Caring for Pets Stories

Three kittens playing with a colorful wand toy

Swift teamwork saves kittens with a deadly virus

When kittens at a local shelter suddenly became critically ill with panleukopenia, collaboration with Best Friends and a quick response saved the day.
Coming together to save lives
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Forest the cat on the ground with other cats

Once-scared cat overcomes much to enjoy golden years

It took a lot of TLC to get Forest to come out of his shell — and then veterinary care to save his life.
He's doing better than ever
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Pawrie the French bulldog on a Home Sweet Home doormat

French bulldog goes from homeless to home

Pawrie the Frenchie came from a shelter to Best Friends with multiple medical issues, but a loving foster family helped him on his way to a new life.
It was love at first sight
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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 specialized medication and a caregiver earned his trust. Now he’s in a new home.
A family for a finicky feline
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Person's hand holding the paw of a black dog who is lying down on a blanket

The shape of our grief

Coping with the range of emotions, including self-blame, that accompany the loss of a pet
Finding comfort after loss
Best Friends Magazine
Rosita the dog with her new family, sitting outside on green grass

Faces of No-Kill: Loving a dog who has limited time

A senior dog with inoperable cancer, Rosita has her ups and downs — but her family makes sure her tail never stops wagging.
Meet this 'foster win'
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Whitney the puppy wearing a protective cone

Faces of No-Kill: Swift action saves puppy’s life

Whitney needed help fast after swallowing a foxtail.
See how Whitney got the care she needed
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Orange tabby kitten hugging and giving a kiss to Jeff, the blind black and white kitten, while lying together in a bed

Blind kitten gets by with help from his friends

Jeff needed emergency surgery to remove both of his eyes, but the kitten was quickly on the road to recovery thanks to a crew of good friends.
Watch his improvement following surgery
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Dixon the tabby and white cat lying on a lap

Faces of No-Kill: Cat thrives after FIP treatment

Dixon’s FIP diagnosis once might have spelled the end, but after taking part in clinical trials for a treatment, her future is looking bright.
Read about his lifesaving medical care
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Rico the dog, sitting outside and smiling

Skinny dog blossoms in foster home

Rico was stressed and kept dropping weight, but a loving foster home was just what the doctor ordered to help him bulk up and feel safe.
Read how things turned around for him
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Simon the dog lying on the floor, smiling with tongue out

Foster caregivers help dog heal

Simon beat a serious skin infection with the help of modern medicine and two wonderful foster families.
Watch as he improves
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Ruthie the dog with three people (two in military uniforms) in front of a large vehicle

Faces of No-Kill: 3-legged dog earns her military stripes

Ruthie went from a scared, injured puppy in a shelter to bringing joy to combat veterans who defuse bombs for a living.
She's loving her therapy dog training
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Pickle and Chip the kittens sitting next to each other on a tiny pink couch

Faces of No-Kill: Kittens heal from contagious condition

All you need is a bathtub and an open mind: how Best Friends cat expert Samantha Bell nursed kittens with sarcoptic mange back to health.
Learn how to step up
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Frittata the gray tabby kitten next to a blue toy ball

Kitten who’s paralyzed purrs through life

Nothing stops Frittata from playing, pouncing, and having fun.
See his improvement
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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, but special attention from a caregiver changed that.
Now he's a tour highlight
Best Friends Magazine