured Image Sourced from Best Friends Save Them All

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