During this unprecedented time of COVID-19, there has been one huge silver lining: rescue animals.

While we’ve been forced to spend more time than ever at home due to social distancing restrictions, many Australian have decided it is the perfect opportunity to introduce a furry friend into their lives.

WATCH: Who’s smarter, cats or dogs? Post continues below.

Between March and April of this year, over 12,000 Australians rescued a pet from Pet Rescue Australia, and RSPCA has seen a 45 per cent increase in dog fostering.

So to cheer you up today, here are 20 photos of gorgeous dogs, cats, and even a horse and lamb, that you rescued during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Elvi

"I have no idea why we waited so long to add to our family. Her breath’s not the best and she farts for Australia, but Elvi is a blast of brightness at a crappy time. If you’re thinking about it and you have the resources, now’s a bloody good time to adopt." - Holly.

Benny Butternut Big Balls

"Rescued from the RSPCA into our house with two little girls. Sometimes he probably wishes he could go back." - Rebecca.

Bridgitte Bardot

"She joined us last week from a chicken farm." - Karin.

Matilda Rose

"On the day before lockdown we bought home this ratbag. She has brought endless hours of cuddles and laughs. Not sure how she will cope when we aren’t here to entertain her and feed her snacks all day! She’s utterly insane. Maddest cat I’ve ever owned." - Jane.

Alby

"My partner and I rescued this little man! His name is Alby and he doesn’t like it when I read because I should be paying attention to him." - Helen.

Lin and Lola

"Fostering through the RSPCA. Part of our family permanently from April. They have brought so much joy into our home." - Penny.

Porridge

"We adopted a kitty! His name is Porridge!!!" - Isa.

Wolfgang

"This is Wolfgang. He’s a 12-year-old pug cross. We rescued him at the beginning of lockdown but we’d been searching for an older dog for a long time." - Lee.

Luna and Spoon

"Rescued by my 20-year-old son." - Belinda.

Zali

"This is Zali, she is only four months old but has spent most of her life in the pound. She joined our family just last week - absolutely full of energy and keeping me on my toes." - Victoria.

Olive

"My lovely friend Kelli adopted this little sweetheart called Olive a few weeks ago and she’s already taken to WFH and puzzles. (And of course, she has her own Instagram - @olive_theadoptive)." - Alicia.

Hope

"This is Hope we got her from the RSPCA four weeks ago. The kids have loved having a distraction." - Elissa.

Olive and Smokey

"My sister and her partner rescued a kitten and a pony! Olive and Smokey are settling in perfectly, and it’s safe to say that I was very excited once the restrictions were eased and I was allowed to visit!" - Jessica.

Lulu

"She is 17 weeks old and came from the RSPCA. She loves to sit next to me each day as I work from home. Not sure how we’ll cope when I have to go back to the office in a few weeks." - Emily.

Barbara

"Orphaned lamb named Barbara. She’s keeping the kids happy while they can’t see their friends!" - Kaitlin.

Missy

"We adopted Missy the cat!" - Shannon.

Koda

"We rescued Koda, he had been dumped as a pup in the bush, and survived by himself for at least a month, and had been waiting to be adopted for the last year. He’s the best." - Ren.

Archie

"Meet Archie! Rescued from the Lonsdale RSPCA a month ago." - Anna.

Gnaro

"Gnaro pronounced Naro." - Emma.

Luna

"This is Luna. She’s two years old and came to us from Save-a-dog. She’s lovely." - Anna.

Samson

"This is Samson, he is a gorgeous 18-month-old who spent his entire life locked in a bathroom." - Siobhan.

Harry

"This is our new baby Harry. We adopted him at the start of iso. He’s settled in so well." - Amy.

Feature image: Supplied.

If you've rescued an animal during COVID-19, share a photo along with their name and story in the comments! We'd love to see your furry friend.