Community-Supported Sheltering Stories

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 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
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
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
PAWS staffperson holding a tortoiseshell cat in front of stainless steel kennels

Flooded Okla. animal shelter sees outpouring of support

When trouble bubbled up, teamwork and community support kept tails wagging and spi...
When crisis strikes, community saves the day
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Renee Skipper holding a cat in front of a kennel

How a journey home to Alabama saved dogs and cats

When Lisa Barrett returned to her hometown on assignment for Best Friends, she pro...
Great things happening at Dothan Animal Shelter
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A gray kitten waves from its bowl

No-kill shelters are now the norm

There’s a tipping point in all great things. It’s the moment the scales shift thei...
The no-kill movement is real - and working.
Julie Castle Blog
Person petting a happy dog wearing a vest

How rescue groups and shelters save more pets together

Across the country, animal shelters rely on rescue groups to help them save more l...
Partnerships saves lives
Best Friends Magazine
Shepherd dog with a smiling animal control officer

Animal shelters embrace no-kill philosophy

A mindset to save lives means large animal shelters are maintaining no-kill even w...
They’ve maintained no-kill despite challenges
Best Friends Magazine
Smiling person holding a yawning puppy in a shelter

No-kill 101: The 3 pillars of saving pets in shelters

Three key pillars in modern animal services have been instrumental in saving more ...
Learn these lifesaving practices
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Shepherd-type dog in a home setting

3.4% fewer animals were killed in shelters so far in 2024

Best Friends’ latest data shows a turning point for shelters across the country.
Let’s celebrate the positive momentum in lifesaving
Julie Castle Blog