They enrich us in small and undramatic ways every day—by making us laugh, keeping us company, and offering us unconditional love. My new National Geographic book, Devoted, focuses on 38 stories about the bond between extraordinary dogs and their humans—five of which are described below. (Related: Can Dogs Feel Our Emotions? Yawn Study Suggests Yes.")

We also want to hear the story of you and your dog. Please share your photos with the National Geographic Your Shot community through October 2.

In 2003, an English policeman discovered a greyhound cowering in a locked shed. The dog was severely malnourished, filthy, and clearly abused.

The policeman took her to the Nuneaton and Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary, a place founded and run