Salt Lake City Stories

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, but love all the same.

Read how she's fitting in

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 endless smiles.

See Daisy in action

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 past experience would help provide him with a home where he would thrive.

See how he fit in

Roxy the senior Shih Tzu in a kennel

Senior Shih Tzu goes from down on her luck to a place in the sun

Roxy arrived at Best Friends with matted hair, an ear infection, bladder stones and major dental issues, but after help from the medical team she’s finally feeling good again.

Ready Roxy's story

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

Scar the little gray kitten wearing a sweater

Kitten whose life hung in the balance now the life of the party

A days-old kitten arrived at Best Friends with injuries, but in a foster home he received around-the-clock care to heal and thrive.

Read Scar's story

Paula holding Squeegee the cat while sitting on a couch

Kitten who once needed extra TLC becomes resident kitten ambassador

Squeegee was only days old and struggling to survive when he arrived at Best Friends, but in a foster home he flourished and formed a lifelong connection.

Read about his foster-win

Tulip the dog smiling while being held

Terrified dog, presumed pregnant, survives a life-threatening condition

More than just being scared, Tulip needed emergency surgery and time to recover in a loving foster home.

Read about Tulip's recovery

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

Person wearing a mask and rubber gloves holding Persephone the kitten

Tiny kitten goddess with ‘kittentude’ comes back from the brink

Once ailing kitten, aptly named after the Greek goddess of spring, overcomes illness with the help of Best Friends to flourish in a home.

Read about Persephone's journey

Norbert the kitten with three legs, lying on the floor wearing an orange outfit

Life on three limbs can’t slow down this kitten

Norbert came to Best Friends missing part of his back leg, but time in a foster home and surgery helped the kitten seize the moment (and the curtains) without missing a beat.

Watch this foster-win

Candace lying next to Hedwig the foster cat

Foster volunteer steps in for a shy cat

Hedwig was so scared when he arrived at Best Friends that he’d only venture out at night, but it took him only three hours to bask in the sunlight of a foster home.

See how fostering saves lives

Alucard the kitten being held by a person

Ailing kitten gets help when he needs it and a kitten friend, too

Alucard had a serious upper respiratory infection but with help from Best Friends he defied the odds to thrive.

Read how Alucard was saved

Gouda the Pekingese mix dog in the grass surrounded by fallen leaves

Matted, scared Pekingese mix gets a makeover and then a home

Scared dog learns to love life with a change of scenery and loving adopter.

Read how TLC helps Gouda

Black and white kitten on a couch

Critically injured kitten gets help when she needed it most

When a vet tech saw a kitten get hit by a car, she pulled over to help and contacted Best Friends, which provided medical care to survive and a home where she could thrive.