To honor the lives of those we have lost, each month a blessing is held at Angels Rest to pay tribute to the beloved Sanctuary animals and pets of Best Friends members, staff, and pet lovers who have recently passed. These blessings celebrate the extraordinary animals who have touched our lives and provide a way for people with pets to find healing and hope among fellow animal lovers.
Angels Rest and Angels Overlook: Places of peace and healing
Angels Rest and Angels Overlook are places of exceptional peace and quiet beauty, and they are much more than final resting places for Sanctuary animals and cherished companions of Best Friends members, staff, and pet lovers. They are tributes to the enduring bond we share with animals.
Set against the vastness of Angel Canyon in the red rocks of southern Utah, wind chimes softly sound with the slightest breeze, and each marker celebrates the memory of a beloved pet. Together, they remind us of the connectedness of all living things.
A visit to Angels Rest
Monthly animal blessings
Each month, a blessing is held at Angels Rest to honor beloved Sanctuary animals, as well as pets of Best Friends members, staff, and pet lovers who have recently passed.
Blessings provide a way for people of all creeds and backgrounds to commemorate the lives of special pets and find healing alongside those who understand and value these extraordinary bonds.
Our blessing ceremonies are held at Angels Rest on the last Thursday of every month. You can watch the ceremony virtually via Best Friends’ YouTube channel or on Facebook the following week.
All are welcome to attend in person. In the event of inclement weather, email angelsrest@bestfriends.org to confirm the time and location.
Experience the serenity in person
Walk the peaceful grounds or take a guided tour of Angels Rest and Angels Overlook. Both are open to visitors during daylight hours; no appointment is necessary.
A place to remember your pet
If you’d like to pay tribute to your pet or the pet of a loved one, wind chimes can be sent directly to you.
Order a memorial marker or tribute
For information about requesting a placement for your pet at Angels Rest, please contact angelsrest@bestfriends.org or download a PDF of our brochure.
Tokens of remembrance for pets we’ve lost
At Best Friends, the ritual of leaving stones or tokens on the graves of animals has become a cherished and meaningful tradition.
The memory of your pet can leave a lasting legacy
Celebrating the memory of your pet means the love you share lives on. You'll be helping the animals you love at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary — and homeless animals all around the country — live their best lives when you create an online memorial, make a donation in memory, or order a meaningful pet remembrance gift.
Remembering your pet saves lives
About Best Friends Animal Society
Pet loss grief can arrive when we least expect it, but there is hope and healing in remembering those we love.
At Best Friends, we understand the special place that pets have in our lives — they’re our confidantes, our support systems, and our best friends. That’s why Angels Rest was built as the heart of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary — to commemorate the special bonds we share with our loyal companions. It’s a place where pet memorial stones line the pathways in between hundreds of wind chimes that sing with the cool canyon breezes, each note a tribute to pets who were deeply loved.
