450+ pets go home at Best Friends Super Adoption in Utah

At 113 pounds, Pony is hard to miss — and apparently hard to resist. Pony was one of hundreds of adoptable pets who came to the Best Friends Super Adoption event, held at the Mountain America Expo Center in Sandy, Utah. The majestic dog caught the eye of an expo center employee who wasn’t planning on adopting a pet that day. But before long, he had called his wife, and the whole family came down to meet 9-year-old Pony.

“They all were smiling and had tears in their eyes,” says Grason Roylance with Best Friends in Salt Lake City. “They left with a dog.”

That’s the magic of super adoption, a Best Friends tradition that brings hundreds of pets and potential adopters together in one place.

Super adoption returned to northern Utah during the first weekend of August. More than 3,600 attendees met pets from two dozen animal shelters and rescue groups. For organizations that weren’t able to attend in person, Best Friends picked up their pets in advance so they would still have a chance to meet potential adopters. Best Friends’ goal is for shelters across the country to reach no-kill, and collaborating with our partners to place their pets in new homes is just one of the ways we work together toward that shared goal.

L.A. super adoption event scores homes for 400+ pets

Super adoption is even more than a pet adoption event; it’s a celebration of lifesaving for the whole community. This year’s event featured kids’ activities, vendor booths, giveaways, and concessions. Experts also taught classes on puppy socialization, rattlesnake safety, taking your pet’s vitals, and other useful topics for pet caregivers.

When the doors opened on Saturday morning, hundreds of people streamed into the expo center. They entered through a tunnel of staff and volunteers cheering them on. And the fanfare didn’t stop there. After each pet was adopted, families were invited to ring a bell, letting everyone know they found their new best friend.

Many of those bell rings came courtesy of Color Country Animal Welfare (CCAW), an organization that often cares for pets who need extra help. By the end of the event, every pet CCAW brought was adopted. The shelter shared on social media, “Seeing each of these amazing animals leave with loving families is the best reward we could ask for.”

By the time the last bell rang late Sunday afternoon, more than 450 pets were headed to homes of their own — pets like Old Man, a senior dog who loves a good nap; George, a sassy and speckly Chihuahua mix; and, of course, Pony, who rode off into the sunset with his new family. They are what makes all the planning and preparation worth it.

More than 200 pets adopted at picture-perfect venue

“At the end of the day, we were all so happy. The pets felt happy. Everyone was happy,” says Grason. “It was just a lot of positivity.”

Thank you to presenting sponsor Blue Buffalo for making this event possible and to Cat Zone sponsor PrettyLitter for covering adoption fees for the 250 cats who went home during the weekend.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. 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.