Heartwarming

When Al Cooper brought home a Bernese Mountain Dog named Davos, his life changed in many wonderful ways. Al had been battling cancer, so the pup was there to comfort him during some of his darkest days. Davos always keeps his family members smiling, and he loves going on adventures with them. It didn’t take long for Al to find out that Davos loves golfing. Well, he loves watching his dad play golf and fetching lost golf balls. Davos has … Read more

There’s nothing like a jarring before and after photo to indicate the importance of animal rescue. A recent post in the subreddit r/pics (simply: “a place for pictures and photographs”) went viral precisely for that reason. Reddit user “h-h-c” shared photos of their dog Tilly, with two depicting her pre-rescue and one showing what she looks like now. Before Dawgs Fight Back Rescue saved her from her neglectful owners, Tilly was malnourished and bone-thin. She spent the first year of her … Read more

Sometimes we just need a little reminder to be thankful for our freedom. A story that pulls on the heartstrings. Maybe a perfectly timed photo or a memorial worth traveling to see. Whatever kind of reminder you need to remember the sacrifices made to keep our world safe, South Sioux City has it covered. Within the borders of South Sioux City and located six miles Siouxland Freedom Park Interpretive Center lies a dog park unlike any other. A Place To … Read more

A widower named Lawrence endured a heartbreaking experience when he was forcefully separated from his beloved dog Millie. Not only did his dementia lead to his admittance to a care home, but he lost the ability to have his pup at his side. Once Lawrence Knight lost his beloved wife, he had few friends and family in the area for support. His Labrador Retriever named Millie was his only companion, making what came next even more upsetting. Lawrence was diagnosed … Read more

Army Veteran Nick Rankin suffers from PTSD, but he manages this condition with the assistance of his beloved service dog Fossy. When the 2-year-old German Shepherd Dog escaped from his kennel in early November 2021, Rankin felt equally lost. Rankin and Fossy had just moved to Boardman, Ohio a few weeks prior. Neither knew the neighborhood well, and Rankin was especially concerned about his dog being alone. On November 10th, Rankin spoke with WKBN about his dog’s disappearance. Devastated, the … Read more

A kindhearted man in Vietnam, identified only as Mr. Cauken, had no intention of adopting a dog when he began feeding a skinny, sickly stray. The limping pooch appeared to be injured and had clearly given birth recently. Her mammaries were still swollen with milk as if she had an entire litter of puppies to feed. Mr. Cauken tried approaching her slowly and showing incredible patience, but the mama dog was too scared. She wouldn’t let him get close to … Read more

A Boxer/Labrador Retriever mix named Marley loved ice cream! Whenever he heard the sound of the ice cream truck, he’d burst into an excited howl. But after Marley was diagnosed with cancer, getting to the ice cream truck became a little more difficult. Katie Dixon, Marley’s mom, knew the pup didn’t have much time left. But before saying goodbye, she wanted to make sure he got to do all his favorite things one more time. So, she posted a plea … Read more

Most kids love dogs, but 11-year-old Evan Bisnauth takes it to a whole new level. He knows that there are many dogs at animal shelters begging for families to love them. So, he decided to help them out in as many ways as possible. Evan’s passion for dogs grew after he began volunteering to read to shelter dogs. He found that reading helps relax the dogs and make them seem more adoptable. But even then, many dogs still struggled to … Read more

Five-year-old Leon has autism and a rare brain condition called Chiari malformation. His brain condition causes the lower part of his brain to push toward his spinal canal, causing throbbing headaches. He also has to be fed through a gastrostomy tube in his tummy. At a young age, Leon, who prefers to be called “Mancub” after Mowgli’s nickname in The Jungle Book, didn’t speak at all. He always kept to himself and avoided interactions with people. But when his parents brought … Read more

During an ongoing pandemic, healthcare workers face the harsh realities of Covid-19 constantly. Day in and day out, this work takes a huge toll on their own mental health. That’s why a therapy dog named Samson does the important job of comforting the staff at Queen’s Medical Center in Hawaii. Trained at Assistance Dogs of Hawaii, Samson was originally supposed to become a Covid detection dog. The organization soon realized his true purpose was in the realm of comforting. Queen’s … Read more

Most dogs love to follow their loved ones around every chance they get. It makes us wonder how our dogs would react if they ever had to say goodbye for good. While most dogs pass away well before their humans do, some dogs have to face the heartbreaking loss of a loved one. A small, scruffy dog named Bumer recently lost his human who meant the world to him. Yet, he didn’t let his grief stop him from being there … Read more

Several years ago, a small white dog named Delilah was abused and neglected to the point where she could’ve died. But luckily, the Mr. Mo Project stepped up and provided her with a safe environment where she could heal. Mariesa and Chris Hughes created the Mr. Mo Project to save senior dogs after their beloved rescue dog passed away. Now, the couple has dozens of dogs in their home, both fosters and permanent residents. When Delilah needed a place to … Read more

Through specialized training, service dogs are capable of amazing things. Most importantly, the stability they add to their handlers’ lives is virtually miraculous. The story of Navy Veteran Jason Howe and his service dog Sobee exemplifies this miracle. Years ago, Howe enjoyed many aspects of being in the military. It allowed him to see and experience new things, and it gave him “a purpose in life, structure.” It was after he left the Navy in 2007 that Howe’s life started … Read more

I love it when a cat and a dog are best friends. So, I guess I love it even more that a rescued black panther named Luna and her Rottweiler sibling are the closest of pals. This panther I speak of originally came from a Siberian zoo. She now belongs to a Russian woman named Victoria, who adopted her after the big cat’s mother rejected her. Victoria also has a Rottweiler named Venza, who immediately embraced his new panther sibling. … Read more

One of the most frustrating aspects of working in animal rescue is seeing incredible dogs spend day after day in the shelter until they’ve been there for months (even years) without interest. So many loving dogs get passed over because they can’t show their best selves from inside a kennel. That was the sad predicament a senior dog named Cano found himself in. The 9-year-old was taken to Orange County Animal Services after he was found tied up behind an … Read more

A 9-year-old Pit Bull mix named Cano had a rough past. Orange County Animal Services took him in after someone abandoned him outside a veterinary hospital. Adjusting to shelter life wasn’t easy for Cano because he was fearful and distrusting toward other dogs. Yet, his trauma didn’t stop him from falling in love with all the humans who cared for him. For 200 days, the shelter begged the public to help Cano find a home. But finding a family who … Read more

Dogs deserve to be loved and cherished, so dog birthday parties are becoming increasingly popular. Many dog parents spend lots of money on things their dogs might not even notice, such as fancy decorations and billboards. However, a Goldendoodle named Dagny had an extravagant party that didn’t go over the top with spendings. Instead of going crazy with the decorations, his humans used the event to raise money for a good cause. Thanks to Dagny’s special birthday, many other dogs … Read more

Used and abused as a bait dog, a 2-year-old Pit Bull was tied up with barbed wire and left to die in an Alabama dumpster. Eventually, he was found and placed in a shelter. Serendipitously, this boy with a rough start to life got noticed by the right person. Zye Tipton saw the Pittie at the shelter and decided he would be the perfect companion for his family, especially his grandmother, Edee Grun. At that time, Grun was dealing with … Read more

When his breeders surrendered tiny, five-week-old Sampson to Good Sprout Rescue and Sanctuary, all odds were against him. Not only was he young enough that he should still be with his mother and siblings, but he was suffering from a severe brain infection. In fact, they weren’t even sure whether or not he would survive his first night in the hospital. “Sampson was surrendered to us by his breeders because he was not growing like the rest of his siblings … Read more

Moore, a suburb of Oklahoma City, suffered massive wreckage in 2013 when a tornado plowed past. Molly Gibb, a volunteer for the search and rescue team, helped scour the area for any signs of life. After five days of searching, the team found a Pit Bull puppy buried under the rubble. He was just barely alive, but volunteers had faith he’d survive. Gibb named the pup Little Man, and she adopted him when no one claimed him. He was clinging … Read more

A few months ago, Jan Holman was diagnosed with terminal bowel cancer. Unfortunately, it wasn’t very long after her diagnosis that her health started to decline rapidly. Before long, she found herself staying in the hospital. After a few weeks away from home, Jan was desperately missing her furry family members. This is understandable, as even a day or two away from our best friends can start to feel like forever.  Jan and her husband, Dennis, have two Cavalier King … Read more

Have you ever walked by a tied-up dog, and they’re so excited to see someone they test the strength of their leash just to come say hello? Imagine if that dog had been chained up like that for years. That’s the sad past of an Akita named Takia, who kept up her love for humans even after spending all her life anchored to a tree. Laura Seymour Clark, a student at Liberty University, noticed the dog on her way to … Read more

Fostering dogs can be hard work, but the most dedicated volunteers are happy to take on the challenge. 20-year-old Lauren Enge doesn’t mind taking on more than she can handle if it means saving more dogs. So, during her college midterms, she took in the sweetest foster dog named Kahuna. At first, Enge had no idea that the dog was pregnant. Yet, Kahuna began gaining weight at a rapid pace despite getting lots of exercise. So, Enge asked the vet … Read more

When Jackie Rakers saw a 5-month-old puppy looking for a foster home, it was love at first sight. But the pup needed eye surgery, and the vet who operated on her decided to adopt her. Rakers was heartbroken, but then a month later, the vet returned the scared puppy, so it seemed like it was meant to be. Soon after, Rakers adopted the shy little dog and named her Heaven! Now, Heaven is no longer the terrified puppy at the … Read more

We all know dogs age much faster than humans do, but that doesn’t make it easier for dog parents to watch. When my late pup turned 11 and lost his eyesight, I remember honestly wishing I could donate my own eyes to him just so he could see again. Two dog parents from Nebraska clearly relate to that feeling of wanting to do everything to make their older dog feel better. Ash, an 11-year-old Corgi, has been a member of … Read more

Not all shelter pets get the happily ever after they deserve. If dogs age or grow ill in the shelter, they might not live long enough to find their forever families. That’s why many shelters and rescues have implemented fospice programs. A “fospice family” provides a loving home for a terminally ill shelter dog so they will have a great end to their life. Lala is a fospice resident at the Young Williams Animal Center in Knoxville, Tennessee. To make … Read more

When Christopher Lewis completed his service in the 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment, he found adjusting to civilian life and being a single parent immensely challenging. At one point, Lewis and his daughter faced homelessness, and he worried he might lose her because of their circumstances. Fortunately, SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, helped Lewis and his daughter get through this. After the organization helped him during his lowest moments, he decided to give back while also finding a new purpose. For … Read more

Nothing inspires quite like the resilience of a dog. They can overcome abuse and still love people, thrive through disability, and most of all, they never complain. Two whole months after a Pit-mix was hit by a car, injuring his back, he was surrendered to a shelter. The pup had never been treated for his injuries in all that time, and he essentially had no use of his back legs by the time he was surrendered. Seeing the extent of … Read more