#BestFriendsAnimalSanctuary

Look where we are!! Mommy & Daddy are back at the sanctuary for their third time, and we got to come along!

Look where we are!! Mommy & Daddy are back at the sanctuary for their third time, and we got to come along! 

While Mommy & Daddy work their volunteer shifts, we’ll be hanging out right here!

Yep, this will be a perfect place for me to spend my day. (Mommy Note: I don’t know how he does it, but within 5 minutes of arriving and getting settled, this was the spot he choose. It’s as if he could just sense this was the perfect view…and no the door wasn’t open, so no breeze was coming in.)

The Welcome Center is such a peaceful and beautiful place. Wonder if they’d just let us hang out and greet people?

Have fun volunteering, Mom & Dad! We’ll be waiting right here for you when your shift is over.

Mommy & Daddy started their volunteering at Wild Friends. Wild Friends refuge is a state- and federally-licensed wildlife rehabilitation center for helping orphaned and injured wild animals get back on their feet – and back to the wild. A small number, who are too injured to be re-released or who are actually exotic pets rather than wild animals, stay on as part of our wildlife education program. 

Woodstock the Duck insisted on following Mom around everywhere she went, and even tried to give kisses…ouch! Of course, he thought she was awesome…she spent a good part of her morning cleaning out and sprucing up his pond! 

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as mink farming and breeding…for the fur. This lucky mink found his way off the farm and is now living the high life at Best Friends Sanctuary.

It’s common for injured pigeons, doves and other birds to come to Wild Friends to be rehabilitated. If they can be, they will be released back into the wild. If their injury is too severe, and it would hinder their survival, then they will live out the rest of their life at the Best Friends Sanctuary.

While most animals at Wild Friends are only stopping by for a little rehabilitation before they go back to their lives in the wild, there are always a few permanent residents, and even a few unusual animals up for adoption.

Up next for Mommy & Daddy was Parrot Garden. It reminded Mommy of their trip to Australia, being surrounded by so many beautiful Feathered Friends! Birds lose their homes just like other pets. In fact, because parrots live such a long time, they can become homeless many times over the course of their lives. 

Parrot Garden's residents are both beautiful and talkative. Parrots need a lot of attention and mental stimulation, and many species can live a very long time. So a parrot is a real commitment! But there’s nothing these colorful creatures want more than a friend. 

Parrots are wild by nature. They are not domesticated animals like cats and dogs, who have been selectively bred for suitable “pet qualities” for quite some time. Whether captured in the wild, or bred in captivity, parrots are at most only a few generations removed from their native habitats, and they retain many of the survival instincts and social behaviors of their cousins in the wild. 

Mommy & Daddy spent some of their volunteer time giving showers…to keep the parrots cool in the heat of the day. Some of them loved the showers, and would dance and move…others tried to stay in the very back, hoping the mist of the spray wouldn’t reach them. 

Parrots are highly intelligent; in fact, in some species, their intelligence is equivalent to that of a three- to five-year-old child.

Speaking of intelligent…Magoo tried to pull a Houdini act! But, Mommy saw him in the act, and was able to let a caregiver know. From inside, he was able to remove a hook on the outside that held his water bowl door closed, and then he snuck out through the water bowl door. He didn’t go very far, just climbed into the nearest tree to hang out and chill! Sneaky, sneaky, Magoo!

Small parrots, like cockatiels, may live to be 20–30 years old. Larger parrots, like cockatoos or macaws, may live to be 60–80 years old. So, adopting a parrot is truly a lifetime commitment. While adopting a dog or a cat is a commitment to the lifetime of the animal (generally 10–15 years), adopting a parrot is a commitment for your lifetime – and beyond. If you think your parrot might outlive you, you will need to arrange for a future home for your parrot after you are no longer around. 

And, yes, parrots are messy! No volunteer time would have been complete without some cleaning. But, is there anything more fun that cleaning while cockatiels fly over your head and hang out on perches next to you?!?

Not surprisingly, Mommy was first in line to volunteer for Puppies! Ah, geez, Mom…don’t get any silly ideas!! 

First up was Puppy Class, where puppies get to socialize, meet a variety of people, get some mental stimulation, and basically learn that the world is awesome! Olaf showed off, big time! Bring out the treats, and he’ll sit every time!

After the dirty job of cleaning the puppy's runs (someone’s got to do it!), it was time for some puppy walks. Sven, Olaf’s brother, had to show off his sitting skills, too!

Oh geez, double trouble…or is it double the cuteness, so they’re just plain irresistible?!? It is no wonder Mommy had to volunteer at Puppies!

Like seriously, Sven, stop with the puppy cuteness…we are not bringing you home! Sven is scheduled to be neutered very soon and then he’s available for adoption. Pretty sure he won’t have to wait long!

While Olaf & Sven did occupy most of Mommy’s time, there were a couple more cuties that she and Daddy got to walk! Little Miss Trouble Maker. Don’t worry, she’s already been adopted. She just had a medical hurdle to get through first. Her official adoption date is just around the corner.

This cute little lady, Shire, is older than most puppies in the puppy section, but since she’s a smaller breed and not 100% comfortable with human handling, it is the perfect place for her to start out her journey. The expression says it all…why are we stopping? We should be walking!

It’s a darn good thing, Olaf already has a pending adoption…as soon as the kid’s been neutered…because boy does he know how to work those puppy eyes!

Whew…no puppies coming home with us. That was a close one! Now they’re off to work with the older dogs. 

Ruth is supervising Mommy and Daddy as they do poop patrol! Smart supervisor…staying in the shade! 

Malibu loves attention, and even gets jealous if you pay attention to her run-mate and not her. Some of that need for attention can bubble up into craziness, but she’s super smart. Give her some commands to follow, make her use her brain and just like that, she calms down and gives you her complete focus! 

Not surprisingly, Mom found her way to the Special Needs Dogs. Kit & Caboodle are two siblings, out of a litter of three, who were found on the side of the road and transferred to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. The third sibling was in perfect health and has been adopted, but Kit & Caboodle have some type of neurological problem. It has yet to be determined exactly what the problem is, but Best Friends is doing everything they can do help these siblings live the best lives possible. Caboodle, has more control than his sister, and is even able to be strapped into a custom made walker. 

Mommy got to hand feed Kit. She worked with her to make her use her muscles and strengthen up her weaker side. Kit really responded to Mommy…lots of tail wags and even scooching across the floor to be closer to her. Kit & Caboodle have a whole team of volunteers working with them. It’s obvious that they both have the will…if there’s a way to become stronger, they will find it!

Artu is a little shy, but he was definitely curious about Mom and wanted to get closer. Give him time, and we think he could be one awesome little companion. Heck, that smirky smile of his is going to take him far!

Senior Dog Clayton was another favorite of Mommy’s. No surprise there…she’s a sucker for those grey and white muzzles! His trademark, one ear up look, is even featured in his adoption photo. He’s definitely the strong, silent type…but also had some bursts of energy when playing with his run mate!

Pretty sure Ruth did not appreciate Daddy destroying all her special projects! She wasted no time, getting right back to work. This project is looking good again!

If you’re ever in Southern Utah, and have the chance, we highly recommend spending a day (or more) at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. Even if you can’t volunteer, at least stop by and take a tour! They are an amazing organization, dedicated and committed to making the country No Kill by 2025. Wouldn’t that be an amazing world to live in? If we all work together, anything is possible!

At Best Friends Animal Sanctuary there is something for everybody! If you’re a cat person and not a dog person (you obviously haven’t met us in person)…we forgive you! With over 470 cats available for adoption, Cat Headquarters can always use volunteers. You can hang with the kitties, help with meals, take a kitty for a walk (or a stroller push) or, of course, there’s always something that needs to be cleaned.

Breeding like rabbits isn’t just a saying…it’s a reality! Bunnies can have a new littler of 5-12 babies every 32 days, so bunnies who aren’t spayed and neutered can quickly become numerous! With over 100 Bunnies available for adoption, the Bunny House can really use some helping hands. They also have a few other little furry critters, like guinea pigs or even hamsters, who need some love and attention.

So, you want to get outside and get dirty? Well how about working with the Pigs!! Over 20 pigs call Best Friends Animal Sanctuary their home right now. They always need volunteers to help out with feeding and cleaning. But, what the piggies really like are belly rubs! Want to spend your volunteer shift giving belly rubs? Then Piggy Paradise is for you!

We saved the biggest for last…the horses, of course! Their poop is bigger than us! Any volunteers for that job?? At Horse Haven you can work with horses, goats and even sheep. If you’re a farm animal lover, this is the area for you! And, of course, many of these beautiful creatures are available for adoption…to the right home, of course!

And, if all of that hasn’t convinced you that Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is a must visit for your bucket list…then the landscape and views should surely seal the deal! It is the most peaceful, serene, magical place we have ever adventured! In the evenings, you can go out into the canyon and hear nothing except nature. You can see for miles and miles through the clear air. And, everything you breathe in is nature at its finest…Benji can attest to that!

We end our Best Friends Animal Sanctuary adventure at Angels Rest. It’s a final resting place for sanctuary animals and cherished companions of Best Friends members, volunteers and staff. Each marker is a celebration of the everlasting bond we companion animals share with our humans, and the music of the chimes is them filling our hearts with love and beautiful memories.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary - Angels Rest

We end our Best Friends Animal Sanctuary adventure at Angels Rest. It’s a final resting place for sanctuary animals and cherished companions of Best Friends members, volunteers and staff. Each marker is a celebration of the everlasting bond we companion animals share with our humans, and the music of the chimes is them filling our hearts with love and beautiful memories.