Dog Stories

Baja Blast the dog smiling with his tongue out of his mouth

Starved pup thrives with new friends and plenty of food

When Baja Blast came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, he was in rough shape. But ...
See him now
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Dan with Moogan the dog outside under a tree

Blind dog looks out for the ones he loves

Dogs are human’s best friend, but for one volunteer at Best Friends Animal Sanctua...
Heroism earns him extra treats
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The litter of Little Rock puppies sleeping in a pile together

Neighbors team up to save orphaned puppies

With the local animal shelter at capacity, an Arkansas family rallied their neighb...
Collaboration saves lives
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Bonito the dog smiling wide in a playgroup with another dog

Faces of No-Kill: Nervous dog becomes ambassador of fun

Bonito came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary as an anxious pup. Now he’s helping o...
Now he's an ambassador of fun
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Swing the dog lying and the floor wearing sunglasses getting his pretend laser treatment

Dog’s no-laser therapy is almost as good as the real thing

When Swing was diagnosed with cancer, he had to stop laser therapy for arthritis. ...
He still enjoys all the attention and love
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Athena holding a smiling Gremlin the dog in her lap

From shy to safe: Dog with megawatt smile goes home

Gremlin needed a friend to help calm his nerves, which ended up leading to the mat...
Now he's all smiles
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King Julian the dog standing up on his hind legs with his mouth open in a wide smile

Tiny pup goes from bald to beautiful in foster home

When King Julian landed at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, he wasn’t feeling like r...
Now he's all smiles
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Bert the dog lying in the grass on his back with his feet up

Dog’s story of healing will give you all the feels

Surgery would allow Bert to walk and run without pain. But he would need months of...
Special bond forms at foster home
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Emma Odekirk sitting on the ground with Valley the dog and a small brown puppy

Time, training, and love transform nervous dog

When Valley arrived at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, she was anxious about most e...
She's transformed
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Sego the dog sitting on a bench between Sandy and Richard Garrett

Helping a skittish dog learn to trust

Like some people, some dogs just need a bit more time than others to build trust. ...
Now he's blossoming in his new home
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Doug the dog wearing his sunglasses

Faces of No-Kill: Bespectacled pup wins over family

Doug’s future is so bright he’s gotta wear shades....
His sunglasses serve both fashion and function
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Pocket the dog in a yard with a toy ball

Busting myths about fostering dogs

If you’re on the fence about fostering, let us dispel some of the misperceptions....
Help get dogs into homes
Best Friends Magazine
Kona the dog wearing a collar with mouth open in a smile

Calming care for a pup with special needs

When Kona arrived at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, she spun in circles compulsive...
Now she's back home
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David Herrin and his service dog, Preciosa who is attempting to lick his face

From shelter pup to service dog

After getting a second chance, Preciosa would change one man’s life forever....
Now they're a team
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Te Fiti the mama dog lying down nursing her puppies

Mom, puppies rescued after tornadoes touch down

Te Fiti overcame her own fears to keep her four pups healthy and safe....
Now she's found love
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