No-Kill 2025 Stories

Happy black and white dog whose tongue is out on the lap of an animal control officer

The unsung heroes who keep animal shelters running

Recognizing the people powering lifesaving this National Animal Shelter Appreciati...
Thanks to the staff and volunteers caring for animals in shelters
Julie Castle Blog
Rich Avanzino and Julie Castle in front of a Best Friends Benefit to Save Them All backdrop

The power of proof: Turning ‘impossible’ into millions of lives saved

From a radical question to a nationwide movement, compassion and conviction have r...
Challenging the status quo
Julie Castle Blog
Person wearing an orange Best Friends volunteer T-shirt holding a cat wearing a bow tie over her shoulder

Moving no-kill forward: A Houston highlight

The ethos and the philosophy of no-kill is quite simple: When we focus on one anim...
Working hard to build up community-led change
Julie Castle Blog
Person sitting on the ground hugging a dog at Miami-Dade Animal Services

Best Friends and Miami-Dade team up to tackle shelter crowding

Best Friends’ staff members are on the ground helping Miami-Dade Animal Services s...
Progress possible due to collaboration
Julie Castle Blog
Smiling leashed dog in front of a person

The debate about no-kill animal sheltering

One advocate’s story from animal-loving kid to shelter director...
Partnership, not punishment
Best Friends Magazine
Bedford Animal Shelter staff in front of an American and Texas flag holding a Best Friends award and stuffed dog

Texas town celebrates animal shelter’s no-kill milestone

Bedford’s amazing accomplishment brought a wave of pride as city leaders and anima...
They are an example for the region
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Child lying in grass between two dogs

5 lifesaving wins you might’ve missed...

If summer slipped away from you too, here are 5 wins for the animals to get you ca...
Stories to inspire you
Julie Castle Blog
Animal control officer petting a shepherd dog

Sometimes lifesaving happens on the road, not in a shelter

When you do what’s right for an individual animal, everybody wins. What I love ...
Helping pets and their people
Julie Castle Blog
Coda the brown and white dog with tongue out, outside wearing a harness and leash

W.Va. animal shelter goes from last stop to lifesaving

Kassy Slack and her team are making changes at Harrison County Animal Control and ...
Compassion in action
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Rio the dog beside a chain-link fence

A better way to reunite lost pets with their people

Communities are stepping up to get pets back home quickly, easing stress for pets,...
Golden rule for found pets
Best Friends Magazine
Person holding a Chihuahua rescued from a puppy mill over her shoulder. The dog is tattooed on his ear and is wearing an identification collar.

The simple way to stop puppy mills

Pet sellers keep finding new ways to churn out unhealthy puppies and kittens, and ...
Lessons learned
Best Friends Magazine
Three people rescuing two dogs in a boat

Hurricane Katrina, 20 years later: What we saw, learned, and how animals fare better today

A solemn remembrance of the catastrophe that changed us all. Twenty years ago t...
Hurricane Katrina was lifechanging for the rescuers and reshaped disaster response within animal welfare itself
Julie Castle Blog
Person cradling a cat in her arms

No-kill is inevitable — the Magnolia State is showing us how

Mississippi communities are writing the blueprint for no-kill. They’re showing us ...
Mississippi is making lifesaving possible despite all odds
Julie Castle Blog
Tan and white dog with upright ears smiling

Texas shelter redefining what it means to help pets

Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter is taking creative approaches to help pe...
Shelter raises the no-kill bar in Texas
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Williamson County Animal Shelter plaque in front of dog kennels

The communities rewriting what’s possible for pets in shelters

When we face challenges head on –– and succeed –– we celebrate those wins with pla...
Celebrating lifesaving wins with plaques
Julie Castle Blog