Join the Partner Up Challenge
Are you ready to create lifesaving momentum that lasts?
2023 data has revealed a concerning trend: adoptions at rescues are down, leading to reduced transfers of pets from shelters in need. This ripple effect is impacting the entire shelter and rescue ecosystem, creating a backlog of pets waiting for homes and slowing progress to no-kill. It’s a tough cycle, but you have the power to make lifesaving change by increasing the flow of pets into homes!
The Partner Up Challenge is here to create lifesaving movement in the animal welfare ecosystem by increasing adoptions and creating more transport partnerships, opening up space in shelters for those in need.
If you’re a rescue/shelter (limited intake), the Partner Up Challenge offers you the opportunity to expand your impact by pulling pets from shelters where the need is greatest, propelling lifesaving momentum forward within the shelter and rescue community.
For shelters (open intake) in need, participation offers the opportunity to develop and deepen relationships with rescues, and close your lifesaving gap!
Together, we’ll work to grow intake capacity, increase adoption rates, and foster lasting partnerships in communities on the brink of no-kill.
In fact, our Bring Love Home Challenge from 2024 showed just how much of a difference strategic changes can make. In June 2024, participating rescues stepped up to the challenge to pilot open adoption and foster practices, resulting in a 24.6% year-over-year increase in adoptions June-September 2024.* In contrast, non-participating rescues saw a 1.7% decrease in adoptions in that same period. This is proof that even small shifts can have a huge impact.
Ready to Partner Up?
Let’s work together to build a stronger, more connected rescue and shelter network—and save more lives than ever before. The window for limited intake organizations to apply closes February 28. Selected organizations will be notified by early March at the latest.
Rescue/Shelter (limited intake)
Shelters (open intake)
Challenge grants:
- Four open intake organizations with the greatest year-over-year improvement in adoption and transfers out will receive a $5,000 grant
- Eight limited intake organizations with the greatest year-over-year improvement in adoption and transfers in will receive a $5,000 grant
- Participating organizations that meet the challenge requirements will receive a $1,000 grant
Challenge requirements:
To receive a $1,000 guaranteed grant and be considered for the $5,000 grants, organizations must complete the following:
📝 Application and Reporting
- Apply for the challenge by February 28, 2025
- Join Shelter Pet Data Alliance (SPDA) & provide monthly 2024 data and monthly data for January to April 2025 by May 16, 2025
- Fill out report form no later than May 16, 2025
📱 Social Media & Website Promotions
- Post at least four times in April 2025 about transport stories, adoption events, and other ways your organization is saving lives through the Partner Up Challenge, using provided adoption event materials at least twice
- You don’t even have to mention the challenge by name — just post four times.
🔧 Shelter (Open Intake)-Specific Requirements
- Achieve a 10% increase in transfers out year-over-year, using provided materials and resources
- Hold at least one adoption event
- Increase adoptions by at least one more animal year-over-year
🐾 Rescue/Shelter (Limited Intake)-Specific Requirements
- Achieve a 10% increase in overall transfers in year-over-year, including an increase from participating source shelters, using provided materials and resources
- Hold at least one adoption event
- Increase adoptions by at least one more animal year-over-year
Have questions or need support? We’re here to help!
If you have any questions, need help getting buy-in from leadership, or want to learn more about how your organization can benefit from the Partner Up Challenge, please reach out to our team.
*For organizations with at least one month of year-over-year comparison available. Sample size: 55 participating rescues and 293 non-participating rescues. Best Friends Data as of November 18, 2024.