Best Friends Blog Begins With Reflection

Welcome to the Best Friends Blog - insights, ideas and unique takes from Best Friends founders and staff about issues, animals, and the No-Kill Movement.

Five years ago, the country awoke to an American city in ruins. Water would continue to pour into New Orleans from Lake Pontchartrain for two more days until the water levels in the city and lake equalized. Untold thousands of animals were left to fend for themselves and the team from Best Friends Animal Society was in motion.

In a couple of days we would have a rescue shelter established on the grounds of St. Francis Animal Sanctuary in Tylertown, Mississippi, and would be assisting evacuees as they boarded busses by taking charge of their pets in cooperation with Jefferson Parish authorities. Before Katrina and her immediate aftermath is over, Best Friends and a universe of volunteers and members will rescue 4,000 animals and provide transportation for another 2,000 to safety.

As the saying goes, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” The flood of Katrina is over, but the flood of animals entering our shelters continues and so does our work.

Best Friends was the first national animal welfare agency to hit the ground in New Orleans and we were the last to leave.  The team, comprised largely of a very special group of volunteers, stayed until May---long after much of the media hype and fan-fare faded. You were right there with us too, providing the support to ensure that every animal was given the special care and respect that they would have received had they been right here at the sanctuary.  It is with this same commitment that we are focused on achieving the mission of No More Homeless Pets. Like you, we are all here because of our love for the animals and our commitment to their well-being. We love them because they are fun, goofy, honest, and devoted. In so many ways they are what we aspire to be and they deserve our every effort to end their pointless killing.

Like our Katrina effort, the only thing that will make this blog special is you. It can be a truly unique place to spark enlightening or just plain entertaining conversations about animals among our readers. We want to hear from you! You may agree or disagree with our take on issues but we want to keep this as a free flowing forum... healthy, bright-thinking, fun and engaging. The ground rules are simple: mutual respect, courtesy, and no personal attacks.

So read, enjoy, engage, and let's get the conversation started!