![Person smiling while standing with a group of donkeys](jpg/jorahdonkeys9004_650ha86d.jpg)
The Best Friends Story
Back in 1984, a scrappy group of friends from far corners of the globe settled in a remote area of Utah’s high desert … and took the first steps to forever changing the future for pets in shelters.
It’s the story of Best Friends, but it’s much more than the history of a spot on the map. This group of ordinary but passionate people believed that every pet has a story, too, each one worth saving, each life individual and important. Today, nearly four decades after they broke ground for a sanctuary in a remote region of the Southwest, achieving no-kill across the entire country is within reach.
![Historical images at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary](jpg/whoweare_history_imagery_49c0b.jpg)
We started with little fanfare
And even fewer resources. We were creating a sanctuary for homeless and special-needs animals literally from the ground up. We were forging roadways and erecting buildings with our bare hands. We were creating a better world through kindness to animals.
The Sanctuary remains our anchor
But, even today, it still comes down to small, simple acts of kindness — and the belief that every animal deserves a chance.
![Person holding a small dog in front of a Best Friends location](jpg/bfas-duckyrachel1956sak_3304e.jpg)