Sanctuary Stories

Gilda the dog on a couch

Faces of No-Kill: Pup trades farm life for city lights

Gilda, a dog with a heart of gold, finds her spot on the couch with her new family.
She's transitioned well
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Sarita and Colette the dogs next to each other with their front paws up on a desk

Best friends at Best Friends: Dogs find their footing

Colette was recovering from surgery, and Sarita was on the shy side — and their friendship helped both of them feel better.
Read about the pals
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Emily snuggling with Hale the cat, face-to-face, with her arm around him

‘Hands-off’ cat learns to show his sweet side

Hale expressed himself with his teeth and claws when he came to the Sanctuary, but patience and a gentle approach opened him up to the world of cuddles.
He's now blossomed
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Jalapeño the dog, smiling, while sitting on sand in front of some trees

Helping a shy dog spice up his social life

Found as a stray pup, Jalapeño was shy and shut down around people, but his foster family is helping him find a bold new flavor.
How he's warming up
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Franklin and Nigel the cats lying down on the ground close to each other in their shop

Adopted cats call a vintage shop their new home

How a precocious pair of cats went from homeless to living the good life in their unconventional new digs
Now they share an important role
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Peter the rabbit nose-to-nose with an orange tabby cat, beside an orange rolling ball cat toy

Once-stray bunny shows his silly side in foster home

Don’t let his stoic expression fool you; Peter is a fun-loving bun who’s full of surprises.
He fit right in
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Dealla the dog outside on a path in the woods with five other dogs

Dog goes from shy to social butterfly in foster win

Dealla was shy and unsure of people when she arrived at the Sanctuary, but after going into a foster home that became family, she’s all love and cuddles.
Meet the foster win
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Best Friends Animal Society co-founder Diana Asher outside with a white horse whose mouth is open

Remembering Diana Asher

Best Friends’ original cat woman
She will be missed
Julie Castle Blog
Rhonda the dog licking the face of Amra the dog

The other founders of Best Friends Animal Society

Enough about the people — let’s celebrate the animals.
Meet some of the original residents
Best Friends Magazine
Smiling person hand-feeding a treat to Kazoo the crow

Kazoo the crow becomes a teacher

Kazoo came to Wild Friends at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary as a young crow who couldn’t fly, and now she’s an ambassador for wild birds.
Now she's a teaching bird
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Sylvia the one-eyed cat with her foster person Melissa

Blind cat with cleft palate gets care, gains confidence

Sylvia was in rough shape when she arrived at the Sanctuary, but with TLC and a good haircut, she’s finally feeling feline-fine.
Read how she's improved
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Adored the cat in front of Santa

Holiday cheer: Watch dogs and cats open their gifts

Cats and dogs pounce onto the holiday spirit at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.
Watch their fun
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Jako the cat eating some greens with ears back

Frisky feline bounds toward a bright future

Jako had so much energy that he was positively overflowing with it, so caregivers invented games and activities to focus all that go-go-go.
See Jako at "work"
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Pep the black dog, standing outside, wearing a harness, with her mouth open and big pink tongue out

Watch a dog’s first day out after surviving distemper

Pep was sick for months but then got to celebrate her health in the sweetest way at the Sanctuary.
See her in action
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Raquel the dog smiling in front of some wildflowers

‘Diamond in the rough’ dog loved just as she is

Wary of new people and other dogs, it took some extra time to find Raquel a home, but now she has a family who embraces everything about her.
Read how she's settling in
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