Ariana Madix opens up about rescuing ‘countless’ animals’

Ariana Madix has opened up about her lifelong love of animals and her mission to inspire others to rescue pets.

The Vanderpump Rules alum, 40, spoke exclusively to People about her new partnership with Fresh Step and Best Friends Animal Society, a campaign encouraging singles to “date cats, not humans” this Valentine’s Day.

“I’ve had, at this point, countless animals,” Madix said. “When I was a kid, rescuing started from just taking animals home that would show up at the barn that I rode my horse at. And sometimes stray dogs would show up.”

She recalled one rescue mission with a childhood friend: “We rescued these squirrels that fell out of a tree, and we would do all kinds of things like that. When I got older, my first dog, Charlotte, was my own dog — I got her in college from a humane society. My cat, I found in a parking lot, and my dog, Mya, was rescued as well.”

Madix described herself as a “big fan of the cat distribution system”—a playful nickname animal lovers give to chance encounters with stray cats in need—and said she hopes to steer singles away from the endless swiping of dating apps in favor of connecting with adoptable cats.

For the “Date Cats, Not Humans” campaign, Fresh Step and Best Friends Animal Society are taking over a dating platform, letting users “swipe right” to connect with a furry friend. The brand is also providing free litter and covering adoption fees during Valentine’s Day weekend.

When asked what she looks for in a feline companion, Madix said, “I love a cat that likes to cuddle. I don’t mind a cat that kind of stays to itself and does its own thing, as long as it wants to sleep with me in the bed at night and be my little cuddle buddy. That’s my number one quality in a cat.”

But life with pets hasn’t always been all snuggles. Madix recounted one harrowing moment with her cat, Kitty, in New York City.

“I lived on the ground floor, and my boyfriend at the time and I were getting ready for bed. I kept wondering, ‘Where’s Kitty?’ She’s a talker, very vocal and usually nearby,” she explained.

After searching in panic, they discovered Kitty had somehow escaped, scaling a giant wall and wandering the streets. 

“My boyfriend found her just walking around on Essex. And thank God, but I was like, ‘What is wrong with you?’ She about gave me a heart attack,” Madix recalled with a laugh.

Through her love of animals and her advocacy work, Madix continues to champion pet adoption and the joy of giving animals a second chance.