Faces of No-Kill: Dog BFF provides soft place to land

You’re probably familiar with the concept of “personal space.” Hannibal, however, is not. Despite having a soft and spacious dog bed of her own, she prefers sleeping directly on top of her canine friend, Cinnamon. When she’s not snoozing atop Cinnamon, she can often be found with her nose pressed firmly against someone’s leg. But luckily for Hannibal, her family members don’t mind. They’re just as crazy about her as she is about them.

Hannibal came to the Best Friends Lifesaving Center in New York City from an animal rescue group in Georgia with her litter of seven puppies in tow. The 2-year-old dog with little legs and soulful eyes craved human contact. She loved nothing more than cuddling with staff members, blissfully resting her head in their laps. But despite all the affection (and treats) she received, this country girl felt anxious in the big city.

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“Hannibal was a lovebug but too nervous to go outside,” says Best Friends staff member Clarice Bloncourt. “We suspected that she would be perfect in a home with another dog who was more confident.”

That’s when Clarice’s wheels started to turn.

Clarice’s brother, Joseph Bloncourt, and his partner, Laura Torres, were considering adding another dog to their family. Their senior pup, Cinnamon, had been without a canine companion since the passing of Laura’s other dog several years earlier. Knowing Joseph’s penchant for short and stout dogs, Clarice started a group chat called “Small Dog Reports,” where she shared photos of dogs from Best Friends whom they might like.

For a while, the timing was never right — until Hannibal’s picture flashed across their phone screens. “I knew Hannibal would melt their hearts,” says Clarice. Of course, they were interested and agreed to meet Hannibal in person. Maybe it would be a match.

“Meeting Hannibal for the first time was pleasant. She was very calm and reserved since she was healing from her spay surgery,” recalls Laura. Still, she and Joseph could see that there was a lovable, silly pup inside. They decided to bring her home that very day.

Once at home, it was time for Hannibal to meet Cinnamon, a fellow lowrider with a pointy snout and some extra white frosting on her face. Laura and Joseph decided to take the pups on a quiet, low-key walk to get to know each other.

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That one walk sealed the deal. Fast-forward to today: Hannibal and Cinnamon are inseparable, rarely more than a paw’s length apart.

“These two pups were truly made for each other,” says Laura. “Their temperaments match so well — with Cinnamon showing Hannibal patience and boundaries and Hannibal providing physical warmth and an overall zest for life.” Cinnamon’s companionship has helped Hannibal become confident and comfortable enough to show her true self.

Initially, Hannibal, with her tiny legs and big personality, couldn’t quite climb the stairs or jump onto the couch. As a result, she required her humans to give her “airlifts” wherever her legs couldn’t take her. (Since then, she’s learned to navigate her space like a pro.) She also has a habit of stealing socks and often zooms at full speed into unsuspecting family members.

“I would describe her personality as pure joy. She is happy, bouncy, and full of life,” says Laura.

A typical day for Hannibal includes waking up next to Cinnamon and eagerly anticipating a walk to the park. “She stops everyone in the street with her big eyes and innocent, curious nature,” Laura says. “She surprises me more each day.”

Hannibal’s puppies got their own happy endings, too. They became celebrities after making several national TV appearances leading up to the Puppy Bowl and were each adopted in short order.

Hannibal came into her family’s life when they needed it most. Just 10 days after Hannibal’s adoption, Laura’s father passed away.

“It has truly helped our family cope with such a devastating loss,” says Laura. “Her sense of wonder brings light back to us when the world sometimes has to take away.” For Laura, being able to focus on Hannibal and watch her thrive has been cathartic.

For Clarice, who has helped match hundreds of pets with families, nothing will quite top this adoption.

“It feels very special to know that Hannibal is part of my family,” she says. “Being able to see her at family events and getting pictures of her and Cinnamon brings me great joy. I’m proud that I was able to match my brother with a dog he loves.”

As for Hannibal, she’s exactly where she belongs — snuggled up with her best friend, Cinnamon.

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.