Dog Stories

Gilda the dog on a couch

Faces of No-Kill: Pup trades farm life for city lights

Gilda, a dog with a heart of gold, finds her spot on the couch with her new family...
She's transitioned well
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Two smiling people holding LaBamba the senior dog

10-year-old tiny terrier home at last

La Bamba went from all alone on the streets of New York City to part of a loving f...
He fit right in
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Sarita and Colette the dogs next to each other with their front paws up on a desk

Best friends at Best Friends: Dogs find their footing

Colette was recovering from surgery, and Sarita was on the shy side — and their fr...
Read about the pals
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Jalapeño the dog, smiling, while sitting on sand in front of some trees

Helping a shy dog spice up his social life

Found as a stray pup, Jalapeño was shy and shut down around people, but his foster...
How he's warming up
Best Friends Magazine
Dealla the dog outside on a path in the woods with five other dogs

Dog goes from shy to social butterfly in foster win

Dealla was shy and unsure of people when she arrived at the Sanctuary, but after g...
Meet the foster win
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Baby Girl the white dog, smiling with tongue out, lying in green grass

Faces of No-Kill: Baby Girl in Brownsville, Texas

Best Friends’ embed program supports a Texas shelter in treating dogs for heartwor...
Embed program saves lives
Best Friends Magazine
Bonita Vanderkooi holding a small brown and white dog in her arms

Bonita Vanderkooi finds the perfect fit in Best Friends

When Bonita Vanderkooi and her husband, Doug, considered who was to inherit most o...
Giving it all to their favorite place
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Rhonda the dog licking the face of Amra the dog

The other founders of Best Friends Animal Society

Enough about the people — let’s celebrate the animals....
Meet some of the original residents
Best Friends Magazine
Reba Schnyder and Elliot Tolkin holding Cricket the puppy, outside on a lawn

Hip hip hooray! Puppy gets life-changing surgery

A total hip replacement would allow Cricket to run, jump, and play like any other ...
Watch her recover
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Adored the cat in front of Santa

Holiday cheer: Watch dogs and cats open their gifts

Cats and dogs pounce onto the holiday spirit at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary....
Watch their fun
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Pep the black dog, standing outside, wearing a harness, with her mouth open and big pink tongue out

Watch a dog’s first day out after surviving distemper

Pep was sick for months but then got to celebrate her health in the sweetest way a...
See her in action
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Two dogs outside in the grass in a playgroup, one whose tong is hanging out

Magic of playgroups unveils dogs’ hidden sociability

A five-day seminar for 13 greater Houston shelters showed that even dogs who haven...
Learn about this lifesaving program
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Vera the dog next to a smiling person who has both hands affectionately holding her

Faces of No-Kill: Saving a dog with a sensitive soul

Vera went from a busy shelter to a charmed life in her new home....
Now she's a cherished member of the family
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Raquel the dog smiling in front of some wildflowers

‘Diamond in the rough’ dog loved just as she is

Wary of new people and other dogs, it took some extra time to find Raquel a home, ...
Read how she's settling in
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Rexie the dog wearing a decorative protective cone embellished with blue and orange hearts

Rexie the ‘T. rex’ pup loves life in his new home

Found alone on the streets of Houston, a dog with heartworm disease helps a couple...
He fits perfectly with their lifestyle
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