Volunteer Stories Stories

Ginny and Kenny Popvich with posing on a loveseat with a dog

Mother and son help dogs get adopted, one hike at a time

Volunteers Ginny and Kenny Popovich have been hitting the trails with dogs from Best Friends in Los Angeles for more than seven years.
Learn why they volunteer
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Volunteer reaching down to pet a brown dog in a kennel

Unique volunteer roles at Florida animal shelter

Pasco County Animal Services in Florida welcomes volunteers to help with everything from driving animal control officers to making TikTok videos.
See their innovative opportunities
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Jennifer Ronzello with three orange kittens surrounding her face

Inspiration from a kitten foster volunteer

Jennifer Ronzello is a hero for kittens. Read about how she got started fostering and why she keeps going.
Read about her rescue efforts
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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 in their own way.
Read about their efforts
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Erik Smith and a woman adopting Nash the dog, holding a 'I saved my best friend' sign

Dog inspires radio DJ to promote pet adoption on the air

Erik Smith and ‘Best Friends Friday’ on 100.3 FM The Bull in Houston help pets go home, thanks to a special dog named Nash.
Learn more
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Alida and Gary sitting with a cat in his lap

Two volunteers, helping animals in countless ways

From transporting pets to fostering cats, Alida and Gary Oldham are always ready to help.
Read how they help
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Group of volunteers holding the items they sewed for Best Friends

4 volunteers helping animals in unique ways

From teaching cats to “talk,” to creating videos that inspire others to get involved, these volunteers prove there are many ways to support pets in shelters.
Meet these volunteer dynamos
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Cherri Gillmore sitting on a chair holding a gray tabby cat

Foster volunteer prepares to welcome 100th kitten

Cherri Gillmore has a knack for helping unsocialized kittens, and together with her cat, Simon, she’s encouraging children to feel confident reading aloud.
Read her story
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Bob and Penny Burleson with some other people standing by the sign at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Retirement for lifesaving: Couple puts in hours for Houston pets

Now that Bob and Penny Burleson have retired from demanding careers, they can finally focus on a cause dear to their hearts ― helping save Houston’s homeless pets.
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Windchimes at Angels Rest with sun shining though them

Volunteer finds happiness at Best Friends

A year after a painful goodbye, Andrea found a place that helped her heal – here’s her story.
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Meet a dog who loves (as in really loves) car rides

Beefy loves nothing more than going out for a spin, as evidenced by this hilarious video captured by Danny Bress, a Best Friends volunteer in Los Angeles.
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volunteer kitten feeding sophia

Volunteer finds her calling, just keeps going

When Sophia Lim discovered Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, she could hardly believe such a place existed, but now that she’s a volunteer extraordinaire, she does it all
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Volunteer finds her calling, just keeps going

When Sophia Lim discovered Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, she could hardly believe such a place existed, but now that she's a volunteer extraordinaire, she does it all.
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Meet a matchmaking volunteer

Lillie Schlessinger started volunteering to fill time after retirement, but as she helps more and more pets find families, it's become so much more.
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7 tips from a social media pro on promoting your foster pet

Foster volunteer extraordinaire Aly Wu shares her tips on how to use social media to get the word out about your foster pets.
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