Fi, foam, and fun for dogs

Koda, a big brown dog with an even bigger personality, charged through the pet-safe foam pit like a pro, barking, tail wagging, and with a face full of joy. His person, Sydney Frazier, watched with a smile and left the event at the Best Friends Pet Resource Center in Northwest Arkansas with something just as valuable as the memories: a free Fi GPS pet collar to help keep Koda safe and sound.

That joyful moment was just one piece of something much bigger.

This summer, Best Friends Animal Society launched a nationwide partnership with Fi, the makers of smart GPS tracking collars for dogs. The partnership aims to keep pets safe and out of shelters by combining real-time GPS tracking with microchipping, giving peace of mind to people with pets, reducing the number of pets who end up in animal shelters, and ultimately helping save more pets’ lives.

For Best Friends, collaboration like this is just one of the ways we’re working toward the goal to make every shelter in the country no-kill. Too often, dogs go to shelters simply because they get lost. By preventing those situations from happening, the Fi partnership supports the broader goal of freeing up space and resources for pets who truly need sheltering — while keeping more pets in their homes.

[Fun Things to Do With Your Dog]

The collaboration includes a generous donation of hundreds of reusable GPS collars and 50,000 microchips to be used at all Best Friends Lifesaving Centers and the Sanctuary, as well as in situations like pet sleepovers and travel. These tools provide an extra layer of security, especially for dogs transitioning into new homes or navigating unfamiliar environments.

A national program is also underway, where up to 2,500 people who adopt a pet from a Best Friends location will receive a free Fi collar and six months of GPS tracking service. For those bringing home a new pet, that means more than just a collar. It’s the peace of mind that comes with knowing they’ll be able to find their dog if something unexpected happens.

The partnership officially launched with a trio of joyful events in Arkansas at North Little Rock Animal Shelter, Conway Animal Services, and the Best Friends Pet Resource Center in Bentonville. In addition to the events showcasing adoptable pets, people could also come with their own pets. There were free vaccinations, microchips, pet name tags, and frozen treats for pets and people.

Across all three events, dozens of pets were adopted, and many more received care. But it wasn’t just about care; it was also about connection. At the Bentonville event, dogs dashed through the foam pit, cooled off with pup cups, and posed for caricatures while families soaked up the fun.

[9 photos of dogs having the time of their lives at Best Friends]

As the Bentonville event wound down and the foam settled, Sydney and Koda headed home — tired, happy, and better equipped to stay together. For families like theirs, Home Safe was more than a party. It was a celebration of the love between people and pets and the power of partnerships to help keep our furry friends safe with their families.

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.