Celebrate Best Friends 25th Anniversary

Seppi Lane

cathyscott — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 09:59:00 GMT

Once not so long ago a beautiful bird named Seppi moved into the Parrot Garden, where feathered friends live at the sanctuary. His name was Seppi and he would soon show all that he had a definite gift for gab.

That was the summer of 2004 when Seppi was a mere 15 years old. He'd arrived after his person became too ill to care for him. His person cared so much about him that she wrote a long letter about his likes and dislikes. But a note wasn't necessary. Seppi on his own let everyone know that what he liked most of all was being the center of attention. And everyone around him has been happy to oblige.

Barely out of his previous home, the sociable bird said "Hello" to everyone he saw -- but not before announcing he was a "pretty bird."

Besides being special for just who he is, Seppi's arrival marked the first time a Moluccan cockatoo had taken up residency at the sanctuary.

Once at home at Parrot Garden, Seppi's habit of regularly shredding copies of Best Friends magazine landed him a gig as a "writer" with his own column in the publication.

And if that wasn't special enough, when a new road was built at the sanctuary, it was named after, you guessed it, Seppi. Just off the main drag that runs through the sanctuary grounds, Seppi Lane, which leads to Parrot Garden, intersects with Benton Street, the route to Cat World.

And while Seppi, with an expected life span upwards of 50 years, will no doubt be around for a long time, the bird with a big personality has already left his mark at Best Friends.

Written by Cathy Scott

Photo by Troy Snow

Driving Dogtown

cathyscott — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 12:35:00 GMT

When a dog named Gandolph arrived at the sanctuary, his behavior stood out for everyone. He was a cute, smallish, white-and-black dog -- with an odd habit. Gandolph, you see, had neurological issues and had taken to running around in circles - or loops.

So in 2006 when it came time to name the road that loops around the octagons that make up the Dogtown section called The Heights, John Goodell asked the folks at Dogtown for suggestions.

"At the time that I named these roads, I went to various animal caretakers and managers to get ideas, as I wanted each animal department to be involved in assigning names to the roads," said Goodell, who manages Best Friends' Utility Department. "Gandolph was a given due to the nature of his actions."

By December 2006, the road was named. And in January 2007, the street sign Gandolph Loop Road was placed.

Gandolph the dog has since passed away, but his street sign is prominent in a heavily trafficked area of Dogtown, looping around Old Friends, the Garden, the Fairway and the Club House. So the next time you drive around The Heights and make that loop, think of Gandolph looping around with you.

Written by Cathy Scott

Photo by Clay Myers

Ginger route

sandym — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 13:11:00 GMT

Ginger, the self-appointed keeper of tennis balls, was one of the early residents of Best Friends Dogtown; and Ginger Lane, the first street you see on your left after turning into Best Friends' upper canyon, was named in her honor.

Ginger was one of a number of Chesapeakes, including her two pups, that Best Friends rescued from an unscrupulous breeder in nearby Kanab, Utah, after he'd been arrested for threatening his wife with a gun. All of the dogs were in terrible shape, especially Ginger.

She was so malnourished that her ribs showed through her curly golden fur, wrote Samantha Glen in her book, "Best Friends: The True Story of the World's Most Beloved Animal Sanctuary." Best Friends co-founder Faith Maloney told Glen that Ginger was the most underweight breeding Chesapeake she'd ever seen.

When Ginger first arrived at Best Friends, she was frightened and cowering. Amra, another early resident of Dogtown, greeted Ginger with some of his signature sloppy kisses, as if trying to reassure Ginger that she'd "arrived in a canine Camelot," wrote Glen in her book.

Best Friends co-founder Michael Mountain is quoted in the book, saying, "In spite of everything she's been through, there's an inner happiness here - something that won't let her give up."

And Ginger didn't give up. She was experiencing kindness from humans for the first time in her life and it wasn't long before she started to bounce back.

Victor - aka the "Godfather of Dogtown" - took Ginger under his wing and they became close dog pals.

"Before long, cowering was a foreign behavior to the dog whose sun-burnished coat grew in so thick and curly and who, Michael declared, ‘simply grinned' every time a person walked by," Glen wrote.

Now back to those tennis balls. Ginger's corner of Dogtown was soon dubbed Chesapeake Bay, and her favorite Juniper tree was called the "Federal Reserve" because that's where she and her two grown pups would deposit stray tennis balls and other treasures.

"Every afternoon they could be seen trotting side-by-side down the lanes, scrabbling under bushes, pawing behind trees, gathering up every mutt's lost and stolen favorite toy," Glen wrote. "The other dogs paid homage to the importance of Ginger's role by visiting the ‘Federal Reserve' tree every day to withdraw from the tennis ball bank."

Ginger and her pups saw it as their job to "keep the economy of Dogtown humming by keeping tennis balls in circulation," Glen wrote.

And Ginger's story became one of many heartwarming stories that continue to live on at Best Friends.

Written by Sandy Miller

Photos by Best Friends staff

Orange Julius

sandym — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 13:13:00 GMT

It seems fitting that Julius Street would go right past Benton's House at Cat World in Best Friends upper canyon. Benton's House was where Julius made his home after coming to Best Friends in June 1997.

The orange tabby with the adorable face touched the hearts of everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him.

"Within two or three weeks of his arrival, not only had he captured all of the staff's affections, but visitors were already writing to us about their wonderful experiences meeting and spending time with Julius," says Vivian Ebbs, a Best Friends co-founder and the former manager over at Cat World. "One thing I found particularly interesting at the time was how many of these letters were addressed to Julius himself c/o Best Friends. It was as if he had such a deep and profound effect on them that they somehow felt they could talk to him directly."

Julius had neurological problems; his back legs could never quite do what his brain was telling them to do. But that just made Julius even more special, so special he became the subject of a 2001 book titled, "The World According to Julius," written by another Best Friends co-founder, Michael Mountain.

"He was a neurological, yet sweet orange tabby who would weave his way into every person's heart who entered Benton's Room at Benton's House where this determined little cat lived," says Joni Miller, a caregiver and staff training advisor at Cat World.

Ebbs says Julius became an awesome advocate for special needs pets.

"Much of his fan mail expressed similar sentiments such as, ‘I felt so humbled and inspired watching this beautiful brave orange cat so neurologically challenged just getting on with life with so much joy as if there was nothing wrong at all -- that life was good,'" Ebbs says. "Or, ‘Julius touched my heart and made me see that my problems were small. If he can conquer his physical handicaps and be happy, then so can I.' "Or more often, ‘Dear Julius, I feel so honored to have met you. I keep thinking of how beautiful and determined you are despite what fate has dealt you. You have inspired me to adopt a wonderful special needs cat from our local rescue. Thank you!'"

Julius crossed over the Rainbow Bridge in September 2001 and was placed at Angels Rest. The memories of this special orange tabby live on.

"He did not live a long life, but he did live fully," Ebbs says.

Written by Sandy Miller

Photos by Best Friends staff

Tomato Lane

tedb — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:15:00 GMT

He was an orange and white tabby, abandoned as a teenager and rescued by Best Friends. But in spite of his meager beginnings, his photogenic looks and incisive talent with the pen would elevate him to an iconic status.

He was the first of our sanctuary animals to scribe a column in our magazine, and no Best Friends writer since has received the kind of accolades he did. You can include a "Purr Prize" to the many accomplishments, granted by no less than the Pulitzer Prize committee for "service to man's best friends." With that kind of prestige, the least Best Friends could do was name a road after him. Tomato Lane runs through Cat World in the upper portion of the sanctuary.

But behind the awards, the indelible words, the iconic status and the street name was a simple cat, plagued with a particular condition. Judah Battista, associate director of Community Services and Outreach at Best Friends, spent a good portion of his youth at the sanctuary, and remembers Tomato well.

"His one drawback was that every now and again he would lay a big booger on you. It was his major impediment to finding a home."

Tomato suffered from chronic upper respiratory infections (hence the boogers), but that did not deter him from being a "very affectionate cat," as Battista remembers him.

Nor did the occasional nostril blemish subvert his ability to ignite the camera. He became the poster cat for Benton's House, a refuge for the "slightly disabled" cats. There Tomato wrote his legendary columns in his office, which he shared with chums and fellow upper-respiratory-infection sufferers Mambo, Rumba and Chacha.

Written by Ted Brewer

Photo by Best Friends staff

Lucy Lou Lane

amyAbern — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:56:00 GMT

The little loop right outside of Casa De Calmar was named for one of its most high-spirited, high-profile cats, Lucy Lou.

Even as a kitten, Lucy Lou was always ready for - no, make that always demanded - her close-up. As the uncontested Lobby Queen of Calmar, the home for Best Friends feline leukemia residents, Lucy Lou appointed herself as the official greeter to all who visited.

Joni Miller, training advisor for new staff working with cats, said Lucy Lou was one of the most beautiful calico cats she had ever seen.

"I think she knew it, too," Miller says. "Anytime anyone took out a camera, Lucy Lou came running to make sure she was not just in the photo, but center stage."

Lucy had a mischievous streak that just wouldn't quit. One time, Miller left a tin of butter cookies unattended on her desk. She came into her office only to find her "Royal Caliconess" eating right out of the tin she managed to push off the desk and open with her paw. On another occasion, Lucy Lou stole a peanut butter sandwich out of a closed backpack.

Lucy Lou always followed the sun. Literally. She loved to snooze in a little cat bed in the sunshine. When the sun had the nerve to follow its natural course in the sky and move away from her bed, Lucy Lou would meow for her "servants" to come and move her bed into the sun again. And again. And again.

"Of course we accommodated her," Miller says. "We did so because she was Lucy Lou, the Queen of Calmar - and everything else, too."

Lucy Lou succumbed to feline leukemia at the age of six. Miller said it was hard on everyone at Calmar when she passed. The little loop that is Lucy Lou Road is a reminder to everyone who visits to remember this feisty beauty queen of a cat with fondness and smiles.

Written by Amy Abern

Newkirk’s quirks

amyAbern — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:30:00 GMT

Newkirk Road was named out of respect for a dog that, had he been able to talk, probably would have said something like, "You'd better name a road after me or I'm going to get into a rumble and refuse to eat my food."

Newkirk was a scrappy little Red Heeler mix dog that liked to pick fights with other dogs. He may have just been a little guy, but he had a big bully streak in him. And that's why for many years he lived out his life on "The Hill" the place for dogs who didn't get along with other dogs.

He came to Best Friends as a rambunctious little puppy but throughout his life, he went through some amazing transformations. Best Friends thought it only fitting to name a road after a pooch who transitioned from young, aggressive bully to wise, all-accepting senior dog.

Despite Newkirk's quirks, the Best Friends staff loved him. And he loved them right back. He enjoyed going on walks with caregivers, playing with humans and accepting the affections they bestowed on him.

In his later years, Newkirk developed arthritis and couldn't get around easily, so he was transferred to Old Friends. And somewhere along the line, he had evolved into a different animal altogether; he became a lover, not a fighter.

Colleen McMullen, executive assistant for the Best Friends Animal Care division, remembers Newkirk from her days working as a caregiver at Old Friends.

"He had become so mellow, Newkirk lived in what was referred to as the ‘Easy Run' at Old Friends because he could co-exist peacefully with dogs who were difficult to place," McMullen recalls.

"He went on a sleepover with some volunteers once. Apparently, he was really nervous being in new surroundings and did not enjoy the sleepover experience. So seeing him so happy to be back to his run at Old Friends, we knew he belonged at Best Friends. It was his home."

Newkirk passed away in 2005 and it seemed only fitting that a lifelong sanctuary resident should be remembered with his own road, which is near Old Friends in Dogtown Heights.

Written by Amy Abern

Photo by Troy Snow

Bernard Road

tedb — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:50:00 GMT

Over the years, Best Friends has gotten its fair share of animals from the nearby polygamist community of Colorado City. This is a place that doesn't exactly inspire thoughts of good dog care, but that's not to say that people there haven't ever tried to do some good for their animals. Case in point:

Back in the 1990s, when Best Friends was still getting off the ground, a truckload of teenage siblings from Colorado City arrived at the sanctuary with a lab-shepherd mix named Bernard.

Bernard had a behavioral quirk-he would grab people by the arm with his jaws and lead them to wherever he wanted to go. He never broke skin, was never aggressive and didn't pose any threat. But such behavior didn't lend itself to being around children. And given the dog was a polygamist family pet, it wasn't as though he'd ever not be around children.

That's why this truck-load of teenagers was dropping him at Best Friends. As co-founder Faith Maloney remembers it, they feared what their father might do with Bernard should he ever see the dog indulging his mouthy behavior with one of the littler ones in the family. They wanted him to remain safe and well cared-for, and that's why they had brought him to Best Friends.

Of course, Best Friends accepted him. Since Best Friends had no trainers or behaviorists on staff back then, Bernard never got over his mouthy antics, but that was fine with the staff and founders. Bernard stayed for the remainder of his life, allowed to roam outside the runs and enjoy his life, and eventually honored with a road in his name.It leads to the Best Friends clinic from the upper canyon entrance road.

Written by Ted Brewer

Photo by Best Friends staff

Morgaine's Place

cathyscott — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 21:23:00 GMT

When two interns volunteered at Best Friends Sanctuary, it was the cats who live at Morgaine's Place who especially touched them.

Morgan Nixon Murdaugh and her friend Letitia Harber Olson spent four weeks at the sanctuary for a college program. Now graduates, Murdaugh remembers Morgaine's as one of her favorite places at the sanctuary.

"In Morgaine's -- pronounced like my name -- I groomed, petted and played with a group of kitties termed ‘shy.' A calico named Cupcake teamed up with a gray feline named Prospero to steal my heart," she says.

It is exactly that kind of tender-loving care that Wendy and Stuart Wolf were hoping for when they donated funds for the building, which is named after their cat Morgaine. It was finished November 2001 at Best Friends' Cat World.

The couple, who live in the Pacific Northwest, made the investment in Morgaine's Place "because of their love for cats," says Best Friends co-founder Faith Maloney. And also, she points out, "in case anything happens to them, we will take their cats."

Judah Battista, associate director of Best Friends Community Programs and Services, adds, "They are great cat lovers who wanted to [construct] the building to help us in large part because we had been helping FeLV+ [feline leukemia-positive] cats."

In the lobby of Morgaine's Place is a framed poem titled "The Muse" that was written by Wendy Wolf. It reads, in part:

"The candle fades; I sip my tea,

My little cat perched lovingly

On the edges of my knee.

"I stroke her coat and feel her quiver

As sweet delight sends a delicate shiver

In waves along her silken fur."

Sitting and taking time with the cats who live at Morgaine's Place is how many volunteers, including Murdaugh, use their time.

"My favorite room at Morgaine's was the shy kitty room," she says. "I spent much of my time there playing with the cats. It was literally the best experience of my life."

Written by Cathy Scott

Photo by Best Friends staff

Amra and Rhonda

sandym — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:44:00 GMT

It seemed like nothing could cheer little Rhonda up, no matter how much love and attention her caregivers showered on her. Whatever the little red terrier mix went through before coming to Best Friends seemed to have broken her spirit, robbed her of the sparkle in her eyes.

Then Amra came along, and he was just the medicine Rhonda needed.

Rhonda and Amra have long since crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, but their memories live on with their names gracing the signs on two of the roads in Best Friends Animal Sanctuary's upper canyon.

And their story continues to inspire.

It seems only fitting that Rhonda Road would meet up with Amra Alley, because in life, the dogs these roads were named after were inseparable.

The first time Rhonda set eyes on the stunningly handsome malamute, it was love at first sight. Rhonda pranced up to him and covered "his white-furred muzzle with tiny kisses," wrote Samantha Glen in her book, "Best Friends: The True Story of the World's Most Beloved Animal Sanctuary." Amra slid to the ground and rolled over on his side and Rhonda proceeded to groom him from head to toe.

The sparkle came back to Rhonda's eyes. Amra brought her back to life and it was the beginning of a lifelong love affair.

Amra and Rhonda were a bit of an odd couple, says Faith Maloney, a Best Friends co-founder.

"He was 145 pounds and she was 17 pounds. They did look odd traveling around together. She would nag him to move and get up just by barking in his face until he gave in. She would also lick his eyes regularly to keep him clean and nice looking."

Amra came to be known as "the Sheriff of Dogtown" and Rhonda was his chief deputy.

"Everywhere he patrolled, unearthing hidden tennis balls, confiscating contraband feeding bowls, or just keeping the peace, plain little Rhonda trotted by his side," Glen wrote.

When Amra's bone cancer began to get the best of him, the decision was made to let him peacefully cross over the Rainbow Bridge. As in life, Rhonda stood by and kept watch.

"It was how she took his death that stays in my mind," Maloney says. "I had her in the room when we euthanized him. I wanted her to know he was gone. We were not able to move him for burial that night so she stayed with him.

"Even after we moved him, she stayed at the old clinic for five days. She would ask to go outside to do her business and then came right back in. She didn't try to look at him, but it was the last place they had been together so she seemed reluctant to leave it."

Finally, Rhonda went outside one morning, and instead of going back into the old clinic, she trotted out to the Old Town Hall and took over Amra's job of greeting visitors, Maloney says.

Rhonda spent the last year of her life in a forever home in Atlanta with Sharyn Faro, who adopted Rhonda after reading a touching story about her devotion to Amra.

Rhonda passed away on Oct. 28, 1998, a year or so after Amra. Faro and her partner, Mia, put on two arts-and-antiques auctions for Best Friends in Rhonda's memory, raising $50,000 that helped build more dog buildings at the sanctuary.

Written by Sandy Miller

Photo by Best Friends staff

Sanctuary roads

amyAbern — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:29:00 GMT

It's not easy getting a road named after you at Best Friends. The general requirements include the following: A clean driving record. An appearance as a guest star on the critically acclaimed NBC comedy, "The Office." And at least one Nobel Prize nomination.

Well, OK, that's something of an exaggeration - but still, it ain't easy. However, in the case of Benton Street, the powers that be at Best Friends agreed a road named in honor of one of the sanctuary's most famous residents, Benton the cat, is a road well named.

There's the logical reason: When following driving directions to Benton's House, (yes, this cat has a building named after him, too), people will know they're probably on the right track when they turn down Benton Street. And for those who have never driven around Best Friends sanctuary, that's pretty significant - the first few excursions tooling around the grounds often involve driving around in circles before finding the right place.

Then there's the emotional reason: Benton was a family cat. That is, until his family abandoned him when they moved away. He became a stray cat, no stranger to the streets. One day, he was hit by a car. Luckily, he came to Best Friends to heal.

Through newsletters and magazine articles, Benton became a major "cat of interest" to all Best Friends members. They followed his recovery, sent their best wishes and even gifts of his favorite food, salmon. He made a miraculous recovery, with only a club foot as a reminder of his accident.

When Benton was well enough to leave the Best Friends medical facility, he moved into a building with the general cat population. But a new cat building was being constructed to house "slightly disabled cats." Everyone agreed this would be Benton's new home; everyone also agreed the building should be named after him. And so it was.

As more cat buildings popped up, so did the roads leading to those buildings. When it came time to name the road on the way to Benton's Place, it was something of a foregone conclusion to give it the name, Benton Street.

Written by Amy Abern

Photo by Best Friends staff

Colonel’s Barracks

amyAbern — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:29:00 GMT

The Colonel's Barracks houses some of the most mischievous cats living at Best Friends. It's why they're in the Wildcat Village part of Cat World. The building is named after one of the most mischievous cats of all: the Colonel.

He came to Best Friends because he really upset one of his human neighbors. It seems the Colonel liked to roam the semi-rural area he lived in, lie in the sun, stretch out in the grass by a babbling brook, visit the local farms and, uh, eat the chickens.

Yeah, it's that last part that got him in trouble. Seems he got caught with feathers in his mouth by the man who housed the chickens. He put a bounty on Colonel's head. The good people at Best Friends rescued him in the nick of time.

But the Colonel wasn't happy at Best Friends. He hissed, postured, didn't like people and didn't play well with others. Besides, he preferred the food options from his former life.

One of the caregivers, Marco, wasn't buying into his act. Marco worked with him every day for several weeks, assuring him that no one at Best Friends was going to kill him. The Colonel started making friends with his other feline housemates. And eventually, he got used to this stuff called cat food.

Before long, the Colonel evolved from a Big Meanie into a Big Softie. Founder Vivian Ebbs, a Best Friends founder, says the Colonel decided to become "the best ambassador he could be" for Best Friends.

"He had such a strong personality," Vivian says. "He really ran the barracks; he was definitely the alpha cat there. And whenever people came by, he'd take it upon himself to walk up to them and offer a proper greeting. He ended up loving people."

The Colonel never left Best Friends. Still, he lived a happy and well-loved life until the day he passed over the Rainbow Bridge. The Colonel's Barracks, named in his honor, is big, but is dwarfed by the memory of the Colonel's larger-than-life personality and heart.

Written by Amy Abern

Connect the Dotty

sandym — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:55:00 GMT

Dotty was a sweet old gal, a gentle soul who got along with everyone.

The black, tan and white mixed-breed dog with the dots above her eyes was one of the senior residents at Best Friends' Dogtown.

Best Friends built the "suburban subdivision" called Dogtown Heights in the early part of the decade. Lynn Battista, a former Dogtown caregiver and manager, named the two octagons that make up what's known as the Fairway at Dogtown Heights. She named one of the octagons after Dotty, the first dog she ever fostered at Best Friends.

The digs at Dogtown and Dogtown Heights have indoor and outdoor play areas and plenty of toys to choose from. There's a fitness center and full-service veterinary clinic. There are wonderful caregivers and volunteers who give the canine residents lots of love and attention. But there's nothing quite as good as a forever home.

Like a lot of senior dogs, Dotty had a touch of arthritis. When the stiffness in her legs started to make it difficult for her to get around, Battista took Dotty home with her. Dotty died of old age a few months later, but she crossed over the Rainbow Bridge knowing what it was like to have a forever home.

Battista named the other Fairway octagon Petey after another Dogtown old-timer she took home with her.

Today, the Dotty and Petey octagons are home to almost 30 dogs -- all as laid back as the canines whose names grace the buildings. The dogs are especially popular with children who visit the sanctuary, and many of the dogs go on outings and sleepovers with volunteers and staff.

And the memories of Dotty and Petey live on in the hearts of the people who knew and loved them.

Written by Sandy Miller

Photo by Gary Kalpakoff

Leopold’s Lair

tedb — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 07:25:00 GMT

With a name like Leopold, what kind of dog would you expect? Perhaps a bull mastiff, a Newfoundland, a St. Bernard or some other giant breed of dog?

But the Leopold for whom Leopold's Lair is named was not exactly in the "giant" category. He was a black Chihuahua mix, and weighed about six pounds.

For whatever he lacked in size, he made up for in bravado.

Co-founder Faith Maloney took care of Leopold, along with a bloodhound named Brunhilda. Brunhilda was never very nice to small dogs-except, that is, to Leopold.

"Leopold matched Brunhilda in attitude even though Brunhilda was 100 pounds bigger than Leopold was," Maloney remembers.

Even when surrounded by cats, a situation most Chihuahuas might not make through with skin intact, Leopold was undaunted.

"Leopold could walk happily through a room-full of cats and not be messed with," Maloney says.

The octagon that would bear Leopold's name emerged on the spot where Maloney lived in her single-wide trailer. This occurred often in the beginning of Best Friends: old trailers dragged away and dog octagons built in their spots since the water and electrical hook-ups were already in place, saving money on having to dig new trenches and lay more pipes and wires.

As it turns out, there's nothing lair-like at all about Leopold's Lair-it's sunny, open, and above ground. Dogtown staff gave the building the name simply because it had a nice, alliterative ring to it.

Written by Ted Brewer

Photo by Gary Kalpakoff

Petey’s pad

sandym — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:24:00 GMT

Petey was one of Dogtown's old-timers. So when Best Friends built a "suburban subdivision" called Dogtown Heights back in the early part of the decade, former Dogtown manager Lynn Battista named one of the residences after the shy, black, mixed-breed canine she'd come to know and love.

"He was one of the most wonderful dogs I have ever met, and when I was asked to name the buildings at the Fairway [a neighborhood in Dogtown Heights], I decided on ‘Petey' as a remembrance to him," Battista says.

The residents of Dogtown and Dogtown Heights live in the octagons, which have indoor-outdoor play areas. They have access to a fitness center and a full-service veterinary clinic. They have wonderful caregivers and volunteers to give them lots of love and attention and take them on daily walks along the sanctuary's scenic trails.

But as nice as all those things are, there's nothing quite as good as a forever home. So Battista adopted Petey and took him home with her where he lived the good life for a few more years before crossing over the Rainbow Bridge.

The Fairway is made up of the last two buildings constructed at Dogtown Heights. In addition to Petey, there is Dotty, named after another former Dogtown resident, the first sanctuary dog Battista ever fostered.

"They were sweet, family-type dogs," remembers Sherry Woodard, animal behavior and training manager at Best Friends.

Today, the Petey building is home to about a dozen dogs - all of them as easygoing as the building's namesake. Many of them go on outings and sleepovers with volunteers and staff at the sanctuary.

And even though he's crossed over the Rainbow Bridge, Petey's legacy lives on with his name gracing one of the Fairway's buildings.

Written by Sandy Miller

Photos by Gary Kalpakoff and Best Friends staff

Ginger’s roots

tedb — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 05:17:00 GMT

In the early days of Best Friends, co-founder Faith Maloney served as the only unofficial animal control officer for Kane County, Utah (the county in which our sanctuary is located), as well as for areas in northern Arizona that adjoin the county.

Whenever the highway patrol, county sheriffs, or local police had a case involving animals, she usually got the call. One night the police called her to a house where a man who had just been arrested for pulling a gun on his wife.

The man was a breeder of Chesapeake retrievers. There were nine of them at the house, and the man's wife wanted them all out. Maloney obliged, and had them safely transported to the sanctuary that night.

One of the dogs was named Ginger, and because Dogtown's runs were at capacity, Ginger and her two sons were allowed to romp around Dogtown unfettered-a vast improvement from being chained up at her previous residence.

Ginger had an abiding penchant for collecting tennis balls. Twice a day, she would make the rounds of Dogtown and collect each and every ball the other dogs had left behind. She would deposit those balls under a single tree that Best Friends founders dubbed the "federal reserve tree." Balls were a kind of currency in the economy of Dogtown, and it was Ginger's job to keep the economy vibrant by centralizing the wealth at a single location and making it available for dispersal. Other dogs did the dispersing.

Having performed her duties as a ball collector so admirably, Ginger got a building named after her.

Written by Ted Brewer

Photo by Gary Kalpakoff

Hermosa’s Hideout

tedb — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:53:00 GMT

It goes with the job of rescuing animals - encountering people so blithely callous to animals you wonder which planet they have come from. Co-founder Faith Maloney, who in the 1980s served as unofficial animal control in Kanab, Utah, the area in which Best Friends is located, has certainly met her fair share of these kinds of people. But one man, after all these years, still sits in her mind like a thorn.

The county sheriff one day asked Maloney to pick up a rabbit from this man's house. Apparently, the man couldn't afford to feed the rabbit anymore. While Maloney was there picking up the rabbit, he asked if she wanted to take the family dog as well.

"What's the problem?" she asked.

"Kids are going back to school so we don't want her anymore. I was going to shoot her when she finished the bag of dog food."

Too shocked to speak, Maloney gathered the dog and the bunny and left.

"I don't think I will ever get over the casual way some people relate to life," Maloney says. "Why waste the food? Let the dog eat the remainder of the food. Then shoot her. Made sense to him."

Back at the sanctuary, the founders renamed the dog Hermosa, which means "beautiful" in Spanish. Later, in honor of the dog, the founders named one of the octagons after her. The "hideout" part of the name came from the Old West theme the founders had running in the early days. Hideouts were, of course, places where bandits would go to evade the law.

But the name could just as well have conveyed a place where dogs, like Hermosa, could find sanctuary from the brutish approach certain people take to animals.

Written by Ted Brewer

Photo by Gary Kalpakoff

Vinny’s Place

amyAbern — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:08:00 GMT

Vinny's Place was constructed by a builder that couldn't spell.

But Vinnie didn't really care at all about that; spelling wasn't a high priority in his life. Vinnie was a cat.

He was found with several other feral cats and brought to Best Friends. None of them were doing very well, including Vinnie. He had an upper respiratory condition and a bad eye infection.

He caught the attention - and the heartstrings - of Vivian Ebbs, a Best Friends founder. At the time she was working as a vet tech, so she saw Vinnie every day. She cleaned and brushed his matted coat. She put drops in his eyes, petted him and told him everything would be okay. Over time, Vivian uncovered the beautiful cat buried beneath layers of dirt and hard living.

"One day, I noticed he just blossomed; it was really something to see his transformation," she says.

Vinnie made a full recovery; and enjoyed a healthy life for many years. He was best friends with all the other cats in his house and made friends with all the people who came to visit.

In his twilight years, Vinnie's urinary tract infection came back. Sometime around his 20^th birthday, he passed over the Rainbow Bridge.

"Best Friends was the only home he ever knew," Vivian says. "Naming the building after this special boy seemed like a fitting forever tribute to a cat we'll remember forever."

And it doesn't bother Vivian anymore that his name is spelled wrong on the building. It doesn't change the fact that she and many others luved him!

Written by Amy Abern

Photo by Gary Kalpakoff

Jethro

amyAbern — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 15:21:00 GMT

Like many dogs, Jethro came to Best Friends to avoid death. Not the euthanasia kind of death that comes from being in an animal control facility, but rather the kind of death that comes from being the target of a mafia hit.

Jethro was living in Arizona. He was hungry, on the verge of starving. And so he ate some chickens. The person who belonged to those chickens warned the locals that Jethro was going to be "a dead dog."

So Best Friends made sure that man never saw Jethro again. As the story goes, a volunteer traveled to Arizona and picked up Jethro in the dark of night and whisked him away witness-protection style. He arrived at Best Friends safe and sound.

Jethro lived in old Dogtown when he first came to the sanctuary because Dogtown Heights, the Best Friends residence that would become his permanent home, hadn't been built yet. He settled in nicely as a dog that got along well with people and other dogs.

Dogtown manager Michelle Besmehn remembers Jethro as "a sweet, goofy guy." "Jethro had a very sweet disposition and thought of everyone as his friend."

When Dogtown Heights was finally built, Jethro moved over the Garden as an "out" dog, which means he was allowed to roam free and greet all visitors and staff coming to the area. There, he lived out his days until he crossed the Rainbow Bridge.

It seemed only fitting since Jethro had such a dramatic entrance to Best Friends - and never enjoyed a forever home of his own - at the very least he deserved a heart-felt memorial that would live on in his name.

That's how Best Friends came to name one of the octagons at the Garden "Jethro," a forever tribute to a dog who escaped death to become a sweet, loving "lifer" at Best Friends.

Written by Amy Abern

Photo by Molly Wald

Benton’s Place

amyAbern — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 12:09:00 GMT

Benton the cat had a hard-luck beginning, but became so famous he had an entire building at Best Friends named in his honor.

Benton's family decided to move without him. Not quite believing they planned on leaving him behind, Benton traipsed through the streets looking for his people. Instead he found a car speeding toward him. When he woke up, at Best Friends, Benton felt like had had been broken all over.

His story made all the Best Friends newsletters and his progress was followed closely by all our members. He made a nearly full recovery with the exception of a club foot.

In 1994, Benton lived with the general cat population at Best Friends. Around the same time, the founders had scraped enough money together to build a new cat building. When it was finished in May 1995, they all agreed Benton should live there. And while they were at it, they decided to name the building after him.

People all over the country celebrated the opening of Benton's House. As the story goes, founder Steven Hirano sent out a special newsletter inviting all the Best Friends members to come out and celebrate the grand opening of Benton's House, a place that would eventually come to be known as the place for "slightly disabled cats."

About 150 people made the trek to Best Friends for the celebration. Others sent housewarming gifts of blankets, towels, toys and cat food. One couple from Sweden sent a package of smoked salmon to give to Benton - their idea of a prefect gift because it was their cat's favorite food.

It was during this celebration that Best Friends co-founder Jana de Peyer made an observation: Many people were looking to adopt special needs cats, just like Benton. Co-founder Anne Mejia said she had been receiving similar queries. And so Benton's House became a special new place for special cats in need.

Written by Amy Abern

Photo by Gary Kalpakoff

Daisy Mae and her Saloon were originals

tedb — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:07:00 GMT

Located in Dogtown next to Maggie's Mercantile and Peach's Parlor, Daisy Mae's Saloon is one of the original octagons at the sanctuary. Its name follows in the kitschy Old West vein the founders of Best Friends delighted in when they first started naming buildings at the sanctuary. Of course, what would an Old West town be without a saloon?

Now, Daisy Mae wasn't exactly a lapper of Ten High, nor was she an all-night carouser. The lab-hound mix, who was rescued near the sanctuary, was more the domesticated sort, as evinced one day when somebody donated and delivered an enormous doghouse to Dogtown.

They had just unloaded it from the truck when Daisy Mae came sniffing around. Within no time, she took possession of the doghouse.

"This was the Palace of Versailles for Daisy Mae," says Faith Maloney, a Best Friends founder. "It was singularly hers."

Once ensconced, Daisy Mae kept a vigilant eye on the house whenever she went for a stroll in the area, and if any person, dog, or even squirrel happened to come near, Daisy Mae dashed back to the house and darted inside, as if to say, "don't even think about moving in here."

With such a charismatic dog on their hands, the founders couldn't help but immortalize her when the time came to name the Dogtown buildings.

Written by Ted Brewer

Photo by Gary Kalpakoff

Where the mops don’t stop

amyAbern — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:17:00 GMT

The building known as Jill's Diner got its name in two parts: "Diner" made sense because all of the cats living in this Wildcat Village building had special dietary needs due to digestive and urinary tract issues. "Jill" pays homage to one of its sweetest, most lovable and messiest cats to ever walk the grounds of Best Friends.

Jill came to Best Friends with her brother, Jack. (And yes, they went up many hills together.)

Vivian Ebbs, a Best Friends founder, says both cats stole the hearts of everyone who met them because they were so cute, loving and affectionate. But Jack and Jill had this one little issue that, Vivian says, kept them from "being adopted a thousand times over." They peed. Everywhere. A lot.

Jack and Jill lived in the Problem Urinary Tract room where mops rarely took a break. Some of the cats who lived in there got over their "pissiness" because their issues were behavioral. Many were adopted after they learned proper litter box procedures.

Jack and Jill never understood the litter box. To them, the room was a litter box. And so they never moved into forever homes.

Jack passed on when he was young; Jill lived well into her late teens. And even though she never had a family of her own, she adopted everyone she met as family. She passed over the Rainbow Bridge having lived a full, loving and often wet life.

Written by Amy Abern

Jeffrey's Place

sandym — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:54:00 GMT

It's a very special place for some very special dogs.

"Jeffrey's Place is a cross between Juvie and the Big House," Best Friends co-founder Faith Maloney wrote in a story following the building's dedication back in July 2006. "A happy place for dogs that have crossed the line with some kind of unacceptable behavior and need some time to get with the program and stop biting the hands that feed them."

Jeffrey's Place, located in Best Friends Old Dogtown, usually has about 25 dogs at any given time - a mix of biters, incorrigibles and the socially challenged, dogs that others had given up on or just plain couldn't handle. There, they live comfortable lives, complete with under-floor heating in the winter and evaporative cooling in the summer. And they have plenty of room to run and play and get the wiggles out.

Best of all, they have the love and dedication of caregivers like Tyson Horn, a guy with a gift for being able to tune in to what dogs are thinking and feeling. Horn has been working with Best Friends dogs for 23 years.

"They're neat dogs," Horn says of his canine delinquents. "They can be difficult, but they're actually very sweet in their own way."

Some of the dogs of Jeffrey's Place do find their way into wonderful forever homes with people who have been very carefully screened and are able to continue tending to their special needs. Others live out their entire lives at Jeffrey's Place.

Jeffrey's Place was named for Jeffrey Wander, a man who died seven years ago at just 27 due to complications of Type 1 diabetes. Knowing her son's love for animals and his dedication to helping others, his mother, Leslie Wander, raised a lot of the funds to help build Jeffrey's Place. On July 5, 2006, the building was dedicated and Jeffrey's memory was honored.

"It was both a sad and joyous occasion," Maloney wrote. "We could feel Jeffrey's presence with us in spirit, and even though most of us had not met the young man, we could feel that he was getting a kick out of seeing the young tearaways and the old lags enjoying their new digs."

Chances are, the dogs of Jeffrey's Place feel its namesake's presence, too.

By Sandy Miller

The kindness of strangers

scratchtopaz — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 03:30:00 GMT

How serendipity, tenacity and love helped build Best Friends

In the early ‘90s after the sanctuary grounds were secured and the founders were busy rescuing as many animals as possible, it was apparent that the rural area of Kanab would not be able to support the growing effort. Out into the world they went: with hearts on their sleeves and saving innocent lives on their minds.

"In 1991, we were hit with a big money crunch," shared Silva Battista, "we had 1,200 animals, massive debt and we were located in the middle of nowhere. But we could not renege on our commitment." Thus began Silva's cliffside chat, the finale of founder candid talks, a popular event in the celebration of Best Friends' 25^th Anniversary.

The first thing they did was send folks to big cities to drum up support. Silva humorously called it ‘begging' - but it can be found as ‘tabling' in the resource section of this website!

Silva and Francis Battista were both tasked with going to Los Angeles. They knew almost no one and just flew by the seat of their pants! During the talk, Silva was flanked by two longtime Best Friends family members: Diane Doyle and Nora Della Maddalena, some of the first angels that helped pave the road to success.

"We picked high end health food stores to target the audience that was a more aware consumer. In some places we had to get there two hours before the store even opened to secure our spot. We stayed as late as possible, afterwards we would do the accounting and then deal with animal issues - inquiries like ‘can you take this duck?' were just part of our daily lives."

Silva mentioned in passing that programs such as the first Animal Help department at Best Friends sprung from these early endeavors. Many animals needing saving, but they can't all go to the sanctuary! Using the technology of the day, they networked for homeless pets in Los Angeles; making mimeographed flyers and posting them at the local supermarkets and community bulletin boards, they were essentially functioning as the first rudimentary Petfinder while they were also acting as chief fundraisers for the erstwhile struggling sanctuary.

Even while putting in 15 hour days, they knew they had no other choice. Back at the sanctuary the animals needed to be fed. A break came when they were able to get a gig in an upscale Beverly Hills center where they could spread awareness to an even broader audience. The people that were attracted to their work turned out to be some of the biggest movers and shakers in the area, in addition to some of the most dedicated and passionate animal lovers in the world!

"We were fundraising in Malibu over Thanksgiving and a man came up to us and listened intently but was very quiet. He handed me his card and it said "President" Kalkan (Pedigree) - the pet food company. He told us of a supply of food that was mislabeled and wanted to know if we wanted it. I asked him if they could deliver it to Utah? He replied, quickly, ‘We're International!' We filled up one of our natural caves at the sanctuary with enough food to last our dogs for quite awhile," Silva related.

In 1993 with the help of a wonderful pet professional to the stars, they were able to have the first Lint Roller Party. Diane Doyle made sure the posters, flyers and invitations all looked professional by lending her design expertise. It was held at the Chateau Marmont, with donated food. The event boasted some of the world's most famous guests: Rene Russo, Claudia Schiffer, Nastassja Kinski, a few of the cast of 90210, and Timothy Leary, just to name a few! Silva and Francis were able to count the director, Wolfgang Petersen, among their most loyal friends; Mr. & Mrs. Petersen not only helped supply a lot of the ‘wow-factor', they even leant them the shirts off their backs, so that Silva and Francis could attend their own event in style!

This was the launch of the annual Lint Roller Party - where celebrities come out to honor the animals and help spread the word about the work of Best Friends. The early events lead to some eye-opening planning tips and tricks, such as: if you are doing a yard sale, don't forget to find out if the venue has a sprinkler system turned on before spreading stuff out the night before!

They held a series of Beverly Hills yard sales culminating at a massive yard sale event in 1995 at the West Hollywood Park, to help offset the money they were losing from assisting locals with pet lost and found in the aftermath of the earthquake. Again they found their extended family coming out in droves to help support the endeavor! With over three truckloads of merchandise leftover after the event, they had raised $20,000.

With all the kindness they were receiving from the community Silva and Francis wanted to give back. They published an animal rescue directory, it was bigger than most phonebooks, another early resource forerunner to what can now be found easily on the Internet.

It was also in this spirit of giving back, that they staged one of the first large scale adoption events. By approaching the production studios they were able to borrow tents, tables and other accoutrements that go into such an event. "It looked like a gypsy camp," Silva described. Nora Della Maddalena was an instrumental part of getting these events to the professional, streamlined event that happen today. This likeminded event team also segued into what became the Best Friends Brigade!

Best Friends knew that many rescues don't have time to do it all! From feeding, vetting, and rescuing animals, some of the day to day maintenance can easily fall by the wayside. The Best Friends Brigade was formed by local volunteers, under the tutelage of Nora, to help revamp shelters. They offered the practical help that was needed, like re-roofing one shelter in advance of El Nino. They rebuilt barns at a horse rescue, they rebuilt enclosures for Shambala, and they continue to help those helping the animals every way they can.

"We didn't expect to love Los Angeles, but the people were so warm and supportive. When we started having monthly volunteer meetings our volunteers opened their homes to us. These beautiful mansions filled with the most gorgeous women in the world. Francis jokes that animal welfare is the best kept secret in finding your dream date!"

Silva's parting words instill the same sense of awe that they've had since the beginning: "We had, and still have, one of the best volunteer teams that anyone could ask for. At every event guests would say the same thing - 'your volunteers are amazing.' It is like a family of people who come together event after event, year after year, without necessarily seeing each other in between and work together like a machine. Everyone pulls their weight, with a huge amount of trust, respect and a willingness to give it all. I have an enormous amount of love for so many of them."

From strangers to friends to family there is gold in them there hills!

For more information on getting involved in Los Angeles please go to Los Angeles Programs

By Denise LeBeau

Photos by Jennifer Hayes

Founders built a sanctuary, one step at a time

cathyscott — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 19:02:00 GMT

So, you have the property and you have the concept, but how do you go about starting a sanctuary?

That was one of the tough questions Best Friends co-founders asked themselves 25 years ago.

Besides being the best setting possible for animals, "You always want to create as much as a people friendly environment as you can," Gabriel de Peyer told 22 people gathered on the patio deck at Best Friends' Welcome Center during a cliffside chat, one of several held during Best Friends Week. De Peyer is one of about 20 co-founders who, in 1984, started the Best Friends no-kill sanctuary on the grounds of Angel's Canyon.

"You're thinking, really, how you're organizing a campus of 2,000 animals," he says. "But you also have to consider, with care, who to hire."

"You'd think we'd want people who love animals, right?" de Peyer asks the visitors. "We made this mistake initially where some employees were very good with animals but terrible with people. You can always teach them animal skills and how to deal with animals, but you can't teach them people skills."

Also, when you start a sanctuary, he says, you're not thinking about how to dig trenches, but that's exactly what happened. "Our mantra really was ‘Don't get angry, don't get depressed and try and remember where you buried the power lines.'"

Paramount in their plans was being respectful and mindful of the local culture and community and how the founders related to the property itself. "The one thing we didn't want was a hodge-podge of buildings," he says.

And they didn't want overhead power lines. "It was important to us how the sanctuary looked," he says. "We wanted to be an addition to the canyon and not a distraction."

As the sanctuary grew, so, too, did the number of animals. "We dealt with it incrementally," he says. "Part of being responsible for the animals is being responsible for the structure. We never went further than what we could handle."

When asked if they envisioned in 1984 the sanctuary as it is today, de Peyer says, "We had no idea it would be this large. We thought we'd put one idea in place at a time."

They also decided to stick with just companion animals. "We did have a baby ostrich," he says. "There's nothing cuter than a baby ostrich, but we knew we couldn't give her the care she needed, so we gave her to a sanctuary."

For many years, they cared for a black goat. They named him Goatee. One day, a woman from New York stayed in one of the original primitive cottages, which in the 1940s were housing for the cast of motion picture films, including one starring Ronald Reagan. "The woman was used to sounds of the city," de Peyer says. "She heard footsteps outside her door so she called her husband, who called the police, who arrived with sirens blaring to catch the burglar. As it turned out, it was the goat."

Another important decision co-founders made, besides putting the animals first, was to set up Best Friends Animal Society so that it continues when the founders are gone. "The Salvation Army has been around for 150 years. It survived," de Peyer says. "Hopefully, in 25 years Best Friends will still be something beautiful and special."

To make that happen, "You light a candle and other people come in and light a candle from yours, and more people light their candles from those candles," he says.

"You light a candle and have it live on."

By Cathy Scott

Photos by Sarah Ause and Jennifer Hayes