The Best Friends 2021 Lifesaving Dataset showed that over the last year, adoptions did not keep pace with the increase in the number of cats and dogs entering shelters. Unfortunately, that trend has continued into 2022, and with many around the country experiencing the same issues, transports are happening less frequently, adding to the strain on animal shelters. We wanted to learn more about the public’s attitudes towards pet adoption during this turbulent time. Have we hit a national saturation point of pet ownership? Are external factors like the economy and housing issues to blame? For tho ..read more

It's the return of the Best Friends National Conference! Animal welfare professionals from across the country (and beyond!) have made their way to Raleigh, North Carolina, for our first in-person conference since the pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 event. This year we're in Raleigh, North Carolina. Like the previous host communities, such as Atlanta, Dallas, Atlantic City, and North Carolina are important to the animal welfare movement. We can't tell North Carolina's story in just one episode, but with the conference kicking off today, we thought we could offer a little context ab ..read more

As we begin the final preparations for the 2022 Best Friends National Conference happening next week, we sit down with one of this year’s speakers, the director of lifesaving centers for the east region, Fraily Rodriguez.  Fraily started in animal welfare with the Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando in 2006. Over the next 15 years, he did just about everything there is to do in this field, becoming the COO of the organization, where he dramatically reduced intakes into the organization’s two shelters by implementing programs to keep people and pets together. He’s passionate, intelligent, funn ..read more

The Best Friends National Adoption Weekend is coming up July 22nd-24th. This network partner exclusive event helps organizations like yours adopt more animals. To learn more about the event and to register, check out this link: https://network.bestfriends.org/join-us/events/best-friends-national-adoption-event To get us all geared up for the adoption event, we're dipping into the archives to revisit one of our favorite adoption-themed episodes. Every time someone chooses to adopt an animal, we have the opportunity to positively change that person's life and save an animal's life. So why d ..read more

The pandemic stopped many things in our personal and professional lives, including animal welfare conferences. We were lucky to have virtual options to help tide us over, but there's something different about being together in person. So with in-person travel and meetings starting to come back, there's a good chance you will be attending a conference this year. As it's been a while, you may be feeling overwhelmed at the thought of it all. We know we are!  We thought we'd ask some of the wisest professionals in animal welfare for their tips on how to get the most out of your conference exp ..read more

Helping people and pets in rural America comes with many challenges. For example, how do you offer even the most basic veterinary services when there are no vets who can help within 100 miles, and buying a transport van is a pipe dream? How do you recruit new foster homes when you've already asked everyone in town? Reassigning staff to support new programs can be a valuable strategy, but how can you when overburdened employees already perform several roles - everything from animal care to adoptions, volunteer coordinator, and fundraiser? What are the best practices in rural shelters, and how d ..read more

Most estimates say that the number of lost pets each year is roughly 10 million. One in every three pets will be lost at some point. These staggering statistics are more than just numbers on a page - each one is a pet with a loving family desperate to find them and bring them home safely. Unfortunately, the number of lost pets in shelters which make it home is very low. The number of lost dogs getting home has improved in the last few years, but the odds of a lost owned cat in a shelter being reunited with its owner is just 2%. This week we're focusing on lost cats and how we can improve our s ..read more

Last week we heard all about the Best Friends shelter collaborative program. This peer-based mentorship model pairs up shelters with a track record of lifesaving success with shelters in need of the expertise and support a knowledgeable mentor can offer. Best Friends is planning to grow the shelter collaborative program this year, but you don’t need to be officially part of this program to pair up and save lives. This week we hear from Shelbi Waters, the executive director of Souris Valley Animal Shelter in Minot, North Dakota, and Kasey Renteria, the executive director of Ardmore Animal Shelt ..read more

Collaboration comes in many forms. Maybe the most common type of collaboration in our work is through a coalition—an often large group comprised of stakeholders teaming up to achieve a broader, shared goal of community-wide success. Another approach to working together is the Best Friends shelter collaborative program, where strategic matches are made between two organizations. One shelter that has a proven track record of achieving and sustaining the 90% benchmark is paired with a shelter that is still working its way toward the goal. It’s all about judgment-free support, driven by the shared ..read more

It’s not easy to take risks, especially if you’re someone who prefers the familiar. But believing that change isn’t necessary because “this is how we’ve always done it” can be detrimental to your lifesaving efforts. Our field is constantly evolving, and to save as many lives as possible, we have to be willing to try new approaches, even when that means going beyond our comfort zone. This week we’re joined by two risk-takers, Stacy Rogers and Makena Yarbrough from Best Friends. We talk about why it’s so important to take risks and how to do it smartly. Share your stories with us of when taking ..read more