Sometimes you find yourself in exactly the place you were meant to be.
A couple of days earlier, our 15 year old dog Lulu Belle, whose health had been failing, took her final steps over the Rainbow Bridge, in Show Low, Arizona – leaving behind us two humans, and her pack brother, Stevie Ray. We were floundering – unsure whether to head for home or continue traveling west. Our road-tripping energy was zapped and we needed a place to catch our breath and figure things out. Troy knew that I had always wanted to visit the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, so we booked ourselves into the Roadhouse & Mercantile (owned by the Sanctuary), and pointed our truck toward Kanab, Utah.
Along our drive, we found many amazing things to nourish our spirits: an abandoned motel covered in exquisite graffiti images, the rainbow hues of wind-weathered sandstone cliffs, stretches of sweeping blue sagebrush desert and lush cottonwood-lined creek beds. On our way into the town of Kanab, we stopped at the welcome center of the Best Friends Sanctuary to book a tour for the following afternoon, before driving on toward our lodging. What was really to be nothing more than a place to get clean after a week of dry camping, do some laundry and stock up on supplies, turned out to be so much more than we expected. But, more on that in a separate post, as what was really the jewel at the heart of our three day stay in Kanab, was our visit to the Sanctuary itself.
We arrived in the early afternoon, on a hot, dusty June day. Stevie Ray was settled in the backseat with his water bowl, favorite chew toy, and a frosty blast of air conditioning. After checking in, we waited in the RV parking for our tour guide, who turned out to be Faith Maloney, one of the co-founders of Best Friends. We tuned our radio to the frequency of her headset and lined up behind the only other car in our party to tour the massive operation, which is spread out over more than 3000 acres. Billows of dust swirled around our caravan as we made our way up toward our first stop. Faith noted that, in addition to the many indignities that 2020 wrought upon our planet, that this area has not evaded the terrible drought conditions suffered by much of the country.
Dogtown and Cat World
Our first stop was Dogtown, which Faith founded back in the 1980’s. Here, there are various areas to honor and support the diverse needs of the many dogs under their care. Senior dogs and super-seniors have a calm setting with indoor and outdoor spaces, shady enclaves and wide runs. Puppies are “readied” for their new homes with exposure to diverse stimuli, including sounds of kitchen appliances, doorbells, and vacuums and the sight of objects as unique (and terrifying to the uninitiated) as motorcycle helmets. The hope is that adopted puppies will already be accustomed to the strangeness of a new home and be less likely to react with fear or anxiety.
There are runs with screens to prevent dogs who pace obsessively from overreacting to the presence of other dogs, and even a rehab center for injured canines (as well as goats and a pot-bellied pig!) An overflow area supports unexpected and large influxes of animals, which Best Friends is able to accommodate to relieve the strain on smaller community shelters. A volunteer pilot from the nonprofit agency, Dog is My Copilot, had just flown fourteen dogs and cats to the sanctuary from New Mexico, all of whom are currently housed in the overflow area.
As we made our way to Cat World, Faith shared that Best Friends has created a national network of support that takes pressure away from other agencies by accommodating special populations at the sanctuary. In addition to creating overflow areas, they’ve specialized in managing cats with ringworm as well as those with incontinence, freeing up space in other shelters by catering to these very specific needs.
Faith proudly showed us the original complex of buildings that were hand-built by the founders, following plans generated by three of the founders (who just happened to be architects) and using skills learned from library books.
Bunnies And Wild Friends
Our next stop was the Bunny Complex, where these delicate animals, who cannot tolerate heat, are housed in cool, climate-controlled buildings with their guinea pig friends. Because they struggle to bond with each other, the rabbits have “hoppy hours” where staff help socialize lucky bunnies to potential partners. Currently, there are over a hundred rabbits housed here and in the overflow area. Next down the road, was the parrot garden, which also houses over a hundred birds, and includes budgies, parakeets, cockatiels – and of course, parrots.
Close by these more delicate animals is placed the Wild Friends Rehabilitation center. This is a full clinic with an educational program. Every animal who does not fall into one of the aforementioned categories, is housed here. Residents include domestic fowl, chinchillas, turtles, tortoises, a red boa, sugar gliders, mice, rats, eagles – and raptors. Faith shared with us that raptors are kept “wild” here – provided food and observed via camera in a vast, screened-in area that allows the birds to heal safely from injuries. Unable to find food in the wild, many will pluck the “low lying fruit” – roadkill – from our highways and then, heavily satiated, be unable to fly out of the path of oncoming cars. These birds are kept within the screened confines of the sanctuary until the cameras show they have been healed sufficiently for the roof of the shelter to be opened, and for them to return safely to the wild.
Angel’s Overlook At Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
The next stop on our tour was the most poignant. Angel’s Overlook and Angel’s Rest are places to allow grief and love to flow in equal measure under quiet trees, through tinkling wind chimes and over the steep canyon walls. Originally, Angel’s Rest housed the remains of the animals who passed on at the Sanctuary. The Overlook was later added to match the growing population of Best Friends and to meet the needs of those animals whose earthly traveling days were done. This place of quiet reflection and unparalleled beauty is marked with a Gratitude Garden and a winding meditation labyrinth. Our burden eased a little at the thought of all the love that carried these sweet souls through to their final journeying place.
The tour ended with a visit to the several areas in which horses meandered, pranced, and rested – from the shadow of an old film-set barn, to a modern arena where they are humanely trained to accept saddles and riders. In one location, they are able to descend to the creek below to drink and in another, they are able to partake of flowing artesian waters.
Pulling back into the parking lot, we were overwhelmed by the magnitude of all that we had observed. Their slogan “Save Them All” truly is the epitome of words put into action. We spent a few more minutes talking with Faith and she shared with us the essence of Best Friends’ mission. The baseline life saving rate of Best Friends is set at 90% to allow for quality of life euthanasia. A few months ago, Los Angeles exceeded 93% in their save rate, which Faith noted as a huge milestone and a call to action to all of us to support smaller communities in their own life-saving endeavors. One of Best Friends’ most recent accomplishments was winning an award in Fast Company magazine for digital innovation – unheard of for an animal non-profit – for their development of a data visualization map which shows the lifesaving statistics for every shelter in the U.S. This tool is designed to both reflect and fuel the mission to end the killing in shelters across our country.
Faith Shares A Beautiful Story
Before we said our goodbyes, we asked Faith a final question: What was your most memorable rescue experience of the past 36 years? She was silent for a moment, then smiled broadly, and shared with us the story of Fenris, a dog named for one of the Norse Gods – a great wolf.
The rescue took place in the very early days of Dogtown, when Faith was working at Best Friends Sanctuary seven days a week – a schedule she would maintain for over eleven years. Bitterly cold, the winter temperatures had dropped to below sixteen degrees when Faith received a call from the Marshall from the nearby town of Fredonia. He informed her they had an old dog who had been shot in the leg and abandoned to its fate.
Believing she was heading out to collect an elderly dog in horrific condition, Faith drove to the town with little hope for the potential rescue. On arrival, she discovered that the pitiful creature was indeed in terrible shape. The combined odors of the festering wound and the neglected animal were sufficiently intense that, despite the bitter temperatures, they were forced to house the animal in the front seat of their vehicle and drive with the windows down all the way to the vet.
As the injured animal was examined, Faith asked the vet if he would be able to save the leg. Miraculously, he did – pinning the limb and readying the dog for transport back to Best Friends. Back at the Sanctuary, the dog – who was to become “Fenris” – continued to present as old and mangy, until, after a few days of good food, care and rest, Faith realized he could be no more than 2 years old. At this point, Faith recognized that the location of the wound and the dog’s youth indicated he most likely had been starving, had climbed a fence in pursuit of a chicken and been shot by a farmer for his troubles.
Fenris The Director
Over the next few months, Fenris grew a great furry coat and confident demeanor and became a constant presence and leader in Faith’s pack of dogs. Some time later, a self-professed animal communicator visited the Dogtown sanctuary. Skeptical of her abilities, Faith was curious when the woman began to weep and she asked the “communicator” if she was okay. Through her sobs, the woman choked out “They’re just so happy.” Then, she pointed at Fenris and said, “He says he’s the director here.” With a wry smile, Faith told us that was the moment when she realized the woman was spot on. Fenris had become not only the director of his pack – but of Faith herself.
Her story of Fenris ended – but with the chapters of Best Friends and all the animals they have and will save, only just beginning – Faith drove off with a smile and a wave of her hand, in a cloud of red desert dust.
For more info on this wonderful organization you can visit their website at Bestfriends.org
For some things to do in the Kanab, Utah area, such as driving to the Paria Ghost Town, please see our YouTube Channel
