Celebrating 40 years of Best Friends together

Throughout this year, in celebration of Best Friends’ 40th anniversary, we’ve shared some of our history and memories and invited you to share your own. We are so grateful that so many of you sent in your own memories of Best Friends. It’s a wonderful reminder that Best Friends is as much yours as it is ours. In fact, it’s all of ours together. Below are a few of the letters we’ve received.

I have been getting your magazine since before it really was a magazine — just a couple of papers stuck together. I loved the editorials by Michael Mountain and still enjoy his articles. I am so glad you did the piece on the other founders. I remember Tomato and Benton, my favorites. Best Friends and all those who work there are on a level with the United Nations in my mind. I think animals are that important, and I know you do, too. Thank you for all you do.

— Deborah

When I read your article in the January/February issue about the other founders of Best Friends, I thought about the T-shirt I bought and remembered Tomato especially. The other cats on that shirt are Yoshi, Maureen, Benton, and Oscar. I have visited Best Friends, read the magazine cover to cover, and send support when I can. I’m rooting for your goal to reach no-kill by 2025. We are all in this together as we do our part to help and protect all fur babies.

— Alice

I really enjoyed reading the latest issue of Best Friends magazine from cover to cover, especially the memories part. My husband and I visited Best Friends nearly 40 years ago and thoroughly enjoyed our visit. We had the pleasure of meeting Benton and I think Amra as well. I purchased a Benton T-shirt and wore it until it was a rag. It was truly one of our best vacations because of our visit to Best Friends. We also visited a few national parks (Yosemite, Zion, and Bryce), but nothing compared to Best Friends, as we are both animal lovers. I hope to visit again someday and see in person all the wonderful changes that have been made to the Sanctuary.

Since that time, I have become a volunteer at several local shelters and currently am a dog walker at a wonderful shelter here in Santa Rosa, California. Thank you for all the wonderful work you are doing.

— Suzanne

Just finished your magazine, which brought back memories of when I first started donating to you. It had to do with Benton. I put his picture on my refrigerator because he was the reason I sent you money. I thought about him every day, and it made me happy that I was helping him. Thanks for the memory!

— Yvonne

I really enjoy reading your magazine and wanted to write about what we love about Best Friends. Of course, it goes without saying, knowing the care you provide to so many animals, as well as the education and lobbying to make real change happen in the USA.

But also, what we love about Best Friends is the fact that we met a wonderful person and now have an absolutely great friend. My mom, Maria, met Nancy when they volunteered together at Best Friends in Kanab in 2018. My mom and Nancy remain in close touch since volunteering together, and I am kept up to date through my mom on all the good deeds of Nancy and her constant random acts of kindness.

I do want to thank Best Friends for all that you do but also for allowing us to make such a dear friend. We plan to volunteer again in Kanab. Not sure if Nancy can join us, but regardless, we know she will be continuing with her acts of kindness toward all animals. And we look forward to making some new friends!

— Karin

We love hearing about your memories of Best Friends, so please continue to send them to editor@bestfriends.org. We plan to share as many of them as we can, either in Best Friends magazine or on our website.

If you would like to dive deep into our history, see old photos, read Tomato’s columns, or learn more about the founders of Best Friends, we hope you’ll visit the special history section of our website.

This article was originally published in the November/December 2024 issue of Best Friends magazine. Want more good news? Become a member and get stories like this six times a year.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.