Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

Late one night, volunteer rescuer Arturo Flores got a call that made his heart stop. Someone had found a dog tied to a railing in a dark alley — and beside her, a cardboard box with two tiny puppies inside. When Flores arrived minutes later, the heartbreaking scene came into focus. The poodle mix lay…

At the Animal Defense League of Texas, there’s a dog who greets every day with a smile. His name is Naco, and his favorite things in the world are sunshine, kiddie pools, and long naps. He’s house-trained, easygoing, and loves to stretch out in the grass with his tongue hanging out — pure contentment. But…

When Deja first arrived at Patty Baker Humane Society Naples in 2022, she was already a two-time shelter dog. She’d come from Gulf Coast Humane, where no one had chosen her, and everyone at her new shelter promised they’d do everything possible to change her luck. At first, no one could imagine it would take…

For as long as Keandra McNeil has had her dog, Gus, she’s tried everything to ease his separation anxiety — calming treats, music, toys, even training. But no matter what she did, the moment she left home, Gus panicked. Keandra McNeil Then, out of sheer desperation, McNeil decided to try something a little… unusual. She…

At 13 years old, Bruiser the dog knows what he likes — and more importantly, what he doesn’t.Routine is everything to this big, stubborn sweetheart from upstate New York. “Bruiser is stubborn and doesn’t like change,” his mom, Nicole Michell, told The Dodo. But last week, that stubborn streak got him into quite the predicament.…

When Beau’s parents first told him a baby was on the way, he didn’t really understand what it meant. He wagged through the gender reveal, “helped” pick the name, and watched the nursery take shape — but it wasn’t until baby Frankie arrived that everything clicked. From that moment, Beau wasn’t just the family dog…

When Stewie arrived at a California shelter earlier this month, the 1-year-old pup was completely overwhelmed. The noises, the new smells, the unfamiliar people — everything terrified him. Even the simple feeling of a leash sent him into a panic. “He was very scared in the field and difficult to catch,” said Savanna Palmer, lead…

When Zelda was first discovered in the lobby of Valley Animal Center in Fresno, California, she didn’t understand why she’d been left there. One moment, she had someone. The next, she was sitting alone, surrounded by unfamiliar faces and echoing barks. The staff immediately saw how scared she was. Zelda’s eyes darted nervously around the…

When Lindsay, a Wisconsin resident, stepped into her garage one afternoon just to grab a drink, she didn’t expect to find anyone waiting for her — let alone someone this tiny and annoyed. Right at her feet stood a baby robin, staring up at her with a face that could only be described as grumpy.…

When Faith Black bent down to pick up one of her dog’s forgotten toys in the backyard, she expected nothing more than a dusty old ball. But the moment she lifted it, something unexpected caught her eye — a tiny, delicate face peering back at her. TikTok/@kawasxy Inside the ball was a butterfly — fully…