Community member helping with shelter donations.

Community Support & Pet Retention

Save more lives and keep pets in homes by supporting your community and preventing pets from being unnecessarily surrendered to shelters.

Shelters and rescues can support pets in homes through pet pantries, low-cost or free veterinary services, temporary fostering programs for owned pets, and more. There is no limit to the creative community support programs you can put in place — or collaborate with other organizations to run — that will keep pets in homes and prevent unnecessary shelter intake.

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Get the help you need

Find the answers you need for common questions related to community support and pet retention.

What is Community-Supported Sheltering?

Learn how to engage your community to provide essential shelter services and support.
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Create Lasting Impact with a Pet Food Pantry

Set up a pet food pantry to support families and keep pets healthy and at home.
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Intake Diversion in the Field Playbook

Practical community-based solutions for keeping pets in their homes and out of the shelter.
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Community-Supported Sheltering: Align Stakeholders

Explore how shelters, field services, government, and the community can unite for the animals.
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Community Support & Pet Retention
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DEIB

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Strategic Intake & Pathway Planning

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Spay/Neuter

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Medical & Veterinary

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About the Best Friends Network

The network is a free community of over 5,000 animal welfare organizations, including shelters, rescue groups, spay/neuter groups, transport groups, and other support organizations.

The Best Friends Network is your support system in your journey to save the lives of dogs and cats in your communities. Network partners gain access to exclusive challenges, grants, resources, and dedicated support.

Connect with partners across the country, access proven strategies, and collaborate to increase lifesaving nationwide.

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Meet the team

The Best Friends Network team is your lifeline to support for your organization, collaboration with other network partners and connection with Best Friends experts, resources, funding opportunities and so much more.
Meet The Team

Let’s be friends! 

Connect with us on social media to stay in the loop about the lifesaving progress we’re making together.  

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