Tim Walz Advocates for Rescuing Pets — Let's Meet His Adorable Animals

If you're anything like us, then you get very excited upon learning about what pets other people have. This of course includes the pets belonging to people in the public eye, who you'll never meet, but you'll be darned if you won't learn everything you can about the animals they have at home.

On that note, with Tim Walz all over the news following Kamala Harris's choice to select him as her VP running mate, we had to find out ... does Tim have any pets? You'll be happy to know that the Minnesota governor does, in fact, have furry children (in addition to his actual children), and you'll be even happier to know what he's shared bits and pieces about his pets online, so we can all bask in their cuteness.

First, some sad news: Tim's family had a rescue cat named Afton who sadly went missing in August 2023. "Some news out of the Walz household: Our family cat, Afton, has gone missing. We appreciate our neighbors in Saint Paul keeping an eye out for him. There will be two very grateful kids over here if Afton finds his way home," Walz wrote on social media on Aug. 31, alongside a picture of the beautiful orange tabby cat, whom they'd adopted from Blue Earth Nicollet County Humane Society in Mankato, Minn.

Unfortunately, it looks as though Afton still hasn't returned home. "I'm sad to share that we haven’t found Afton yet," Walz tweeted on Dec. 15, 2023. "My family is immensely grateful to all the Minnesotans who’ve helped us look for him. We’ve appreciated every post, phone call, and email from concerned neighbors. We’re still hoping Afton makes his way back home."

In February 2024, Tim posted to social media that his family had welcomed "a great addition" in the form of a new rescue cat, this time a calico-colored kitty named Honey, who was about a year and a half old when they took her home. In a video Tim made with the Animal Humane Society (from which they adopted Honey), Tim said that his family was drawn to her gorgeous honey-colored eyes.

He also said he was grateful for the work that the Animal Humane Society does, and encouraged others who were thinking about rescuing a pet to do so. He noted a universal truth about rescue animals as well: "I think as everyone who's listening to this probably knows, they rescue you as much as you rescue them."

In the same video, Tim mentioned that Honey was getting to be friends with her new canine brother. That's right, the Walz family also has a dog, a beautiful black lab mix named Scout. "Scout's been really good with [Honey]," he said, noting that Honey was still young and had a lot of kitten energy. "I'll come into the room once in a while and they'll be laying side by side."

Scout was rescued from Midwest Animal Rescue, after being found in a box next to a high-kill shelter in Oklahoma. Walz had actually promised his son that they could adopt a pup if he won the 2018 gubernatorial election. "We were in the room on Election Night, and the folks were in there, and it came on TV they called the race, and Gus immediately screamed, "I get a puppy!'" Walz said, per Fox 9. And so the following year, Walz made good on his promise and adopted a then-3-month-old Scout in 2019.

The family introduced Scout to the public on the lawn of the Governor's Residence, with Tim telling reporters, "After eight months of intense negotiations and deal-making, we have new addition to our family. This is Scout!"

We honestly could not think of a better press conference that we'd want to attend.