Best Friends Animal Society is a leading national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters. To help Save Them All, Best Friends works with shelters, rescue groups and our members nationwide.

Best Friends began with a group of animal lovers who were unwilling to accept the conventional wisdom that shelters had no choice but to kill “unadoptable” animals. These future founders of Best Friends banded together and started rescuing animals from shelters, where the animals’ luck was about to run out. Providing proper care, love and patience, the group of friends helped these homeless animals heal and find loving forever families. The animals who weren’t ready for adoption spent their days romping in the new sanctuary, called Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, which was established by the founders in the early 1980s.

The Sanctuary grew in size and scope, and eventually became Best Friends Animal Society. Today, besides running the nation’s largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals, Best Friends provides adoption, spay/neuter and educational programs nationwide; manages the Best Friends Network, comprising of thousands of animal welfare organizations working toward no-kill; and publishes Best Friends magazine, the nation’s largest and most beloved general-interest animal magazine.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)