Los Angeles Stories

Jax the dog in a person's lap while being cradled in her arms

Faces of No-Kill: A scared dog learns to trust

With time, patience, and TLC, Jax went from a very fearful dog who needed a home to a happy pup who’s blossoming with his new person.
Read how a special friendship formed
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Bear the dog and his "mini me" canine brother in his new home on a couch together

Big dog lands a home, meets his mini me

When Michaela met a snuggle enthusiast named Bear, she looked beyond his size, saw his sweetness, and adopted him.
Now he's making friends with everyone
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Debbie the black and tan dog lying on a wooden deck

Little dog finds big love in her new home

Eleanor once lived in a home with too many dogs. Now, she’s living large and making her adopters laugh in the process.
See how she blossoms
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Aragon the dog in the foreground with a smiling person behind him, both outside in a yard

Video convinces mom to adopt a dog

Allison Botwinick wanted to adopt the family’s foster dog Aragon, but first she’d have to get her mom on board. So she got creative.
Meet the "foster win"
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Person hugging Henrietta the dog

Speed dating is for the dogs

The eligible singles at Best Friends in Los Angeles don’t care if you drive a fancy car or how snazzy your clothes are. But if you don’t love dogs, it’s a deal-breaker.
Read about this unique way of making matches
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Zoey the senior dog with her new adopted family, outside in front of some bushes

Senior dog with medical issues charms new family

Older dogs can be overlooked in shelters, but 10-year-old Zoey was exactly what her new family had been looking for.
Zoey brings comfort in an unexpected way
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Alyssa Leon and Tommy Rigdon sitting on a ledge with Brew and Julien their adopted dogs

A most adorable pair of adopted dogs

Brew and Julien play together, nap together, and are helping their adopters make friends in their new city.
Adopted dogs bring a sense of community
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Elle the smiling white puppy with blue eyes outside on grass

Puppy takes leg surgery in stride

Elle no longer has a front leg, but that doesn’t stop her from living life to the fullest.
See her recovery
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Leonsio the blind orange tabby cat lying on a couch with a Hello Kitty pillow behind him

Blind cat sees the good in everything

Leonsio couldn’t see at all and was skinny and matted when he was found outdoors, but he still sought love and gave it in return.
See how far he's come
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Moose the dog lying on a gray cushion with a toy between his front legs

The sixth time’s the charm for an energetic dog

Moose’s energy and anxiety proved too much for most people to handle, but today he’s in a home where he’s flourishing.
Now he's flourishing
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Buddy the brown Chihuahua mix standing outside

Anxious dog goes home with his kindred spirit

Buddy had a strict no-touch policy that couldn’t be broken — until he met his human counterpart.
Now they sleep together every night
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Volunteer Cheryl Baker smiling and holding a gray and white kitten

Cat-loving L.A. volunteer donates over 5,000 hours

When Cheryl Baker and her husband, Paul, stopped for a tour while vacationing in Utah, little did they know that years later they would be devoted Best Friends volunteers.
She does a little of everything, including fostering
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Karla and Scott Hanley sitting next to Salem the dog

Meet two heroes for dogs

Newborn puppy Rosie is thriving today, and she’s not the first life Karla and Scott Hanley have helped save.
Read about their lifesaving efforts
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Volunteer Cathy Berry wearing a mask and holding an orange tabby kitten

A cat lover’s legacy

We’ve said goodbye to a beloved volunteer, but the impact she made endures.
Honoring Cathy Berry and her impact
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Peter the dog with his new family (including two other dogs), all on a front porch of a home

Excellent epilogue to a canine cliffhanger

After a harrowing adventure that left him stranded on a cliffside in the desert, Peter is now snuggling up and settling in with his new family.
Now he's part of the pack
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