Proven Strategies

Man and woman squatting with gray pit bull dog with tan bench to the right

Access to Care

As an industry dedicated to helping animals find safe and loving homes, we must also be dedicated to the people who want to provide those homes. Communities, and every individual in them, are the most important component to lifesaving. 

Not every community has the same access to care for themselves and their pets. Many devoted pet owners lack access to basic resources such as stable housing, veterinary services, and pet supplies including food. Loving pet owners are too often forced to make an impossible decision that results in intake at one of our shelters and rescues. 

There is so much more that animal welfare professionals can do for our communities. We don’t just have to be their last resort. We must be a real resource for pet owners, and we should work with them to keep families together.

The housing, medical, and intake diversion resources on this page are dedicated to what we, as an industry, can do to expand access to care in our communities. Please use this information, share with your staff and volunteers, and let us know how else we can all do more. Email bfnetwork@bestfriends.org to share your feedback.

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  • Hearts Speak- This easy to edit Pet Resource Guide is meant to help you create a one-stop reference tool for your community pet owners. From how to access medical or behavior expertise in your area to guidance on rehoming or what to do with community cats and everything in between, this template can be completely customized to fit the needs of your organization and your local community. 
    • Click here to access template 
    • View a tutorial on how to use and customize the template here

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