Animal Welfare, Academics and Tech Leaders Develop First Charter for Responsible AI

Best Friends Animal Society and Southern Utah University bring together nearly 60 leaders to help animal shelters and rescue groups use AI to save more pets’ lives
Best Friends AI in Animal Welfare Summit attendees behind a banner
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Cedar City, UT - Nearly 60 leaders from animal welfare, academia, and corporations gathered at the first Best Friends AI in Animal Welfare Summit, held Oct. 9-10 at Southern Utah University (SUU) in Cedar City, Utah. The invitation-only summit focused on establishing guidelines for the responsible use of AI in animal welfare and exploring how the technology can help save the lives of pets in shelters nationwide.

Animal welfare organizations around the country are already using AI to improve data analysis, advance their marketing efforts, refine operational processes, and streamline communications with their stakeholders and communities.  Prior to the Summit, a shared and agreed upon set of standards to guide this rapidly evolving work did not exist.

Attendees worked together on the first Charter for Responsible AI in Animal Welfare, a shared set of principles centered on saving the lives of dogs and cats in shelters, the human-animal bond, and human judgment. AI ethics experts from the Summit’s founding academic partner SUU, provided guidance to ensure the Charter is comprehensive and reflects best practices. The Charter’s eight core commitments are:

  • Animal lifesaving and welfare
  • Humanity
  • Integrity
  • Oversight
  • Accountability
  • Intentionality
  • Adaptability
  • Sustainability

 

“AI is going to change how animal welfare organizations work, and Best Friends Animal Society believes the people closest to the animals should guide that change,” said Julie Castle, CEO, Best Friends Animal Society. “This Charter gives shelters, rescue groups, spay and neuter organizations and the people who support them a shared, practical framework for using AI responsibly, so that technology can continue evolving as a tool that helps us collectively save more pets and get them out of shelters and into homes where they belong.”

The Summit was led by Best Friends Animal Society, a national nonprofit working to end the unnecessary killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters. Participants included leaders from:

  • ASPCA
  • Humane World for Animals
  • PetSmart Charities
  • Petco Love
  • Amazon Web Services
  • PetWise

 

Additional participants included 23 municipal and private shelters, rescue groups and spay neuter organizations from Best Friends Animal Society's network of more than 6,400 partners across the country. Consultants from the technology and business sectors and 13 faculty and staff members from SUU also joined.

“SUU is honored to help advance ethical standards for the use of AI in animal welfare,” said Melynda Thorpe, assistant vice president of workforce and educational opportunity. “As a university, we welcome opportunities to bring people together for the exchange of ideas and meaningful dialogue.”

A full list of Summit participants is available here. The Summit is the first step in a larger animal welfare AI initiative led by Best Friends Animal Society that continues through summer 2027.

The historic partnership between Best Friends Animal Society and Southern Utah University commenced in 2019 and now boasts 8 university-backed animal services courses which offer credentials like digital badges and certificates, as well as the opportunity to be moved into degree programs. For more information on the animal services courses available, go to bestfriends.org/learn.

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About Southern Utah University

Southern Utah University is a caring campus community where students realize their potential through personalized mentorship from people dedicated to helping them soar. Offering a wide range of undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs, SUU provides hands-on, career-focused learning to prepare students for the future. Located in the world’s best backyard, SUU’s safe and vibrant campus offers a welcoming atmosphere where everyone feels supported and inspired by both the natural beauty and a strong sense of community. Whether on campus or online, SUU provides an education that is competitively priced and highly valued, giving students the skills and confidence to thrive in any professional setting. This is where students soar.

About Best Friends Animal Society

Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization dedicated to saving the lives of dogs and cats in America's shelters and making the entire country no-kill. Founded in 1984, Best Friends runs lifesaving facilities and programs nationwide in partnership with more than 6,000 shelters and rescue organizations. From our headquarters in Kanab, Utah, we also operate the nation's largest no-kill animal sanctuary — a destination that brings our mission to life for thousands of visitors each year. We maintain the most comprehensive animal sheltering data in the country and make it accessible to the public — empowering communities with critical insights into the needs of their local shelters and how they can help. We believe every dog and cat deserves a home. And we believe that, by working together, we can Save Them All®.