Community-Supported Sheltering Stories

Dez the dog lying down with tongue out

Texas animal shelter goes from hidden to hopeful

How Alpine Animal Services in Texas transformed from an isolated shelter into a li...
Saving lives together
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Orange tabby kitten in a crate

Super El Niño is coming ... let’s not forget the animals

As El Niño looms, shelters and communities across the country show us what it look...
Reminder to imagine the very best case scenerios
Julie Castle Blog
Linus the English bulldog pup in a wheelchair with a person's hand touching him

Mississippi animal shelter celebrates 10 years of no-kill

Small but mighty Southern Pines Animal Shelter has become a national blueprint for...
From crisis to compassion
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Rosie the dog in a vehicle

Doggy delivery program drives adoptions

All it took for Rosie to get adopted was someone to give her a ride.
Meeting adopters where they are
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Black dog with upright ears

Small shelter makes big difference for Kentucky’s pets

With help from Best Friends, rescue groups near and far, and local volunteers, Har...
A new outlook for pets and people
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Melissa “Missy” Kidwell and child sitting on the floor with a dog

West Virginia animal shelter a lifesaving powerhouse

Mineral County Animal Control and its committed leader are proving that you don’t ...
A new outlook on lifesaving
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Rock formations at Big Bend National Park in Texas

Lost in Big Bend, found by kindness: How 2 dogs got home to Mexico

While a story of unlikely heroes saving lives feels like it should be a blockbuste...
Multiple acts of kindness save two dogs
Julie Castle Blog
Bean the dog looking up with her mouth slightly open

Compassion and science save pets’ lives in Illinois

Tazewell County Animal Control is blazing new trails and breaking ground for pets ...
What better looks like
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Person snuggling with a black and white cat

From dread to joy: One animal shelter’s no-kill journey

How Joplin Humane Society embraced new philosophies to change life for people, sta...
Shelter's executive director explains what they did
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K’Terra sitting on the ground with a dog

How a Tennessee animal rescue group is changing lives

Crossroads Campus brings together animal rescue, job training, and affordable hous...
A model rooted in hope
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Bryan Reisberg smiling while carrying a dog in a backpack

Why we love a viral animal story

Sharing small moments can create lasting positive outcomes.
Chain reactions change outcomes
Julie Castle Blog
Francine the cat lying next to a plant on a pallet

The Lowe's cat who brought a community together

When Richmond, Virginia’s beloved store cat Francine went missing, people came tog...
Huge team effort
Best Friends Magazine
Person at the cat help desk on the phone with people and a carrier containing kittens

Help desk supports cats and people who care for them

A clever collaboration between Dallas Animal Services, SPCA of Texas, and Best Fri...
A partnership with purr-pose
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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
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