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Smile File

Looking for a little joy? Check out our Smile File, a collection of inspirational stories and updates that are sure to put a smile on your face.

Want to add a story to our Smile File? We’d love to hear from you!

Smile File Stories

Celebrating Three New Shelter to Service Graduates

December 8, 2025

An Afternoon of Art, Laughter, and Lots of Paw Prints Joybound People & Pets had the great honor of celebrating three remarkable Veterans and their equally remarkable dogs at our most recent Shelter to Service graduation. On an overcast morning …
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How Measure X Changes Lives Across Contra Costa County

December 2, 2025

“After hearing from many advocates, this funding will improve the welfare of animals across the county.” Shaping the World of Animal Wellness Starts in Our Own Backyard In November of 2020, Contra Costa County voters passed Measure X – a …
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How Does Joybound’s Admissions Process Work?

November 3, 2025

Partnering to Change Lives Did you know Joybound People & Pets partners with animal shelters across California and beyond to help ease overcrowding and give more pets a second chance? Our Admissions team regularly visits these “partner shelters,” bringing dogs and cats …
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Jonathan’s Journey Through Joybound’s Engelstad Grooming Academy

October 30, 2025

From Soldier to Stylist When Jonathan first heard about Joybound People & Pets’ Engelstad Grooming Academy, he wasn’t looking for a career change — just a chance to combine his love of animals with his lifelong commitment to service. A U.S. …
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The Future of Pet Care, Joybound Style

October 12, 2025

Joybound’s Upcoming Boarding Facility Goes Beyond Day Care Joybound People & Pets is thrilled to announce a new boarding and daycare facility for dogs and cats, opening Fall 2027. The new operation will offer high-quality pet care at a reasonable …
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From Puppy Kisses to Therapy All Star

October 10, 2025

Meet Espy, Cuddler-in-Chief of the Pet Hug Pack® If Espy had a LinkedIn, his headline would read: Professional Mood-Booster, Specializing in Kids and Cuddles. This six-year-old sweetheart joined Joybound’s Pet Hug Pack® in 2024, but his road to therapy dog …
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How Animals Boost Our Mental Health

October 6, 2025

Proof That Love (with Fur) Really Is the Best Medicine “Americans clearly recognize that our relationships with our pets can have noticeable benefits for our overall mental health.” Pets are much more than companions in our life — they also …
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Wrapped In Love

October 5, 2025

How Steve and Glenda Turned a Simple Idea Into 44,000 Blankets W hen Steve and Glenda Spero first walked into Joybound more than two decades ago, they never imagined they’d become the unofficial “Blanket Dream Team.” Back then, our shelter …
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The Joy of Fostering Together

October 2, 2025

How Volunteers Team Up to Train Future Assistance Animals What if you didn’t have to foster a future service dog alone? Joybound’s Shelter to Service program has launched an innovative Cohort Training model that gives volunteers the chance to share …
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The McCoy Education Center is Buzzing

October 1, 2025

A Legacy in Action: From Birthdays to Doggie Diplomas If walls could talk, the McCoy Education Center would be gushing with good news. This wing has always been a hub of activity, but with its new name honoring longtime supporter …
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Merlin’s Second Chance

September 4, 2025

How Joybound and VEG Made a Difference for Merlin When Victoria noticed that her beloved cat, Merlin, had suddenly become lethargic, stopped eating, and was struggling to urinate, her heart sank. She knew it was a medical emergency. As a …
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Polly’s Purpose

June 13, 2025

A Shelter Dog Turned Hero Some heroes wear capes. Polly wears fur. Once a stray on the streets of Madera, California, Polly (formerly Molly) had already beaten the odds by finding her way to Joybound People & Pets in 2014. …
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