Northwest Arkansas Stories

Oliver the cat in a wire kennel

Big cat, big love

Oliver looks like a lion. At Best Friends, he found the confidence of a lion, too.
See him now
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Molasses the black and white dog sitting and wearing a purple bandana with colored flowers on it

Skinny bundle-of-love dog gains weight, then a family

Molasses was tiny and tired when firefighters found her, but now this once-lost pup is finally home.
Meet this 'foster win'
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Beau hugging Mac the puppy

Survivor puppy is young boy’s best surprise yet

Despite his mom needing emergency surgery when he was just days old, Mac is a healthy puppy and a young boy’s best friend.
The best surprise ever
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Happy senior dog with two people behind him

6 happy tails from adopted pets

Meet a puppy who can’t believe she got adopted, a cat who snuggles her sloth toy and more pets with new families.
Meet the happy families
Best Friends Magazine
Heather holding Goose the dog

Lucky Goose: Shy pup finds his person

Goose was scared and needed heartworm treatment when he first came to Best Friends, and now he’s living the good life.
Goodbye heartworm, hello love
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Kelly Burkhart holding Trinna the black kitten in front of a yellow wall

Adopter sees underdog kitten as a champ

Trinna arrived at Best Friends with a painful eye condition called entropion, but Kelly looked past that and adopted her.
Read about her perfect home
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Homer the dog lying on his side on the floor

A young dog at the right place, at the right time

After meeting Homer at an art museum, the Thomases couldn’t stop thinking about him, so they made him the newest canine member of their family.
See why they said yes
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Sage the dog on a couch with three kids from the Brooks family

Big-hearted family making a big difference for dogs

Members of the Brooks family turned to fostering after losing their beloved dog, and now they’re on a mission to help as many dogs as they can.
See how lives are changed
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Phoenix the cat, lying upside down with paws up, on a carpet

A shy but spicy cat and the family that adores him

Phoenix went from wanting nothing to do with people (when he first came to Best Friends) to finding a home where all he has to do is be himself.
Read about Phoenix's transformation
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Tebow the cat lying outside in a catio

Little cat with a big quarterback name

Tebow was incredibly sick when he first came to Best Friends, but now he’s in a home and healthy enough to outsmart the dog.
It was love at first sight
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Owl the cat lying in a red and white blanket

Patience, love and sulfur baths help kitten with ringworm

Even when Chayce Lowham learned that the cat he wanted to adopt had ringworm, he didn’t let anything stand in the way of bringing her home.
Ringworm doesn't stop love
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Hutch the dog, wearing his cast, being held by a smiling person

Dog, adopter take healing journey together

When a terrier mix with a broken leg and a love for life helped foster volunteer Rocio Ritter heal her broken heart, she decided to never let him go.
Read how they all heal
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Alida and Gary Oldham with Cleopatra the cat, who is nose-to-nose with Gary

5 men making a difference for homeless pets

This Father’s Day, tip your hat to the men in your community who are helping pets in their own way.
Read about their efforts
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Rein the dog wearing a red and black plaid bandanna

A perfect storybook ending for a mama dog in need

Foster volunteer steps up to help a mom dog with mange and heartworm, then decides that she’s already home.
Read about this foster-win
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Fleury the goat nose to nose with two of her kids

7 animal super moms for a marvelous Mother’s Day

From kittens and puppies to baby goats, horses and mice, we’re celebrating all kinds of animal moms this Mother’s Day.
A mother's love shown in many species
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