Sanctuary Stories

Penelope the cat lying down with her leg in a cast in front of her

Faces of No-Kill: TLC saves sweet mama cat

Penelope came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in rough shape with more than 50 other cats. But her sweet, spunky spirit and lots of TLC saved the day.
Recovery leads to adoption
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Emma Odekirk sitting on the ground with Valley the dog and a small brown puppy

Time, training, and love transform nervous dog

When Valley arrived at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, she was anxious about most everything. Now, she’s teaching puppies how to be confident dogs.
She's transformed
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Sego the dog sitting on a bench between Sandy and Richard Garrett

Helping a skittish dog learn to trust

Like some people, some dogs just need a bit more time than others to build trust. And that’s just what Sego found when he met Richard and Sandy Garrett.
Now he's blossoming in his new home
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Jack and Rubia the donkeys outside next to each other, with upright ears

New friends help shy donkey duo expand horizons

An adorably fluffy mother-and-son donkey pair found solid footing at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary with the help of a mellow mule named Lucky.
New friend helps them fit in
Best Friends Magazine
Highway the cat head-bumping Lisa Anderson

Touch-sensitive kitty blossoms in foster home

Highway wasn’t a fan of being touched when he arrived at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Now he’s on the road to healing with help from his friends.
Read about his progress
Best Friends Magazine
Kona the dog wearing a collar with mouth open in a smile

Calming care for a pup with special needs

When Kona arrived at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, she spun in circles compulsively. Now, zoomies are the only spinning she’s doing in her new home.
Now she's back home
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Lauren Ross and Brianna Vlach holding the golden eagle in a towel

Eagle displaced by wildfire on road back to the skies

It was a race against time to save a young, distressed golden eagle found near a wildfire. Now he's getting the care he needs to survive and thrive.
His progress is slow and steady
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Smiling caregiver holding one of the neonatal dragon kittens in gloved hands

Foster caregivers team up to save orphaned kittens

Sometimes it takes a village to save lives, and a team of foster caregivers did just that when a family of kittens landed at the Sanctuary.
Meet the cutest dragons ever
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Bug the horse outside with another horse behind her

The courageous journey of a quirky, resilient horse

From injured foal to happy horse, Bug’s story is one for the books. Now she’s snug as a bug in her new home in Canada.
It was fate
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Person competing in a past Grand to Grand Ultra high desert foot race

Runners face a desert challenge to help animals

Best Friends employees and supporters are among 61 hardy souls who will take on the harsh conditions of the Grand to Grand Ultra high desert foot race.
Meet this year's participants
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Amra and Rhonda the dogs beside a pick-up truck at Dogtown

40 fun facts about Best Friends Animal Society

Celebrate Best Friends’ 40th anniversary with little-known fun facts about the Sanctuary, the animals, and the people who started it all.
Learn more
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Amy holding the orange kitten in the plane

Swift action saves pets in shelter from raging wildfire

When a wildfire in New Mexico threatened local animal shelters, Best Friends and area animal welfare organizations teamed up to save lives.
Working together to save lives
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Kody the dog in her wheelchair next to Ranko Fukuda

Pup wheels her way right into adopter’s heart

Kody didn’t let an injury that left her hind end paralyzed slow her roll or keep her from finding love. Now she’s zooming around in a home of her own.
Special home for special-needs dog
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Edamommy the mama cat in a carrier with her kittens

Teamwork, tenacity, and an epic road trip save 36 cats

Planes, vans, serenading cats, and kitten stowaways highlight a cross-country trip to help a shelter manage a potentially deadly disease outbreak.
Lifesaving roadtrip
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Smiling volunteer from the MenHealing group with a goat

Finding healing through kindness to animals

Group's volunteer visits to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary have a therapeutic effect for both the animals and the people.
Service work helps heal animals and people
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