PALO ALTO, Calif. — Oct. 2, 2026 — Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has welcomed a new dog into his family after adopting a Shiba Inu puppy named Byte from a Palo Alto animal shelter.
Zuckerberg adopted the reddish-tan puppy from Pets In Need’s Palo Alto Animal Shelter, located at 3281 E. Bayshore Road in Palo Alto. Pets In Need is a real Bay Area animal welfare organization that operates shelters in Palo Alto and Redwood City and helps place dogs, cats and other animals into permanent homes.
Byte had been available for adoption through the shelter before being matched with Zuckerberg and his family. The puppy’s name has an obvious connection to Zuckerberg’s background in technology. In computing, a byte is a basic unit of digital information, making it a fitting name for the Facebook founder and Meta CEO’s new dog.
According to Pets In Need, Zuckerberg said during the adoption
“The kids went through a bunch of names, but Byte stuck. He’s already acting like he owns the place.”
The shelter shared the comment while discussing the adoption and Byte’s move into his new home.
Pets In Need allows prospective adopters to visit the shelter, meet available animals and speak with staff about each animal’s personality, behavior and medical history. The organization also provides veterinary care and other services before animals are placed with new families.
Animals adopted through Pets In Need are generally vaccinated, microchipped and spayed or neutered before going home. Shelter staff also work with adopters to help make sure the animal is a good fit for the household.
Byte’s adoption adds another dog to a family that has already been associated with a well-known pet.
Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, previously owned Beast, a Puli, or Hungarian sheepdog, who became popular online after joining the family in 2011. Beast appeared frequently in photos and posts over the years and became recognizable for his long, corded coat.
The addition of Byte gives the family a very different breed of dog.
Shiba Inus are a Japanese breed known for their compact size, alert personality and independent temperament. The breed has also become especially recognizable online because of the popularity of Shiba Inu dogs in internet culture and memes.
That online connection makes Byte’s name especially fitting.
The adoption also draws attention to the work of local shelters such as Pets In Need. Organizations like Pets In Need rely on adoptions, foster homes, donations and community support to place animals and reduce overcrowding.
Pets In Need serves communities throughout the Bay Area and works with both local animals and dogs and cats transferred from other shelters.
For Byte, the adoption marks a new beginning.
The Shiba Inu is now settling into his new home with Zuckerberg’s family, trading life at the shelter for a household with plenty of room, attention and, judging by his name, a strong Silicon Valley connection.
Byte is the newest member of the Zuckerberg family.
