Training and Enrichment Stories

Emily snuggling with Hale the cat, face-to-face, with her arm around him

‘Hands-off’ cat learns to show his sweet side

Hale expressed himself with his teeth and claws when he came to the Sanctuary, but...
He's now blossomed
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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
Jen Cunha holding letters A and B for Ellie the Goffin’s cockatoo to see

When parrots go to school

Jen Cunha’s work with parrots is revealing how intelligent they are — and how eage...
Their incredible success at communicating
Best Friends Magazine
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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Jako the cat eating some greens with ears back

Frisky feline bounds toward a bright future

Jako had so much energy that he was positively overflowing with it, so caregivers ...
See Jako at "work"
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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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Adored the cat with her head and two front paws overhanging the corner of the area she's lying on

Helping a cat feel absolutely Adored

From scared to snuggly, this tangerine tabby has come a long way....
Now instead of running away, her purr motor revs up
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Petey the cat with Emily kneeling next to him

Faces of No-Kill: Befriending a fractious feline

Petey was frustrated with people and not afraid to show it — until he got speciali...
A family for a finicky feline
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Jules and Lannister the dogs playing together, each holding opposite sides of the same stick with their mouths

The right roommate helps calm anxious dog

Lannister loves making friends, but his nervous energy can be a lot for other dogs...
See how they enjoy each others company
Best Friends Magazine
Atkins the white dog in front of a group of people when moving into the Shipley Dog Lodges

Announcing the Shipley Dog Lodges

A nod to the future through the experiences of the past...
Celebrating a place designed to celebrate dogs with behavior challenges
Julie Castle Blog
Frankie the dog in the lap of a person who is reading "101 Dalmatians" to him

Deaf dog loves story time

Even though he can’t follow along with his ears, Frankie loves it when people read...
It's fun for everyone
Best Friends Magazine
Person wearing a hat reaching down to feed some watermelon to a pig in a small yellow pool

A pool party just for pigs

Pigs at the Sanctuary make a splash and have a blast at a summertime soiree just f...
Check out the fun
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A person and dog in a green canoe on the water in front of a rock overcropping

Dogs find treasure at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Photo essay explores dogs taking a dip in waters rumored to hide ancient riches an...
Is Montezuma’s gold hidden at the Sanctuary?
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Acadia the cat standing on his hind legs doing a high-five with a person

Cat goes from shy to showman

Acadia didn’t want anything to do with people when he first came to Best Friends, ...
Now he's a tour highlight
Best Friends Magazine
Black and white dog licking lips after tasting a Frosty Paws from a white cup being held by a person's hand

Volunteers deliver cool treats to Dogtown pups

Get the canine-approved recipe that makes the dogs bark for joy, especially on hot...
Make them yourself
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