Leader in creating lifesaving strategies at animal shelters joins Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society, a leading national animal welfare organization, announced today that Susan Cosby will become the senior director of Best Friends lifesaving centers.
"Sue has a history of going into animal welfare organizations, using her laser focus to ask the right questions about current operations and quickly come up with strategies to markedly improve performance. She is known for her ability to build and lead high-performance energized teams that engage in a positive way with their community, provide superior animal care and increase the saving of shelter animals' lives," said Julie Castle, CEO, Best Friends Animal Society. "As Best Friend leads the charge to make this nation no-kill by 2025, Sue's leadership will be invaluable in our work at our lifesaving centers with communities in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, as well as at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, the nation's largest no-kill refuge for companion animals, located in Kanab, Utah."
Ms. Cosby will work Best Friends chief of staff and senior leadership team to set the strategic direction for the Sanctuary and Best Friends Lifesaving Centers, provide leadership and guidance to the executive leaders of each center. She will also be responsible for planning, organizing, developing and directing the start-up and operation of new lifesaving centers called for by Best Friends' strategic plan, the first of which will be Houston in 2020.
Currently Ms. Cosby is the director of lifesaving for the Petco Foundation where she leads the team identifying and investing in the country's most efficient and effective animal welfare organizations. From 2012 to 2015 she worked with the City of Philadelphia to establish ACCT Philly as the new, city-related nonprofit corporation to provide animal control and lifesaving services.
Ms. Cosby was president and CEO of the Pennsylvania SPCA from 2009 to 2012, an organization comprised of seven animal shelter facilities and humane law enforcement responsibilities across the State of Pennsylvania at that time; during a time of national recession she reduced operational expenses, increased revenue, prevented an anticipated $1M in expected losses at animal control while simultaneously funding and building both a surgical suite and on-site adoptions and also funding the necessary staff to operate them at that facility. Since 2001, Ms. Cosby has a track record of leading animal welfare organizations to greater lifesaving success.
Ms. Cosby will join Best Friends on April 22, 2019.
About Best Friends Animal Society
Best Friends Animal Society is a leading national animal welfare organization dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America's shelters. In addition to running lifesaving programs in partnership with more than 2,500 animal welfare groups across the country, Best Friends has regional centers in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Salt Lake City, and operates the nation's largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals. Founded in 1984, Best Friends is a pioneer in the no-kill movement and has helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters nationwide from 17 million per year to about 800,000. That means there are still nearly 2,200 dogs and cats killed every day in shelters, just because they don't have safe places to call home. We are determined to bring the country to no-kill by the year 2025. Working collaboratively with shelters, rescue groups, other organizations and you, we will end the killing and Save Them All. For more information, visit bestfriends.org.
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