From the CEO
“What the Sanctuary has done for me, and I believe continues to do for others, is inspire me to do more.” ~ Marla Browne, Best Friends
community cat program manager
a safe haven, a place of healing — words to describe what Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is for the animals. And rightfully so. But what the Sanctuary has become for the people who visit, volunteer and work here is, in many ways, something more significant. It’s a place of refuge, safety and healing for us. Its magic captures the hearts of all who visit. It’s a place where compassion and community flourish, and the bond between people and pets is celebrated.
A reality in which dogs and cats are killed in shelters simply because they don’t have safe places to call home takes a toll on our animal-loving hearts. That’s why experiencing a place like Best Friends feels so life-changing. It’s a break from a hard reality — a balm for our souls. We cherish and nurture this place of refuge even as we continue to extend our work beyond the Sanctuary.
Marla Browne, the community cat program manager for our national programs, started with Best Friends as a Dogtown caregiver in 2010. As someone who’s worked both within and beyond the Sanctuary, she has some remarkable insights into what Best Friends has to offer. And what she says is worth sharing:
“Our programs, our beliefs and positions, our tactics to solve problems can’t remain static. The greenest of
‘green-collar dogs’ — dogs at the Sanctuary who are easy for any volunteer to walk and handle — are dying in shelters. Shelters that are our partners.
“Cats who belong in homes are sitting in those shelters scared and unsocialized because the shelter can’t afford a volunteer coordinator position and what little staff they have barely have time to keep up with basic cleaning and feeding. Dogs are giving birth to puppies in shelter kennels because the community they live in lacks affordable spay/ neuter services and veterinary care. This is the reality.
“Our organization has the benefit of resources: time, support, energy, space, people, expertise. And we need to continue to zoom out and be willing to share what we have and expand our reach. What the Sanctuary has done for me, and I believe continues to do for others, is inspire me to do more. When you have resources like this, you need to build a longer table.”
And that’s where our national efforts and the pursuit of no-kill in every shelter by 2025 comes into focus. The work we’re doing both at and beyond the Sanctuary is how we take all that we’ve learned and continue to build a longer table.
I know I can’t sit back in this incredible little oasis we’ve created while pets and people in the rest of the country struggle. The heart of Best Friends isn’t just the Sanctuary itself. It’s what the Sanctuary has to offer not just to those within its borders, but to those beyond.
Yours in faithfulness to the animals,