The 15 Most Amazing Dogs

When train conductor Ken Van Moorhem saw an injured dog searching for food and drinking melted snow near the train tracks, he knew he couldn't leave her. Moorhem brought the dog, (who he named Hogan, after the train tunnel near where she was found) to his home where he discovered her front paw had been chewed off, possibly to escape a snare. Hogan later received a prosthetic paw and became a trained therapy dog at Shriner's Hospital, where she comforted children facing amputations. Hogan lived for seven happy years before she passed away in 2015.

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When Luna fell overboard the commercial fishing vessel she frequented with her owner Nick Haworth, he was devastated. After two days of fruitless searching, Haworth believed his beloved canine had drowned. A month later, two miles from where she went missing, Navy personnel discovered Luna on San Clemente Island. This mighty dog braved the rough waters of the Pacific Ocean and swam to the island where she survived by dining on tasty rats and fish. When Haworth learned his spirited companion had survived, he was elated. The two have since been reunited.

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In 2011, Mason, a brave little year-old terrier mix, was sucked out of his family's garage in Alabama during a terrifying tornado. While the family made it safely through the natural disaster, their home was completely destroyed. After their search turned up empty, they believed Mason had perished. A few weeks later, when the family returned to sift through the rubble, they found Mason, with two badly broken limbs, hungry and waiting for his family to come home. He'd crawled all the way back on his broken limbs to reunite with his humans.

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The blind, senior dog fell (or may have been thrown) into a 28-foot well in his home country of Bosnia. For months, nearby children kept the dog alive by throwing him scraps of food. Alone and braving the cold, it was months before two rescuers, Ratko Koblar and Fahrudin Caki Bravo, learned about the dog and decided to act. Using a rope and a flashlight, Bravo descended into the well where he was able to pull the dog to safety. Once rescued, the men named the dog "Christmas" as an homage to the holiday season of goodwill. He was taken to a vet and declared healthy, even after such a traumatic ordeal.

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While Peanut was voted the hilarious title of "World's Ugliest Dog" in 2014, his sad story of survival isn't so funny. Found burned and abused by his former owners, Peanut spent nine long months recovering from the trauma. Thankfully, he was soon adopted by a loving human, Holly Chandler, who decided to use the platform of the World's Ugliest Dog to raise awareness about animal abuse. Peanut's former owners were never found or charged.

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When Benjamin and Hope Jordan noticed their black lab and German shepherd mix Killian was unusually aggressive towards the babysitter they'd hired to watch their infant son, they suspected something might be wrong. Due to Killian's strange behavior, the Jordans recorded babysitter Alexis Khan and discovered she was abusing their seven-month-old son Finn. Khan was later sentenced to the maximum three years in prison and placed in a registry of child abusers, making it illegal for her to ever work with children again.

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When Barbara Bagley awoke in the hospital, she learned terrible news: Her husband Brad Vom Baur and Shetland sheep dog Delaney had died in a terrible car accident. Bagley's other Sheltie, a four-year-old beauty named Dooley, was spotted running away from the wreckage. After an exhaustive but fruitless search, Dooley was presumed dead. Nearly two months later, after numerous sightings, Dooley was found alive, at nearly half his body weight, in the harsh Nevada desert. His return brought comfort to Bagley, who believed she was the sole survivor of the crash.

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A daily walk in Ontario, Canada, was anything but ordinary for owner James Roode and his dog Opie. In the field behind their house, Opie ran to a bush and lay down on top of a two-day-old kitten that had been abandoned by its mother. When Roode realized that Opie was trying to save the kitten, he brought the feline home where he, along with his dog's help, nursed the little guy (who Roode named Roscoe) back to health. Nearly a year and a half later, Roscoe and Opie are now the best of friends.

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In 1994, four boys did the unthinkable: They beat a four-month-old puppy, then hanged him by the neck and doused him with lighter fluid before setting him on fire. Doug James rescued the resilient pup, who he named Gucci. Together the two lobbied for tougher animal cruelty laws and, due to their efforts, made animal abuse a Class C felony in the state of Alabama. Gucci lived a happy, healthy 15 more years before passing away in 2010.

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Left without care, this Weimaraner was so hungry, he ate sticks and swallowed stones to fill his belly. When he was rescued, he was on the verge of death. Investigators aren't sure how he wound up in the condition he did, but believe he was neglected by his former owners, due to his inability to forage for food and his long toenails (strays tend to have shorter nails). Miraculously, the dog survived and was adopted by Diane Lundeen, who named him Alex. Recent pictures show Alex has gained a healthy amount of weight and adores his new family.

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Rescued from a shelter and with a history of abuse, Shelby, a Rhodesian Ridgeback, joined her new family when she was just a year old. The owner, a blogger who goes by the name Zipperhead, wanted a dog to help with mobility issues caused by her severe neurological disorders. Not long after adopting Shelby, the owner's condition worsened. She began experiencing daily seizures and it was apparent that Shelby could sense them before they occured. On pure instinct, Shelby would press her body into her owner's before an episode, protecting her from self-harm during a seizure.

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In the eleventh hour, this pregnant dog was saved from being put down by a kind-hearted rescuer who knew she could find her a foster home. Just a few days after Piper the dog gave birth, her foster mom, who also fostered wild animals, received a call that two orphaned baby raccoons were in need of a home. On a hunch, she let Piper sniff the baby raccoons and, sure enough, this loving mama nursed them as if they were her own. Thanks to her generous spirit, these babies survived and will eventually be released back into the wild.

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After she was hit by a car, local shop employees bashed this sweet dog over the head in an attempt to put her down, then they placed her in a box and left her in a ditch. Days later, this beauty emerged from her would-be coffin very much alive, but with a shattered sinus cavity and debilitating injuries, requiring major surgery. Luckily, Sara Mellado stepped in to foster the dog she calls Theia and eventually decided that Theia belonged with her forever. Mellado keeps a Facebook page for Theia, where fans can check on her amazing progress.

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This beautiful dog was rescued from a garbage bag in South Korea, after her original owner tasted her flesh and deemed her meat "too rotten." Left to die, she was found with her limbs bound together. Her rescuers gave her the best veterinary care possible. Sadly, all four of her limbs had to be amputated, but amazingly, her spirit was still intact. Eventually, this dog, now named Chi Chi, was flown to the United States where she was adopted into a loving home by a family dedicated making sure she lives a long and happy life.

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For 16 years, Hannah loved venturing out into the great outdoors with her dog Mason. As he grew older, he slowed down but never missed a chance to explore. One afternoon, as Hannah, Mason and her two other dogs were hiking, they heard a sound. It was a wolf. Within moments, the wolf attacked one of the dogs, triggering Mason to go into defense mode. He managed to save Hannah and the rest of the pack. Sadly, Mason didn't survive the encounter. Hannah posted a moving eulogy to Mason, honoring him for his bravery.

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