Program Spotlights
The following program spotlights feature Network partner organizations demonstrating how they have put collaborative and effective programming in place that has helped increase lifesaving. Each spotlight includes specific examples and takeaways that you can learn from and implement at your organization. By sharing experiences and learning from each other, we can collectively save more lives.
In addition to the program spotlights below, check out our editorials.
2023 Program Spotlights
Should you or shouldn’t you change your adoption fees?
By: Liz Finch September 6, 2023
Cats Rule: Short ‘n’ sweet videos tap into all things cat to support keeping felines with their families
By: Liz Finch August 30, 2023
Are you doing everything you possibly can to find positive outcomes for large dogs?
By: Liz Finch August 23, 2023
Kick your old kennel cards to the curb in favor of more effective designs
By: Liz Finch August 16, 2023
Expand your organizational reach through the power of volunteers
By: Liz Finch August 2, 2023
GIS mapping enlists technology in the quest to reunite lost pets with their people
By: Liz Finch July 26,2023
Participants in July’s National Adoption Weekend share some of their happiest tales
By: Liz Finch July 19, 2023
2020-2022 data trends Q&A
By: Liz Finch July 12, 2023
New videos increase access to dog handling training by Best Friends experts
By: Liz Finch June 28, 2023
Found a free-roaming friendly cat? Put them back.
By: Liz Finch June 21, 2023
“Ready or Not, here it Comes"
By: Sharon Hawa June 7, 2023
Legislation is poised to end BSL in Florida
By: Liz Finch May 31, 2023
A roundup of resources advocating for fee-waived or reduced-cost adoptions
By: Liz Finch May 23, 2023
Getting a handle on viral outbreaks in your dog populations
By: Liz Finch May 16, 2023
Media strategy a critical part of response to disease outbreaks
By: Liz Finch May 9, 2023
Tackle kitten season head-on by putting a solid foster program in place
By: Liz Finch May 2, 2023
Countdown to the 2023 Best Friends National Conference begins!
By: Liz Finch April 25, 2023
Taking action for animals
By: Liz Finch April 18, 2023
Acknowledging dispatch staff in honor of ACO Appreciation Week
By: Liz Finch April 4, 2023
ASV releases updated Guidelines for Standards of Care in Animal Shelters
By: Liz Finch March 21, 2023
Putting the FUN back in fundraising
By: Liz Finch March 14, 2023
Are big events worth the bother?
By: Liz Finch February 28, 2023
Maximizing your network partnership through our web resources, tools
By: Liz Finch February 21, 2023
Don’t worry, be happy: Opting for the upbeat in your messaging
By: Liz Finch February 14, 2023
Building a better board of directors
By: Liz Finch January 17, 2023
Photo pros share tricks of the trade
By: Liz Finch January 10, 2023
Network partners wrap up 2022 by finding homes for 10,000-plus animals during the 3-day holiday event
By: Liz Finch January 3, 2023
2022 Program Spotlights
Municipal shelters share strategies for increased adoptions in 2022
By: Liz Finch December 13, 2022
The trick to attracting media attention
By: Liz Finch December 6, 2022
Making more vets
By: Liz Finch November 29, 2022
10 tales from 2022
By: Liz Finch November 22, 2022
Is your messaging successfully communicating your organization’s DEI focus?
By: Liz Finch November 1, 2022
Experts weigh in on how to plan for the best adoption event ever
By: Liz Finch October 25, 2022
Reaching for radical transformation with Steven Martinez of York County SPCA
By: Liz Finch October 20, 2022
Best Friends, network partners team up to deliver most successful adoption weekend yet
By: Liz Finch October 12, 2022
From surviving to thriving: an interview with José Ocaño
By: Liz Finch October 4, 2022
When rescuers need rescuing: managing our mental health
By: Liz Finch September 26, 2022
Reconsidering your mission (Part III)
By: Liz Finch September 13, 2022
Reconsidering your mission (Part II)
By: Liz Finch September 6, 2022
Reconsidering your mission (Part I)
By: Liz Finch August 30, 2022
Making the jump from private practice to shelter medicine
By: Liz Finch August 23, 2022
Going digital to seek out donors: 7 ways to prepare for adding the latest technology to your fundraising tools
By: Liz Finch August 16, 2022
Second National Adoption Weekend results in nearly 10,000 animals finding new homes
By: Liz Finch August 9, 2022
Setting the stage for strategic intake
By: Liz Finch August 3, 2022
Best Friends National Adoption Weekend – Take Two!
By: Liz Finch June 28, 2022
Volunteers prove they can do more than just walk dogs or play with cats
By: Liz Finch June 14, 2022
Tricks of the trade- Best Friends cat expert shares neonatal care tips for foster
By: Liz Finch May 31, 2022
Getting past “the ringworm stigma”
By: Liz Finch May 24, 2022
Making the leap: How to feel more at ease with reduced-price or fee-waived adoptions
By: Liz Finch May 10, 2022
Five types of tech to streamline your lifesaving work
May 3, 2022
We're back baby!!
April 26, 2022
We’re all in this together: Working with, not against, unions
By: Liz Finch April 19, 2022
Where, oh where has my little dog gone?
By: Liz Finch April 5, 2022
More tips on getting your shelter’s SOPs in shape
By: Liz Finch March 22, 2022
Best Friends experts share more tips on preparing for kitten season
March 1, 2022
Kitten programs 2.0 part 2: Bringing up (a neonatal) baby
By Liz Finch February 8,2022
Kitten programs 2.0 part 1: Re-examining medical protocols for neonates
By: Liz Finch February 1, 2022
NACA comes out in support of appointment-based intake
By: Liz Finch January 25, 2022
Spokane agencies collaborate to bridge gap between human/animal services
By: Liz Finch January 4, 2022
2021 Program Spotlights
Encore! Encore!
December 21, 2021
Got behavior-challenged dogs?
December 6, 2021
Happy Tales for Thanksgiving
By: Liz Finch November 23, 2021
Teaming Up to Build Better Animal Ordinances
By: Liz Finch November 8, 2021
Unique Partnerships Add New Dimension to Helping Animals
By: Liz Finch November 2, 2021
How to Build a Strong Partnership
By: Liz Finch October 26, 2021
Research Underscores Need to Use Broadly Understood Language
By: Liz Finch October 19th, 2021
Harnessing the Power of Story to Benefit your Bottom Line
By: Liz Finch October 12, 2021
One Tail at a Time Stretches Role of Rescue with Creative Programming
By: Liz Finch August 30, 2021
Getting the Message Out
By: Liz Finch August 13, 2021
Building Bridges on the Navajo Nation
By: Liz Finch July 30, 2021
Need Data to Support Community Cat Programs?
By: Liz Finch July 23, 2021
Making the Case for Keeping Adjusted Shelter Practices Post-Pandemic
By: Liz Finch July 16, 2021
No-Kill Doesn't Mean No Challenges
By: Audrey Lodato June 30, 2021
Ten Ways to Get the Public Re-Engaged with Your Shelter Post-COVID
By: Liz Finch June 11, 2021
First-Ever Virtual National BF Conference Promises Something for Everyone
By: Marc Peralta June 4th, 2021
Kitten Kits Help the Public Participate in Lifesaving
By: Liz Finch May 21, 2021
Finding Pathways to Success for Rural Shelters
By: Liz Finch May 14, 2021
Keeping Pets with their Families
By: Laura Donahue May 4, 2021
Appreciating Volunteers Goes Beyond Just Saying “Thank You”
By: Liz Finch April 22, 2021
Ushering in a Change to How We Help Shelters Increase Lifesaving for Cats
By: Liz Finch April 15, 2021
Take a Gander at These Partner Perks!
By: Liz Finch April 8, 2021
Community Cat Programs: Looking Back on Past Successes, Charting a New Future
By: Liz Finch April 1, 2021
Rescue Roadblock Pledge Participants Share Their Successes
By: Bethany Heins March 23, 2021
Latest Data Analysis Reveals Most Common Reasons for Owner Surrender
By: Vicki Kilmer March 12, 2021
Inclusive External Communications Council Digs into Ways to Reach, Reflect Diverse Audiences
By: Amy Davila Sanchez March 5, 2021
Reaching Across State Lines to Bring Shelter Animals in Out of the Cold
By: Bethany Heins February 25, 2021
People Experience Council Shares First Steps in DEI Work
By: Dawn Binion-Stewart February 17, 2021
New Report Shows How Social Vulnerability Affects Lifesaving
By: Bethany Heins February 5, 2021
Let’s Talk About Managed Intake
By: Makena Yarbrough January 28, 2021
The Best Friends National Conference is Back!
By: Rachel Hyde January 21, 2021
Up for a Challenge?
By: Bethany Heins January 11, 2021
2020 Program Spotlights
Looking Back on a Tumultuous Year
By: Brent Toellner December 11, 2020
End-of-Year Fundraising Tips
By: Liz Finch December 3, 2020
Field Services: Identifying Data Worth Collecting
By: Scott Giacoppo November 17, 2020
Putting Data into Action with Field Services Staff
By: Scott Giacoppo November 9, 2020
The Dilemma of the Friendly Outdoor Cat
By: Michelle Logan October 28, 2020
Leading with Gratitude
By: Patricia Tolbert October 20, 2020
Shelters Closing Access to Care Gap for At-Risk Communities
By: Aimee St. Arnaud October 5, 2020
Aiming to Bring the Animal Welfare Profession Out of the Shadows
By: Tawny Hammond September 28, 2020
Best Friends Moves to Incorporate Diversity, Equity and Inclusion into Our Mission
By: José Ocaño September 14, 2020
Austin collaboration delivers big wins for cats
By: Lee Ann Shenefiel August 31, 2020
Removing Rescue Roadblocks
By: Liz Finch August 21, 2020
Reflecting on Rescue Roadblocks
By: Liz Finch August 14, 2020
Charting Progress and Challenges in the Fight Against Breed Discrimination
By: Lee Greenwood July 17, 2020
Virtual Fundraising Efforts Prove Successful for Network Partners
By: Liz Finch June 30, 2020
2019 Shelter Dataset Shows Steady Progress to No-Kill 2025
By: Elizabeth Bennett June 26, 2020
What’s Next: Reducing Racism in Animal Welfare
By: Liz Finch June 23, 2020
Best Friends Staff Open Up about Their Experiences with Racism in Animal Welfare
By: Liz Finch June 16, 2020
Shelters, Clinics Receive Spay/Neuter Stimulus Funding
By: Aimee St. Arnaud June 5, 2020
Transports Drive Lifesaving for Rural Shelters
By: Carrie Ducote May 29, 2020
How to Keep New Fosters Engaged Post-Pandemic
By: Makena Yarbrough May 22, 2020
Shelters Use Technology to Overcome COVID Challenges
By: Sue Cosby May 19, 2020
Data Proves Power of Managing Intake
By: Brent Toellner May 15, 2020
ACOs Lead Change for Shelters
By: Scott Giacoppo May 8, 2020
Pilot Community Cat Program Leads to Lifesaving Legal Changes in Harris County
By: Bethany Heins April 24, 2020
Data about Shelter Trends Provide a Blueprint for Animal Services moving forward
By: Brent Toellner April 20, 2020
Community Powered Lifesaving
By: Andie Peart April 10, 2020
Helping the Public Plan for their Pets’ Care During Crisis
By: Stacy Rogers April 7, 2020
Staying Nimble and Solvent through the Pandemic
By: Makena Yarbrough April 3, 2020
Onset of Kitten Season Combined with Shelter Limitations Leads to Creative Solutions
By: Liz Finch March 27, 2020
COVID-19 Resource Page Gives a Glimpse into the Future of Sheltering
By: Brent Toellner March 24, 2020
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