Utah Stories

Pepper the cat wearing a crown while being held by her new family

Cat purrs in the face of adversity

Pepper is the picture of resiliency after a traumatic past...
See how she's thriving
Best Friends Magazine
Merlot the German shepherd smiling in front of a smiling person

From rescued dog to service dog

Merlot was homeless and needed emergency surgery, but now she’s helping her new pe...
See how they're growing together
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Valentina the black and white kitten being held by gloved hands and you can see wounds on her face

Fearless kitten meets life’s challenges head-on

With a difficult first two months behind her, Valentina shakes off adversity for a...
Read about her care
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Benedict the kitten sitting on a cat tree

Kitten seizes life on two legs

Benedict’s hind legs are paralyzed due to spina bifida, but that doesn’t stop him ...
Meet this foster-win
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Large black and white pit bull type dog smiling and out on a leashed walk

10 advocacy wins for the animals

Good news for dogs and cats across the country....
See some 2022 highlights
Best Friends Magazine
Winter the kitten lying on her back with her paws up over her head

Joining forces to save a newborn kitten

Best Friends medical team and volunteers team up to save a struggling, days-old ki...
Winter gets twice the love and care
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Krueger the cat lying on a box in the warehouse with stacks of boxes behind him

A cat who works from home

Krueger calls True Leaf Seed Company his home, and he has worked wonders for emplo...
Read about this working cat
Best Friends Magazine
Otto the orange tabby cat lying on an orange blanket in a kennel

A ‘senior’ shelter cat’s secret

Otto the cat was so ragged and unhealthy looking that the staff judged him to be a...
Read about his transformation
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A person cradling a dog while another person checks out his feet at a Ruff Haven Crisis Sheltering clinic

Streetwise help for people and their pets

Ruff Haven Crisis Sheltering, formed in the midst of the pandemic, is blazing trai...
Keeping people and their pets together
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Smooches the kitten on a fuzzy blanket

Tiny but mighty: a kitten’s journey

Born with three legs, Smooches came to Best Friends for special care when she was ...
Watch this foster-win
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Zoey Crooks the cat sitting on the corner of a carpet

Couple goes the distance to adopt shy cat

Leslie and Keith drove from Reno to Salt Lake City to adopt a cat they can’t touch...
Read how she's fitting in
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Alida and Gary Oldham with Cleopatra the cat, who is nose-to-nose with Gary

5 men making a difference for homeless pets

This Father’s Day, tip your hat to the men in your community who are helping pets ...
Read about their efforts
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Daisy the dog, lying next to a person whose hand is hugging her

Dog has two legs, unlimited supply of love

Daisy went from a shelter to a home with an adopter who can’t get enough of her en...
See Daisy in action
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Ahoy the gray and white pit bull type dog surrounded by pink plush toys

4 animal stories to inspire

...
Read about their successes
Best Friends Magazine
Float the dog smiling and lying against a person whose arm is around him

Lessons from one blind dog led adopters to another

When a retired couple on vacation met a blind dog named Float, they knew their pas...
See how he fit in
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