We Thought Zendaya and Tom Holland Couldn’t Get Any More Adorable as a Couple—and Then They Went on a Date to an Animal Rescue Center

Tom Holland and Zendaya gaze at each other lovingly

(Image credit: Getty)

published 7 October 2023

We had definitely reached the point where we were of the mind that Zendaya and Tom Holland could really get no cuter as a couple—but we were (happily) proven wrong. Just when we thought we’d seen it all (or at least all we’d ever get see publicly between the fiercely private couple)—the looks of love when seen out together, their dates to events like Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour (twice!) and basketball games, so on and so forth—we were pleasantly surprised when the twosome posted photos of themselves at maybe the most wholesome date we’ve ever heard of: cuddling rescue puppies together at a U.K. animal shelter. (Are we fawning and gushing a little? Proudly! This couple is A+.)

Anyway, gushfest over and back to the news: both Zendaya and Holland took to their respective social media to post clips of themselves cuddling puppies at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home in London on Thursday. Holland’s carousel included “a closeup of several sweetly sleeping puppies, and another of himself posed in a blue and white hazmat suit,” People reports. He also included a final photo of Zendaya snuggling a puppy.

Tom Holland and Zendaya at an animal rescue center

Zendaya also shared videos on her Instagram Story of a tiny puppy resting in her arms. “@Battersea puppy heaven,” she wrote on her story. Alongside another photo, she wrote “Like…are you kidding me?” as a sleeping puppy lay in her arms. She then posted another clip of her petting a puppy, writing, “Got the lil legs going lol. Noons gonna be so mad when he smells me @battersea,” referring to her dog, Noons, who even has his own Instagram account.

Battersea shared the couple’s posts to their Instagram story, writing “Thanks for visiting us and supporting rescue @zendaya.” Then, to Holland, “They loved you! Thank you for visiting @tomholland2013.”

“Tom and Zendaya visited Battersea to find out more about the work we do to support rescue dogs and cats and to meet some of the animals currently in our care,” a spokesperson said in a statement to People. “It was lovely to welcome them to Battersea.” The animal rescue center has been in operation since 1860, and Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth was a patron for 60 years, after taking on the role in May 1956.

It’s a rare glimpse into the private couple’s love story. Zendaya, speaking to Elle earlier this year, said of her relationship “Parts of my life, I accept, are going to be public. I can’t not be a person and live my life and love the person I love. But also, I do have control over what I choose to share. It’s about protecting the peace and letting things be your own but also not being afraid to exist. You can’t hide. That’s not fun either. I am navigating it more than ever now.”

RE: control over what she chooses to share—we are very thankful that it involved puppies.

Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.