Small acts bring big impact for animals

Across the country, Best Friends Network Partners are creating moments of hope and healing for animals every single day. With partners in all 50 states, the lifesaving impact is far-reaching, and these stories are just a small glimpse of the good happening nationwide.

A playful, bold, and slightly mischievous tuxedo cat, Tib made his way from a rural shelter to the Richmond SPCA and then all the way to the Poe Museum in Richmond, Virginia. Thanks to Richmond SPCA’s open adoptions program, he’s now a greeter at the Poe Museum, earning himself the name Tib, after Edgar Allen Poe’s childhood cat. He and his feline co-worker, Edgar, are beloved members of the staff.

There was nothing but net for homeless pets when the Big 12 Men’s Basketball Championship came to Kansas City, Missouri. The Humane Society of Greater Kansas City brought adoptable dogs and puppies to the T-Mobile Center, partnering with Best Friends to set up the adoption event, which included a "tunnel cuddle lounge" where athletes could enjoy puppy love. Eleven dogs were adopted, with an arena chef adopting two and a Kansas City police officer taking home a long-timer.

Heaven on Earth, a cat rescue group in Los Angeles, celebrates the nice, sweet cats who warm our hearts with their darling personalities. But the rescue group also champions the naughty cats, the ones who terrorize their roommates, steal all the treats, or “decline” nail trimmings. The group’s creative marketing reminds us that all cats deserve appreciation and love. Check out their hilarious weekly posts on Instagram and Facebook featuring "naughty" and "nice” cats of the week.

In Newark, New Jersey, police officers found a litter of newborn puppies in a bucket. The officers rushed the vulnerable puppies to the Associated Humane Societies of Newark, where the staff provided round-the-clock care. Once the puppies were big and strong enough for adoption, guess who decided to take them home: The police officers who rescued them.

Collaboration saves lives, and that was certainly the case when The Street Dog Coalition offered a pet care clinic in Columbia, South Carolina, for people experiencing homelessness who have pets. Dr. Jennifer Bonovich, who leads the Columbia team for the national nonprofit The Street Dog Coalition, worked with local organizations Animal Mission and Columbia Animal Services to promote the clinic and recruit volunteers. People brought their pets to the clinic to be vaccinated, microchipped, and checked by the veterinary team. They could also get spay/neuter vouchers and preventive medications — all at no cost.

This article was originally published in the July/August 2025 issue of Best Friends magazine. Want more good news? Become a member and get stories like this six times a year.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.