Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Traveling out of Kanab on the way to our Glendale, Utah campground we had passed a sign bearing the familiar pet face logo of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary.

Those who know me know of my passion for homeless, neglected, abused and unwanted animals. I've read and heard about Best Friends but I guess I had forgotten we'd be traveling into the backyard of this group of rescuers. Of course, there would have to be a tour of the facility.

Guest center, gift shop and tour registrations begin here
Wayne and I took Lexie and Ozzie along for an afternoon visit to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary on a ranch known as Angel Canyon. Visitors, volunteers and adopters are welcome here.


Our tour was scheduled for 2 p.m. Because someone ahead of us was touring with a dog, we would follow behind the tour van in our own car with a recording of the tour narration to play on our car system. This arrangement certainly worked in our favor because Lexie and Ozzie are so comfortable riding in our car and do not do well among strangers.  We were pleased

Best Friends is never without at least 1,500 animals in rescue. It is the largest shelter of its kind for domestic and wild animals.  Among the residents are horses, donkeys, pigs, dogs, cats, birds and just about any other homeless animal.  All are safe but need permanent homes so others can be saved.


An enormous plot of land has been set aside at the sanctuary for a pet cemetery and memory center called Angels Rest. Like everything else here, it's all about the animals.


The vast Angel Canyon property has some pretty spectacular scenery. They've been around saving animals for over 30 years.


The huge property of Best Friends contains specific areas with names like Dogtown, Catland, Feathered Friends, Piggy Paradise and Bunny House.

It's a gated community.

Our tour made stops to meet and greet dogs in one of the DogTown quads and then to meet some kitties at Catland.  Wayne went in to see the dogs but stayed in the car at the Catland stop.  
Looks like this guy made friends with these folks already! 

Volunteer on the left, our tour guide on the right.
This sweet setter mix has been adopted and will be shipping out soon.
She tried to play with everybody.

Loading the van for the next stop
Sometime after the April 2007 bust of Michael Vick's Bad Newz Kennels, twenty-two of the most traumatized and difficult dogs were placed in the care of Best Friends. They are referred to as the "Vicktory" dogs. I don't know if any of those dogs are still here but I was glad to know that they were rescued -- so many died it still makes me sick to think of it.

Pit Bulls have one of the toughest roads to travel because of their reputation. 

Welcome to one of the Cat Houses! 

Loved this little white one especially. 
A final thought: Every day, more than 9,000 animals are put to death in America's shelters because they don't have a safe place to call home.  Best Friends is working hard to change that and they need your help. For more information about this group, check 'em out at www.utahpets.org

Other fine groups are established all across the country too. Please do your part to help if you can.

6 comments:

  1. We've been to Best Friends twice now. It is such a fantastic, wonderful, joyful place. Not a sad place like so many shelters are.

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  2. Wonderful post. They certainly do a great job with all their animal rescue. I just read an article about the Amish and their puppy mills. If only they could be shut down, then this place would be far less crowded.

    BTW. I normally don't leave comments on blogs with word verification, but I figured I'd do it just for the animals. : )

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    1. Whether you do or do not leave is a comment here isn't important at all so please don't go out of your way to do it. To leave a comment "just for the animals" doesn't help them in the least. If you want to do something "for the animals"... perhaps payment for a spay, a neuter, funding transportation, buying food, fostering, assisting with vet care, raising awareness or a thousand other ideas would certainly be more productive than suffering through "word verification" on this blog.

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  3. We learned about this place last year, but I think this is the first blog post I have seen on it. It's so perfect that you and Wayne found your way here. I would love to be close enough to volunteer for awhile.

    (I am with Karen on the word verification. Blogger catches the spam 99% of the time.)

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    1. As I'm not soliciting assistance with spam control, your comment isn't relative. If you don't want to comment.... please just don't do it.

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  4. Hi! I am traveling in the areas you were a couple of years ago. I love your posts! I'd like to use your shot of the Best Friends sign In my blog. I'll link back to your blog, if that's all right. My blog is www.towingsilver.com

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