Heartwarming

Aaron Morris and his service dog Jolene are inseparable. Morris struggles with his mental health, so his loving Pit Bull is always there to comfort him. Without Jolene, Morris feels lost and heartbroken. One day, his worst nightmare came to life. Someone stole his car, which had his phone, medications, and Jolene inside it! All his other stolen belongings seemed insignificant though in comparison to the canine. All he wanted was Jolene back, no questions asked. He wasn’t himself without … Read more

A sweet rescue Shih Tzu named Chloe, who needed two legs partially amputated, has found a forever home with a family who knows her challenges all too well. San Diego Police Detective Chappie Hunter, who has a prosthetic leg himself due to a 2013 motorcycle accident, has adopted the 9-year-old dog after fostering her during her recovery. While Chloe is still getting used to her two prosthetic paws, she’s in the best place possible to make a full recovery.  Chloe … Read more

Update 6/15/2021: After surviving four days on the ice of the freezing Detroit River, this miracle dog finally has a warm and loving forever home. Jude Mead, the man who saved the dog’s life, has welcomed him into his family. The couple’s son renamed the pup “Teddy.” Friends of the River Rouge Animal Shelter shared a heartwarming update on Teddy’s progress. “Miracle (now Teddy, or Teddy Bear, as the sweet little boy of the house refers to him as) is … Read more

Earlier this month, Ralph Dorn was looking for his dog, Harley, when he looked out onto the waters of Lake Martin in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. There Harley was, swimming in the water, but there was something unusual about the situation: Harley wasn’t alone.  In the water with him was a tiny fawn, crying out for help and struggling to swim. Surprisingly to Dorn, Harley wasn’t trying to play with the fawn — but trying to save her life.  Harley was … Read more

16-year-old Eli Filiatreau recently went through the most horrific moment of his life. He watched someone kill his 6-month-old German Shepherd named Titan right in front of him. It was a sudden death, and the suspect reportedly did it on purpose and has since been arrested. After seeing the heartbreak Eli experienced, Nelson County officers in Kentucky wanted to help. So, they worked together to get a new puppy for the teen. Of course, the new dog will never replace … Read more

In 2017, the RSPCA in Somerset took in an abandoned brindle and white Staffie. Today that rescue pup, now five years old, is the only one of her breed working as an explosives detection dog in the U.K. So, how did Roxy the Staffordshire Terrier go from hopeless to hero? Her story of redemption will not only make you smile, but also give you hope for abandoned dogs and the rescuers looking out for them. A New Path For An … Read more

Update 6/2/2021 – After 8-year-old Bryson Kliemann sold his Pokemon cards to pay for his beloved puppy’s medical bills, the Pokemon company was touched. Most Pokemon fans wouldn’t be willing to give up their prized possessions so easily, so it speaks volumes about how much Bryson cares about his dog Bruce. So, Pokemon sent Bryson several Pokemon card decks and a copy of Pokemon Battle Academy to make up for the cards he sold. “Hey Bryson, we were so inspired … Read more

During a winter cold snap in Canada, the animal lovers of Saving Grace Animal Society in Alix, Alberta, were out delivering supplies to families needing assistance when a homeowner made the decision to surrender their blind dog and his bonded cat friend to the rescue. The family knew the pair needed care beyond their ability, and as Saving Grace shared on Facebook, “The family felt an indoor retirement home was best for this blind boy and his ‘seeing eye cat.’” … Read more

Becoming a guide dog for a visually impaired human is one of the most important tasks a pooch can take on. For this reason, the training is rigorous, and not all pups who enter the program make it to graduation. But that doesn’t mean these dogs can’t put their training to good use! In the case of Buddy Dogs, some tiny flaw in their health or behavior prevents them from becoming seeing-eye dogs. So they work with children instead. What … Read more

Some goodbyes are harder than others, especially when you’re unsure if you’ll see each other again. For Spc. Michael Steponovich, the hardest part about leaving the Army was parting ways with a special K9. Popeye the 7-year-old German Shepherd, was his bomb-sniffing K9 partner for about 18 months, and the two developed a very close bond during that time. Now, the Army veteran is finally getting a chance to reunite with his furry friend—for good this time. Both of them … Read more

Just over a month ago, Busch beer announced that they were hiring a unique new employee. They searched tirelessly for a “chief tasting officer,” but for their canine beverages! The lucky pup would get a salary of $20,000 and some incredible benefits. And finally, the company found the perfect dog for the job! Now, Ethan the rescue dog has been chosen for this position. He was once malnourished and abandoned, but now he’s living his best life with the coolest … Read more

Benjamin Bunny doesn’t know he’s different from other dogs. All he wants to do is play and be loved, just like any other puppy. But moving around is difficult for this Goldendoodle because he has a severe spinal deformity. He is paralyzed from the shoulders down, so he can only get around by hopping and dragging his back legs behind him. But now, a custom wheelchair is changing Benjamin’s life. He can finally walk just like his foster siblings. Now, … Read more

A group of students at Stewardson-Strasburg High School is giving back to their community in the most incredible way. By creating the S-S Recycling Animal Housing Project, this school will continue to help local animals for years to come. Jill Spour decided at the beginning of the school year to help her students create something special. She wanted to give them a sense of accomplishment and create a project that they could be proud of. After a bit of brainstorming, … Read more

When Brandy Fowler chose to foster Whiskey, a 15-year-old Lab, she knew his days might be numbered. And after bringing him to the vet, she realized she might be his last hope. So, she decided to go above and beyond her foster family roles. She was determined to give Whiskey the best life possible. Whiskey now has a bucket list that he’s working on. Fowler wants to ensure that he gets to do all the things that he likely didn’t … Read more

51 years ago, U.S. Army veteran Mike Monahan finished his tour of duty during the Vietnam War. On that day, he also had to say goodbye forever to Chico, a trained Army dog on his patrol team. Chico alerted his team to tripwires and even saved Monahan’s life. To this day, Monahan can’t help but feel guilt over leaving Chico behind. Because, not long after he hugged his friend goodbye in that kennel in Vietnam, Chico was needlessly euthanized. When … Read more

I hope you have your tissues handy because this one’s a doozy! Young children should never have to mourn the loss of their parents. Sadly, it is too often a fact of life as it was with Raelynn Nast. The 6-year-old Greenwood, Arkansas girl recently lost her father, Davey, to colon cancer. He was only 41-years-old. This loss was particularly hard on Raelynn. Her father’s funeral was held last month, but the story of what happened there has just recently … Read more

Bub the rescue Pit Bull started his life as a bait dog in a dogfighting ring. When he was rescued, he was terrified and traumatized. He was also incredibly underweight and covered in infections. For those reasons, he was put at the top of the kill list at his shelter. Luckily, someone “rescued” him moments before he was euthanized, but they only kept him in their garage and neglected him. But what a difference love and care can make! Since … Read more

Being a dog parent often involves a lot of tough decisions. It’s not just about what food to feed or how many walks to go on; but instead, it comes down to what’s best for your dog. And for families who have fallen on hard times, the right decision is often the hardest to accept. Ryan Hamilton from Tampa Bay had to surrender his dog Dakota when he became homeless. He loved Dakota more than anything, but he couldn’t properly … Read more

As someone who ended up rescuing a foster, I understand how hard it can be to let go of an animal you’ve cared for. When a special bond forms, you just can’t imagine saying goodbye.  Frustratingly for a U.S. Marine who bonded with the abandoned dog he rescued overseas, taking her home wasn’t so simple. Luckily, an organization dedicated to solving this particular problem stepped in to ensure these two didn’t have to be apart. The story of their bond … Read more

It’s no secret that when soldiers return from combat, their lives are often changed. Adjusting to a new normal can be extremely difficult. This is especially true for veterans who have seen and lived through unimaginable circumstances. Sadly, civilian society can quickly feel overwhelming. Even everyday tasks can feel like moving mountains. As you may have learned yourself, dogs are often a source of comfort. Dogs help heal our hearts and bring peace to our minds. They help our beloved … Read more

Kids have been sending letters to Santa for ages, but usually, it’s just for the fun of it. Parents know that these letters won’t really make it to the North Pole. Yet, there’s still some magic in writing wishlists and sending them off to Santa. But somehow, 4-year-old twins Luna and Gianella Gonzalez found a Christmas miracle after the holiday season. A stranger across the country found their list and decided to become Santa. He worked with other Good Samaritans … Read more

To say Corbin is a big dog is an understatement. As a Great Dane, he’s 150 lbs. of legs and love and the better words to describe him are ‘gentle giant’. His mom, Karen, told the Dodo people will cross the road he’s so big, “yet they don’t know that he’s terrified of his own shadow.” You see, Corbin’s heart is bigger than he is, and its kittens that make this huge guy melt. Karen has been fostering kittens for … Read more

Many Southern states are overcrowded with dogs due to not enough spaying and neutering. And sadly, that causes many shelters to euthanize dogs, thinking it’s the only solution. But it isn’t these poor dogs’ faults that humans aren’t responsible! So, they don’t deserve to keep dying in this cruel way. A dog named Robin was only five minutes away from euthanasia when he was rescued. And when he realized he was safe, he had the most adorable reaction! He hugged … Read more

There’s no concept that feels as timeless as a human’s love for their dogs. They’re members of the family, so we tend to apply many of our human traditions to them: birthday celebrations, Halloween costumes, and ultimately funeral or memorial ceremonies. In many cultures, traditional burial rites involve dedicating a headstone in honor of the person lost. So naturally, people often remember their lost pets the same way. That doesn’t seem to have changed much at all over the last … Read more

When you’re truly passionate about something, you won’t let anything hold you back from accomplishing your goals and achieving your dreams. This certainly can be said about 14-year-old Avery Sontheimer from Northwestern Pennsylvania. She absolutely adores animals and has made it her mission to help as many as possible.  “She’s always been an animal lover,” says Avery’s mom, Kim. “She wants to save them all.” That’s especially obvious by the fact that she has welcomed six rescue cats into her … Read more