Best Friends Animal Society runs the nation's largest sanctuary for abused and abandoned animals. Their motto is: A better world through kindness to animals.

For more than two decades, Best Friends Animal Society has been dedicated to the simple philosophy that kindness to animals builds a better world for all of us.

The sanctuary at Angel Canyon, at the heart of the Golden Circle of national parks in southern Utah, is home on any given day to about 2,000 dogs, cats, and other animals, who come from shelters and rescue groups around the country for the special care they can only receive at Best Friends. The sanctuary is also a destination for 30,000 visitors and volunteers each year.

History: In the late 1980s, when Best Friends was in its early days, roughly 17 million dogs and cats were being killed in shelters every year, and the conventional belief was that little could be done to lower that number.

In the early 1990s, Best Friends' No More Homeless Pets campaign began as a grassroots effort to place dogs and cats who were considered "unadoptable" into good homes, and to reduce the number of unwanted pets through spay/neuter programs. Since then, the number of dogs and cats being destroyed in shelters has fallen to less than five million a year. There has been much progress, but there is still much more to do.

At the sanctuary: Most of the animals who find a safe home at Best Friends have special physical or behavioral needs, and the expert staff of veterinarians, trainers and caregivers offer them all the help they require. Most of them are ready to go to good new homes after just a few weeks of special care. Others, who are older or sicker, or who have suffered extra trauma, find a home and haven at the sanctuary, and are given loving care for the rest of their lives.

Animal rescue and disaster response: At home and abroad, Best Friends has led some of the largest animal rescue efforts in recent history. These rescues include natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina, wartime situations, and animal hoarding or failed shelter situations where hundreds of dogs and cats need urgent and continuing care for many months before they can be placed in good new homes. With its sanctuary and rescue experience, Best Friends is the only organization in the country capable of mounting such major rescue efforts.

I have been a member of best friends for over 10 years, sending bits of support and traveling out there to volunteer.  It was during Hurricane Katrina, when their response to  my hometown's need was swift, effective and compassionate that my involvement with the organization deepened. After that I was invited to come and teach workshops to the caregivers at best friends and share Jin Shin Jyutsu with  animals and staff.

I have been coming out to the small town of Kanab, Utah for two years now, spending about three months of the year here. The sanctuary is led by very innovative, dedicated folks. 

One of their current goals is to bring the best "integrated care" to their animals that they can.  This ranges from great nutrition and exercise and mental stimulation to top notch vet care.... and Jin Shin Jyutsu. 

I, in turn, have been able to learn tremendously from the opportunity to work on such a wide array of beings- abandoned puppies; 47 year-old horses; pot bellied pigs after shoulder surgery; ducks with immune issues; cats coming from massive hoarding situations; dogs and cats flown in from the war-torn streets of Lebanon;  and the "Vicktory dogs," 22 of the pit bulls rescued from ex-football star Michael  Vick, who ran one of the worst dog fighting rings in the nation. To see a story about this work, click HERE.

Beginning in March 2009 and every six months thereafter, I will begin teaching workshops open to the public at Best Friends. Keep checking out the Best Friends website and this one for details. 

It may also be possible to come and do a one-week apprenticeship with me at Best Friends in the near future.

To find our more about Best Friends, click HERE.