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2027 Rachael Ray No-Kill Excellence Grants & Rachael Ray Save Them All Grants

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Increase return-to-home rates

In 2024, network partners participated in the Return to Home Challenge to help lost dogs find their way back home faster, resulting in a 170% increase in return-to-home in-field outcomes alone.
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Drive more adoptions

Last year, network partners participated in the Bring Love Home Challenge to decrease barriers to adoption and fostering, resulting in an 11.4% increase in adoption and foster placements for 209 reporting organizations.
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Build lifesaving momentum

2024 data shows a 7.5% increase in transfers out, but there’s still work to do to create more movement in the animal welfare ecosystem and open up space in shelters for those in need.

Resource Library

Access proven lifesaving strategies in our free library of resources for shelters and rescue groups. Information-sharing is a key component of the Best Friends Network.

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— NETWORK PARTNER STATISTICS —
5 points

Higher save rate on average for network partner shelters than non-partners.

6,000+

Shelters, rescue groups, and support organizations make up the Best Friends Network.

$2.4M

In grants. This year, our partners can access more than $2.4 million in grant funding.

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Opportunities to connect and save the lives of pets

Have fun and connect with fellow network partners and animal lovers at these upcoming events.

2 upcoming events
* = registration required
Oct 7 Wednesday
SPDA and PetPoint Office Hours
2:00pm–3:00pm MT

Join us for a live update on October 7 with experts from PetPoint by 24Pet and SPDA.

Join us for a live update on October 7 with experts from PetPoint by 24Pet and SPDA. We’ll walk through new resources for both platforms and show you how to make the most of your SPDA and PetPoint experience. 

Location: Virtual
Oct 8 Thursday
AI Agents and Automations 101: Responsibly Leverage This Tech to Save More Lives
4:00pm–5:00pm ET

AI agents and automations can be highly effective and meaningfully change how lifesaving gets done.

AI agents and automations can be highly effective and meaningfully change how lifesaving gets done. Now it’s your chance to see how shelters are incorporating both light lift (automation) and custom builds (agents) into their work.  

Register to join live on Thursday, October 8 at 4pm ET.  

This interactive webinar will feature Jess Vibert, Chief of Staff for Furry Friends Humane, an organization that’s found ways to put these tools to use in multiple ways, including by launching a neonatal kitten care app for fosters. Anthony Acquisti, Best Friends’ Senior Consultant, Growth Strategy & Transformation, will introduce participants to the basics of AI agents and automations.  

These AI tools can be used to help you build and review reports, reduce time spent on administrative tasks, write first drafts, and otherwise support your work to save cats and dogs. The presentation will also have some kick-starters for you about how to apply these tools thoughtfully, responsibly, and effectively.  

Whether you're new to using AI agents and automations, are already using them and looking to do even more, or bring some degree of concern, we invite anyone interested in how best to use this technology for lifesaving to join us for this webinar. Bring your questions for the Q&A. Save your seat and join live!  

Location: Virtual
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Get the support you need

The Best Friends Network team is your lifeline to support for your organization and collaboration with other network partners.

We can also connect you with Best Friends experts, resources, funding opportunities, and so much more. Meet the team or connect with us on social media to stay in the loop about the lifesaving progress we’re making together.   

Let’s be friends! 

Connect with us on social media to stay in the loop about the lifesaving progress we’re making together.

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About the Best Friends Network

The network is a free community of over 6,000 animal welfare organizations, including shelters, rescue groups, spay/neuter groups, transport groups, and other support organizations.

The Best Friends Network is your support system in your journey to save the lives of dogs and cats in your communities. Network partners gain access to exclusive challenges, grants, resources, and dedicated support.

Connect with partners across the country, access proven strategies, and collaborate to increase lifesaving nationwide.