Best Friends Animal Society is the largest no-kill shelter in North America. At any given time, the property houses 1,600 dogs, cats, horses, birds, and other wildlife on its 20,700-acre campus in southern Utah near Kanab, Zion, and Bryce. The facilities are state-of-the-art and the care is second to none. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit also operates a number of important initiatives nationwide, advocating for spaying and neutering, shutting down puppy mills, and working to “decriminalize” maligned breeds like pit bulls.
Only in town for an hour? Eat lunch at the on-site Village Cafe. It’s just $5 a head for a vegan/vegetarian buffet and you’ll enjoy a knockout view of Angel Canyon from the dining room. Got two hours? Take a free guided tour. The popular Grand Tour offers a quick overview of the many buildings at Best Friends; it runs seven days a week, four times a day, and you’ll meet one adoptable dog and more than a dozen cats (like the sassy redheaded tabby above).
Those interested in a particular species should sign up for a niche-specific tour at Dogtown, Old Dogtown (a seniors’ paradise!), Cat World, Horse Haven, Marshall’s Piggy Paradise, Parrot Garden, Bunny House, or Wild Friends (devoted to wild animals like bobcats and owls). Check bestfriends.org for dates and times. Likewise, you may volunteer in almost any department that interests you; three hours is all you need. If a particular cat or dog steals your heart, inquire about “outing” or “sleepover” availability. Best Friends permits some animals to venture out for the afternoon and even spend the night with volunteers—the hope being, of course, that you’ll madly fall in love and never bring them back. Best Friends is so committed to full-on immersion, it even books on-site cottages, cabins, and RV plots starting at $30/night. They are, it goes without saying, pet-friendly.
5001 Angel Canyon Rd., Kanab, UT; 435-644-2001.
