Dog Stories

Polly the dog outside with mouth open smiling

For one dog, love was there all along

From training sessions to a music festival in her honor, Polly had quite the journ...
A familiar face, a new beginning
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Apollo the dog lying on the floor

Faces of No-Kill: New hope for dog with mighty name

Once skinny and shut down, Apollo regained his strength and spirit in a foster hom...
His time to shine
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Chico the dog in Steven Szydio's vehicle looking out the window for Adventure Buddy Day

400+ shelter dogs embark on day of adventure in L.A.

One special day brought hundreds of dogs out of the shelter to relax, have fun, an...
More than a day of fun
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Gabriel the dog beside a child

Access to vet care helps Texas shelters reach no-kill

Collaboration between Texas shelters and Best Friends has helped more pets like Ga...
New initiative helps save lives
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Masha kissing Cinnamon the dog on a boardwalk

Faces of No-Kill: Dog snuggles his way into new home

Cinnamon was found alone and injured, but then one sleepy moment changed his life.
It was love at first lap
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Calvin holding Sylvia the puppy in front of Central Book Exchange

Survivor puppy gets job in bookstore

After overcoming a severe case of parvovirus, Sylvia spends her days doing what sh...
Puppy gets fairy tale happily-ever-after
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Collage of three photos of people taking dogs out for Adventure Buddies Day

Kennels empty for Adventure Buddies Day in Los Angeles

How nearly 400 shelter dogs in Los Angeles got their best day ever.
It’s much more than exercise and enrichment
Julie Castle Blog
Cooper the dog surrounded by flowers

From shelter dog to dapper wedding guest

A Facebook post changed Cooper’s life — and Zoe’s, too.
Bringing love home
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Mark and Kim Spragg at Salt Lake City with Cathy Overfield, a Best Friends employee

Answering the call to help pets impacted by disaster

Best Friends emergency response volunteers drop everything to help whenever and wh...
Helping in ways big and small
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Melon the dog outside on a leash with a person beside water

How one wary dog learned to trust through toys

At Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, a dog cautious about people got the specialized ...
Caregivers have learned Melon’s language
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Alice the dog standing outside in a yard

Faces of No-Kill: Senior dog gets her spark back

It seemed like tiny Alice had given up on life, but a little time and a lot of lov...
Now she's right where she belongs
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Tiger the brindle dog

Tiger’s 763 days: A shelter dog's long road home

A Texas shelter director explains how a dog pushed them to evolve, adapt, and beli...
Shelter changes its stripes
Best Friends Magazine
Christmas lights in Chickasha, Oklahoma during sunset

A real-life Hallmark movie for shelter pets

Chickasha Animal Shelter in Oklahoma, with help from Best Friends, is creating mor...
Making magic for the animals
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Elliott the dog with his family

Oklahoma shelter dog wins 5K race, gets adopted

A fun-filled adoption event and 5K race in Oklahoma helped a dog named Elliott, an...
From shelter to finish line to beloved family member
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Person petting Bentley the doodle

She adopted her dream doodle

After buying their first puppy from a breeder, a family in California decided to a...
Now Bentley is family
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