Sanctuary Stories

Heron being anesthetized for the endoscopy

Heron gets emergency surgery and second chance at life

A distressed night heron came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in need of care after swallowing a fishhook.
Delicate procedure helps bird
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Smokey the pig being introduced to Peter, another pig

Shy piggy blossoms with a little help from his friend

When Morgan Denning visited Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, she wasn’t planning on adopting a pig. Then, fate stepped in.
Sleepover leads to match made in piggy heaven
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Marble the cat on a person's lap while someone else feeds Marble a Churu treat

Faces of No-Kill: Cat heals from injury in style

Marble came to Best Friends with two broken legs. Now, she’s on the road to recovery and sporting the latest in veterinary fashion.
She's getting stronger every day
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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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Priscilla training Lucky the mule to smile

Tricks, treats, and love help mule find her smile

Caregivers at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary prove you can teach an old mule new tricks.
Lucky learns a new trick
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Brown tabby cat lying on a blanket

Home and loving it: Stories of adopted pets

Read about a dog birthday celebration, a pup learning the ropes, big cat cuddles, and a thriving parrot who loves to learn.
Hear about life in their new homes
Best Friends Magazine
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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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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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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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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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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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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Peridot the cat lying in the top shelf of a cat tree

Faces of No-Kill: Cat goes from grumpy to cuddly

Peridot used to swat away affection with hisses and growls. Now she’s home, snuggling with her adopters and shining like the gem she’s named after.
Read about her transformation
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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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