Using data and research to save lives

Data reporting requirements and method vary based on your organization type. To determine how your organization should get started with reporting data, review the organization types below.

If you have already submitted your application, please take a few minutes to review and complete the remaining steps.

Shelters and Rescues

If your organization manages intakes and outcomes of animals, including transfer of ownership, make an account on Shelter Pet Data Alliance. See organization type details below.

If you are unable to make an account on SPDA due to government restrictions or accessibility, please upload your data using the monthly and annual data collection form.

In addition to annual data, please note that to be eligible for participation in our promotions and events, and to be considered for grants, monthly data compliance is required.

Best Friends organization type definitions:

• Government Animal Services - Organizations operated by a municipal government with a permanent non-residential facility that take in more than 20 total dogs and cats annually and do not transfer all their animals to another facility.
• Animal Shelter with a Government Contract - Organizations with a permanent non-residential facility with at least one government contract that take in more than 20 total dogs and cats annually and do not transfer all their animals to another facility.
• Animal Rescue with a Government Contract - Organizations without a brick-and-mortar facility with at least one government contract that take in more than 20 total dogs and cats annually.
• Shelter without a Government Contract - Organizations with a permanent non-residential facility that take in more than 200 total dogs and cats annually with open hours to the public at least 2 days per week.
• Rescue without a Government Contract - Organizations that are private without a government contract that do not meet requirements of a Shelter without a Government Contract.
• Private Friends of a Municipal Shelter - Groups that exist only to support a specific municipal shelter and do not take in or adopt out animals within your own organization. The shelter that a friends of group is supporting needs to report their data directly to Best Friends.

Support Groups

If your organization is a support non-profit including spay/neuter only, intake prevention, or transport organization, please use the community services data form. See organization type details below.

Community support organizations must update their stats annually and should submit monthly data to be eligible for funding opportunities.

Best Friends organization type definitions:

• Spay/Neuter Only Group - Organizations that only perform or subsidize spay/neuter surgeries and do not intake animals. This includes TNVR (trap-neuter-vaccinate-return) organizations with strictly return-to-field outcomes.
• Intake Prevention Organization - Organizations that operate intake diversion programs and do not intake animals.
• Transport Organization - Organizations that operate transport programs on behalf of shelters and/or rescue groups and do not intake animals.