For disabled Americans, a well-trained service animal can provide tremendous physical and emotional assistance, adding to their quality of life on a daily basis. But before those animals have the chance to help someone in need, they of course need to be equipped to do so. And sometimes, that happens in the most unlikely of ways… NEADS is one of several programs throughout the United States that pairs prison inmates with puppies and leads them through the training process. Once … Read more

A Goldendoodle who was a victim of a hit and run is now doing amazing acts of kindness for those in need. Hope the Goldendoodle cheated death when she was struck by a hit and run driver a year-and-a-half ago. Her injuries were so bad that the vets had to amputate one of her legs, and they weren’t sure if she would make it. Miraculously, Hope survived. And now she’s doing remarkable things with her second chance in life. Hope … Read more

In Albuquerque New Mexico, a 13-year-old boy rescued a litter of puppies who were abandoned and placed inside a trash bag. The young boy named Jonathan Flatt, was in the right place and in the right time. He was walking near a field on his way to the bus stop when he heard cries coming from the side of the road. He was worried about the cries that he heard, so he went to investigate. Jonathan was shocked with what … Read more

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health problem usually suffered by the soldiers that come home from war. Symptoms of PTSD include recurring flashbacks, hypervigilance, and irritability or sudden outbursts of anger. For soldiers to cope with PTSD, they are provided with service dogs who are specially trained to help calm them down and provide them with emotional support. The White Raven K9, Inc.’s “You Have A Dog In This Fight” project seeks to rescue unwanted dogs from … Read more

Sometimes when a diagnosis is given, there is a person–or even a dog–that will defy the odds. Meet Sammi, a Springer Spaniel with a spirit that refused to be broken despite what doctors predicted. A few months ago Sammi was admitted to emergency surgery, where he had excess bone removed near his spinal column. Sadly, the surgery was said to have left Sammi living the remainder of his life as a quadriplegic. Post-surgery, poor Sammi spent three intense months at the California Animal … Read more

Sometimes in life, we don’t know a good thing until we see it. Ben Moon, an Oregon-based photographer, wasn’t even sure if he wanted a dog until he wound up at a shelter by chance and met the dog who would forever change his life. “I don’t know, it was one of those things where I felt like he kind of chose me,” Ben said. Quickly this dog, Denali, became Ben’s best friend, and the two embarked on life’s journey together until … Read more