Communities helping pets and people thrive

Across the country, Best Friends Network Partners are stepping up for pets and the people who love them. Whether it’s rescuing a cat from a storm drain, recognizing a foster dog’s hidden talents, or supporting entire communities through pet‑centered outreach, these groups are creating meaningful change every day. Here are a few recent stories that show what’s possible when compassion and collaboration come together.

When a concerned community member called about a cat stuck in a storm drain, animal services officers at Lodi Animal Services in California sprang into action. They arrived on the scene to the unmistakable meows and cries of a distressed kitty. With the help of Lodi firefighters and their specialized equipment, they were able to remove the little buff-colored cat from the storm drain. Even better news: The furry survivor already had a home and was soon returned there safe and sound.

In Atlanta, Georgia, what began as a short-term foster arrangement has turned into a lifelong service partnership. Tori, a foster volunteer for Fulton County Animal Services, had already decided to adopt her foster dog, Charlotte, because of the pup’s gentle, friendly, and devoted nature. But then, over time, Charlotte revealed her superpower. Tori is deaf, and she started noticing that Charlotte would sometimes signal her without any formal service training. Tori decided to have her evaluated to become a hearing service dog, and Charlotte received rave reviews. Now they’re in training, working on her alert skills in a variety of settings.

She also provides moral support when you’re not feeling your best, Tori says, adjusting her energy level to yours. And one day at the dog park, she sprinted to the side of a woman who had been pulled to the ground by her own dog and wasn’t moving. Charlotte didn’t leave her side until help arrived.

Charlotte is so happy to have such an important job helping the person she loves most. When she’s not working, she loves to play with her ball and cuddle. Charlotte is proof of the incredible potential of shelter dogs to truly change lives.

In Gary, Indiana, a group is working to ensure that both pets and people have what they need. The nonprofit Silverstray Social provides local pets with free spay/neuter, microchips, vaccinations, and trap-neuter-vaccinate-return services through their Silver Lining Gary program. But they don’t stop there. They recognize that pets are often a “soft” way to build trust with people, so the group has human services partnerships to help Gary residents access resources related to housing, utilities, transportation, therapy, literacy, recovery, and more.

This article was originally published in the March/April 2026 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.