Heartwarming Dog Stories

Wyatt’s mom Linda says he’s always been a “sensitive guy,” but when he lost his doggy sister, he spiraled into a deep depression. He mourned the loss so much that he hid in the closet, unsure what to do with himself. It broke his mama’s heart. Linda decided adopting another dog may help Wyatt. They drove three hours to meet a puppy named Lenny to see if he and Wyatt were a good match. When Lenny came out of his … Read more

You know that feeling you get when you look at a dog and just know they’re meant to be part of your family? Even when you weren’t really thinking about getting another dog? Of course, you do! And so does Sherry Lankston of Seattle, Washington. When she spotted lopsided cutie Harvey up for adoption at the San Diego Department of Animal Services, she knew the young Husky with a unique grin belonged with her family. And her heart was so … Read more

Since the day Brody the Saint Bernard was brought home, he has had a super sweet relationship with his 93-year-old neighbor. It was love at first sight for the big furry boy, and he has been enamored by Sally since the moment they first met. In fact, their bond is so beautiful that Brody will sometimes scamper over to Sally’s house to see what she’s up to three to four times in a single day! It was on his first … Read more

When a tiny baby moose fell into a lake, it struggled to stay above the surface. Plus, its poor mother was forced to stand helplessly on the water’s edge, unable to save her baby from drowning. But luckily, there were a few fishermen nearby, and they were willing to do whatever it took to help get the calf to safety. When a few fishermen happened upon a baby moose stranded in the rocky water, they weren’t quite sure what to … Read more

When one loyal dog had to say goodbye to her dad, her heart broke into a thousand pieces. Her dad left for 32 days to serve his country. It may have only been 32 days, but to her, as the video puts it, it was “a million dog moments.” The pup waited every day, sulking for her dad to return, and when that day finally came, her reaction was incredible! Mom opened the door as soon as Dad pulled into … Read more

Nicole heard about Doris, a senior dog that was an hour away from being put down. No one else wanted Doris, so Nicole and her daughter raced to the shelter and made it just in time. The shelter workers were surprised that Nicole was interested in adopting Doris, considering her age, but that only motivated Nicole more! As soon as Nicole put Doris in her car, the pup looked relieved. Her new mom says, “It was the perfect ending of … Read more

Rita couldn’t wait to go to the shelter to adopt a dog. She knew she would change a deserving dog’s life forever. While she was full of joy to find her fur kid, she was also heartbroken. She wished she could help ALL the shelter dogs find new families. She could see their desperation. Rita couldn’t help financially but had an idea that proved to be genius! The kind-hearted woman is a professional photographer. She thought if she took special … Read more

Kate Mara, who you may know from the film Fantastic Four or the Netflix political drama House of Cards, is helping a few fantastic rescue dogs find their forever homes. She’s covering the adoption fees of 10 dogs that happen to have diplomas. First, they were saved from being euthanized, and then they graduated from Canine CellMates’ Beyond the Bars program.  So when Kate heard that the nonprofit had lost its headquarters, leaving the recent grads without a home, she … Read more

For a dog, 16 years is a long time. So, the fact that a police K9 named Dexter spent 16 years on the job is an incredible accomplishment. He has had many roles throughout his lifetime, but for the past two years, he was part of the Pennsboro Police Department in West Virginia. He has worked beside his handler, Chief Travis Snuffer, for 12 years now. But at 16 years old, Dexter and Snuffer both know that it’s time for … Read more

Remember that song “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers? If you do, you know you’re already singing the 1988 hit’s signature lines about walking five hundred miles to be with the one you love. For those who don’t know the song, check out the tune. You’ll like it. And the song may just be one Jinjing the South American Magellanic Penguin enjoys too. But instead of walking 500 miles twice, this clever bird would swim 5,000 miles just … Read more

When animals give birth in the wild, it isn’t entirely uncommon for them to abandon their babies. Multiple favors including deformity and sickness can contribute to a mother making that devastating decision. But biologists say that it’s actually very difficult to get a mother to give up an offspring that she intends to care for. So after a newborn panda was momentarily separated from her mother so that their caretakers could do a wellness check, they were worried that her … Read more

The truth is, we don’t always know much about what’s going on with our neighbors. This can be especially true if they are older and have mobility issues that prevent them from spending much time outside. So when Dylan asked his elderly neighbor to pet sit, he never imagined the extent of the impact it would have.  But a few days after he returned home from his trip, he received a letter he will never forget.  When Dylan went on … Read more

Shelter volunteers come in many forms. Some walk dogs, others help match adopters with the perfect pet, and some – like Maisie Green – use their talents to provide a little extra comfort to animals in need. At 89-years-young, Maisie has managed to knit approximately 450 cozy blankets and sweaters for the pups awaiting forever homes at the Dogs Trust Basildon shelter.   View this post on Instagram   Local dog lover Maisie Green aged 89 years hand knits blankets … Read more

Pets are part of the family, even if they’re not a dog or cat. A family in Decatur, Georgia, recently faced homelessness after the dad lost his job and their rent suddenly increased. In addition to six humans, the family also has a pet rabbit named Goldie who has brought them lots of comfort over the years. Many homeless shelters don’t allow pets of any kind, so the family was faced with a tough decision. Cory Coleman knew his family … Read more

When a dog showed up at a family’s house in a rural area, they were stumped. There were no houses nearby, and they had never seen the dog before. The homeowner, Jayke, responsibly made a post on Facebook asking for any information, hoping to reunite the pup with her owner. Jayke was absolutely horrified by the response that followed. A woman left a comment that the pup, named Bubbles, belonged to her aunt. After 7 years, Bubbles’ owner simply decided … Read more

Chips Ahoy came to her foster family in distress. She hid everywhere she could and watched her foster mom, Julie, from a safe distance. Julie explains in the video, “She would watch every movement we made with this look of fear and anxiety.” It was heartbreaking! Chips was so frightened that she wouldn’t eat, and if anyone tried to come near her, she’d tremble and then run and find a new hiding spot. But Julie wasn’t giving up! It took … Read more

Our canine companions and friendly felines aren’t the only animals that can form an incredible bond with us. Despite being larger than life, elephants are one of the amazing animals that often form deep connections with the humans who live near or take care of them.  One man who has befriended the gentle giants at Elephant Nature Park in Thailand was captured on video calling one by name and then being greeted with a family hug.  Not only are elephants … Read more

Anyone who has ever experienced a veterinary emergency with their beloved, four-legged best friend knows both how expensive and how gut-wrenching the entire experience feels.  So when one doggie dad faced veterinary bills totaling just shy of $24,000, he said he was willing to go to extraordinary measures to keep his baby girl alive.  Jaxon is the dad of a two-year-old Weimaraner named Rambo. For reasons that are still unknown, Rambo went into hypovolemic shock, which means her heart was … Read more

Smile was rescued from a hoarding situation. She was one of over two dozen dogs crammed into a house in Tijuana, Mexico. The poor girl was also pregnant and riddled with mange. A foundation that works with rescue groups in Mexico arranged to get Smile into the states. Now she needed the perfect foster! Stephanie’s daughter begged the seasoned foster mom to take in another pregnant pup. Stephanie agreed and took in Smile. But when the foster mom met the … Read more

Do you have a granddog that absolutely rules your heart? If so, you and Steve Kristal can relate. Steve is head over heels for his granddog Bitsy, a blind, deaf dog who lets nothing slow her down. When his daughter, Hayden, first brought Bitsy home, Steve wasn’t so sure. Bitsy was only five weeks old, blind, and deaf. She quickly showed her granddad she was a happy girl up for every adventure. Steve and Bitsy became the best of buds … Read more

Mandy and her husband were doing some work on a house when they saw a dog through the fence. The homeowners said that the dog had been chained outside for at least 5 years. Mandy and her husband went straight over. They noticed that the poor dog had no food or water. He just stood there, in the dirt, on a chain– the only life he knew. They were both in awe. The lead that was attached to the chain … Read more