Foster Programs Stories

Betty the dog sitting in a car seat wearing pearls

Senior dog regains pep in her step

Sweet Betty recovered from surgery and is thriving in her new home despite a cancer diagnosis.
Senior dog now thrives
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Sabine the brindle dog outside beside a home

Faces of No-Kill: Dog goes from shut down to shining

Sabine’s story shows that even the most broken spirits can heal.
Foster care transforms her
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Greggy out with two other dogs, all happy

Sunny pup doesn’t let injury slow him down

Greggy came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary with an injured leg and found his footing again in a foster home.
He's now blossomed into a well-rounded, confident companion
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The face of Coral, the mama dog, wearing a red collar

Faces of No-Kill: Mama dog beats the odds

How a dog without a home hung on until she and her pups landed the good life
It was destiny
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Hutton the kitten with only one front leg on a red blanket with white snowflakes

Kitten thinks TikTok is the cat’s pajamas

Hutton arrived with a broken leg and found comfort in swift vet care, a foster home — and the joy of videos on social media.
Three legs don't slow him down
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King Julian the dog standing up on his hind legs with his mouth open in a wide smile

Tiny pup goes from bald to beautiful in foster home

When King Julian landed at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, he wasn’t feeling like royalty. But with some time and TLC, now his health reigns supreme.
Now he's all smiles
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Bert the dog lying in the grass on his back with his feet up

Dog’s story of healing will give you all the feels

Surgery would allow Bert to walk and run without pain. But he would need months of special care in a foster home to recover.
Special bond forms at foster home
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Apollo and Jasper the cats sitting next to each other

Big bobtail cats go from matted to majestic

After some time and care in a foster home, cat brothers Apollo and Jasper are now living their best lives with a family who adores them.
Meet the majestic brothers
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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
Pocket the dog in a yard with a toy ball

Busting myths about fostering dogs

If you’re on the fence about fostering, let us dispel some of the misperceptions.
Help get dogs into homes
Best Friends Magazine
Te Fiti the mama dog lying down nursing her puppies

Mom, puppies rescued after tornadoes touch down

Te Fiti overcame her own fears to keep her four pups healthy and safe.
Now she's found love
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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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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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Bonny the dog with adopters Bevin and Cam

Doggy dating event helps pup find true love

Bonny went from solo to soulmate with the help of a dedicated foster volunteer.
Blind date leads to love
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Battleship the cat with his foster person Kerk

Faces of No-Kill: Cat finds kindred spirit in foster care

Battleship, a tabby cat with diabetes, went from shy and struggling to proud and playful thanks to foster volunteers who truly understood him.
Foster care helped him turn the corner
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