Stories

Baja Blast the dog smiling with his tongue out of his mouth

Starved pup thrives with new friends and plenty of food

When Baja Blast came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, he was in rough shape. But he never lost his friendly spirit.
See him now
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The two cavies, Hip and Hup, with one of them eating some fresh green grass

Spicing up life for wild ambassadors at Best Friends

See how caregivers at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary bring joy to wildlife who can’t be released.
Ways to enrich their lives
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Line of pet crates containing animals next to an airplane and animal control vehicles

Pets flown from hurricane-damaged Florida get new start

Best Friends has teamed up with other animal welfare groups to arrange transportation for pets away from storm-damaged areas to shelters in other states.
Giving dogs and cats a fresh start
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Dan with Moogan the dog outside under a tree

Blind dog looks out for the ones he loves

Dogs are human’s best friend, but for one volunteer at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Moogan the dog is both human’s best friend and hero.
Heroism earns him extra treats
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Pumba the tortoiseshell cat lying on the floor

Faces of No-Kill: Sassy cat trades swats for snuggles

A cantankerous cat named Pumba now has someone who appreciates her just the way she is.
Pumba is now living her best life
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The litter of Little Rock puppies sleeping in a pile together

Neighbors team up to save orphaned puppies

With the local animal shelter at capacity, an Arkansas family rallied their neighbors to care for 11 tiny homeless puppies.
Collaboration saves lives
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Marilyn Bunroe wearing a bandage and a colorful soft e-collar following her surgery

Resilient bunny zooms into life on 3 legs

When Marilyn Bunroe landed at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, she wasn’t feeling her best. But with vet care and TLC, now she’s jumping for joy.
Marilyn Bunroe defies the odds
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Group of people and dogs walking on a path in Strut Your Mutt outside surrounded by trees and grass

Sit, stay, strut: Thousands raised to bring pets home

Best Friends’ 2024 Strut Your Mutt fundraising walk and festival benefited animal welfare organizations in and around Salt Lake City.
Strutting to Save Them All
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Indie the kitten in a Halloween-themed cat tube toy

Every day is this kitten’s best day

A grant to support special veterinary care helps Planned PEThood in Georgia save a tiny kitten’s life.
Now every day is Indie's best day
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Person with a dog with a downed tree in Florida after Hurricane Milton

Best Friends' lifesaving work in the wake of Hurricanes Helene and Milton

A summary of our crisis response over the past three weeks
Helping shelters and communities in need
Julie Castle Blog
Bonito the dog smiling wide in a playgroup with another dog

Faces of No-Kill: Nervous dog becomes ambassador of fun

Bonito came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary as an anxious pup. Now he’s helping other dogs find their confidence through the power of play.
Now he's an ambassador of fun
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Person with a brown dog outside Pinellas County Animal Services following Hurricane Milton

Love of pets unites helpers in hurricane aftermath

Best Friends team members headed to Florida to provide relief to animal shelter staff, along with displaced people and their pets, after the hurricanes.
Offering selfless service to people and pets
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Swing the dog lying and the floor wearing sunglasses getting his pretend laser treatment

Dog’s no-laser therapy is almost as good as the real thing

When Swing was diagnosed with cancer, he had to stop laser therapy for arthritis. But that didn’t mean the therapy sessions he loved so much had to stop.
He still enjoys all the attention and love
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Ricardo Blanco the cat at the mobile veterinary clinic

Mobile vet care comes to pets impacted by hurricane

With many local vet clinics closed, Best Friends teams up with animal welfare groups and vets to bring care to North Carolina pets after Hurricane Helene.
Blanco gets the help he needs
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Sweet Pea the cat wearing her crocheted ears

A new set of ears for an injured cat

After everything Sweet Pea had been through, her foster volunteer wanted to do something special for her, leading to a one-of-a-kind creation.
Look at her now
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