Happy Tails – Bay trains to protect aquatic environments as a mussel sniffing dog!

Bay was initially raised by an owner in Utah, but when her owner's home situation changed, they decided to surrender Bay to the Tooele City Animal Shelter. During a visit to the shelter, an SDF canine recruiter noticed Bay's great temperament and strong toy drive and asked to bring her …

Happy Tails – Ripley finds everything he’s looking for and more, including a best friend for life!

Ripley was originally slated for a career as a service dog with Canines for Service in North Carolina, but his energy levels were far higher than those of an ideal candidate for their program. His trainer happened to be a former canine handler with NY-TF1, so he was familiar with …

Happy Tails – Rookie is a rookie no longer—this pro is thriving in his new career as a narcotics detection K9!

Rookie's journey to SDF began when he was found as a stray and taken to the Baldwin County Animal Shelter in Alabama. He was in the shelter for about a month, during which time he didn't have much luck with potential adopters. One interested family took him into the play …

Happy Tails – Sophie is loving life in the great outdoors!

When a Santa Barbara couple decided to adopt a young Labrador, they thought they knew what they were getting into—they had raised four Labs previously, but Sophie was a whole other ball game—literally! They recognized her ball obsession early on and thought they could tire her out if they just …

Happy Tails – Raven trades rubble for snow in her new career as an avalanche search and rescue dog!

Raven was purchased by a family in Salt Lake City, Utah, with hopes of raising her to be a support dog for their child. However, it quickly became clear that Raven's rambunctious personality would not lend itself well to that role—in fact, her off-the-wall energy was simply too much for …

Happy Tails – Hank busts crime in his busy new detection and tracking career

Hank's journey began in Utah, where he lived with his owners, their kids, and other dogs. Despite having canine companions to play with, Hank's boundless energy and toy obsession often left his owners exhausted and at their wits' end. Hank's love for toys was unparalleled, and while this was initially …

Happy Tails – Callie dives paws first into her fun-filled life as a canine athlete

Callie was picked up as a stray near Youngsville, North Carolina by a Paws for Life NC rescue volunteer, who brought Callie to the rescue when no owner claimed her. There, her rescuer—who also happened to be a canine agility trainer—and shelter staff noticed Callie's passion for tennis balls and …

Happy Tails – Cork’s search training leads him to his forever home

Cork came to us from the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society, where longtime SDF canine recruiters at the South Dakota Canine Center encountered this energetic boy during a routine shelter visit. At just eighteen months old, Cork had already been through many homes in his young life, and sadly, not …