Sanctuary Stories

Boston the dog in a kiddie pool beside a person spraying hose water in

Water-loving dog finds confidence after a rough start

At Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Boston got the patient care she needed to learn ...
Making a splash
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Wally the cat lying in a blanket

Faces of No-Kill: One cat’s road to recovery

Wally came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary for feline infectious peritonitis (FIP...
Wally has embraced the good life
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Emily and a dog doing a high-five with a mountain peak behind them

Running Grand to Grand for the animals

Five runners. Seven days. 171 miles. One shared mission: saving homeless cats and ...
Grand to Grand is more than a race
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Nigel the dog snuggling with another dog on a couch

Faces of No-Kill: Dog goes from barking to bliss

Nigel landed in a shelter where he became overwhelmed and stressed, but time at Be...
Preparing Nigel for his biggest adventure yet
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Sassy the dog reuniting with her family

A tiny dog’s big reunion

After Sassy got lost, she landed in a shelter and then came to Best Friends Animal...
Now she's home at last
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Ranger the cat lying on a mat beside the leg of a blue plastic chair

A one-of-a-kind cat

Ranger has both feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and feline immunodeficiency virus (FI...
He's the star of the show
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Bolt the dog outside with tongue out and a rainbow behind him

Life’s a pool party for one buoyant pup

Whether he's splashing in the water or recruiting friends for a game, Bolt approac...
Now he's ready for the next party
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Trent the cat peeking out from under a white hidey hole

A rescued cat’s version of hide-and-seek

Though he has limited vision, Trent never misses a chance to climb, play, and keep...
Taking fun and games to new heights
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Nick Ramsay with Best Friends CEO Julie Castle and his wife Carol Lynn

The heart of the matter: A local hero retires

Nick Ramsay has been part of Best Friends’ story ever since the founders rolled up...
Celebrating Kanab locals who helped make the Sanctuary possible
Julie Castle Blog
Birdie the French bulldog lying down with her wheelchair behind her

Small dog’s big joy leads her home

Birdie’s bright personality led her to a life full of adventure on wheels.
A new way of moving through the world
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Isaac playing with a wand toy with Emmalee the cat

Faces of No-Kill: The cat who purred through it all

At Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Emmalee purred even through her veterinary care,...
Cat receives the care she needs to feel her best
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Kayak the dog lying next to another dog on a bed

How one easygoing dog helps shy dogs bloom

At Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Kayak’s calm presence — and very serious commitm...
Providing emotional support duties
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Anthony and Zoe the cats sleeping snuggled together

Cat is all smiles after trip to the dentist

Anthony was shy and withdrawn after coming to Best Friends from an overcrowded hom...
Learning people could bring comfort instead of stress
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Maloree Barbera holding a kitten

Scholarship for a future animal shelter vet

Longtime volunteer and Best Friends Animal Sanctuary clinic staff person is awarde...
Providing the resources needed to finish veterinary school
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Aurora and Royburt the cats beside one another on a chair

Cat goes from spicy to sweet

After facing significant challenges, spirited Aurora has blossomed in a loving hom...
Aurora is now thriving
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