Skip to main content


Tertiary Menu

  • Who We Are
  • Pet Care
  • Locations
  • Shop
  • En Español


Donations Menu

  • Donate
  • Monthly
  • In Memory
  • In Honor

Header Menu

  • No-Kill 2025
  • The Sanctuary
  • Act for Animals
  • Stories
  • Adopt + Foster
  • Ways to Give


Secondary

  • No-Kill 2025
    • What does no-kill mean?
    • Pet Lifesaving Dashboard
    • Our Priorities for 2025
    • Animal Welfare Statistics
    • Our Impact
    • Join the 2025 Action Team
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer at the Sanctuary
      • Groups
      • Fostering for the Sanctuary
      • Animal Outings
      • Animal Sleepovers
      • Other Volunteer Opportunities
    • Volunteer near you
      • Community Cats
      • National Opportunities
      • Volunteer at a Best Friends event
      • Log In to Volunteer
      • Volunteer Task Board
    • Volunteer FAQs
    • Log in to volunteer
    • Volunteer Pet Transport Drivers
  • Take Action
    • Ending Puppy Mills
      • Puppy Mill Resources
      • What Is a Puppy Mill?
      • What You Can Do to Help End Puppy Pills
      • States with Humane Pet Sales Laws
      • Combating Puppy and Kitten Mills with Legislation
    • Protecting Community Cats
      • Seeing Stray Cats?
      • Community Cat Programs Handbook
      • Cat Resources
      • Videos on TNR and Community Cats
      • Volunteer to Help Community Cats
      • Cats are Not Invasive Species
      • Contingency Plans for Community Cat Caregivers
    • Ending Breed-specific Legislation
      • Why Breed Restrictions Are Ineffective
      • Pit Bull Terrier Resources
      • Economic Impact of Breed-restrictive Legislation (BSL)
      • Dog Breed Bans and Pet Owner Rights
    • Keeping Pets with Their Families
      • Dog Breed Restrictions by Insurance Companies
      • End Breed-Restrictive Practices by Insurance Companies
      • Resources for Pet Owners
    • Join the 2025 Action Team
      • Grassroots Organizing Resources
      • Pet Preparedness Plan
      • Support a local effort
      • Start a Community Petition
    • Actions You Can Take
  • Lifesaving Events
    • Be an Event Volunteer
      • Volunteer at a Super Adoption Event
      • Volunteer at our National Conference
      • Log In to Volunteer
    • Best Friends Expert Speakers
    • Best Friends National Conference
    • Best Friends family fun
    • Golden Circle Events
      • Friends and Founders
    • Host an Event
      • Host an Event FAQs
    • Best Friends Symposium
    • Strut Your Mutt
    • Learn How to Run a Lifesaving Sanctuary
    • Super Adoption Events
    • Songs to Save Them All
  • National Conference
    • Register
    • Speakers
    • Agenda
      • Deep-Dive Day
    • Continuing Education Units
    • Volunteer
    • Planning Your Trip
    • Health and Safety
    • Become an Exhibitor
    • Become a Sponsor
    • Benefits of Attending
    • Know Before You Go
  • Locations
    • Salt Lake City
    • Los Angeles
    • New York
    • Atlanta
    • Houston
    • Northwest Arkansas
    • Polk County Florida
    • Catawba County
    • Waynesboro Pennsylvania
    • Grant Parish
  • Los Angeles
    • Best Friends in Los Angeles
    • Live Large in 2022
  • New York
    • Best Friends in New York
  • Atlanta
    • Volunteer in Atlanta
    • Foster in Atlanta
    • Events in Atlanta
    • Donate in Atlanta
    • Found Kittens?
  • Houston
    • Houston National Adopt a Shelter Pet Day
    • TX Big Dog Adoption & Foster Event
    • Bark After Dark Event
  • Northwest Arkansas
    • Our New Pet Resource Center in Northwest Arkansas
      • Designs and Timeline
      • Your Impact
      • From our Contributors
      • Our Partners
      • Make my Gift
    • Get Involved Today
    • Volunteer
  • Salt Lake City
    • Best Friends in Salt Lake City
    • History of No More Homeless Pets Utah
  • The Sanctuary
    • Explore the Sanctuary
      • Dogtown
      • Cat World
      • Horse Haven
      • Marshall’s Piggy Paradise
      • Bunny House
      • Parrot Garden
      • Wild Friends
    • Know Before You Go
      • Getting Here
      • Places to Stay
      • At the Sanctuary
      • Tours, Activities and Volunteering
      • Accessibility and Service Animals
      • Around Kanab
    • Visit the Sanctuary
      • During Your Visit
      • After Your Visit
      • Can't Visit The Sanctuary?
    • Book Your Trip
  • Act for Animals
    • Volunteer
    • Take Action
    • Strut Your Mutt
    • Best Friends National Conference
    • Lifesaving Events
    • Work at Best Friends
    • Learn with Best Friends
  • Stories
    • News, Stories, and Galleries
      • Featured Stories
      • Videos
      • Latest News Archives
    • Julie Castle's Blog
      • Comment Policy
      • Subscribe to our blog
    • Best Friends Magazine
    • Videos and Cams
  • Adopt + Foster
    • Adopt From Our Sanctuary
      • Dogs
      • Cats
      • Rabbits
      • Birds
      • Equine
      • Pigs
      • Barnyard
      • Other
    • Adopt Near You
      • Best Friends in Los Angeles (Mission Hills)
      • NKLA Pet Adoption Center in West L.A.
      • Best Friends in Salt Lake City
      • Best Friends in New York City
      • Best Friends in Atlanta
      • Best Friends in Northwest Arkansas
      • Best Friends in Houston
    • Foster a Pet
    • Adoption Promotions
    • Lifetime Return Policy
  • For the Media
    • Press Releases
    • FAQs
    • Position Statements
  • Ways to Give
    • Donate Now
    • Give Monthly
    • Pet Memorials
      • Memorial Gift Donation
      • Memorial Fundraisers
      • Wind Chimes
      • Engraved Brick
      • Memorial Markers
    • In Memory
    • Gift Giving
      • Give a Gift in Honor
      • Symbolic Gift Catalog
      • Shop Best Friends Store
      • Gift Membership
      • Sponsor an Animal
    • Fundraise for Animals
    • Sponsor an Animal
    • Member Center
      • Become a Member
      • Renew Membership
      • Member Self-Service
      • Golden Circle
    • Planned Giving
      • Planned Gift Options
      • For Professional Advisors
      • Ensuring Care for Your Pets
      • Meet Your Gift Planners
      • Forever Friends
    • Brand Partnerships
    • Best Friends Credit Card
    • Other Ways to Help
      • Golden Circle
      • Stock Donation
      • Donor-Advised Fund
      • IRA Gift
      • Vehicle Donation
      • Create a Fundraiser
      • Strut Your Mutt
      • Give with Amazon
      • Wish List
      • Workplace Giving
      • Cryptocurrency Donations
  • Who We Are
    • Our People
      • Leadership
      • Meet the Founders
    • Our Mission
      • Save Them All
      • Diversity
    • Our Story
      • History of Best Friends
      • No-Kill Timeline
    • Our Partners
      • Corporate Partners
      • Foundation Partners
      • Network Partners
      • Celebrity Supporters
    • Careers
    • Internships
  • Draft-SYM
    • Draft SYM Events
    • Draft Strut Your Mutt
    • Draft SYM Corporate Partners
    • Draft SYM Raise Money to Save Lives
    • Draft SYM Volunteer
    • Draft SYM Why We Strut
    • SYM Draft Questions?
  • Draft-Waynesboro
    • Draft Waynesboro Foster
    • Draft Waynesboro Programs and Services
    • Draft Waynesboro Volunteer
    • Draft Waynesboro Ways to Help
    • Draft Waynesboro Who We Are

Data and Statistics Stories

Image
Three puppies on a Kuranda-type bed

A setback in lifesaving and what it means

The number of cats and dogs killed in U.S. shelters increased in 2021.
See why
Julie Castle Blog
Help Save Them All
Get Email Updates

Footer Menu

  • No-Kill 2025
  • The Sanctuary
  • Act for Animals
  • Stories
  • Adopt + Foster
  • Ways to Give
  • Who We Are
  • Pet Care
  • Locations
  • Shop
  • En Español

Info Menu

  • Careers
  • Internships
  • Contact Us
  • For the Media
  • FAQs
  • Position Statements
  • Financial Information

Social Menu

  • Best Friends Animal Society Facebook Page
  • Best Friends Animal Society Twitter Page
  • Best Friends Animal Society Instagram Page
  • Best Friends Animal Society Pinterest Page
  • Best Friends Animal Society LinkedIn Page
  • Best Friends Animal Society YouTube Channel
  • Best Friends Animal Society TikTok Page
  • Best Friends Animal Society Twitch Channel
  • Best Friends Animal Society Discord
 
 

We will reach no-kill in this country by 2025.

Best Friends, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, operates the nation’s largest sanctuary for homeless animals; provides adoption, spay/neuter, and educational programs.

Regional Programs

  • Atlanta
  • Houston
  • Los Angeles
  • New York
  • Utah
  • Northwest Arkansas

Other Best Friends Sites

  • Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile
  • Best Friends Store
  • Network Partners

No-Kill Programs

  • No-Kill Los Angeles (NKLA)
  • No-Kill Utah (NKUT)

Mobile App:

Image
ResQWalk

As seen on National Geographic’s DogTown and the CW’s Dog Town USA. And the inspiration behind the critically acclaimed film, The Champions.

Image
Great Nonprofits
Image
Guide Star Platinum Logo
Image
Shelter Animals Count Gold
Image
Service Enterprise Initiative Certified Logo
Image
The Harris Poll logo
Image
Top Places to Work 2022 by the Salt Lake Tribune

As a nonprofit working every day to save homeless pets, Best Friends has been named to Fast Company’s top ten “World’s Most Innovative Companies” for using data to revolutionize how we save the lives of cats and dogs.

Fast Company Most Innovative

Legal Menu

  • Comment Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

© 2022 Best Friends Animal Society. All Rights Reserved.