Dog 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 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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Jinx the smiling with tongue out pit-bull-type dog, outside on a leash by a river and wearing a yellow bandanna

Shelter helps dogs put their best paws forward

McKamey Animal Center in Tennessee sets an example for lifesaving with its canine-centric programs.
Learn more
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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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Tax the dog, looking forward with mouth open in a smile

Anxious dog who’s deaf finds comfort with new family

Life seemed overwhelming for Taz when he arrived at Best Friends, but now he’s learning how to confidently navigate the world with his new family.
Read how he's settled into his new home
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Tami and Troy

Tami Brown hits the legacy trail with Troy

Two souls in search of a better life reach new heights together.
Her will is her way of giving back.
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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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Dolly Jean the puppy looking up from sitting on a tile floor

Skinny puppy is now living her best life

Dolly Jean was too thin and had a belly full of worms when she came to Best Friends, but now she’s thriving.
See how she's now thriving
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Sweet Baby James the puppy in a wheelchair

Foster home helps puppy stand tall

Faces of no-kill: Sweet Baby James could hardly even crawl when he first came to the Sanctuary, but today he’s stronger and in a home of his own.
See him now
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Taylor Hill with Kiba the dog in her lap

Playgroups at Arkansas shelter let a shy dog shine

Kiba was standoffish around people, but around other dogs she proved she’s a social butterfly ready to put her best side on display.
Proof that initial dog labels can be flawed
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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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RoiLie the dog running in his wheelchair

Big love for little dog with wheels

An injury changed RoiLie’s life, but his huge personality and a whole lot of love keep him going strong.
See him in his home
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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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Community service officer Sean Bus giving a thumbs up sign with Wilson the pug

The right tool reunites lost pug with family

The day after officer Sean Bus received a microchip scanner, he put it straight to use.
Wilson's now reunited with his family
Best Friends Magazine