Annual Report for 2004

Best Friends' Mission. Best Friends Animal Society is working with our members and supporters, and with animal welfare organizations around the country, to help bring about a time when no homeless, unwanted animals are being destroyed in shelters and when every dog or cat who's ever born can be guaranteed a good life in a loving home.

Statement of Program Service Accomplishments

Introduction:

A Better World through Kindness to Animals: Best Friends is working with our members, with other humane groups, and with the general public to bring about a time when no homeless, unwanted animals are being destroyed in shelters, and when every companion animal can be guaranteed a good life in a loving home.

The work of Best Friends Animal Society focuses in three main areas: the sanctuary; model programs in selected communities; and the national No More Homeless Pets campaign.

1. The Sanctuary: The sanctuary is the nation's largest no-kill refuge for abused and abandoned animals. Sanctuary staff work closely with shelters and rescue groups around the country to offer special care to animals who need treatment and rehabilitation that cannot be provided locally.

Approximately 20,000 people a year spend time at the sanctuary, either as visitors and volunteers or to participate in our intensive workshops.

2. Model Programs: Best Friends is the lead agency in a coalition in Utah named No More Homeless Pets in Utah. The No More Homeless Pets in Utah program is a comprehensive spay/neuter and adoption campaign that includes every city and county government shelter and animal control department, all the humane societies, and most of the smaller private rescue groups, spay/neuter programs, etc. in the State of Utah. The program continues to progress in its efforts to bring an end altogether to the killing of healthy, homeless pets in shelters.

Other model programs operate in select cities, including the Catnippers feral cat care program and the Desex and the City spay/neuter promotion in Los Angeles, and the No More Homeless Pets Atlanta project described below.

3. National No More Homeless Pets Outreach: The Best Friends Network includes approximately 15,000 volunteers who respond to local needs across the country, and is managed by 13 staff members. Five regional representatives provide additional free consulting services and support to local humane groups and individuals launching local programs to help animals.

Best Friends Brigades are teams of members who take on local projects -- fixing up a shelter or preparing animals for adoption days.

Best Friends presents two No More Homeless Pets conferences each year in different locations around the country, and offers continuing support, resources, and education through the website at www.bestfriends.org, helping people set up successful spay/neuter, shelter, foster, and adoption programs in their own geographical regions.

Regional programs, helping local communities set up their own local No More Homeless Pets programs, are supervised by six community program managers around the country.

Best Friends magazine is the nation's largest general-interest magazine for people who care about companion animals, wildlife, and the earth, and also plays a major role in our No More Homeless Pets outreach.

And the Best Friends Education program works with young people of all ages in schools and colleges, hosts visits to the sanctuary, and manages intern programs.

Overall, Best Friends is helping people everywhere to understand that kindness to animals leads to respect for each other and for all living beings, making a better world for us all.

For the purposes of our annual Financial Statements and of this IRS Form 990, we have organized these areas of focus into three Programs. The results achieved in these Programs during 2004 were as follows:

Program 1. SANCTUARY. Expenses: $9,315,315 (includes donated goods of $516,512). Best Friends operates the nation's largest sanctuary for abused and abandoned companion and domestic animals, with approximately 1,500 animals at the sanctuary on any given day, and a state and federally licensed wildlife rehabilitation program.

a. Animal Arrivals, Care and Adoptions. As outlined in the Outreach Programs section below, the primary focus of the Best Friends Network staff is to help people place animals in good homes in their own communities, rather than bringing them to the sanctuary. This enables the sanctuary to focus on rescuing and caring for animals with special needs. These animals are normally considered "unadoptable" at traditional humane societies, but Best Friends has growing success in placing these special-needs animals in good homes. (Those who are truly unadoptable find a permanent home and haven here.) In 2004, the sanctuary took in 486 dogs with special needs and placed 425; 470 special-needs cats and placed 413, 45 domestic rabbits and placed 28 (some were placed with another rescue organization); 5 horses and placed 2, 19 pigs and placed 15, 2 mules and placed one, 5 burros and placed 2; 5 goats and placed 6. In addition to the animals that are adopted directly from the sanctuary, we also assist in the placement of hundreds of other dogs and cats into foster homes and permanent homes through the nationwide Best Friends Network. (The adoption figures in this paragraph are all in addition to other adoption figures mentioned below in the Outreach section.)

b. Clinic. The Best Friends Clinic, located at the sanctuary, is large and well equipped, and employs two full-time veterinarians and several veterinary technicians. In addition to caring for the medical needs of our resident animals at the sanctuary, our veterinary staff performed 1,976 spays and neuters during 2004. 736 of these were as part of our feral and stray cat program described below, and the rest were for animals relinquished to the sanctuary, and for animals still belonging to the general public as part of our low-cost (sometimes no-cost) spay/neuter program.

c. Feral Cat Outreach. In 2004, the sanctuary trapped and spayed or neutered 736 feral and stray cats here in the local region surrounding the sanctuary. Staff members also vaccinated them, and often cleaned ears, patched abscesses, or hydrated them with subcutaneous fluids. 676 of these were adults that were returned to their colonies, and 60 were kittens that were socialized and placed in good homes through the sanctuary. We trap cats in a radius of about 90 miles from the sanctuary. (Additionally, Best Friends facilitates hundreds of trap/neuter/return programs throughout the country through the Best Friends Network, working with local organizations and volunteers, and in some cases providing funding for spay/neuter for local T/N/R [Trap/Neuter/Return] programs.)

d. Wild and Feathered Friends. During 2004, the Best Friends licensed wildlife rehabilitation program cared for 83 wild birds, 28 of whom were released back into the wild. Staff also cared for 41 wild mammals and 2 reptiles, of whom 18 mammals were released back to the wild, and two were transferred to other wildlife rehabilitators. 11 wild birds, primarily birds of prey, are resident, licensed educational birds. We cared for 81 domestic birds and placed 26 in new homes. The wildlife and domestic bird education program concentrated this year on on-site presentations to 20 organizations and 9 school groups, reaching 803 people. 1,400 additional people enjoyed individual tours. Staff members also gave advice and referrals related to wildlife and domestic birds, by e-mail and telephone, to more than 2,200 people.

e. Volunteer program. During 2004, 4,499 people spent 12,545 volunteer-days at the sanctuary, volunteering their help in the care of the animals.

f. Facilities. This year's additions to the animal facilities include the addition of new free-flying Parrot Quarters, a Quarantine Room for newly arrived wildlife, a fully equipped Examination Room, and a Rehabilitation Room for injured or orphaned wildlife. These were all additions to our Feathered Friends headquarters building. Elsewhere, we also constructed a Hydro Therapy/Canine Fitness Center, and completed a new No More Homeless Pets Headquarters Building. Other improvements included further upgrades to our campus computer network, a reworking and enhancing of our public website, upgrades to our phone system, and improvements to our database and data backup systems. During 2004, $849,206 was spent on the above, plus some smaller capital projects.

Program 2. MAGAZINE, BROCHURES, & INTERNET SERVICES. Expenses: $1,486,523.

a. Six issues of the bi-monthly Best Friends magazine were published. Circulation is around 200,000. The magazine includes in-depth articles that provide information on successful model programs to rescue and care for animals around the country, furthering the No More Homeless Pets movement nationwide. It also provides practical advice for people with pets, encourages grassroots involvement and fosters a deeper understanding of people's relationship to animals and nature.

b. Thousands of educational brochures and pamphlets were issued to individuals, animal welfare organizations, schools, and libraries around the country.

c.  The Best Friends website at www.bestfriends.org provides extensive animal welfare resources, geared both for individuals and organizations. Resources include in-depth information on spay/neuter, adoption, non-profit management, program development, grassroots fundraising, and animal behavior. The website is in the format of manuals, news stories, feature articles, dynamic forms, and interactive forums. In 2004, the website was redesigned to improve usability and to upgrade web technologies. 

Program 3. OUTREACH PROGRAMS. Expenses: $4,768,967 (includes donated goods of $149,621). Working with animal lovers and organizations across the nation, Best Friends has set the goal of bringing about a time when there are No More Homeless Pets.

a. The Best Friends Network consists of a team of 13 staff members at the sanctuary and in regional offices, a broad variety of resources (constantly updated), and approximately 15,000 grassroots volunteers who have signed up to be part of this program. During 2004, 14,701 requests for help were managed through the Best Friends Network, which brings together individuals and other animal welfare organizations nationwide to help animals locally. The Network finds homes for homeless animals, responds to regional emergencies, and helps find alternatives to the killing of homeless animals at local shelters. It also coordinates admission of animals into the sanctuary and transportation of animals to and from the sanctuary. Staff coordinators provide counseling, referrals, and advice for animal behavior problems, and assistance in placing animals.

b. In 2004, Best Friends hosted two national No More Homeless Pets Conferences, one in Las Vegas in April, and one in Cincinnati in October. 900 people from 46 U.S. states, Canada, India and Nepal attended these conferences. Best Friends also helped organize local meetings for community programs, and Best Friends representatives were guest speakers at conferences/meetings in 11 states and the Asia for Animals Conference in Hong Kong.

c. Best Friends sponsored adoption or spay/neuter events in seven states. We provided thousands of manuals and brochures free of charge on a variety of topics, to assist individuals and organizations in developing local spay/neuter programs or otherwise helping animals in their communities. Hundreds of requests for information each month were handled by the No More Homeless Pets staff. We made 80,000 pet adoption posters and three professionally-produced TV PSAs available at low cost to grassroots groups and animal shelters. We launched our Best Friends Brigade program nationally (similar to the Brigade program we introduced originally in Los Angeles -- see below), and now oversee and support ten brigades across the country. We worked closely with dozens of organizations in other countries, providing resources, advice, and support for their programs. More than 3,000 animal welfare advocates participate in the weekly online No More Homeless Pets expert forum. And Best Friends staffers provided consulting services to over 3,000 grassroots humane organizations, coalitions, animal shelters, and individuals from across the country at no cost.

d. Best Friends attends numerous Horse Expos throughout the year, helping to find homes for horses, assisting other animal agencies, and signing up volunteers to perform home checks of people potentially adopting horses from us in distant locations.

e. In the Los Angeles area, the Best Friends Brigade coordinates teams of volunteers to local animal rescue groups to undertake special projects such as repair, maintenance, and deep cleaning of their facilities, as well as animal care. The Best Friends Help Line provides telephone access to information regarding animal related questions and problems; calls are returned 7 days a week. Best Friends Pet Adoption Fairs and Super Adoption Days, organized and promoted by Best Friends, generate adoptions from as many as 80 Los Angeles and other City shelters and humane organizations on a given day or weekend. These events found homes for over 1,200 LA-area animals in 2004. Best Friends runs an adoption spot weekly on the Fox TV Good Day LA morning news show. This spot promotes local animals in need of new homes. Our Catnippers program conducts high-volume spay/neuter clinics for feral cats in Los Angeles. During 2004, Catnippers conducted 11 clinics averaging 75 cats per clinic. Catnippers also funds sponsored spay/neuter surgeries through participating veterinarians. Total procedures for 2004 exceeded 1,300 feral cats. During 2004 Best Friends secured a $50,000 grant which is being given to Los Angeles County Animal Services as a salary for their new Volunteer Coordinator. We began preparations for a March 2005 Desex and the City spay/neuter campaign to blanket Los Angeles County with a high profile campaign including celebrity PSAs, billboards, print advertising, and discounted spay/neuter services throughout the county.

f. As part of Best Friends Animal Society's national No More Homeless Pets campaign, No More Homeless Pets Atlanta (NMHPA) was launched in May 2004 to support the efforts of Atlanta area rescue groups and shelters by promoting pet adoption, spay/neuter programs and public awareness. The program is a partnership with Lifeline Animal Project, Inc., an Atlanta-based IRS 501(c)(3) organization, and provides strategic resources to grassroots and government animal welfare organizations in an effort to stop the killing of homeless animals in Atlanta.

NMHPA programs include: the Dog House and Kitty Motel, which provide low-cost boarding for approximately 50 dogs and 15 cats in area rescue and adoption programs; the Virtual Animal Shelter at www.atlantapets.org, an online database of adoptable animals available from over 60 different Atlanta area shelters and rescue groups; Project Pawprint, a volunteer program which reaches out to local animal control agencies to help publicize the plight of animals whose lives are endangered because of overpopulation; Catlanta, a feral and stray cat assistance program providing low-cost spay/neuter, information and support to individuals and groups implementing trap/neuter/return (TNR) programs; and the No More Homeless Pets Atlanta Clinic, a low-cost, high-volume, high-quality spay/neuter clinic providing services to animal welfare groups and to the public.

g. Best Friends continued to lead the Utah Coalition for Animals, (No More Homeless Pets in Utah), a campaign to bring an end to the killing of homeless dogs and cats in shelters throughout our home state. The coalition includes all the major animal care charities in Utah, and the municipal animal services agencies of all of Utah's counties. Maddie's Fund and Best Friends Animal Society help to support the program.

No More Homeless Pets in Utah organized the 9th Annual Strut Your Mutt in May, Salt Lake City's premiere dog walk/run; and the Utah Awards for Distinguished Service to Animals in November.

Progress for a program with major funding from Maddies Fund is generally measured by comparing current statistics with those of the year before the program began. Latest reports from this program indicate the following:

i. In Utah, 25,500 more animal sterilizations were performed in 2004 than in 1999.

• Of these spay/neuter numbers, the Big Fix on Tour mobile spay/neuter clinic (a specially equipped bus on loan from Best Friends) performed 8,473 low-cost alterations on Utah dogs and cats during the year
• 15,243 pets were sterilized using a low cost spay neuter voucher program funded and administered by No More Homeless Pets in Utah.
• 4,658 feral cats were trapped and sterilized using the No More Homeless Pets in Utah trap loan program and the feral fix discount voucher program, a program which allows feral cat care givers to have a cat sterilized for a $10 co-pay. (These are in addition to the feral cats sterilized at the Best Friends Clinic, mentioned above.)
  
  

ii. In 2004, adoptions by Utah's rescue groups were up 240% over 1999, and those of municipal shelters were up 14%. Total number adopted was 29,100. Of the above adoption numbers:

• Furburbia, a storefront adoption center in Salt Lake City's Cottonwood Mall found homes for 1,000 dogs and cats in 2004. A second Furburbia near Park City found homes for 900 dogs and cats in 2004.
• The Home for the Holidays statewide adoption campaign (from November 19, 2004 through January 7, 2005), found homes for 4,000 Utah shelter cats and dogs.
• 800 homeless animals found homes at two outdoor Super adoption events sponsored and run by the No More Homeless Pets in Utah program.
• The Best Friends on Tour program based at the West Valley City Animal Shelter found homes for 476 homeless animals that would otherwise have been destroyed.
• Rescue agencies receiving direct financial and other support from No More Homeless Pets in Utah placed 12,389 homeless animals into new homes. 

iii. 22% fewer animals were destroyed statewide in 2004 than in 1999, bringing the total to an all-time low of 36,000.

h. During 2004 the Humane Education department welcomed 33 groups with over 450 students and 125 adults visiting the sanctuary and performing over 3,900 hours of service work. We also hosted 19 Interns and 3 Veterinary Preceptors, who performed an additional 5,275 hours of service. The Veterinary Preceptor students performed over 80 surgeries in addition to other clinic duties.

We held four week-long How to Start an Animal Sanctuary workshops with a total of 74 attendees. Outreach booths at various events connected Best Friends with over 2,500 youths and adults. We visited 10 schools, speaking with almost 400 children. Best Friends provided resources to 300 teachers, awarded $300 worth of humane education books, provided KIND News subscriptions to 32 classrooms and answered over 350 emails and letters from students.

We participated in two events in the Navajo Nation where we spoke with over 450 adults and children about animal care and distributed 70 teacher packets with lesson plans and videos.

GOVERNING BODY. There are eight Directors, all of whom work full-time for the Society. Chairman: Gabriel de Peyer. President: Michael Mountain. Sanctuary Director: Faith Maloney. Rescue Outreach: Francis Battista. Regional Programs: Gregory Castle. Secretary and Human Resources: Celeste Fripp. Architect and Buildings: Paul Eckhoff. Treasurer: John Fripp.

FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES AND FINANCIAL POSITION. (Copies of our Audited Financial Statements and of our IRS Form 990 are available upon request.)

Revenues for 2004:
Direct public support $ 20,013,172
Donated goods and services 689,833
Interest from Investments 473,281
Miscellaneous Income 441,716
Total Revenues 21,618,002

Expenses for 2004:
Program Services 15,612,839
Management and General 804,387
Fundraising 3,480,252
Total Expenses 19,897,478

Surplus for 2004: 1,720,524

Net Assets:
January 1, 2004: 23,415,834
Surplus for 2004: (see above) 1,720,524
December 31, 2004: 25,136,358

Address: Best Friends Animal Society
5001 Angel Canyon Road
Kanab, Utah 84741

Telephone: (435) 644-2001
E-mail: info@bestfriends.org
Web site address: www.bestfriends.org