Howdy everybody! We’ve been waiting (and waiting some more) on a few technical things having to do with the retail site. Erika took advantage of the brief lull to go on a roadtrip. She ended up at the world-famous Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, UT! Naturally, she wore her SBS shirt to represent San Francisco’s finest cruelty-free baked goods in one of the country’s finest (and largest) no-kill rehabilitative shelters. Here’s a dispatch from the scene!
I’ll admit I was probably a little too excited for my visit to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Driving into nearby Kanab, UT the night before, I yelped in joy when I passed the sign pointing the way towards the visitor’s center. When I called to make a reservation for a tour the day before (recommended), I gushed on the phone that “I can’t wait to see you guys!” And then when the big moment finally came, I drove down the dirt road to the heart of the sanctuary clapping my hands and chanting the mantra “doggiesdoggiesdoggies.”
Why should I be so excited to visit an animal sanctuary? Well, here’s a couple of reasons: Best Friends Animal Society, located on 33,000 sprawling acres in the beautiful red rocks of Southern Utah, is the country’s largest no-kill sanctuary. They take animals from all over the world (yes, the world!) that would otherwise be homeless, marginalized, or euthanized simply because they are deemed “unadoptable,” “aggressive,” or simply too far gone. Using a crack team of vets, behavior specialists, and volunteers, they work intensively and lovingly with each individual animal rehabilitate their physical, mental, or emotional damage and find them a forever home. If no forever home can be found, they can peacefully live out the rest of their days in the beauty, serenity, and safety of the sanctuary. Their motto is “no more homeless pets.” How’s that for awesome?
Oh, and you may also know them from their National Geographic TV series ‘Dogtown,’ which focuses on the work done to rehabilitate and rehome ‘problem’ dogs that would likely be euthanized in smaller, local shelters.
When you arrive at Best Friends, you pass by vacation cottages (yes! You can vacation on the property!), administrative buildings, and the happiest horses, pigs, and goats you may ever see in your life. The visitors’ center features a beautiful garden with a koi pond and there’s a big dog chilling out between the welcome desk and the gift shop. A number of adoptable pets are featured on a display board, including this goat named Jordan- a striking resemblance to SBS’ own Jordan!
The tour-takers watched a short video about the work that Best Friends does. I was relieved that it didn’t feature any upsetting scenes of abused animals, instead choosing to focus on rehabilitation and the happier, tail-wagging results. But of course I still started crying during the final montage, set to “I’m a Believer,” which showcased a handful of adopted animals and their transformation from frightened, haunted creatures into happy, healthy beings in the arms of their forever families. What can I say, I’m a sucker.
On our way to the tour van, we passed a local troupe of Girl Scouts, who were earning merit badges by volunteering at the sanctuary and were walking some of the fuzziest, cutest puppies I’ve ever seen. Once in the van, we stopped by a few pastures to visit some horses, including Clyde (and his ladyfriend Bonnie), who was feeling well enough to venture outside for the first time since arriving at Best Friends with cankers in all four hooves.
It’s not just domesticated animals that hang out at Best Friends- in the first ten minutes of our tour we passed by some quail, a hawk, a handful of deer, and a group of wild turkey, including a tom putting on quite the impressive display for the ladies.
Our first stop was the cat section of the sanctuary. Because Best Friends is so large and funded by caring individuals all over, they have been able to build sprawling living quarters and isolate cats into certain social groups or by health issue. We visited cats with Feline Leukemia, who are isolated from healthy cats but still get to enjoy each other’s company like normal cats. Because of their compromised immune systems, we needed to use hand sanitizer and sterilize our shoes by stepping in a bleach bath.
The Feline Leukemia cats, like all cats at Best Friends, have a veritable kitty paradise. Each run consists of a cozy indoor room and a large enclosed patio. Scratching posts, cozy beds, and toys litter the space. The rafters of the structure are a maze of catwalks and additional beds, with kitty doors connecting the indoor and outdoor spaces on all levels, low and high.
Passing by the bird buildings and the bunny house, each with modifications and improvements to make even the most fussy feathered- or furry-friend feel like they’re in paradise, we visited the famous Dogtown. Dogtown is split up into numerous octagonal buildings with individual runs sprouting off from them. Dogs are placed with friends of complimentary personalities in runs, or if they have dog aggression, get a run all to themselves.
We met Sully, a loverman pointer who, according to our guide, is a little shy, but you could have fooled me. He came right over and cuddled up, patiently and blissfully in my arms, while I stroked his soft ears and gave him little kisses.
It was really hard to drive away from what I would easily consider the happiest place on earth. I learned that Best Friends does ‘volunteer vacations,’ and I definitely plan to return some time in the future to spend longer in that little heaven on earth.
If you are thinking about going, I have two words for you: do it! In addition to being awesome in and of itself, Best Friends is located near the cute town of Kanab, which was the site of many Hollywood westerns and has thrived from the interest created by Best Friends. The Rewind Diner in town features some delicious vegetarian and vegan fare, and a number of local hotels happily welcome companion animals. Best Friends is also a short trip from Mt. Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks and the Grand Canyon National Monument. It’s also a four-hour drive from Las Vegas (Ronald’s Donuts, baby!).
If you can’t make it to Utah anytime soon, please check out their website and consider donating to them or sponsoring an animal. And if you’ve got room in your home and in your heart, fill out an adoption application and see if you can’t be the forever family of one of these lucky, happy animals.
