Editorials
The Best Friends Network editorials are written by industry professionals from Best Friends who come from all different types of animal welfare backgrounds - municipal shelters, private rescue groups, animal control departments, and every other kind of animal welfare organization. Our experiences range from cleaning kennels to directing departments, founding organizations to organizing communities, and everything in between. In our editorials, we provide insights and opinions about industry trends, issues, and happenings. Our goal is to keep Network partners and other animal welfare organizations in-the-know on current events and best practices.
2024 Editorials
No-Kill 2025: Exclusive Preview of Best Friends' Vision for Reaching No-Kill Nationwide
By: Whitney Bollinger November 6, 2024
Field Return to Home: Keep Pets Home Where They Belong – A Lifesaving Strategy
By: Tawny Hammond July 31, 2024
The Importance of Maximizing ‘Capacity for Care’
By: Brent Toellner July 23, 2024
Capacity of Care: It’s Your Community
By: Tawny Hammond June 21, 2024
Setting the record straight on managed intake
By: Brent Toellner May 14, 2024
2023 Editorials
2022 national dataset shows mix of ups and downs
By: Whitney Bollinger June 16, 2023
Are spay/neuter requirements saving lives or standing in the way of lifesaving?
By: Brent Toellner June 14, 2023
More Florida shelters choosing to adopt out FIV/FeLV-positive cats
March 28, 2023
Managing feline disease outbreaks
February 7, 2023
Taming canine disease outbreaks in shelters
January 31, 2023
2022 Editorials
Top five editorials of 2022
By: Liz Finch December 20, 2022
The reality of today's shelter struggles
By: Brent Toellner November 14, 2022
Overwhelmed? Under-resourced?
By: Brent Toellner July 26, 2022
Survey sheds light on factors impacting pet acquisition
By: Liz Finch July 19, 2022
2021 was a challenging year – but it’s not all bad news
By: Brent Toellner June 7, 2022
Stepping up pay ranges for animal welfare staff
By: Liz Finch May 16, 2022
We do what?
By: Sue Cosby March 15, 2022
Best Friends’ program endorsements: Arming shelters in their efforts to progress policies and procedures
By: Liz Finch February 23, 2022
The paradox of adopting out unaltered animals
January 18, 2022
Engage with intention
By: José Ocaño January 11, 2022
2021 Editorials
One Size Does Not Fit All When It Comes to Animal Welfare Agreements
By: Sue Cosby November 30, 2021
Managing the Transport of Heartworm-Positive Dogs to Increase Lifesaving
By: Erin Katribe, DVM, MS November 15, 2021
Balancing Needs of Shelter Animals, Community in Times of Crisis
By: Liz Finch October 5th, 2021
Help! We Just Can’t Keep Up!
By: Sue Cosby September 27, 2021
Exploring Ways Shelters and Rescues Can Close Gaps to Accessing Care
By: Liz Finch September 14, 2021
The State of Access to Veterinary Services Today – An Interview with Aimee St. Arnaud
By: Liz Finch September 8, 2021
Shelters Prove They Can Reach 90% Goal—and Stay There
By: Liz Finch August 24, 2021
Getting Out of the Staffing Shortage Rut
By: Brent Toellner August 18, 2021
Keeping up the Pace of Lifesaving
By: Brent Toellner June 25, 2021
The 2020 Data Set is Here!
By: Vicki Kilmer June 22, 2021
You Asked the Potential Adopter What?
By: Sue Cosby June 9, 2021
Setting the Record Straight on Shelter Returns
By: Brent Toellner May 18, 2021
2020 Editorials
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Efforts Take Rightful Place at Center Stage
By: José Ocaño December 18, 2020
Outdated policies prevent shelters from partnering with the public to save lives
By: Scott Giacoppo July 31, 2020
Animal Welfare Should Tear Down Walls to Pet Ownership
By: Liz Finch July 10, 2020
Is Spay/Neuter an Essential Service During the Pandemic?
By: Aimee St. Arnaud April 30, 2020
Using the Current Absence of S/N to Gain Long-Term Advantages for Community Cats
By: Peter Wolf April 14, 2020
Why Putting Human Health Above Unlimited Spay/Neuter is the Right Thing to Do
By: Sue Cosby and Erin Katribe, DVM March 31, 2020