Quick wins for a faster PC:
Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Best Friends Animal Society’s Shelter Collaborative pairs an experienced shelter with a shelter working toward the organization’s 90% save-rate benchmark. The partners use shelter data to plan improvements, with possible support including grants, training, and coaching. Episode 105 of The Best Friends Podcast, published March 24, 2022, introduces the model through a conversation with Carrie Ducote, a senior strategist on Best Friends’ shelter collaborative team.
What is the Best Friends Shelter Collaborative?
Now formally called the Prince and Paws Shelter Collaborative, the program is a peer-mentoring model—not simply a large coalition of organizations. Best Friends strategically matches a mentor shelter that has reached and sustained its 90% save-rate benchmark with a fellow shelter working toward that threshold. Best Friends describes the approach as “judgment-free support,” with the shared goal of saving every pet that can be saved. Listen to episode 105 or see the current program description.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Covered in Pet Fur: How to start an animal rescue | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Animals Find Shelter | $1.29 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
| Approach | Scale and relationship | Primary purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Community coalition | A larger group of stakeholders | Align efforts around a shared community goal |
| Shelter Collaborative | A focused match between a mentor shelter and a fellow shelter | Peer mentoring and practical improvements to the fellow’s lifesaving work |
How does the mentoring process work?
- Best Friends identifies a match. It uses data from its pet lifesaving dashboard to pair a shelter with a 90% save rate with one that needs support reaching the no-kill threshold.
- The partners review the fellow’s data. The mentor and fellow assess the shelter’s current situation and identify opportunities to improve its save rate.
- They develop a plan and budget. Best Friends says the plan is based on shelter data and tailored to the fellow. The organization does not dictate what the mentoring relationship should look like.
- They put the plan into practice. Best Friends offers seed grants, ongoing training, and coaching. Listed grant uses include staffing, medical and surgical expenses, supplies, and travel for shelter visits or conferences.
Who can participate?
Potential mentor shelters
- A history of strong, sustainable lifesaving programs.
- Capacity and resources to spend time on-site and provide ongoing support to another shelter.
Potential fellow shelters
- A save rate below 90% for dogs, cats, or both.
- Willingness to consider necessary program changes.
- Readiness to host visits from Best Friends and the peer mentor.
- Willingness to share shelter data with Best Friends monthly.
The 90% benchmark is Best Friends’ program standard; it is central to its no-kill framing and to the descriptions of matching and fellow eligibility. Meeting a listed criterion does not guarantee acceptance. The program pages invite interested organizations to contact the team but do not give an application deadline.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →What outcomes has Best Friends reported?
Best Friends reported that 6,525 pets were saved in the program’s first year in a May 9, 2022 magazine article. Its current program page also reports a 40% average increase in save rate and a 71% average reduction in dogs and cats killed among participating shelters in that first year. These are organization-reported figures. The published sources do not provide enough methodological detail or an independent evaluation design to determine how much of the reported change the program itself caused. Read Best Friends’ first-year account.
#1 Best Overall
How can a shelter learn more?
Organizations interested in participating or asking questions can email Best Friends at [email protected]. Shelters seeking broader organizational support can also explore the Best Friends Network, which Best Friends describes as a free community for animal welfare organizations. The available program information does not establish that every Network resource or benefit automatically applies to Collaborative participants.
Quick Recap
Rank #2
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
