Special-Need Animals Stories

Cheesecaek the dog smiling with tongue out

Grant helps save senior dog’s eyesight

A Lab mix named Cheesecake had a disease that threatened her eyesight, but a Rachael Ray Save Them All Grant helped her to see again.
Extra funds help save lives
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Zora the kitten with a lit up Christmas tree in the background

‘Miracle kitten' thrives after lifesaving surgery

Zora went from near death to a loving home, inspiring everyone she met along the way.
From survival mode to thriving
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Larissa hugging Ghost the dog

Deaf dog’s inspiring journey home

A snow-white pup named Ghost shows us that pets with special needs can lead full lives and spread tremendous joy.
Today he's living his best life
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Sébastien in a wheelchair with Theophiel the cat in his lap and another cat stretching up to them

Faces of No-Kill: Head injury can’t stop this kitten

Found stumbling and disoriented, Theophiel’s story had a scary start, but things turned around when he landed at Best Friends. Now, he’s living the dream.
Life is good for Theophiel
Best Friends Magazine
Winter and Abbott the dogs inside with a bucket and raised bed in the background

Best friends at Best Friends: A real dynamic doggy duo

Meet Abbott and Winter, a couple of sweet senior dogs with a surprising past.
Now they're best buds
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Miles the kitten in his cart

Faces of No-Kill: Kitty gets kicking with care and a cart

A kitten alone by the side of the road dragging his back end, Miles needed help fast — and at the Sanctuary, he got just that.
Physical therapy is working wonders
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Yazh the puppy in here dog wheelchair, with her mouth open in a smile

Survivor puppy shows big love for life

A bullet wound left Yazh paralyzed in her hind end, but she didn’t let it slow her down for a second.
Her foster home now provides consistency and routine
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Spots the dog lying on the floor with eyes closed and mouth open smiling with Ellie behind him petting his chest

Senior dog finds love on the beaches of California

Spots came to Best Friends with an aggressive form of cancer and captured the heart of his foster person.
Read about their deep connection
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Piglet, the black and white tuxedo kitten, sitting in a cardboard box

Mending a kitten's broken heart

Kitten survives emergency open-chest surgery and thrives in his foster home.
Foster home becomes permanent
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The head of Colt, the orange tabby kitten

Kitten with unique walk lives life to the fullest

Meet Colt, a resilient orange tabby who’s learned to navigate the world in his own way.
Now he's a very happy kitten
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Sylvia the one-eyed cat with her foster person Melissa

Blind cat with cleft palate gets care, gains confidence

Sylvia was in rough shape when she arrived at the Sanctuary, but with TLC and a good haircut, she’s finally feeling feline-fine.
Read how she's improved
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Prancer the cat with her new family on a couch

Prancer the cat is home for the holidays

She has a condition that makes her wobble as she walks, but it doesn’t keep this jolly kitten from living life to the fullest.
See her now
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Coraline the kitten lying next to Rocky the dog

Blind kitten and little dog forge unlikely friendship

He was a pup just living his life. She was a blind kitten with boundless energy. It was a match made in heaven.
Meet the best buds
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Lizel Allen with a brown tabby kitten on her shoulder

Foster caregiver drawn to cats with special needs

Lizel Allen has fostered 165 pets (and counting!) since 2014, and she still finds the work incredibly meaningful — and fun.
See how it became her passion
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Orange tabby kitten hugging and giving a kiss to Jeff, the blind black and white kitten, while lying together in a bed

Blind kitten gets by with help from his friends

Jeff needed emergency surgery to remove both of his eyes, but the kitten was quickly on the road to recovery thanks to a crew of good friends.
Watch his improvement following surgery
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