dog

Minnesota

Best Friends works closely with local shelters, rescue groups and passionate people like you in Minnesota. Together, we can bring this country to no-kill by 2025.
PetLifesavingDesktopState/State?pState=MN&:linktarget=_parent
PetLifesavingMobileState/State?pState=MN&:linktarget=_parent

Help save homeless pets in MN

Shelters near you need help to save more lives. In 2022, 1,458 dogs and cats were killed in animal shelters across Minnesota, but together with your help, we’re changing that.

Best Friends is working with animal welfare organizations and stakeholders statewide to save every pet who can be saved and reach no-kill through Minnesota by 2025. Your local shelter is counting on your help. Now is the time to get involved and make a lifesaving difference.

Best Friends develops leaders in Minnesota

Leaders from Minneapolis Animal Care and Control and My Pit Bull is Family have participated in the Best Friends Executive Leadership Certification program, in collaboration with Southern Utah University. The program aims to transform the future of leadership in animal services. In addition, we’ve given grants to several Minneapolis organizations to improve lifesaving in the region.

Minnesota Animals Need Your Help

You can be a hero to homeless dogs and cats in your community when you adopt, foster, and advocate.
Family holding a black and white puppy
Adopt near you
Find a shelter or rescue group near you.
Find opportunities
Tiny fuzzy kitten on blue blanket
Save lives this kitten season
You can help save the lives of kittens by fostering this spring and summer.
Foster kittens
Smiling gray pit bull type dog with a smiling person behind him
Show big love for big dogs
Dogs over 40 pounds are at higher risk of being killed in shelters.
How you can help
BFAS staff at the Best Friends Conference
National conference
Whether you work at a shelter, volunteer with a rescue group or just love animals, the Best Friends National Conference is for you.
Join Us
The face of a black and white cat in front of a PCV piping cat bed

Good news from animal shelters across the country

Need a mood boost? These cat and dog stories should do the trick.
Read their happy stories
Best Friends Magazine
Chunky-cheeked cat in a kennel

5 feel-good animal stories

These five stories from shelters and rescue organizations across the country are surefire pick-me-ups.
See their good news
Best Friends Magazine
Pepper the dog, outside on the grass, smiling

Animal stories to fill you with hope

Here are five stories about amazing acts of kindness to lift your spirits and remind you that love always wins.
See what our partners are doing
Best Friends Magazine

Volunteer to save the lives of pets in Minnesota

With millions of animals in shelters around the country hoping for families of their very own, one of the most valuable gifts you can give is the gift of your time. For animals waiting to go home, your kindness makes all the difference.

bestfriends.org/volunteer

Q & A graphic

Pet lifesaving dashboard FAQs

Get answers to the most commonly asked dashboard questions.
/no-kill-faqs
Lightbulb and gear icon

Dashboard methodology

Learn about the dataset, definitions and formulas for calculations.
/map-methodology
drawing of a dog in a doghouse

Update your shelter’s info

Use this form if you work with a shelter and need to update your shelter’s information.
https://network.bestfriends.org/form/shelter-data-update

Find a Best Friends Network partner near you

The Best Friends Network is made up of thousands of public and private shelters, rescue groups, spay/neuter organizations and other animal welfare groups, all working to save the lives of dogs and cats in communities like yours across the country.

Each and every one of our network partners needs caring people like you to adopt, foster, donate, volunteer and advocate to help save the lives of pets where you live.

Find a network partner near you today:

Find a network partner near you today:
Units: Miles
Address, City, Zip-Code, Country, ...