The Partner Up Challenge

In April 2025, the Best Friends Network brought the rescue and shelter community together for the Partner Up Challenge — an initiative designed to create lifesaving movement in the animal welfare ecosystem through increased adoptions and more transport partnerships, opening up space in shelters for those in need.  

Thanks to the dedication of participating shelters and rescues, this challenge has done so much more than just creating short-term wins — it’s built a foundation for long-term, collaborative change. With over $207,000 in grants and incentives on the table, organizations were empowered to strengthen adoption efforts, form new transport partnerships, and push lifesaving momentum forward in powerful ways. 

How did they do it? 

Explore the resources, materials, and new operations that challenge participants implemented to achieve these remarkable results. Whether you’re looking for inspiration or ready to implement some proven strategies, we’ve got the tools to help you make an impact in your community. 

Resources & materials: 

• Partner Up Challenge Marketing & Communications Guide
• "Right Under Your Nose" Adoption Event Toolkit
• Partner Up Challenge Press Release Template
• Partner Up Challenge Transfer/Transport & Adoptions Practices Guide
• Transport and Transfer Resources
• Resources for Successful Rescue Partnerships and Animal Transport
• Adoptions Training Playbook

What they did: 

• During the Partner Up Challenge, rescues/shelters (limited intake) expanded their impact by pulling pets from shelters where the need was greatest, propelling lifesaving momentum forward within the shelter and rescue community.  
• At the same time, shelters (open intake) built and strengthened partnerships with rescues, creating critical pathways for animals and making meaningful progress toward closing their lifesaving gaps. 

Congratulations to our grant recipients! 

Shelter (open intake) organizations with the greatest year-over-year improvement in adoption and transfers out: 

• Barnwell Animal Shelter
• Bryant Animal Control & Adoption Center
• Craven-Pamlico Animal Services Center
• Henrico County Animal Shelter
• Pasadena Animal Shelter

Rescue/Shelter (limited intake) organizations with the greatest year-over-year improvement in adoption and transfers in:

• Beare Garden Plantation Animal Rescue
• CATNIP Foundation DBA Big Sky CARES
• DFW Humane Society of Irving Inc.
• Greener Days Ahead Rescue
• Hamilton's Healing Hearts
• Henrico Humane Society
• Home for Good Dog Rescue
• Lucky Dog Animal Rescue

Outstanding contributions:

• Bulloch County Animal Services
• S.A.V.E. Rescue Coalition
• Taysia Blue Rescue

Participating shelter (open intake) grant recipients:  

• Aggieland Humane Society
• Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department
• Alleghany Humane Society
• Animal Assistance League of Slidell
• Ardmore Animal Care, Inc.
• Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS)
• Colleton County Animal Services
• Conway Animal Welfare Unit
• Dallas Animal Services
• Darlington County Humane Society
• Fluvanna SPCA
• Greensburg Decatur County Animal Shelter
• Humane Society of Carroll County
• Kaua'i Humane Society
• Onslow County Animal Services
• Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control
• Saginaw County Animal Care Center
• Sioux Falls Area Humane Society
• Tangipahoa Parish Animal Services
• The Bullhead City Animal Shelter
• Victoria County Animal Services

Participating rescue/shelter (limited intake) grant recipients:

• Almost Home Animal Rescue League
• Animal Outreach of Shelby County
• Animal Welfare Association
• Big Lake Humane Society
• Canine Castaways Rescue Inc
• Cat Tales Rescue NC
• Changing Tomorrow Animal Rescue, Inc.
• Cherished Tails Senior Sanctuary
• Coco's Heart Dog Rescue
• Compassionate Canine Society
• Daisy's Legacy
• Dallas Pets Alive!
• EASEL Animal Rescue League
• Feral Cat Warriors Inc
• Friends of Michigan Animal Rescue
• Good Mews Animal Foundation
• Grafelman Farms Rescue
• Greenfield Pets Animal Rescue
• Hearts & Bones Animal Rescue
• Hoof Woof and Meow Animal Rescue
• Hope's Animal Kingdom Dog and Cat Rescue Inc.
• Houston Pets Alive
• Humane Animal Treatment Society
• Kat Vet Spay Neuter and Rescue
• Kibblez of Love
• Lab Rescue of the L.R.C.P.
• Lake Oconee Humane Society
• MidAmerica Rottweiler Rescue
• NM K-911
• Pacific Rim Rescue
• Pet-A-Bulls Inc.
• Pets Bring Joy
• Polk County Bully Project
• POSO Dog Rescue
• Rescued Pets Are Wonderful
• Richmond SPCA
• Rosie Rescue
• Second Chance
• Southern Counties Rescue
• St. Sophia's Forgotten Felines
• Stray Kitty Rescue
• Street Dog Hero
• Texas CARES
• Texas Humane Heroes
• The Happy Pet Project
• Wagon Tails Farm Rescue
• Warrick Humane Society
• Watermelon Mountain Ranch
• Wild Blue Cats 

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