Best Friends Animal Society

Best Friends Animal Society began in 1984, when a group of friends settled in a remote canyon in southern Utah and started building a sanctuary for homeless animals by hand. The sanctuary, in Angel Canyon near Kanab, now covers 3,700 acres of red-rock country and describes itself as the largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals in the US. On any given day it is home to up to 1,600 dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, horses, pigs and other animals.

Care at the sanctuary is organised into dedicated areas: Dogtown, Cat World, Horse Haven, Marshall's Piggy Paradise, the Bunny House, Parrot Garden and Wild Friends, which treats injured and orphaned wildlife so it can be released or rehomed. Many animals arrive with medical or behavioural needs that make them hard to place elsewhere, and are rehabilitated and adopted from the sanctuary. Angels Rest is its memorial garden for animals who have died.

Beyond Utah, Best Friends runs pet adoption centres in Los Angeles, New York City and Salt Lake City, a Pet Resource Center in Northwest Arkansas and a Pet Lifesaving Center in Houston (visits by appointment). It also supports a nationwide network of partner shelters and rescue groups, with grants, data and hands-on help, in its campaign to end the killing of dogs and cats in US shelters.

The sanctuary is open to visitors from 8am to 5pm (Mountain Time) every day. You can take a grand tour or tours of individual animal areas, hike the grounds or volunteer with the animals; tours and volunteer shifts fill up early, so book ahead. Visitors can stay in cottages, cabins and RV sites at the sanctuary or at the Best Friends Roadhouse in Kanab. Best Friends is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit (Tax ID 23-7147797) and accepts donations directly through its website.