Dog with lopsided smile bounds through life
You could say Nicky’s life is going swimmingly. Whether he’s paddling around the backyard pool, sprinting across the beach to chase a football, or romping around with pals at the dog park, this handsome shepherd is joy personified.
However, Nicky’s life wasn’t always splashes and sunshine.
A dog’s comeback begins
At just 2 years old, Nicky has already proven what resilience looks like. When he came to a city shelter in Los Angeles, staff noticed his crooked grin. Turns out, it was caused by a jaw injury that had healed incorrectly and made it hard for him to open his mouth. He came to the Best Friends Pet Adoption Center in L.A. to receive care and ultimately be placed in a new home.
Dog’s story of healing will give you all the feels
For Best Friends, it’s not only about a single dog like Nicky. Best Friends’ goal is for all shelters to reach no-kill, and that means working together with shelters, rescue groups, and other animal welfare organizations to save pets’ lives, giving each one what they need to move out of the shelter.
Sunny pup doesn’t let injury slow him down
Best Friends arranged for Nicky to have the surgery he needed to eat and live comfortably. Along the way, he spent time in foster homes and enjoyed outings with volunteers through Best Friends’ adventure buddy program, where he visited the Santa Monica Pier, hiked to the Hollywood sign, and more. It was just a taste of the adventures to come.
Exactly where he belongs
A few months later, Nicky was adopted into a loving home where he’s currently thriving.
When he’s playing with the kids and cuddling with his people, he isn’t just a dog — he’s family. Nicky proves that when you devote time and care to a pet in need, the results can be extraordinary.
Let's make every shelter and every community no-kill
Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets.
Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.
You can help save homeless pets
You can help end the killing in shelters and save the lives of homeless pets when you foster, adopt, and advocate for the dogs and cats who need it most.
Saving lives around the country
Together, we're creating compassionate no-kill communities nationwide for pets and the people who care for them.
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