We all love a story with a happy ending. It leaves us with warm, fuzzy feelings and happy tears in our eyes. And we especially love touching stories about our canine friends. We’ve collected 40 of our favorite stories about dogs who overcame the odds, acted as heroes, or touched our hearts. Bring the tissues and take a look at some of the most heartwarming dog tales that moved us.
What other heartwarming dog stories made you happy? Let us know in the comments below!
40 Heartwarming Stories
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Stray Puppy Chases Down Ambulance And Catches A Forever Home
A stray puppy ran after an ambulance and didn't stop until the EMTs pulled over. One of the emergency response team's members adopted the pup and made him the official mascot of the station. They named him Siren. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Instagram - American Medical Response of Evansville)
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World’s Oldest Dog Dies Peacefully At Age 30
Maggie, an Australian Kelpie, lived to the age of 30 and passed away in her sleep. She spent her life on a farm in Victoria, Australia. Maggie lived a long, happy, peaceful life. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook – 7 News Perth)
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Elderly Black Lab Swims 9 Miles To Find Family
Fergie, a 14-year-old black Lab, escaped from her home when her owners left for two hours. The dog went into the water and swam for nine miles before being rescued by the Miami Fire Rescue team. She was pulled aboard their boat, wrapped in a towel, and returned safely home. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: YouTube - Hot NEws)
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Dog Trapped In Well For 5 Days RESCUED!
Animal Aid Unlimited got a call about a dog that was trapped in a well for five days. They used a crane to lower one of their workers into the darkness and pulled the dog to safety. After some much needed love and medical attention, the pup is doing just fine. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: YouTube - Animal Aid Unlimited, India)
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Dog Missing For A Month Found Swimming In The Middle Of A Lake
A four-year-old Lab named Moose was missing for almost a month before he was found swimming in the middle of a lake by a group of boaters. Thanks to his microchip, his owners were found, and they lived 25 miles away. No one will ever know what happened on his journey, but his tearful owners were so happy to have Moose back safe and sound. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: ABC News)
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Dog Who Bit Child Will Go Live In Wolf Sanctuary Instead Of Being Euthanized
Leeloo nipped a girl's leg and had to go through quarantine in Orange County, California. That's when it was found through a DNA test that Leeloo was almost pure wolf, and that meant she faced euthanasia. Thanks to an outpouring of support, she was spared and given to a wolf sanctuary instead. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: ABC 7)
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Stray Pit Bull Stabbed Saving Woman From Knife Attack Now Up For Adoption
When a woman was being attacked by a man with a knife, a stray Pit Bull jumped in and fought off the attacker. The dog was stabbed five times. Police couldn't let the hero dog suffer, so they brought him to a veterinary surgeon. He made a full recovery and was put up for adoption. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: ABC 6 WATE.com)
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Logger Finds 17-Year-Old Dog Alone In A Remote Forest Area
A logger came across a dog in the woods and called the Humane Society. Rescuers found the 17-year-old dog and returned him to his family. He had run off because he was scared of 4th of July fireworks. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Conway Area Humane Society)
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Runner Wants To Adopt Stray Dog Who Ran Through The Gobi Desert With Him
Runner Dion Leonard was running in the 4 Deserts Race through the Gobi Desert when a small dog mysteriously appeared and started following him. The pup tagged along through the heat and into camp where he slept next to the racer. The little dog kept up through the whole race, and afterwards Leonard started working to adopt her. He named her Gobi. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Crowdfunder – Bring Gobi Home)
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Shelter Fakes Pit Bull’s Death To Rescue Her From Abusive Owner
An animal shelter in Egypt found that their landlord was abusing his Pit Bull and even broke the dog's jaw. They couldn't take the dog without risking getting kicked out of the building and putting more animals on the streets, so they convinced the owner that the dog had died and sent her to America. She found a new, loving forever home. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook – Snarr – Special Needs Animal Rescue & Rehabilitation)
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Blind Shelter Dog’s Best Collie Buddy Acts As Seeing-Eye Dog
Daisy and River were rescued from an animal cruelty case. River the Jack Russell Terrier is almost completely blind, but Daisy the Border Collie is her best friend and guide. She never leaves River's side and makes sure she always knows where she is. The two were put up for adoption so they could find a forever home together. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Pennsylvania SPCA)
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Rescuers Save Dog Who Was Stuck In A Bear Trap For Two Weeks
A dog was caught in a bear trap for two weeks surviving by licking snow off the ground nearby. Finally, workers from a local rescue found the dog. His wound was infected and almost killed him, and two of his legs needed to be amputated. But now the sweet, loving pup is just fine. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook - Centrum Adopcyjne Lecznicy "Ada")
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Hero Animal Control Officer Rappels 100 Feet Down Into Ravine To Save A Puppy
A German Shepherd puppy fell 100 feet down a ravine in Pauma Valley, California. She was left clinging to a bush. Luckily a volunteer from a local rescue group had experience with rappelling and made her way to the scared pup. The dog was taken to a shelter to recover and was put up for adoption. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Matt Martis – San Diego Communications Office)
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Puppy Thrown Away In Trash Can Outside Shelter
Tennessee Animal Control found a puppy inside one of the trash cans outside their shelter. They posted the picture to Facebook and people were outraged that someone would toss a puppy in the garbage. The dog was immediately adopted to a loving forever home. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Springfield Animal Control Facebook page)
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Dog Left Outside Animal Shelter That Has Been Closed For Over A Year
A malnourished Pit Bull was found tied to a pole outside of an animal shelter that had been closed for over a year in Lubbock, Texas. A passerby saw the dog and took her to a local shelter. They managed to find the pup a foster family that saved her life. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Saving Grace Pit Bull Rescue)
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Arkansas Police Rescue Dog Hanging From Car Window
Police found a small dog hanging from the side window of a pickup truck in Arkansas City and used their duty knife to cut the dogs leash to release him. At first they thought the dog had died, but they put pressure on the pup's side, and he started to breathe again. Luckily the pup made a full recovery. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Arkansas City Police Department)
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They Brought This Puppy Home To Die In Peace But She Shocked Them All
A family moved from America to Turkey for business and started helping with the local homeless dog population. They brought some of the sick and dying puppies home to die in a more peaceful, clean, and loving environment. But Faith, one of the dogs, survived. They've helped her work through her issues with love and care. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: YouTube - PAWsitive)
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Dog Rescued From Volcanic Lava Tube In Hawaii
When Kula disappeared from her home in Hawaii, her owner could hear her barks but couldn't find her. She was trapped in a 20-foot lava tube. Humane Society workers arrived on the scene and plunged into the hole to save the pup. Kula was happy to be reunited with her owner above ground. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook - Hawaii Island Humane Society)
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Four Boys Rescue A Dog Who Was Abandoned And Tied To A Vacant House
Four young boys aged seven to thirteen saw an abandoned dog tied by bungee cords to a vacant house without food. They brought her some pieces of bologna to eat, wrapped her in a jacket, and took her home. They turned the dog over to a Pit Bull rescue group so she could find a forever home. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook - Detroit Pit Crew Dog Rescue)
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Deaf Girl Teaches Sign Language To Deaf Dog She Rescued From Shelter
A girl and a dog, both born deaf, have become the best of friends and she’s now teaching the dog to understand sign language. The dog, named Walter, was surrendered along with his littermates to the Humane Society as pups. Now Walter and his human are best friends, and they're inseparable. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA)
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Afghanistan Veteran Reunited With Bomb-Sniffing Dog Partner In The United States
Marine Sam Wettstein spent 19 months in Afghanistan working with Belle T634, a contract bomb-sniffing dog used to detect improvised explosive devices or IEDs. When he returned to the U.S., he missed his partner deeply, so he began to go through the arduous process of adopting Belle. Finally, she was able to retire and came home to be with Wettstein for the rest of her life. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook - Sam Lewis Wettstein)
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Newborn Puppy Rescued From Hot Car: Heat Index 108
A puppy was left in a car in the parking lot of a mall when the heat index was 108 Fahrenheit. Police smashed the window and placed the puppy on an ice pack. They saved the puppy's life. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Pensacola Police Department)
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Backyard Breeder Makes Deformed Dogs On Purpose
A backyard breeder was intentionally breeding dogs knowing that they had a high chance of being born with deformities. One rescuer decided to investigate and found that the breeder had shut down operations, but the pups still needed homes. The rescuer worked with The Bella Foundation and Safe Haven Animal Rescue to find them homes. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook - Bill Schammert, Fox-25)
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Man Saves A Dog From A Hot Car To A Round Of Applause From Bystanders
A dog was left in a car during a music festival while the temperature rose to over 90 degrees Fahrenheit. When the owners couldn't be found, a Good Samaritan picked up a rock and broke the car window, saving the dog's life. A crowd of people applauded the good deed and gave the dog lots of water. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Instagram user lifewithwill)
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Comfort Dogs Fly In From Across The Country To Help Orlando Shooting Survivors
12 comfort dogs from all across the United States traveled to Orlando to help survivors and those affected by the horrific shooting that happened there. The dogs were invited by a local church group and helped survivors by providing a non-judgmental companion, there to listen or just be a warm, furry body to hold and pet. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook - Sasha Comfort Dog)
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Two Aggressive Dogs Charge Police Officer – He Handles It Like A Pro
A police officer in Idaho is called with a complaint of two vicious dogs running around a large residential neighborhood. The officer tried to calm the dogs, but it just wasn't happening. Rather than put the dogs down, the quick-thinking officer asked if they wanted to go for a car ride and opened the back door to his car. The dogs hopped in and the situation was resolved peacefully. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: YouTube - Dum Spiro Spero)
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Pit Bull Saves Owner From Falling Into Diabetic Coma
A medical alert Pit Bull named Bandit woke his owner at four in the morning when her diabetes caused her blood pressure to drop dangerously low. The dog also brought her the blood pressure meter and some juice. Had Bandit not woken his owner, she may have fallen into a coma and died. Bandit saved her life. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook - Love What Matters)
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Stanley The Mentally Challenged Golden Retriever Wins The Internet’s Heart
Stanley the Golden Retriever had some strange habits and trouble learning commands. His owners gave him a doggy IQ test and found out that he's most likely mentally challenged. But when Stanley's family posted his story on Reddit, they found that the internet fell in love with the pup just as much as they did. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Imgur - KCN1)
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One-eyed Rescue Pug Is Hired As Chicago Luxury Hotel’s Newest Concierge
Parker the one-eyed Pug was adopted from a shelter in Chicago, and now she works at the Park Hyatt Hotel as a concierge. She greets guests, walks them to their rooms, attends staff meetings, and lounges in the rooftop garden. The staff and guests absolutely love her. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Instagram - kelseycairo/parkhyatt)
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Boy Caught Sneaking Into Garage To Steal Hugs From Neighbor Dog
A woman found something odd on her home security camera footage. She saw a neighbor boy sneaking into her garage to hug and pet her dog. Rather than being angry, she called the boy's mother to arrange a play date for him with her pup. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook - Hollie Breaux Mallet)
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Lowes Makes Adorable Vest And Name Tag For Employee’s Support Dog
A man was having trouble finding a job that would allow his service dog, Blue, to join him at work. But a Lowes store decided to not only hire the man, but welcome his dog with an employee vest of his own, complete with name tag. The two were happy to be working together, and customers couldn't be happier to be greeted by Blue. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook - Mark Jaycock)
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Pit Bull Puppy Adopted By The People Who Rescued Him
A man found a puppy suffering from severe mange and took him to a shelter for treatment. After recovering, the pup was visited by the man who saved his life, and he couldn't have been more excited. The man adopted him shortly after, and he's loving his forever home. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: YouTube - puppy love)
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Sikh Man Saves Drowning Dog With Turban
A Sikh man removed his religious garment, which would usually be disrespectful to his faith, and used the turban to save a drowning dog. He was applauded for putting religious tradition aside in order to save the life of a pup in need. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Still From Caters Clips Video on YouTube)
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Soldier And His Military Dog Reunited After Being Injured In Afghanistan
Specialist Andrew Brown and his military dog, Rocky, were serving in Afghanistan when they were injured by a blast from an IED. Brown was flown to the U.S. to recover, and Rocky was flown to Europe. Several months later they were reunited. Both Brown and Rocky planned to return to service depending on their recovery, but Brown made it clear that when Rocky retires, he's got a forever home with his family waiting for him. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook - 89th Military Brigade)
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Paralyzed Dog About To Be Euthanized Saved By Vet Student Who Found Tick
Ollie the 10-year-old Shetland Sheepdog started to have trouble when he got back from a camping trip in Oregon. His health was fading and eventually he was almost completely paralyzed. His family decided to end his suffering and put him down, but at the last moment a vet student noticed a tick behind his ear. He had a rare condition called tick paralysis. Once the tick was removed, Ollie began to recover. His life was saved. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: ABC News)
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Gabriel The Service Dog: A Gift From A Fallen Soldier
Derek and Jake were both soldiers e serving for the U.S. army in Afghanistan. Derek helped save Jake’s life during a deployment, and the event ended up injuring both soldiers. Derek passed away in 2013 but in a twist of fate, Jake was granted Derek’s service dog through a nonprofit called 4Paws for Ability. It was a final gift from a fellow soldier. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: HoopLa)
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German Shepherd Caught After Living In Highway Median Alone For Five Weeks
A German Shepherd was spotted on the median of a busy freeway, but when police tried to capture her, she was nowhere to be found. For five weeks she stayed on the median eluding capture. Finally, police shut down southbound traffic and managed to catch her. She was taken to a local animal hospital and put up for adoption. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook - VCA Bradshaw Animal Hospital)
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Missing Hiker And His Dog Found And Brought Home Safely By Rescue Crews
A man and his German Shepherd Dog were lost in the Sierra mountains for three days with only one day's worth of supplies. They wandered around trying to find their way, but finally the pup had enough and sat down, refusing to move. That probably ended up saving their life as rescuers were able to spot them by helicopter while they were stopped. The man and his dog were saved. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: Facebook - Placer County Sheriff's Office)
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Rescued German Shepherd Bitten By Rattlesnake Saving Girl
Haus the German Shepherd Dog repaid the favor to his adoptive family when he put himself in between his seven-year-old girl, Molly, and a rattlesnake. The pup took the three bites that might have killed the girl. He was rushed to the vet in bad shape, but thanks to a strong will and a steady IV drip, he made a full recovery. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: NBC News)
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Terrified Pup With Broken Leg Gets Surgery And Love
Nina was a stray who was probably hit by a car. She was thin, losing hair, and she had a broken leg. She was terrified and it was hard to even touch her. Thanks to Vet Ranch, she got the surgery she needed and was set on the road to recovery. Read more here.
(Picture Credit: YouTube - Vet Ranch)
