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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.

A smiling white dog with black spots stands on a concrete surface. The dog is wearing a harness and looking directly at the camera, showcasing its happy expression. In the background are blurred legs of a person wearing blue shoes.

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

Smile File Stories

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 to our Walnut Creek campus where they can be seen, loved, and adopted into their…
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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. Army Veteran who served eight years as a light infantry medic, Jonathan is no stranger…
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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 cost, along with dedicated professional services to help dogs and cats with behavioral challenges. Pet…
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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 stardom started long before that. Back in 2019, Stanley and his wife spotted a litter…
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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 boost our mental health in measurable ways! Studies have found that interacting with animals can…
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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 used soft, white ambulance gurney blankets provided by a local nurse. Perfect for keeping dogs…
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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 the journey of fostering together. Instead of shouldering the responsibility by themselves, volunteers can team…
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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 Greg McCoy, it has even more reasons to celebrate. This space is constantly buzzing with…
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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 devoted guardian, Victoria had already spent what she could to keep him comfortable, but the…
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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. Quiet, observant, and wise beyond her years, she found a loving home with Judy, where…
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Ladybug’s Lessons

June 11, 2025

How One Joyful Pit Bull Helps Dog Parents Connect with Their Pets What happens when a dog with a big heart and a few challenges enters your life? You gain love, patience, and a fresh perspective on dog training. Sometimes you even discover a lifelong teacher in an unlikely package. That’s what happened to Hope…
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Homework, Litterboxes, and Love

May 29, 2025

The Joy (and Challenges) of Raising Kittens What started as a plan to adopt a cat turned into a life-changing adventure in fostering. Meet Aria (16) and Kevin Yoder (13), two teens who, along with their family, have fostered nearly 100 cats over the past seven years through Joybound. “We thought fostering might be a…
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