Desert dogs find new hope

What started as a heartbreaking discovery in the remote San Rafael Swell area of Emery County, Utah, quickly turned into a story of hope and healing. The area is roughly between Moab and Salt Lake City, miles from the nearest town. The rescue effort began when a pair of tourists from Oregon came across a group of seemingly abandoned dogs in the remote desert landscape. Heartbroken by what they saw, the couple brought food and water to the dogs and managed to catch a few on their own. Realizing they needed more resources and expertise, they reached out for help — a call that quickly set a broader rescue effort into motion.

It remains unclear how the dogs ended up there in the first place, but there was no question that they needed to come in out of the elements. In a cooperative effort that included Best Friends Animal Society’s Salt Lake City team, a dog trapper who specializes in finding missing dogs in the area, and the Emery County Sheriff’s Office, all the dogs were soon safely caught.

[Dog gains the courage to trust]

Nine of them — Luca, Lucy, Luke, Lydia, Larissa, Albuquerque, Little Rock, Wichita, and Tallahassee — came to Best Friends in Salt Lake City, while others were taken in by area network partners. Best Friends’ goal is for all shelters to reach no-kill, and that means working together with other animal welfare organizations to save pets’ lives, giving each one what they need to ultimately go into homes of their own.

The dogs each had a thorough exam with the Best Friends veterinary team and got any treatments they needed, including vaccines and spay or neuter surgery. Then the foster team began matching them up with foster homes.  

“These dogs were definitely shy and scared at first, but you could tell they wanted to trust,” says Pat Theobald of the Best Friends team in Salt Lake City. “With a little patience and a lot of love, we knew they had every chance to blossom.”

[Loving a shy dog just the way he is]

Thanks to nine foster families, these dogs are learning what safety, compassion, and the kindness of human connection feels like. One of them, a sweet black dog named Luca, started showing his true personality just hours after arriving in his temporary home.

“I can’t believe how quickly he went from so fearful he was drooling to curling up at my feet,” Luca’s foster volunteer shares. “He’s still scared of hands over his head and new sounds, but he follows me around, asks for pets and scratches.” 

A few of the dogs have already been adopted through the Best Friends Lifesaving Center in Salt Lake City, and the rest are expected to follow soon.

From a remote stretch of desert to homes filled with love, these dogs’ journey is a testament to the power of compassion, collaboration, and second chances. What could have ended in tragedy is now a beautiful new beginning, not just for the dogs but for the people who stepped up to help them heal.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.