Sanctuary Stories

Rochelle and two others at the Best Friends sign by the Welcome Center

One volunteer’s lifetime of care for animals

From adoption events to RV trips to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Rochelle Fraser...
She's shared the magic with others as well
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Photo from the perspective of being in a vehicle, with a Beware of Dog sign reflected backwards in the windshield with a dog running in the street surrounded by destroyed houses

How Hurricane Katrina changed animal rescue forever

Twenty years later, lessons from the storm response still guide Best Friends and t...
A storm that changed everything
Best Friends Magazine
Two yellow, orange and green parrots, with one holding a nugget of food in her foot

Happy hour gives parrots a taste of the wild

At Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, parrot happy hour serves up choice — and a treat...
Making foraging fun
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Keala Richter sitting on the ground beside Phoenix and Thumbelina the rabbits

Skittish bunny goes from panic to peace

Phoenix came to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary scared of pretty much everything. Bu...
And now he's helping another bunny buddy
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Kieran Corrigan with another person and a dog

Running Grand to Grand for homeless pets

Through 171 miles of desert terrain, the Best Friends team is running with heart a...
Running for something bigger than a finish line
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Flora the tabby cat lying on a bed in a sunbeam

How a cat named Flora got her second chance

When Flora landed at Best Friends with 84 other cats, she was cautious and shy — b...
Cerebellar hypoplasia doesn't slow her down
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Kittens with a mama cat in a crate

Where copious kitten cuteness meets lifesaving care

Every cat begins life as a tiny, vulnerable fluffball. Check out a few adorable fa...
Serious and rewarding business
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Multiple horses in a grassy field with red rock formations in the background

When horses are the teachers

Working with horses at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary fosters trust, healing, and c...
Demonstrations are as much for the animals as the visitors
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David Bowie the dog getting a bath

Faces of No-Kill: Dog goes from shutdown to smiling

Once too sick to stand due to a rare autoimmune disease, Bowie is finally comforta...
Now he's got a new lease on life
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Garcon the parrot with wings outstretched taking a shower

Rescued parrots find joy in the great outdoors

At Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, parrots step into the sunshine for a summertime ...
They soak up sunshine and showers
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Dog standing in a pool of water with his tongue out

Dogs cool off at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

From cannonballs to cautious dips, the pups at Dogtown are soaking up summer — one...
See a video of them in action
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Archie the great horned owl

An owl's rare return to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Archie the great horned owl came to the Sanctuary with a broken wing. Caregivers f...
She's now an animal ambassador
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Person shaking hands with a brown dog behind a sign that says, Summer Skool

Meet Dogtown’s canine summer school stars

Dogs are sliding, splashing, and climbing their way to confidence during summer sc...
Learning can be fun
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Didgeri and Didgeridoo the dogs lying next to each other on a couch

Faces of No-Kill: ‘Twin’ bestie helps dog heal

Twinning in looks and now in spirit, two dogs at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary pro...
A remarkable coincidence when everything changed
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Freya the puppy with tongue out sitting on green grass

Meet some of the pets from flooded areas in Texas

From fluffy kittens to pint-sized puppies, pets from flood-impacted shelters in Te...
The pets from Texas are settling in just fine
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