Outta the Cage

08/17/2026

We expected some dialogue after writing about LAAS volunteer policies—but we weren’t prepared for the flood of personal stories that followed.

You might have similar experiences. You might be surprised.
Either way, it’s a 5-minute read.

In which Jill talks to former shelter volunteers about the rules they didn't know they were breaking.

08/14/2026

Aren’t these amazing pics of Macy?

They were shot by professional photographers Raymond and Charlie at Charlie Nunn Photography. They recently wrote a book, “Hollywood Tails,” that features beautiful photos of celebrities and their dogs.

These two are artists and—as you can see in Macy’s photos—really capture the spirit of their subjects.

Hollywood Tails will be in digital and brick-and-mortar stores on September 1st. Preorder: www.charlienunnphotography.com/hollywoodtails.

We rescued Macy from West Valley shelter in May. She’s 3 years old, dog and kid-friendly, and in foster with Megan Karasch.

08/11/2026

HELP?!?

We’d heard about them for months, and every story was the same: They’re wonderful.

So we invited best buddies Enzo and Parker to our adoption event on Sunday. They were everything we’d been told: gentle, polite, affectionate, easygoing with other dogs and sweet with children.

They were abandoned by their rescue, Gisele’s Legacy, and have been warehoused in boarding for the past 2 years. 2 YEARS.

They’re not being overlooked because there’s something wrong with them. They’re being overlooked because no one knows they exist.

It’s their turn.

This bonded pair comes with free training and a crew that loves them. Please share this. There’s someone out there for them—the perfect person or family. They just don’t know about them…yet.

08/07/2026

There should probably be a support group for rescuers who say, "Oh, someone else will save that dog."

That was Tiger.

It was a sunny day in March 2022, and we found ourselves at West L.A. shelter watching a four-year-old Shepherd-Rottweiler mix happily investigate the agility course. He trotted around the play yard like he'd been hired to entertain the volunteers, occasionally stopping to check in with his favorite humans before launching himself over another obstacle. For a few glorious minutes, you could almost forget he lived in a kennel.

We loved him immediately. But we also made the classic rescuer mistake.

"He's so adoptable," we told ourselves. "Surely someone will notice him."

Spoiler alert: someone eventually did. It was us.

We hemmed. We hawed. We made responsible noises about limited resources. Then Tiger barreled straight through the agility tunnel, popped out the other side looking ridiculously pleased with himself, and that was that. Decision made.

We rescued him, had a lipoma removed, and sent him off to enjoy a foster fling with our friends Ted, Daniella, and their dog Heath.

Somewhere along the way, I mentioned Tiger to our friend Ian—a rockstar volunteer at West Valley shelter. Ian and his wife Clare agreed to foster him for a few weeks.

You already know where this is going. A few weeks became forever.

Today, Tiger—now known as Arbie—shares a home with Ian, Clare, and his canine brother. His competitive agility career is behind him, but he has become exceptionally skilled at navigating the couch and reminding us that sometimes the dog you think someone else will save is simply waiting for you.

Congratulations, Arbie. You had us fooled from the very beginning.

08/01/2026

Some stories just take a little longer to find their happy ending.

We first met Strider at West Valley Animal shelter after he and his brother were surrendered by their owner's family. Having spent their whole lives in a home, they were both terrified. Visitors who stopped at Strider's kennel saw a trembling and retreating to his cubby.

Then his brother was adopted, and Strider was left to face the shelter alone. Thankfully, volunteers didn't give up on him.

As they spent more time with Strider, they discovered the dog hiding beneath the fear: a joyful, goofy little Queensland Heeler who loved to play, sprinted around the yard with dogs twice his size, and wore the biggest smile you've ever seen.

And now... Strider has found his forever home. ❤️

Strider lives with two wonderful parents, a human sibling, and five cats! He loves playing in the backyard and has a doggie friend across the street.

Special thanks to Jennifer Downs, Joe at DogFitLa, and Rico and Janet Long Zuniga for fostering Strider and making him an honorary member of their pack.

Congratulations, Strider. We knew there was a happy little Heeler in there all along. 🐾

07/25/2026

Quinn’s new parents are the kind of people who say: “Come visit her anytime!”—and they MEAN IT! This good girl has had such a crazy story! (Spoiler: it has a happy ending.)

Thanks to Quinn's foster and godmother, Sarah Stout and her human and canine family.

07/22/2026

Remember little Benny?

At just 4 months old, he was dumped at the shelter suffering from puppy strangles—an autoimmune condition that left him sick, scared, and immediately placed on the euthanasia list.

We couldn’t let his story end there.

Outta the Cage rushed Benny straight to our veterinarian, where he received the treatment he needed and made a full recovery.

Then came Brandon and Kelly, who opened their home as fosters. They gave Benny exactly what every puppy deserves: love, confidence, and a pack of dogs to teach him how to be the very best boy. And boy, did he ace the assignment.

Not long afterward, the perfect family walked into our adoption event at Nectar of the Dogs Wine. They had kids, big hearts, and a nice backyard.

Just look at him now.

From a euthanasia list to a life full of adventures, family, and unconditional love. These “where are they now?” updates never get old. They’re the reason we keep saying yes to the next dog who needs us.

Happy life, sweet Benny. We always knew you were worth saving. ❤️🐾