Dog Stories

Person hugging a black and brown dog beside a shade canopy at the dog spay/neuter event

Free spay/neuter for L.A. dogs

Group effort to serve 400 dogs in need of surgeries....
A successful event
Best Friends Magazine
Rydell the German shepherd mix with his tongue out being scratched on the hind end by a person

Faces of No-Kill: Water-loving pooch finds his flow

Rydell made a splash during training sessions at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary — a...
He just needed structure and patience
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Boo the dog wearing a red bow tie collar with a winter background

How training one dog inspired shelter-wide change

Boo’s successful training plan sparked a shift in a rural Arkansas shelter that wi...
All interactions with animals are learning opportunities
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Annie the dog on a large cushion with two children who are smiling and holding tablets

Faces of No-Kill: Shelter dog now living on easy street

Annie overcame her challenges with time, support, and lots of broccoli....
She continues to make amazing progress
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Kansas and Twister, the merle-patterned dogs, standing on sand

A remarkable dog friendship built on trust and treats

A blind dog and deaf dog enjoy the good life in their home-between-homes at Best F...
They're perfect complements to each other
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Lexi the dog with upright ears

Faces of No-Kill: Support for a special pup

Lexi came to Best Friends as a little puppy who turned out to have megaesophagus, ...
Now she's queen of the pack
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A couple adventure buddy program participants with a pug wearing a bandanna

Adventures abound for adoptable dogs

Dogs from the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in L.A. share fun-filled outings to...
Adventuring with purpose
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Blanche the dog standing outside

Extra-bubbly dog goes from chaos to calm

How the behavior team at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary helped Blanche turn her ove...
She now serves as “demo dog” for the behavior team
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Baby and Celine the French bulldogs sleeping next to each other

Faces of No-Kill: From puppy surgery to sister snuggles

A French bulldog named Baby came to Best Friends in crisis. Now, she has a clean b...
A family that’s meant to be
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Jonathan Ramirez next to his mural of a dog with the word, Adopt

One special dog inspired this artist to give back

Adoption gave a dog named Russell a second chance, but it also inspired his adopte...
Artist creates mural at Florida shelter
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Multiple black dogs on a red rock outcropping

Desert dogs find new hope

Dogs found in a remote Utah area are now safe and settling into foster homes in Sa...
Enjoying new beginnings
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The puppies lying on a red blanket

Puppies thrive thanks to foster volunteer’s courage

How one woman overcame her fear of needles when the lives of her foster puppies de...
Commitment to help overcomes anxiety
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Llorona the black puppy smiling and sitting outside on the sand

No contact, no problem for a sweet pup

When rabies quarantine was a must for a young puppy, staff found ways to keep her ...
Now she's catching up on her puppyhood
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Rio and Mike the dogs outside on some steps

A road trip detour that changed a dog’s life

A cross-country trip and spontaneous visit to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary led to...
Now Rio has blossomed
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Lily Bean the beagle in a protective cone

A Beagle’s Road to Healing and Home

Found trembling by the roadside, Lily Bean the beagle faced an uncertain future. T...
Story is a reminder of what is possible when kindness and community come together
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