Best Friends Animal Sanctuary Reviews

Why are employees and volunteers jumping ship like it’s sinking? Take off your blinders and look at the real picture.

If you are in the area, you have to sign up for a volunteer shift at this amazing sanctuary for animals. The people that work here are angels on earth and the animals they serve will melt your heart. It was some of the most memorable three hours of our vacation.

Very professional tour. Classy and you can tell the people love working there. Nice all you can eat veggie lunch at noon. Free and no hard sell for contributions, etc

Took a free tour and this place is amazing and beautiful. No kill and rehab for pets and wildlife. I wish there was one this lovely in Michigan

Been here many times to visit, stayed at the rv park, but today, we adopted a beautiful baby girl!!! The Cafe closed before we got there, such good food, wouldn't even know its vegan. Staff are great, and love the gift shop. I donate every year to this place. Absolutely beautiful and serene!!!

This animal sanctuary lies in the beautiful hills just south of Bryce National Park and east of Zion National Park. It provides a great place for a family outing that is not "just scenery" (although there is plenty) for kids. It is a chance to cuddle and pet cats and dogs and bunnies and learn about the important work of this "No Kill" sanctuary. There is wonderful lodging in nearby Kanab and the Coral Pink Sand Dunes are just down the road.

When we were planning our Western US tour, Best Friends was on our list of Must-See stops. We did plan ahead and scheduled a 90 minute tour of the facility. We arrived at their visitor's center and we were greeted warmly. One of the founders, Gabriel, introduced himself and talked to us while we were waiting. The tour was in an air conditioned passenger van with a guide who spoke to us over a microphone. We made stops at Cat World and Dog Town. We were able to interact briefly with some cats and dogs. Every place we went was clean and did not smell like animals at all.

This is such a worthwhile organization. I can't say enough good things about them and this tour. We of course came away with lots of sourvinors from the gift shop. And, if we hadn't been traveling by airplane, we probably would have come home with a new furry friend.

My wife and I have donated to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary for years and we always said we would go there one day. We can now check that off our bucket list. We took several of the free tours and explored as much of the 3,700 acres as we could. The staff is so friendly and caring. We learned so much about how they rescue, care for and adopt out cats, dogs, and many other animals. Please look them up and consider a visit to see the sanctuary and maybe even volunteer your time. It's a wonderful experience.

Go here. Just go. Even if you are just passing through, either take a tour or volunteer. It's so fun and rewarding and heartwarming. The landscape is beautiful and it's so wonderful that the animals are just living their best lives. I volunteered with the pigs and the dogs (puppy socialization... literally played with puppies for 2 hours) and my face hurt from smiling so much by the end of the day. I can't wait to go back!

This was my first visit back in 18 years. It has done nothing but get better and better at what they do. The friendly volunteers and workers, the space and how it's been developed, as well as executing the vision to "Save them All." If you haven't been and would like to see a dream come true, don't miss Best Friends.

I have been before and I will definitely go again!! Such beautiful land scape and all the animals were adorable.

We did the tour was very informative. Did this more for my wife but was well worth it. Very big place.

There was so much more to do here than we expected! There are tours of multiple parts of the 6000-acre sanctuary, free and running pretty much all day long. Don’t miss the vegan buffet - $5 all you can eat lunch from 11:30-1. Beautiful property with incredible views from the cafe. Volunteer opportunities tailored to visitors.

It is impossible to comprehend Best Friends and how much they do for animals unless you come here and see for yourself. If you care about animals at all, you will be overwhelmed with the beauty and grandeur of the surroundings, the warmth and caring attitude of the staff and volunteers, and the extent to which they go to save and rehabilitate animals. But, perhaps the best part is the goal of eliminating all shelter euthanasia during the next decade - and they have already made significant progress toward meeting that goal.

The location is a bit remote; however, it is not that far out of the way when visiting the national parks in southern Utah or the north rim of the Grand Canyon. It is located a few miles north of Kanab, Utah, where there is a variety of hotels and restaurants.

The facilities are vast, and can only be seen by car; however, they have 4 guided tours every day, and the tour guides (our guide was Kiki) are excellent! Everything starts at the welcome center, where you can arrange a tour, get information, buy Best Friends branded merchandise, and pet the resident cat, Billy.

In our case, we came here to have the cremains of 4 of our beloved cats buried beneath their memorial plaques in Angel's Rest pet cemetary... Gloria McBeth, who makes these arrangements, was wonderful in all aspects, and the two guys, Josh and Doug, who handled the burial at Angel's Rest, couldn't have been more kind, compassionate, and accommodating. They conducted a brief burial ceremony that was very touching. There are nearly 10,000 memorial plaques and burial sites at Angel's Rest, so we are confident that the remains of our pets will be safe here forever.

There is so much more to say about this place, but this space can't do it justice... suffice to say that this is a wonderful place and it deserves to be supported.

The sanctuary just 5 miles from Kanab, is situated within a beautiful canyon with red sandstone cliffs, dense forest, a small river and colorful cottonwood trees. Unfortunately, because of Covid, all the tours were closed, but we still got to walk around the area and hiked to some rock art and petroglyphs. The pet cemetery is a must see and there is a beautiful memorial garden. The views from the cafeteria are also stunning.
The staff and everyone else working or volunteering there are extremely friendly.

I've heard and read about Best Friends but never visited until this year. While we didn't have time to take a tour we spent well over an hour talking with the passionate guides and purchasing from the store. We are ready to sign up to become volunteers and if everything goes as planned will become an employee of Best Friends some day (we loved Kanab). We adopted our dog almost 13 years ago and have great appreciation for anyone who works with animals who are lost, given up or forgotten. 3,700 acres and we cannot wait to return.

This was our second visit to the sanctuary. We've done the grand sanctuary tour and the Dog Town tour - both were really great (and free!) On the grand sanctuary tour we visited with a bunch of cats and met a very sweet old dog in the senior area. They do amazing work here and the land is absolutely stunning. They have dogs, cats, birds, horses, wild animals, you name it! It's worth an hour or two of your time, and if you're able, you should definitely donate to this fabulous organization. They truly care about animals and are doing great work nationwide. I'd recommend booking your tour online in advance, they fill up fast.

Best friends animal sanctuary is a no kill shelter. They offer free tours of their massive facility. This is the most amazing place as every animal is cared for like they are their own. they also have an excellent vegan buffet restaurant. You may just leave with a new friend. Please adopt.

My 7-year old daughter and I volunteered for at Cat World this week and had a really lovely afternoon interacting and socializing with special needs cats. We chose to volunteer rather than take the tour because it would allow us more ability to interact with the animals - although with a tour we would have seen more of the sanctuary overall; my suggestion would be to do both if you have the time. This is an awesome place spread out over the canyon in many buildings; the facilities for the animals are beautiful and the care they receive is amazing.

While we volunteered with cats, that was largely due to my daughter’s age and where she could volunteer per Best Friends’ guidelines. There are also volunteering areas for rabbits, dogs, horses, pigs, and parrots. If we make it back to Kanab, we would definitely do this again. This is truly a wonderful place with an amazing mission!

We visited here in mid-July. The experience was amazing even though most of the sanctuary was closed. They were still very welcoming and friendly. The cemetery is an absolutely amazing experience as is this sanctuary and the goals of the company.

I spent a week at Best Friends in the Parrot Garden. Besides the breathtaking views, and the amazing people that are saving lives, I came away a different person. The sanctuary is a haven, not to mention Heaven to so many animals that need care. Please volunteer, or at least visit this wonderful world.

The Sanctuary is a must stop for animal lovers. The tour is about 1.5 hours and gives a great overview of their mission. I left impressed and enthused!

We had two types of tours of Best Friends, plus did some volunteer time. All of them were incredible experiences. We had an Old Dogtown behind the scenes tour, which took us to where their more solitary dogs are, some with dog aggression. We also did a Grand Tour, which showed us the whole place, mostly from the van. They offer free tours every day of the week. We want to go back for more! Our volunteer work was in Cat World. We helped to scoop litter, do some cleaning, but then also got to socialize with the kittens. Kittens crawling all over us ... we were in heaven! We would like to volunteer again as well. They do impressive work there, and it's wonderful to see it for yourself.

They offer fantastic tours worth going and spending a few hours or the day. Really enjoyed visiting animals and seeing how well run is the shelter.

Being an animal lover, I knew I must visit here! From the moment I stepped foot in the van, i was overwhelmed with the most surreal feeling I've ever felt in my entire life. I have never felt that much happiness. Then when we arrived to the sanctuary, we were welcomed with the stunning views of the canyons, horses roaming free and seeing the buildings that housed the dogs and cats. We began the tour with seeing the cats, and while i am allergic and was hesitant, this was still a remarkable set up and building for these cats! The cherry on top was when one of the cats,one who didn't normally interact with people, climbed from the cat tree and laid on my shoulder and fell asleep. He stayed like that for almost 20 minutes until i had to put him back so we could go see the dogs! It was a moment i'll never forget. The staff were very informative, and genuinely cared about the animals and their well-being. If i'm able to find it on my phone, i'll upload the picture soon!

Interred our cat in Angels Overlook. If you’re a pet lover you should take the drive through Kanab Canyon and spend some time with pets that have passed. It’s a wonderful,place.

i've been up the sanctuary 3 times to volunteer. The caregivers are so thoughtful and kind. The grounds are breathtaking. The views are amazing. And the vegan buffet lunch is delicious and a total steal at $5.

This place is amazing. They are doing wonderful things for these animals. The grounds are neat and clean! You wake up to red rock canyons all around you! It’s beautiful ! It’s just awesome!!

The tour isn’t necessarily interesting because of what you see and do but because you see how much Best Friends is accomplishing. A high light was interacting with some of the pigs. Most of us get to interact with cats and dogs on a regular basis, but petting pigs was a unique experience. I’m not a vegetarian, but their buffet is very good. The buffet is a great deal for $5.

There are really no words to describe how I felt about this place. It was amazing. I would recommend any animal lover go and check it out. Angel's Rest was one of the most moving places I have ever seen. I could have spent hours looking around. If you have time, definitely take the tour. We didn't have time but I will next time!

when we went to see about getting a tour they were curt and not helpful Just said no you have to book a week in advance and didn't offer and suggestions

At first I thought it was odd my husband wanted to stop here on our way to the Grand Canyon, but boy was I wrong! We took the Grand Sanctuary Tour and I knew I'd like this place the moment I called to book our tour and Jean answered. She was so friendly and was able to book us despite the website stating they were full. We hopped into a newer van with great a/c and were led by Jill, our guide for the day. She was funny and very informative. One thing I wished we would have done differently is booked the Dog Town tour, but we didn't book early enough. We all our dog-lovers and would have liked to spend more time with them.

I suggest you book early and get there early. They welcoming center is super clean and has a huge selection of gift items. There are impeccably clean restrooms on site and place to eat lunch if you'd like - vegan menu items only (I think?).

It's an amazing place and shows you what the human spirit can do. If you're an animal lover of any sort, it's definitely worth the stop.

My favorite part was ALL of it! LOVE LOVE LOVE @bestfriendsanimalsanctuary. It was a short two day journey for me, so I did a self guided tour in my vehicle, and observed what I see has evolved over the years: their dream and vision in action. Wow. P.S Love the horses, but love the place in it's entirety and the staff so incredibly committed to their mission.

We accidentally came across this place while taking a drive around and , so glad we did. Such a unique place, definitely worth the drive. Wish we stayed instead of just driving by.

Free tour in beautiful area. No kill sanctuary for dogs cats horses and more. Good for all ages. 2 hour tour. Good to call ahead. No cost/free

I’ve wanted to Visit Best Friends for a long time. It was well worth the wait. Tucked away in it’s own beautiful canyon outside of Kanab, it made my heart so happy to know all of the animals living there were living in their own piece of paradise. Although this is a destination for anyone, this is an absolute must visit for families with children to teach them about how to respect animals. I will go back as often as I can to volunteer and just soak up the good feelings and the love from all the animals! They also have a hotel!

Whether with a tour or there for volunteering, the Sanctuary is definitely a must see when in Kanab! You will be surrounded by the beauty of South Utah and will quickly understand why people come from all over the US (and beyond) to volunteer with this unique organization.

I wish we had had more time so that we could have taken the van tour. We had heard of the Sanctuary many times over the years and now found ourselves in Kanab on a little getaway. We happened to drive the short way up the canyon out of curiosity. From a quick visit with a volunteer, we learned that there are well over 3,000 acres encompassing around 1600 animals. In order to see it, you can take a free 90 minute van tour. Alas, we didn't have time to do it this trip. We did take a few minutes to go see the animal cemetery. It is a tribute to the wonderful God-given gift of companion animals in our lives. We were very touched but it, and by the dedication of the volunteers who manage this no-kill shelter.

I had visited Best Friends many years ago to attend a workshop. I really wanted my husband to see it so we planned a day trip there from Sedona. We reserved the grand tour (2 hrs) at 10, had lunch in the cafeteria (very tasty) and then took the Old Dogtown Behind the Scenes tour (1&1/2 hrs). Tours are free! Both tour guides (ambassadors) were very good, but the best part of the 2nd tour was that we were the only guests and got to ask lots of questions. Jennifer is very passionate about animal welfare and all the outstanding initiatives that Best Friends is undertaking to tackle the challenge of overpopulation. If you have seen an earlier version of Best Friends, recommend the behind the scenes tour. The expansion and growth is mind boggling and yet they do not deviate from their original mission! Kudos to all the staff and volunteers that make this place so magical! In hind sight would have made Kanab the homebase and ventured out from there to Zion, Bryce, Grand Canyon, etc. Will book cottages at Kanab and volunteer a couple days there as well as see some of the National Parks the next trip.

this was our second trip in 2019 to the sanctuary. my 13 years old was so mesmorized that he asked we come as a family to volunteer in the summer - so we did! worked 4 morning shifts in various departments and loved every minute of it - super well organized and great mix of real work and socialization with the animals for kids and adults. my 3 kids were raving about physical work b/c it was with animals (and of course wanted to adopt about 5 of them). husband and I truly enjoyed the activities and the people who have passion and patience. the impact this place has on people, world and of course, animals, is beyond words. huge fan ! if you want family volunteering in the midst of fantastic nature wonder - do it - superb week of working in the am and exploring in the pm. (8,11,13 yrs old kids)

Great review of facilities- gives detailed info about the services provided. I was very impressed. It's about 1 hour long. You drive behind the tour guide & listen to descriptions over your car radio.

Was very impressed with facilities and services offered. The grounds were beautiful and if we had more time would have explored more.

Nice tour of grounds and the work that is done . Beautiful location. Also lunch is available at the top of the canyon for a very reasonable price. They serve vegan food but for a non vegan it was pretty good with good setting.

As an animal lover and pet owner all my life this brought tears to my eyes. What a wonderful story and amazing group of people. Even if you cant ever visit this place, go to their web site and sign up, donate or just spread the word!

I love this sanctuary. This was my second visit. Working with the animals is a joy. And the setting is beautiful. Also delicious lunches.

A leader of the no-kill movement, Best Friends Animal Society is a pet rescue and advocacy organization with the largest no-kill sanctuary in the U.S. Every year, thousands of visitors come to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, so planning ahead is important. Due to demand, some tours are booked months in advance. We actually got the very last 2 slots for a weekend tour (that I booked 6 weeks in advance). So, I recommend planning your experience here before booking flights or planning out your road trip adventure.

Remember, the Sanctuary operates on the Mountain Time Zone. Meaning: you might need to leave earlier if you’re driving from Arizona. Our iPhones were beyond confused about the time zone, so you might want to bring a watch!

I recommend joining their Grand Sanctuary Tour, which is offered 7 days as week (except for Christmas) at 8:30 AM, 10 AM, 1 PM and 2:30 PM. These 90 minute tours begin at the Best Friends Welcome Center where you’ll join a guide inside a passenger van to get an overview of the impressive facility.

If you’re a cat lover, you’ll get your fill on this tour since you’ll go into a building with cats jumping all around. Towards the end of the tour, you’ll get to visit “Dogtown” and play with one of the happy pups they bring out. All tours are free (my favorite word!). And any purchases at their on-site gift shop goes directly to the cause.

We went for a tour, which was a great way to see the sanctuary. Please be sure to visit the lunch buffet they serve. I believe it’s only open at noon until 1pm-ish. Check on that. It’s super well priced, and a great buffet, with a gorgeous view of the canyons. The following day we volunteered in Dogtown. It was great to get to know the dogs and understand how they’re taken care of. If Tim is working, you are in good hands. He is a master at what he does and his love for animals comes through immediately.

This is a wonderfully beautiful place. The Canyon tucks away all the throw away animals. They are organized with many choices to spend time with the animals. We were limited with our time so we opted for the self guided tour via the app. The people in the gift shop were very helpful with this. Everyone was friendly and full of information. Andrea helped us with some items we purchased. Very sweet and knowledgeable as well as others in the shop. I would love to return one day and stay at the cottages with 1 or 2 animals. We will continue to support this great place.

Best Friends is the most amazing place on earth. When going into Angel Canyon you feel the magic and tranquility. Take the tour or volunteer - you won't be disappointed and you will definitely want to come back year after year. The founders have amazing hearts for animals and have spent the last 30+ years helping, protecting and saving them. They get animals from all over the country and volunteers come from all over the country to be part of this magic. It is absolutely gorgeous country.

We spent half a day here as volunteers, taking dogs for walks and helping to feed them. It was amazing to see what they do for animals at this fantastic facility, which rescues animals from natural disasters and from abusive situations like dog-fighting rings. Wonderful to interact with the dogs and talk to the staff. Well worth the trip.

I called tonight to move my reservation time 15 minutes later and reduce my party from 4 people to 2 and summer was so helpful. I even asked her if I could do something special for my boyfriend and she placed me on hold and asked the DJ she was so sweet and patient with me and when I asked her if she was busy she said it’s ok, coming from someone who has worked in boutique hotels and food and beverage she was so sweet with me even tho I might have been annoying or taking up her time and trust me I can relate coming from the industry.She is a keeper and I respect her for her pure polite and professional customer service despite a busy Friday night❤️ Summer you are appreciated!

Awesome visit Grand Daughters, 2 Daughters, one Son in Law and myself spending one week volunteering at Best Friends the most beautiful Animal Sanctuary We ever have seen. Home to 1600 Animals, dogs, cats,horses, pigs, birds and wild life.All well organized, spotless clean, adequate staff. If you are an Animal lover this is the place to go.

Spent a day here with our two Grandkids, age 8 and 10. Took the tour in the morning and volunteered (cats and bunnies) in the afternoon. Both kids rate this as one of the best things we did in Utah! The setting is spectacular! The facilities are wonderful! The staff is amazing! We could not believe how lucky all these animals were to have such a great place to live. Wonderful experience!

Every year about 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized, 670,000 dogs and 860,000 cats. Best Friends Animal Society is a non-profit organization that runs the largest NO-KILL shelter in the United States. In addition to sheltering dogs and cats, they also take in horses and other barnyard animals. It's inspirational to see what people with good hearts can do.

BFAS is worth visiting if you have time. Their facility is amazing - stunned at all they do to help/rehab the animals (dogs/cats/horses/pigs/birds, etc..) Travel guide was great. Book in advance!!!

We've known for years about the amazing and impactful work they have been doing in Kanab and at their shelters around the country. And still we were blown away by the care and compassion they provide for every animal that sets their paws, hooves, and beaks in the sanctuary. The dedicated staff made us feel welcomed and valued and we'll continue to support their work and be back for regular visits! Of course, all of this takes place in one of the most beautiful places on earth - surrounded by red rocks and mountains and an easy drive to The Grand Canyon, Zion, and Brice.

We were in Kanab 2 years ago and couldn't visit the sanctuary. We came back and truly loved our experience. Our tour guide was phenomenal. We visited the fiv cats and wanted to take them all with us! We have had two fiv cats. We became members and are coming back next spring to volunteer four two weeks.

Unbelievable Animal Sanctuary. Take the morning tour and be surprised. They take in dogs, cats, horses, rabbits, etc..

My wife and I planned a 2 week road trip across the Southwest US with a 5 night stop in Kanab. One day was for Zion National Park and most of the other 3 days were for our first visit to Best Friends. It was time well spent.

As a Facebook friend explained…..“There is nothing in this world like Best Friends. What they do is amazing. Angels come to life right here on earth.”

Best Friends is not a country version of any animal shelter you’ve experienced. It’s like a city for cats, dogs, goats, horses, pigs, rabbits and others who were abandoned, injured or thrown away - spread among 4,200 acres of buildings, corrals and playgrounds.

For most people, it’s the biggest farm or ranch they’ve ever seen or imagined. Best Friends is massive, but their job is massive.

They accept animals from all situations across the US…rehabilitate them and facilitate their fostering or adoption. During the fires in Los Angeles, they rescued hundreds.

Aside from a happy home, an animal remaining at Best Friends will receive more care and love from employees (815) and volunteers (thousands) than anywhere else.

We took the Grand Sanctuary Tour one day and went on 2 tours another day to the Bunny House and Goat/Pigs. Then we volunteered an afternoon with 2 dogs which was something we’ll never forget.

And don’t forget to stop at their cafe. For $5, you get a buffet lunch of great tasting vegan food…and a view from the large patio overlooking what you’d swear is the Grand Canyon.

Best Friends helps them live their best lives. It’s like the Land of Oz.

Our drive through the Best Friends Sanctuary in Kanab canyon was absolutely beautiful. The grounds of Best Friends are immaculate and the pet cemetery is extremely touching. It is obvious BF works hard at caring for all of their animals. Thank you Best Friends!

We had a short time before we had to leave Kanab. The personnel at Kanab visitor center suggested Kanab canyon, which houses this sanctuary. We stopped in the visitor center here and was welcomed not only by human staff, but by an adorable dog!!! Would definitely want to volunteer here if i lived in the area. The entire 4 mi road dedicated to animals that have been rescued. Also a gratitude garden/walk on top. very reflective area.

What an amazing place! This place is huge.... the tour is 1.5 hours and they have options for all sorts of activities so plan ahead! The volunteers are very special people and it’s wonderful what they all do here to help the animals!

We stopped by Best Friends on a rainy day for a tour and was so impressed by the work they do we decided to volunteer the next day. An amazing no-kill sanctuary for dogs, cats, bunnies, horses, pigs and more. They rely majorly on donations and I would recommend stopping in if you’re passing.

I really enjoyed my Best Friends tour and will likely be back for a closer look at some of thier specific areas. Its a pretty amazing place with an outstanding mission. There was a big group that was going out at the same time my tour left so I was a little confused about where we were supposed to wait and who to follow but it all worked out and our guide Glenn Pierce did a great job showing us around and talking about the history and goals of the Sancturary. I would definetly include this trip in your visit to Kanab

Great place to visit in the area. Didn’t know about it until I looked at Atlas Obscura. We didn’t get to see a lot of it due to some of the roads being a bit too muddy and going later in the day. Their mission is amazing and it’s worth hearing them talk about it. We bought a few cat toys after our visit.

Definitely worth dropping by if you’re in the area.

This was our first time visit to the sanctuary and we were so moved by the facility and volunteers that we are compelled to return in the near future to offer our services wherever we can. We took the grand tour which included all facilities for all the special needs animals from small to large and even exotic. The tour guide had a great sense of humor and could answer any questions we had. The have a great gift shop where proceeds go to the running of their operation. We even became members because at the time they had a two-membership deal for the price of one. These folks are angels. They even have a cemetery for your beloved pets that have passed the Rainbow Bridge. It's a wonderful setting up against the red cliffs of Kanab Canyon. Sensational landscape.

We were here in late Feb. Very quiet as it was wintery/ snowy but we enjoyed the drive around the property. As we had limited time though we would have loved to stay for a day and see it all we went for the Wildlife rehab tour. The lady who showed us around was such a good soul (she had a broken wrist I can't remember her name sorry). She has such tales of the critters there and was very informative. As it was just my husband and I she took us around a bit behind the scenes. The area was undergoing renovations to give the animals better habitats (especially ones deemed unreleaseable).
We saw wildlife such as feral turkeys, deer and scrub jays and quail so there is other stuff besides the animals this wonderful facility helps/
There is camping and volunteer opportunities.
It's a bit quick to come up on the road (we had to do a U turn!).
Angel's Rest is such a wonderful place to visit departed friends. Sad but peaceful and beautiful.
I am involved in wild animal rescue myself and know a good place when I see it. They support Adopt don't shop and support wildlife rehab. I hope this place keeps doing what it is doing.

Took the free tour. Fantastic tour guide...very informative and genuine enthusiasm for animals. However, didn't get to slender much time at all with the animals.

We really forward to this tour after reading reviews and it was awful!!!! 13 people stuffed in a hot van driving and looking at buildings. They brought out one dog and we walked in one cat exhibit. It was miserable. Had we not been trapped in the can we would have made a swift exit. The tour guide talked non stop. It was hateful. Not one person in our group has a good experience.

I had of course heard about Best Friends when they took in the Vick dogs. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I learned we could visit and volunteer. This year, on a visit to Zion and Bryce, my husband and I did just that. We spent the morning at cat headquarters helping clean, scoop lots of litter and walk cats in strollers. They have a cafeteria with a vegan lunch that was very good. We didn’t do the tour but spent the afternoon exploring the trails around the sanctuary. We ate lunch with one of the founders and it really is an amazing story. Seems they have volunteers who return every year and make their volunteer requests that far out. So don’t be surprised if you want to volunteer too but don’t get your first choice. This is truly a special place and worthy of a visit and donation.

We did the short tour of the grounds with a guide who told us a lot about the great work they do there to save animals.

The Best Friend sanctuary, the Animals, Best Friend staff, the Roadhouse hotel and parks what a great 10 days. The day trip opportunities and the food where all memorable.

Please go and take a tour. SO wonderful that a place like this exists. My thanks to the many volunteers! The views from the property are also lovely. We had a nice $5 lunch there where you can sit outside on the porch. That's the best deal in town and it supports the animals. There are some great items for purchase too.

As an animal lover - it was an amazing day with a tour, wonderful lunch and volunteering time! Worth a day if not more if you are willing to give some of your time to this great organization. Lunch was just $5 for all you can eat and the view was breathtaking. Make time to visit and give back- you will not regret your time at Best Friends!

A wonderful place for animal lovers. Not only can you stop to visit animals, there are beautiful views from the gardens/ memorials above the facilities. If you stop by the dog meet and greet, please pet Pearl the 10 year old pittie and tell her I said “hi”

This is our second time visiting the Sanctuary. Whenever I am in this area I will return again. If your an animal lover of any kind, you will leave in awe of the work and care of these animals as well as the sanctuary itself. Located on 6,000 acres in Angles Canyon. There are free tours to see animals. The cafe on site serves an amazing all you can eat buffet for only $5., and is all made fresh daily. The views are amazing and be assured that no animal if not adopted, lives a luxurious life for the rest of it's life. Although it may be a bit sad within the Sanctuary there is Angles Rest, a pets final resting place filled with many memorials and hundreds of wind chimes that is so serine. This is where anybody can have their pets ashes immortalized for eternity. You can self tour and hike the many trails within the sanctuary. Don't leave this off your itinerary.

The Sanctuary, along with the total BEST FRIENDS organization, is amazing! Visit here for an unbelievable addition to your education, your fascination with animals you may never had connected with before, your connection with many, many persons of solid information/friendliness/patience and wanting to spend time helping make your visit the best! We stayed onsite at one of several cottages. It was great to be right in the middle of the action! Easy (we travel with our dog), clean, comfortable and well-equipped place to stay.

We were expecting to love Best Friends, so we had booked a cabin for the night ahead of time.

We arrived and checked in for our volunteer jobs. I went to Quincy House (for kitties with special needs) at Cat World and my family went to Dog Town. I had the most amazing time getting to know some of the cats while playing, going for walks, and petting. I did some work too, but was greatly rewarded!

After volunteering, my daughter decided to have a sleepover dog stay with us. We checked into our cabin and sent Dad for pizza. She had a great time with BamBam! The cabin was very small, but we enjoyed walking around beet friends in the evening when nobody else was around, so we weren’t in the room much anyway. I loved hanging out on the porch at the main building watching the hummingbirds.

They serve lunch at two different locations. All the food is vegetarian.

On our 2nd day, we took the grand tour. It was fun to see how HUGE the property is. We stopped at dog town and petted one dog then spent some time with the cats.

We really should have stayed 2-3 nights. We had so much fun!!! And almost came home with a new friend. Almost...

We hadn't intended to go here but a friend suggested we check it out on our way to Zion. So glad that we did! We weren't able to take the animal tour because it booked up. Wish we had booked ahead because it sounds interesting. That being said the grounds are lovely. Stop by for a $5 all you can eat vegan buffet. Even my meat eating husband liked it, saying ""it felt like eating at home." We also stopped to pay our respects at the pet cemetery. It was very touching with all of the wind chimes. My husband cried remembering his family dog.

So many great people and all for such a sweet cause. We have been members for years, but finally putting a visual on where the magic happens was just wonderful. There are also some really great areas here for photography.

Comfortable, Clean, Close to town. Your pet will love this place. Dog park, pet spa, nice walk to town. VERY PET FRIENDLY KANAB UT. Don't forget to take the tour at Best Friends Sanctuary.

Best Friends is a great place to visit...especially for animal lovers. They give numerous free tours...best to have reservations! They do an amazing job doing all the tours so you can see how the animals are cared for. Sad to see why some animals are there...special needs are always sad...but they are so well cared for! With around 1600 animals to care for, I was just blown away with the care. The canyon is such a great spot for them! Great job!

We enjoyed touring the facility! They have a few cabins that you can stay but need to book well in advance.

We did not actually take a tour of the place but were on a tour with the Razers and drove by the entire sanctuary. From the beautiful wind chimes blwoing in the breeze (I believe there are over 8000), to the cemetery in the Valley of the Angels, and beautiful cats, dogs, horses and animals running around, it was so touching to see the care of the animals. Our guide pointed out some of the ways they save the animals and care for them, and our next trip will include a tour. There are thousands of acres so it takes awhile just to drive by.

I have been waiting for so long to visit and see the amazing people and place that are home to over 1600 animals! Our visit was amazing and I wish we could have stayed longer! We toured the Bunny house and our knowledgeable guide was so kind! We had lunch as well and enjoyed every minute. I hope to come back to stay longer and volunteer!

Best Friends is a beautiful no kill animal sanctuary in Kanab, surrounded by mountains. They have horses, dogs, cats, bunnies and more! We visited the animals, did a tour of a few of the shelter areas and attended a wedding in the canyon there on the weekend. There no kill policy is saving many animals!

If you truly love animals and care about no kill facilities, you’re going to love Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, UT. I have never personally visited another place like it. It is the largest no kill facility of its kind in the world. You can tour the facility, you can volunteer, you can sponsor an animal, you can become a member, you can spend time with an animal, you can adopt. There’s a visitor center, gift shop, bus tours. You will see dogs, cats, horses, donkeys, birds, puppies, kittens - even pigs. You have to see it to fully understand the genius behind it. And, while you’re at it the amazingly beautiful surroundings will astound you. Visit, go on the tour, volunteer, become a member. It’s all possible. And, don’t miss the animal cemetery, it is hauntingly beautiful and a place for reflection.

We loved volunteering at Cat World and the Adoption Center at Best Friends. We had so much fun with the cats and dogs. We volunteered the first time six year ago and need to come back again more often. It's worth the four hour drive.

We really enjoyed our visit. We took the Grand Tour. The people and volunteers are truly dedicated to saving and fulfilling the lives of their animals whether they are adoptable or not. The only thing that could have made it better was if there was an opportunity for Q and A at the end. Our guide was knowledgeable but whenever we asked a question she appeared to be annoyed. Maybe she was having a bad day.

The highlight was going back the next day when it was a bit windy and visiting the pet cemetery to listen to all the wind chimes. That was great!

This is an amazing spot. A place that is beautiful and takes care of over 1100 animals. The tours are reAlly cool and it is an inspiring place to visit. It is a no kill facility and they are committed to taking care of all the dogs cats horses pigs birds etc that are there. Perfect for everyone the area also has great hikes and even a cool 5$ lunch that you can enjoy. There is no charge for the tours.

While in Kanab, it was so worth stoping at the visitor center IN Kanab (on their main street) AND the Sanctuary.
We scheduled our tour at the visitor center in Kanab - so easy! Just stopped in for "Free Kitten Snuggles" and booked a tour. Sometimes tours can fill fast, so try to book a little ahead of the tour (especially during peak vacation seasons).
The day of our actual tour at the Sanctuary, about 10 minutes North I'd Kanab, it was easy to find and get situated.
The staff are so friendly and helpful. The tour was by temperature controlled van (nice in hot or cold weather) and we stopped a few times to go inside a few accessible buildings - pet some cats and a few dogs. Visitors only do what is comfortable for them.
Tour was informative and interesting. They have a shop and area to sign up for things.
You can also STAY at Best Friends...a few days, a week, etc. - volunteering and stay in nearby Kanab, OR at Best Friends - they have some cottages and other accommodations.
Really AMAZING place!!

What an amazing facility and mission. The work this organization is doing is helping so many animals, both domestic and wild. The tour is free, but be sure to preregister. We got lucky- we were on the waitlist and were able to get in on the tour.

The location of the Sanctuary is breathtaking, and the investment in infrastructure to support animals of all shapes and sizes - horses, dogs, cats, pigs, rabbits - is spectacular. We volunteered for a morning shift cleaning habitats, socializing with cats to improve their adoption options and walking them around the beautiful paths surrounding the buildings. Love what Best Friends is doing for animals and the community of Kanab, Utah.

Great free tour of sanctuary. Our guide Thomas was very informative and we enjoyed his stories. Make sure and DONATE! The kitty room was special and petting pigs!

This was an unexpected find as we were riding our OTV's through beautiful Utah! A beautiful location with a beautiful mission- to save animals. Angel's Rest Cemetery is a must see. Love the sounds of the wind chimes as you walk through. When you go into town make sure to stop in and see the puppies and kittens.

Love what this place is doing for the world, my 12 years old was impressed and that's a lot to say for a tween who is planning to come back in summer to volunteer with the pigs. Great sanctuary tour - the commitment and dedication to saving all the animal is admirable. Very well ran operation and truly amazing place - very digital oriented too so easy to interact with.

The sanctuary offers free tours, which we did with our granddaughter. We went in a van of about twelve people. While the sanctuary works with horses, pigs, birds, rabbits, dogs, and cats. But the tour only disembarks at the cats and dogs, where one of the care providers gives a brief explanation of their work. You just drive by the other buildings, including the animal hospital and administrative areas, so it can be disappointing in the little you see. Our guide gave us information about the sanctuary as we drove the dirt roads, but the animals are the highlight here and for that you will be disappointed. Tour lasts about an hour and free parking is on site. If you really want the hands on animal experience, volunteers are needed in every area. The shifts are 3+ hours each time, and you choose which area you want to help in. That is a very rewarding experience, so in a separate rating would be "excellent". Although it is possible to walk in on a tour, they are so popular that in reality you will want to reserve online in advance.

I've worked with animal shelters for years - but the work done by Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is beyond anything I've experienced. The 3 000+ acre setting is glorious, and they have the space to let each of their more than 1500 animals have the forever living environment that meets each individual's needs. Some animals like being with other of their kind, some don't. Some like interaction with people, some don't. Some like the freedom to go outdoors at a time of their choosing, others don't. Etc. Etc. The personal touch for each cat, dog, horse, parrot, bunny, etc. is a priority. The volunteer base is strong and welcoming. The educational tours are free, very informative, and without pressure to give or do....but you naturally want to help wherever you can after learning the Best Friends story.
An amazing place for a several-hours long visit! (It's easy to book your free tours ahead of time, so you're not disappointed)

We didn't visit the visitor's center or take a tour since we didn't have time, but we did stop at Angels Rest and explore and OH. MY. What a beautiful celebration of the goodness of animals. I cried multiple times. Be ready for that.

It was located in a very fantastic valley, nice view and offer a trip to the animal sanctuary. Unfortunately, we didn't make a good plan (e.g. making an appointment so we need to wait while). We try to take pictures in surrounding areas while waiting, but then we got an emergency alert of flash flooding, and the wind blew so strong, the sand slipped into my eyes. Our family run into the car and try to reach our lodge with struggling a bit as we had a low visibility due to a very heavy rain.

If you love animals and beautiful scenery, stopping at Best Friends is a must. Check on COVID restrictions and then come have a pig lie in your lap for a belly rub

The tour was great to get an overview of the great work that the organization does. Highly recommend the cafe for lunch - delicious and amazing views on the balcony. Lots of furry kitties to cuddle, and a fantastic gift shop that helps to fund the sanctuary.

This wonderful place covers more than 400 acres and has saved thousands of loving pets. This visit was so inspiring that our daughter will be volunteering. A little secret here are a few petro-glyphs just off the road, and a few yards down the side. We will be visiting again.

Take a tour-- it's great. Call ahead to make an appointment if you want to pet the animals. The grounds are immaculate. The staff are courteous and knowledgeable.

They do great work! They house so many animals! Support their cause!
Wished we got a guided tour but Covid restrictions put a damper on that.

Went on a self guided your with a map & suggestions. Stop by the cemetery and enjoy the tranquility of the wind chimes. Close your eyes and relax for a bit.

What a fantastic organization!!! It has been on my list to visit for years and I finally got the chance. Enjoyed the tours offered of Horse Haven, Cat World and Dogtown. I also had the opportunity to do a couple of volunteer shifts with special needs cats. Enjoyed taking the cats on either a walk or stroller ride. All the staff was welcoming and appreciative of your taking the time to visit their operation. A must for any animal lover. Loved it.

We were pleasantly surprised at how big and beautiful this place is. This is the best animal sanctuary we've visited. There are many peaceful places here to visit and reflect. There is a huge animal cemetery that includes horses, cats, dog and all types of animal. There's wind chimes with animal names and it's so lovely when the wind blows. This is located just outside of Kanab in the majestic scenery of Southern Utah. Unfortunately, the lunch area was not open with we visited. But we spent about 2 hours perusing the different areas that pay tribute to animals. There's also a Labyrinth. This is a MUST see.

Took the tour and learned a lot about Best Friends and the great work they do. General tour didn’t spend enough time with the dogs but could sign up for just a Dogtown tour. They just opened a kitten nursery in Kanab. You can volunteer for a day or a week. Great interaction between sanctuary and town. Angel Canyon is beautiful.

This place is massive. Loved seeing the grounds. A little disappointed that the tour only allowed us to see inside two buildings. Staff was very friendly and informative. If you have the time, I’d volunteer rather than the tour, so you can have more animal interaction and see a little more behind the scenes!

Best Friends Animal Society is the place to go for relaxation, volunteering with the animals and an overall sense of well being. Staff is highly friendly and informative and the animals are the best.

There are not enough good adjectives to describe this amazing place, the great people who run it and care for the animals, and of course, the number and variety of the animals themselves. I've been fortunate enough to volunteer at Best Friends on two occasions, and am strongly considering relocating there once I'm able. With such a fantastic backdrop added in, I most definitely can see myself ending up out there. We'll see how it turns out. On this outing, I had two shifts last week: morning with Dogtown, and afternoon with Horse Haven. Both could not have gone better. After a week of hiking and exploring the surrounding National Parks, this was the perfect way to cap off my vacation. I give Best Friends my strongest recommendation!

It might be in the middle of nowhere but this is worth a visit. It's a sprawling complex dedicated to saving innocent animals. At the visitor center, a very kind employee volunteered to take my picture in front of the Best Friends logo then showed me to the center and explained the kitty viewing rooms. He was so kind and helpful. I missed the guided tours so drove myself along the dusty road and stopped at several places. The Angels Rest area brought tears to my eyes seeing all the memorials to lost pets and remembering the pets I've lost. The windchimes were lovely. I stopped at a garden down the road and it was peaceful and had a nice water fountain feature. A raven landed on the water fountain with a mouse dangling from its beak. The raven bobbed the mouse in the water a few times then flew up to a trellis and gobbled it down except the mouse tail was hanging out of its beak. It eventually swallowed the whole mouse and flew away. As I walked the cement path back to the parking lot something caught my eye. There on the path in front of me was a snake about 20" long and the tail end of it had rattles. I'm glad I spotted it in time to give it lots of space. It slithered away into its natural habitat. The sanctuary is in a beautiful canyon but it is very natural - be aware of the critters that live there. It's worth a visit.

Our tour with Byron was exceptional. His knowledge of the sanctuary area and insights on the start of the sanctuary added a special dimension to this otherwise awesome location. It was a great place to tour for anyone visiting the Kenab area. And be sure to show your support for this facility by leaving a donation or becoming a Best Friends member!!

I love staying in a cottage so close to horses. Loved my volunteer session with horses. Beautiful place to walk around. Went on the Hidden Lake trail for a short hike. Good vegan buffet lunch for only 5 bucks. Magical place. Can't wait to go back for a longer stay.

Beautifully set in a gourgous canyon campus Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is an amazing facility. We vacationed in the Southern Utah/Northern Arizona area using Kanab as our base and nearly everyone we met there all week long spoke of the sanctuary, asking if we were there to volunteer, or had we been or they had moved to Kanab to work there in retirement. We had to go on the tour, having become so intrigued by all of the talk around town about the place. The facility itself is incredibly expansive. The grounds are beautiful and the number of people and buildings performing different services for the animals is very impressive. If you're in town or close by, check it out.

I came to Kanab to volunteer at the Animal Sanctuary. I have supported Best Friends for a number of years. I am a Golden Circle supporter. I had volunteered at the Best Friends annual conference for two years, and felt it was time to go to the Sanctuary. I spent two days volunteering in Cat World doing a variety of functions. I also had a dog as a “sleep over guest” in my hotel for two nights (the same dog - Arrow). What a great experience. I will be back in a few weeks for another volunteer experience.

We first visited Best Friends 4 years ago after reading about it on Trip Advisor. This year we returned to volunteer at this wonderful sanctuary. We were limited in the number of species we could work with due to COVID restrictions. We spent 2 days with dogs and 3 with cats. The staff are friendly and helpful. The animals are wonderful, whether you're walking them (cats go in strollers) or cleaning their "homes". It was very hot, so we even took a couple dogs for rides in the car with AC on. There is a welcome center with tour information (also a visitors' center in downtown Kanab) and a gift shop. You don't want to miss the gift shop! As another reviewer said, Angels Rest in a huge, wonderful cemetery for pets who have crossed the rainbow bridge. We hope to return again to volunteer. The Angel Cafe is great, so I plan to review it separately if possible.

Great concept! Drive around and see the rescued animals. So many cats and dogs. Certain animals are open at specific times, so I missed many of them. The pet cemetery was amazing.

If you are an animal lover, this is a fantastic way to support a great organization AND have a fun vacation. We volunteered in the cat and dog areas. In both instances, we cleans the rooms and visited with the animals. The staff were administering meds and were happy to share stories about the animals. They have a large variety of animals: horses, pot bellied pigs, goats, cats, dogs, exotic birds, rabbits and some wildlife.

Our primary reason for stopping in Kanab was the Sanctuary. I volunteer at one of two branches in Los Angeles, and was eager to see the original facility. It is huge and gorgeous. We took a two-hour tour, which is by van, with stops to interact with cats and dogs. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable, with a good sense of humor and lots of information to offer. If you love animals, this is the place to visit. We hope to come back and stay longer as volunteers.

We decided not to visit the sanctuary. Did ride through and around the property and was not impressed with the animals care and etc.

We spent three days volunteering. Six "shifts" included: pigs,cats,dogs, bunnies, and a horse and parrot lecture. The caring, knowledgeable, exceptional staff provided an opportunity to learn while allowing us to help with the animals. It is a wonderful exposure to the beauty of the area and the almost unbelievable care facility that is Best Friends. Everyone should experience the love that is shown to these animals.

I have been a member ever since the series "Dogtown" ran on national geographic TV years ago. Recently became a legacy donor as well. But have never visited.
To say we were impressed is not saying enough. We are animal lovers, and have an all rescue pack of 12. They obviously love and take care of all animals in their care. Totally dedicated and friendly staff. Remember, they took in 21 of the Michael Vick fighting dogs. Rehabilitated 13, and found them homes. The last just recently passed to the bridge.
If a visit and walk through Angels rest doesn't bring a tear to your eye, check your pulse.
Such a life affirming place.

The work done here, to provide sanctuary to animals, find homes when possible, provide food and healthcare, is unbelievable. I have been a supporter for several years and had the pleasure of visiting and touring in September. The place is amazing and they deserve all the support they can get.

We stopped by here because so many people recommended that it was a neat place. I think we arrived around 2:30 in the afternoon. The person at the front desk was friendly. She told us that we would have to book a tour to see any of the animals. There were no more tours that day so we would have had to return the next day. It is too bad that the only way to see the animals is with a tour.

After driving by the signs to this lovely park, we decided to take the time to visit. We are so glad we did. The shifting dunes are gorgeous and the name is so appropriate, coral they are! This is a site one can visit and see well from their car. It was quite warm the day we were there so we didn't walk around but felt we saw enough to know we will stop again.

We decided to spend Christmas Eve and Christmas Day taking care of the animals at the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. We had never been there here before. Our children love animals and wanted to make sure the animals were not alone for the holidays.

Regarding volunteering: there are many different opportunities. Sign up as far ahead of time as possible to get the dates and animal experiences you want. Also be aware that morning and afternoon experiences may differ greatly for a given animal. For example, with Cat House you may spend a morning shift cleaning out the cat living spaces and litter boxes (work intensive) while an afternoon shift may be spent playing and socializing with the cats (fun intensive).

We found most of the Best Friends staff helpful and welcoming. There were a couple of exceptions but there often are. In any case we came for the animals, not the humans.

They do a pretty good job of making you feel guilty if you don’t take home 1 or 30 animals with you. And it is very tempting if you love animals. But as a family who already has our fill of animals at home, who chose to spend Christmas volunteering to take care of more animals, it became annoying when every single staff member expressed disappointment that we weren’t taking animals home with us. What more do you want people? Have we not proven our love of animals enough by giving up Christmas to be here taking care of animals? I would appreciate it if the staff showed respect for parents who have said “No, we cannot take more animals home,” instead of repeatedly telling our kids they would convince us otherwise. Over and over and over and over and over again.

To be perfectly honest, this behavior was almost enough to make me not want to go back. However, as I said, we were there for the animals, not the humans.

If you are volunteering all day the shifts go from 8am to 11:30am and then from 1:15pm to 4pm. During winter there is one restaurant on site available for lunch. They only serve vegan food. But you can easily drive into Kanab for a quick lunch and be back in time for the afternoon shift. Be on time. They repeatedly warn you they will turn you away if you don’t show up on time for your volunteer shift. You can mix up the day- spend the morning with dogs and afternoon with horses. Or you can spend all day with the same animals. Just schedule ahead to get what you want.

We loved taking care of parrots, dogs, cats, rabbits and horses.

Go to Best Friends and volunteer if you love animals. It is memorable. The setting is beautiful.

Took the tour of the sanctuary amd then volunteered at Dogtown a few days later. (I had already signed up to volunteer, but thought the tour would be a good introduction and I was right!)

While volunteering, I was able to walk, prep the food, and hang out with fhe Garden Dogs. t was a GREAT experience all the way around!

My city did a Strutt Your Mutt fundraiser last Fall which is how I learned about Best Friends initially, so it was awesome to see the Sanctuary firsthand!!!

Highly recommend the tour so you will be inspired to help afterwards!!!

This review isn’t so much about the place itself. This review is about the staff and their communication.

We had tours booked in advance and drove nearly 3 hours to get there for these. Once we arrived the lady said they’ve all been cancelled. No phone call ? No email ? No text message ? No update on their website or social media ?

Absolutely terrible. No apology either. Just go away.

My only other complaint is the cleaning of the cat cages. One cat had made a big mess and the man wiped it with paper towel and put the kitty back in. Didn’t even clean it all or try and make it clean for the kitty. Very poor.

I really wish we were able to visit properly. Shame about the lack of communication.

Truly an amazing experience. We stayed at the cottages on site and volunteered in Dogtown twice. Everyone is so friendly and you can see how well the animals are cared for. We’ll be back for sure.

Best Friends offers a free tour, but to get the real feel for the people, the organization and the animals, plan ahead and volunteer for a shift (three+ hours). You can choose which animals you want to work with and the employees are very good about teaching and training you so the experience is both rewarding for you and helpful to them. They all emphasize that your work, and yes it is usually menial tasks they have to do every day, are liberally interspersed with socializing with the animals. Again, the animals certainly need the attention and you can't deny the benefits you receive. Caring for 1600 animals every day is a huge task, but you can pitch in and make a difference for Best Friends, the staff, and most important - the animals. Wonderful opportunity for individuals, couples, and even families. If you have questions their website is very helpful, and you can call or email BF with any questions. You can make a difference. BTW, stop by the vegan restaurant where $5 gets you lunch.

This place is so special! My family of 12 took a private tour here for 90 minutes and learned about this remarkable establishment. We were able to visit with the cats and the pigs and we even came back in the afternoon to see the dogs. Please stop by and support this beautiful haven!

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is a must see for animal lovers. The canyon where the sanctuary is located is gorgeous. If you have time, be sure to take one of the many tours they offer, as well as visit Angel's Rest pet cemetery.

GREAT trip to Best Friends. I took the tour and what an enlightening experience. What great people. What a well run operation. The sanctuary grounds are gorgeous. The animal compounds are well built and nice. The gift shop is great and there is also a vegan food truck AND a vegan lunch cafeteria on the ground and the food was excellent. GO!

MY family and I made Best Friends our highest vacation priority because we really love animals and watching their behavior. I had been to visit Best Friends a number of years ago, and fondly remembered it. However, I was unprepared for the growth, both in location, animal varieties, and the number of animals being cared for.We visited Dog Town and Cat town, as those were the 2 tours available for our time frame. Some people there signed up for 3 separate tours, which would have been even better for us, had we allowed more time in our plans. Well worth the trip. Just don't take the route through Zion Nat. Park! (We did not) See - bestfriends.org

I've been hearing about this place for years and my first trip did not disappoint. How can you go wrong spending a week taking shelter dogs on sleepovers and hikes??
If you love animals a visit here should be on your bucket list!

This is also a very pandemic friendly vacation as we were outside 95% of the time and mainly hanging out with our new furry friends. Even when we were volunteering with other animals like bunnies and cats, we were outside as they have indoor/outdoor access. Although we did some work cleaning cages the majority of our volunteering was to socialize the animals and give them playtime, which was fun for humans and animals alike.

We booked our trip several months in advance and got some of the last available volunteer shifts. If you're traveling specifically to visit the sanctuary I'd recommend checking volunteer shift availability before finalizing your plans.

As an animal lover I have just completed my 5-day volunteer/combination National Parks tour (National Park Tourz company organizer), with 5 friends I finally convinced to visit. All were enthralled with the beauty of the sanctuary, the attention to details, immaculate animal housing and loving and special animals. A true haven and well worth any time spent!

We came here on the way to Zion. Our Grand Sanctuary guide was the best! It is unbelievable how large this place was! Was a little disappointed we couldn’ see the small dogs or puppies. We had a bunny tour planned 2 hrs after the GS tour ended. That was only 30 minutes. Didn’t get to pet a bunny. I know they frighten easily as I owned one. In the 2 hrs, we went across from the parking lot and did an amazing hike.

This is truly an amazing oasis in the red rock desert. They are on a mission and have their PR and their image down. They offer sanctuary to many animals, with a very clear objective. The visitor's center is really lovely.

Next time we will go on a tour.

Tucked away in a beautiful setting is this glorious facility. I was not able to work in a tour during my visit, but I will return soon to volunteer for a week or so.

The work these people are doing is phenomenal. Founded in 1984, they have been making this site better and better for almost 40 years. They have roughly 1,600 animals at any given time...taken from shelters around the country. Their stated goal is to save all of the animals from being put down.

A stop here is an uplifting experience. It reminds you of the great good in the world. Take the time to stop in.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is a heaven on earth for the animals who have been rescued, need a home, and want to be adopted. The organization, from top to bottom, runs as efficiently as possible and with a sincere dedication for every animal that is lucky enough to be found by them.

If you are even close to this Sanctuary you need to go, you won't regret it. All the staff are knowledgeable and friendly. The tours are free in a van with a guide and stops, I went on 2 in one day. You will want a hat, sun screen and a water bottle, maybe bug spray on legs and ankles; I didn't need it but I think when it's hotter it might be a good idea. Also if you love to hike there are many hiking trails with maps in the visitor's center/gift shop. Oh, and you don't want to miss the excellent lunch at 2 different locations from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm. for only $5.00 which includes a drink and desert, all vegan but non-vegans will love it. You can stay in cabins or camp, become a member first as it will save you quite a bit of money and is for a very good cause just be sure to book months in advance as they fill up quickly. You can also volunteer if you wish. I'll be back next year for a week of RV camping and volunteering.

Sadly, we didn’t get to do a tour but did get to play with kittens and do the driving loop. I am 100% here for everything this group does and stands for! The person that helped us today was so friendly and so passionate about Best Friends. Angles Rest was the sweetest and saddest thing I’ve ever experienced.

We have volunteered as a family twice at BF and will be going back in March for our third trip. (This time we are bringing friends.) The facilities and care the animals get is simply amazing. So far I have volunteered in Cat world and Bird land. My husband and daughter volunteered in Dog Land and my daughter several years later still claims it is the best day of her life. (She got to spend an afternoon playing and cleaning up after puppies.) Just warning, after the day we had to stop and get her new shoelaces because her other ones had been all chewed up.

If you go - take the tour for sure, but consider volunteering. As a family working there really pulled us together.

Have lunch at the cafeteria. We heard vegan taco day was the best - it was great but the line can be out the door so get there early!

If staying the night after volunteering do a sleepover with a BF animal! We have done both a Cat and Dog sleepovers. Great fun.

In the past, we stayed on property at the guest house. This spring break we are going to try the new Road House in town. Hope to see you all there!

We have been supporting this Animal Sanctuary for many years and finally got to visit and take a tour of Dog Town.

Awesome place helping animals that need help. Cannot put into words the dedication and magnitude of this place.

Great way to end our hiking day. We did the grand tour and also did a few meet/greet with animals on our own. Highly recommend but be warned you might come away with a new pet. Next time we will stay on property and volunteer!

Best Friends was very unknown to us prior to our visit to Kanab. After visiting and doing a tour of their sanctuary we were nothing but wow’d and humbled by their staff and most importantly their story and cause. The location spans over 3000 beautiful acres just outside of the town of Kanab. The tour was super informative about not only their organization but about the location and it’s history as well. A home for cats, dogs, horses, birds, animals, rehab, care and shelter for so many, their main mission is to find them all new homes, “Save them all!” So glad we found Best Friends, to support them we’re now members!

I loved this place! It's a MUST for ANY animal lover!
They are no-kill and definitely care about all of the animals.
The staff was super friendly it was clean and well-laid out.
We really wish we could have stayed for lunch: they have $5 meals that sounded really, really good.
I'm going to support this place 100% by purchasing something from their online site, and I'm going to highly recommend this to anyone who is in the area.
Keep up the great work, guys!

For animal lovers, a visit to this sanctuary is a must. The philosophy of the organization and the way they communicate it is awesome. And if you need an animal fix, you get to visit a few of the residents and learn about visitation opportunities. Plus the surroundings are beautiful, and if the timing is right, take advantage of the $5 all you can eat vegan restaurant on-site.

We are not pet owners but we wanted to see this - after watching the reality show Dog Town many years ago. This is not your average humane shelter or rescue operation. It sits on 3000 acres and has humane housing and lots of space for cats, dogs, horses, pigs, birds and smaller mammals. The welcome center is open from 8a-5p all year long. Free 2-hr bus tours of the property start several times throughout the day. You can also rent a cabin or park your RV for a few nights. Even had a pet cemetery. If you don't want to stop, you can drive on the state road that runs through the property (and scenic Angel Canyon) and see most of the areas where animals are kept. The road through the sanctuary makes a loop back to Hwy 89. They use lots of volunteers who donate their time to take care of animals.

Wonderful environment, beautiful nature, friendly people. Very passionate about the safety of animals. The sanctuary was peaceful and heartwarming.

This is a review of the time we had on the property not the organization itself!

We did the driving tour around the property. It was interesting to see the sheer size of this rescue and learn about what they do. It is a beautiful property, but the tour is basically just looking at buildings...We did wish we could see a bit more of the animals themselves. (NOTE: There are other tours that are more interactive, but if you're traveling with a dog as we were, you cannot do any other tours with them) We got out of car at the end of the tour to look at the piggies (without our dogs) and were told that we shouldn't be looking at the animals unless we were on a tour. Not sure if this is because of COVID or something...we were outside...? It left kind of a bad taste to be reprimanded for looking at the animals at a rescue..... in any case, their mission is inspiring and they do a lot of good so from that perspective, worth supporting them.

I was actually in Kanab specifically to volunteer at Best Friends, so I expected a good experience and it was fantastic. Even if you aren't in town to volunteer, they offer multiple free tours every day. The property is gorgeous and offers several hiking trails and wildlife including deer and wild turkeys. There is a vegan cafeteria on site that offers an all-you-can eat buffet from 11:30-1:00 and the food was great. The cafeteria also has a patio with an amazing view of the canyon. The cafeteria is open to everyone!

We only had time for the overview tour, but it was great fun! Great organization! If you love animals, FORGET zoos - THIS is the place to go!!

We volunteered to work with dogs and cats for 5 days. It was a lot of work but well worth it when you see the amazing care these animals (and all of the others on this 3u00 acre property) receive. Everyone we came in contact with at Best Friends was friendly, helpful and considerate. In addition, they showed amazing compassion for every animal they were charged with helping. You need to at least visit this facility and take the tour, but I hope you will volunteer or make a donation!

Long-time donors, repeat BF adopters but ill-treated recent rescue visit. BF delayed appt. 24 hrs., either due to poor communication or coordination between adoption & med staff. Changed plans but family joining 12-hr RT now not available. Long drive, no backup (spouse ill; can’t drive). ETA both before noon & appt. so called asking for early check-in. NOPE. Closed for lunch 12-1 PM, period. TOUGH. OUR PROB. Any accommodation made for just slogging 356 miles last 6 hours to ADOPT FROM YOU? NOPE. TOTALLY UNMOVED. Go have lunch. NO APOLOGY. Door nearly hit my backside. An hour sitting, mostly in sun, then requested restroom. Yep, behind locked doors. Oh, “inside forbidden territory” mere minutes meant expressly being told NO help ‘til lunch OVER. We watched as 2 of 4 staff tried to agree if it was 1 PM & door could be unlocked?! Whoa, wouldn’t want invading donors or adopters! Oddly, NO ONE anywhere introduced themselves (not even adoption contact!). Staff & volunteers completely ignored us, or were dismissive & rude, including nasty looks. Really?! TOTALLY SOURED by experience. Love animals but perhaps future donations, adoptions & time best spent elsewhere.

We stayed in one of the cottages next to the horses and friends stayed next door. The cottages are spacious and comfortable, not to mention very reasonable priced. We have been members of Best Friends for years and were finally able to visit. The facilities and staff are superb as is the location of the grounds in and above the canyon. We were truly blown away and can't wait to come back and volunteer and foster an animal for a night or two. The animals here are truly given a second chance at life - and Best Friends is a wonderful second chance. If you have time, be sure to visit and spend a day or two. Kanab is very close and you can stay in town if the lodgings on the grounds are full.

What a wonderful organization, gorgeous land, and awesome animals and people. Every employee we interacted with was knowledgeable, helpful, and kind. This was an unexpected visit for us while doing some hiking in the area and we are SO glad we found it! The Bunny House tour was even more awesome than we thought, and the Grand Sanctuary tour gave us a broader scope of the whole facility. We can’t wait to come back to volunteer and do a sleepover in the future!

Excellent facility. Make reservations for the overall tour first. Other tours such as the Horses were very enjoyable. You must see the Angels Rest cemetery. When you see how far they reach you will be amazed.

My mother and I are supporters of Best Friends and if you are an animal lover, you need to take their free tour. I tried to adopt a dog prior to my visit and she was adopted out before I could get there. They do amazing work with countless animals. Just an incredible organization.

Enjoyed our visit to the sanctuary and the tours we were able to schedule on line via their website. Tours are free and very informative. The staff was very friendly and pleasant. The sanctuary is huge. We visited several of the areas including Gratitude Garden where people have left markers and items in memory of a beloved pet. We had a vegetarian lunch with a spectacular view at the cafeteria. Learned about the sanctuary and the dinosaur and ruin finds on and around the property. Covid has necessitated some changes so buildings that housed animals were not open for viewing. Nice facilities and all the animals we saw were well cared for.

Visited the Sanctuary in 2018, and again today, July 2025. Very disappointed in the tours now compared to then. There were no visit to dogtown, no chance to see or interact with the dogs during the tour. The bus did not even drive up to Dogtown. The only interaction was with the leukemia positive cats and pigs. The change was blamed on covid and new management. This change needs to be revised. I wouldn't recommend the tour based on what how it was/could be and currently is..

The people, the property, the views, and of course the animals were ALL amazing! They exceeded my expectations. Their mission alone (making the nation no-kill by 2025) is worthy of support. They have approximately 1600 animals (dogs, cats, horses, pigs, goats, and birds). We were able to interact with all but the horses. They also have a restaurant on the property with one of the most amazing views you'll ever see. Lastly, Angels Rest is a beautiful and thoughtful pet memorial area with windchimes. Everything about this must-see sanctuary is simply amazing.

So glad we were able to visit Best Friends. We volunteered in the morning and took the tour in the afternoon. It is beautiful there and the work they do is inspiring.

The Sanctuary is first class all the way, we took the tour and confirmed everything I had heard about the place, animals come first. Their emotional needs addressed along with theirphysical pnes. The tour gives you a brief look at the facilities that house dogs, cats, horses, birds, bunnies and pigs.. you actually only meet a dog and some cats. Very grateful for the work they do and their commitment to “Save Them All” that extends beyond the Utah compound. Very nice bag of goodies when we finished up too.

I've been a member and contributor to BF for quite some time but this is my first visit. It is spectacular!!

The scenery and physical environment in and around the sanctuary is breathtaking and changes constantly over the course of the day as the light changes.

The staff are nothing but friendly and informative and helpful, going out of their way at every turn to ensure that you have a good experience here....whether you're here for the day or for a week or longer.

And, of course, having the opportunity to work with the animals is both a rewarding and humbling experience.

For anyone who loves animals or who believes in supporting their well-being, this is a stop that cannot be missed!

We were in the area just passing by and decided to check out their Bunny House tour. Their Bunny House was absolutely a haven for their bunnies. If I ever wanted to adopt an animal, I would adopt from them. We drove past horses in large areas where they can roam free and places for birds to find new homes. A great place to check out if you want to adopt.

It was very simple to book a free tour on line, and they even reminded us ahead of time to please honor or cancel our reservation.

The visitor's center is a mere 10-minute drive from Kanab and it is a wonderfully beautiful place in itself. The landscaping is incredibly gorgeous, and lots of outside tables and chairs are provided for those who merely want to sit and enjoy the birds and breezes.

The air-conditioned micro-bus tour itself was well-paced and showed us a good sample of various venues in the huge sanctuary, with a focus on dogs and cats. We did not visit venues for other animals, but some were pointed out.

On the tour one gets a good impression of how things work at Best Friends and how it fits into their huge network all across the country.

The gift shop is very-VERY--pricey, but we considered what we paid for several gifts to largely be a contribution to the place for the tour and for general accounts. No problem there.

Do go if you have a couple hours available. It is quite rewarding.

What a wonderful place! They do amazing work for animals. We spent 5 nights in a cottage right on property. We did a tour our first morning and got to see firsthand the animal accommodations and how well they are handled. So nice to see safe outdoor spaces for cats. It was great to hear the history of the organization and learn how the animals make their way to the sanctuary. In the afternoon we did a volunteer shift at Cat World. We even did a sleepover with a kitty which was the highlight of our visit. Keep up this very important work!

We did not make it for the tour, it was a holiday weekend. We asked about the hikes and they gave us a map for the Hidden Lake area on their property. Nice hike with 200 ft elevation gain. Got to see horses, wild turkeys and the hidden lake.

We came across the sanctuary today and popped in. We ended up
taking part on the 2:30 tour. What an amazing place. Can’t recommend highly enough. It’s a must visit.

Every animal lover should visit the Best Friends Sanctuary in Utah and take the Grand Tour!! What an incredible facility doing amazing work to rehabilitate and get animals adopted!! And in such gorgeous surroundings!!!

Booked this trip six months in advanced to stay in the cabins located in Angel Canyon, this in itself was worth the wait. Angel Canyon is a beautiful location that is providing homes for a large groups of animals that now have a loving, safe location. This part of the trip was excellent. The lady that drove the van to give tours was a professional. She stated, she was a park ranger in her previous work. She is very knowledgeable. Unfortunately the same cannot be said about all the caretakers, workers. The two caretaker's in dog town, I think they said their names were, Star and Debbie. These two defiantly need some re-training on how to treat volunteers. To say they were just plain rude would be paying them a compliment. They made four adults and two children wait in the hot sun for forty minutes to volunteer. One lady in the group was told very rudely they were busy when she knocked on the door to find out anything. The reason changed three times so not sure really what the truth was why they couldn't be bothered to acknowledge the volunteers standing outside waiting. The fact remains is you do not have volunteers wait that long who I might add had to make these reservations long in advance to even volunteer. When they finally did come out to get us.The volunteers were told you have a couple options of things to do, with no explanation, no showing you around and a two word presentation. We were told you can "sweep or pick up dog poop." I have no problem with either but if you asked any questions expect a nasty retort. When told " we could sweep" now mind keep in mind we were still standing outside the buildings. I asked what do you mean sweep? I got the answered back, "what do you think I mean?" I had no idea what she was talking about? I was sincerely trying to find out just where and what she was talking about since there are some dogs that you cannot just go in their cages and you cannot walk around doing what you feel like doing. There are lots of rules which I understand. The worker with the one word answers obviously didn't want to be bothered. The time we volunteered we could hear these two ladies talk about the volunteers in a nasty way. No further talk or explanation was given about what to do so we cleaned the runs, swept in the building then left. We did complain but that went no where at all. So I would say to who ever hires some of these care takers take a better look some obviously see the volunteers as a nuisance. I didn't go there to be treated like I am not wanted. Disappointing does not even cover the volunteer experience. The vision and the actual place and what the rest of the people are doing for the animals was not represented by these two individuals. We planned for a very long time to do this, August 1,2,3, 2018 was planned for six months and a few sour apples can ruin it.

I have been a supporter for years. It was great to finally see it. I would love to return and volunteer for a week. It is absolutely worth the time. So not forget to see Angels Rest when you are there. If you have ever lost a pet.....you will understand.

Have wanted to visit this place for a long time and finally had the opportunity. The kids loved it and wanted to go back to the visitors center every day just to visit the lobby cat and see the horses. Impressive operation they have going on; interesting to see how they accomplish so much.

And make sure to check out the $5 vegetarian lunch buffet every day at the Café by the visitor's center - yum!

As an animal lover, I found Best Friends to be a dream vacation! I volunteered in dogs, cats, bunnies, horses and parrots. (I missed wild friends.). The staff is very friendly and provides a lot of information about the animals and their care. There is time for petting and playing with the creatures, but you will help with the less glamorous aspects of animal care as well, such as scooping poop. You can take a dog, a cat or a bunny for an overnight visit at your cottage or cabin on premises.
The five dollar lunch buffet is a bargain. Not gourmet, but perfectly adequate, with an extensive salad bar. The lunch was vegan this year, I believe for the first time. The grounds are enormous; if members of your group are sharing a car, you will need to plan the logistics of drop offs and pick ups Before and after each volunteer shift.
I hope to return to best friends!

A friend back home is a donor and suggested we stop by if we were close during our trip. We passed the Sanctuary and thought about going back but then saw their store front in Kanab. As we finished our lunches sitting in their parking lot, I could see 2 women looking/watching us from inside. When we went in, it was not a pleasant experience. The older woman who 'greeted' us was short with us and not at all pleasant. She made us feel like we shouldn't be there and just uncomfortable. We bought something small for our friend back home and got out of there! The salesperson's name on the receipt was Cindy - not sure if she was the inhospitable host or not, but I would recommend someone more friendly to represent your business. They were not busy (there were no other visitors there when we were there) and as a non-profit, you would think they would be welcoming to potential volunteers or donors. But no, we felt very unwelcomed - so we left, and we will NOT be making a donation, now or ever. Not worth stopping, especially if you are on vacation and want to maximize your time.

Definitely not like a zoo - no one explained to us at the welcome center that each of the groups of animals could only be seen with a guide on a specific "tour" time. Was given a map showing where animals were located on the 4800 acre sanctuary, which was also confusing as it said not to drive through animal areas, but you have to drive several minutes between animal group homes on the property.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary staff have a very impressive commitment to the care of the hundreds of homeless animals cared for. Each animal is singularly served by well-meaning caregivers. A love for animals is not necessary when considering a visit as once you are there your heart will be touched.

We recently had the pleasure of visiting and volunteering here. It was amazing . Staff were great and what a great feeling to know that you were able to spend time with these animals and put some extra love and happiness into their lives. Put it on your places to visit between the canyons of Utah . You won’t regret it. Good for all of the family..

If you are an animal lover and if you have been friends/ members of Best Friends I highly recommend seeing their operation. It is huge, amazing and the care they give the animals is bar-none. It's an enormous undertaking and the responsibilities are tremendous. Go visit, volunteer, make a difference.

This is the Pet Cemetery on the property. Must be 3000 pets laid to rest there. Such a serene place and the chimes that ring each have a tribute to an animal that has crossed the rainbow bridge. The Cemetery is huge and the area is so beautiful. You could spend hours there just looking at the graves and the adornments added to them, read each beloved pets name. The Cemetery is for the Best Friends departed animals but is filled also by people wanting their pets laid to rest also. Go and visit and just enjoy the views and chimes and the serenity.

We went twice when we were in Kanab! Pick what tours you're interested in and make your reservations ahead of time because they fill up. Bunny House is great with young kids! Love this place!

The biggest takeaway here is don’t just stop by, plan ahead! We are on a tour of the Midwest in a rented RV, paying by the mile. We have donated to this organization in the past and were very excited when doing research for our trip to see that you could actually visit. We didn’t make any plans in stone but when we passed it on our way to Bryce Canyon we thought “why not?” We actually read about this place in the book “Amazing Places to take your kids” Our family loves animals and we were considering adopting one here if it felt right. The info in the book boasted about how you could stop by, visit, volunteer, interact and adopt....The canyon is stunning and beautiful and it appears to be a true sanctuary for animals. Otherwise, not very welcoming or friendly to potential adoptive families and people who really want to interact and care for animals. We were so disappointed that you had to book a tour ahead of time. Only two per day and the next one would be in a couple hours in the afternoon. You can’t even go and see or interact with any animals unless you fill out a “profile” and only then volunteering is limited. She said we could have lunch there, Hike around or head back down to the main center in Kinab where they might have a couple cockatiels or kittens to interact with. As I said we are paying by the mile so to backtrack wasn’t an option. Very surprised that you can’t even “see” the animals. Not like a normal shelter where you can first view them and then if you decide to adopt you fill out paperwork. Even at our local shelters at home you can come in and volunteer to play with the kittens/cats. Basically, we stepped out of our RV very excited at the potential visit and 15 minutes later getting back in to the RV extremely disappointed having not seen one animal. Will most likely never have the opportunity to visit again, and will probably not recommend this to anyone. Although we appreciate what this place is doing, there are plenty of other places that our funds could be directed to and it looks like they are doing pretty well here without our money. Places with less resources are more welcoming and friendly and although we understand and respect that there have to be rules, it almost seems a bit too rigid. They said they have to turn away others who just “stop by” so why not have something for those type of visitors to do when they visit on the spur of the moment. Very sad and disappointed.

This organization may have started out with good intentions but, today, it seems to be more about money than animals. It has $150 million in assets and an annual budget exceeding $100 million to support fewer than 1200 animals on 20,000 acres. Reportedly, its CEO makes more than $600,000 and has two private jets at his disposal. Locals in Kanab say Best Friends requires five-figure donations to take local rescues, and won't support efforts to create an actual local animal shelter. The tour is a total bore unless you want to see a bunch of buildings and hear about the tour guide's dog. The hotel in town is fabulous. Seems to be a case of mission creep at taxpayer expense....

As an animal-lover, I'm always moved to tears when visiting Best Friends. In addition to being in a breathtakingly beautiful setting, the work that's being done on so many different levels, by so many caring people to make a positive difference for animals of all kinds is inspirational. Taking the free very informative general tour is a great way to get a big picture overview and you can follow up with additional specialized tours. If you want to volunteer, you need to sign up as far in advance as possible. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

Unbelievable animal sanctuary on 1700 acres. Beautiful scenery, and great people. The work being done here is incredible. They are saving so many animals...dogs, cats, birds, horses, goats, sheep and wild animals. Excellent tour given of the sanctuary and it is free. Excellent way to see all of the sanctuary and see employees and volunteers at work. Adoptions were taking place the whole time we were there. Definitely worth the trip and highly recommended.

This was a treasured experience in our vacation. We volunteered two days on the “off days” of our touring and hiking in the National Parks. We loved Dogtown, Cat World, Bunny House, and Horse Haven. The caregivers are so appreciative of the extra help and the animals are so appreciative of the extra attention. We even had a sleepover dog for a night since our rental home was pet friendly. It was an awesome experience in a strikingly beautiful setting.

My 10 yr old son and I had a terrific 4 day stay for Spring Break in one of the on-property cottages. We volunteered 3 days—I’d suggest volunteering about 2-3 half days so you have time to explore.
The cottages are comfortable, much like renting a one bedroom house with kitchen (stove top, microwave and full fridge/freezer). The back porches look out onto horses and pasture as well as beautiful red rock mountains. I could see this being a great romantic getaway. Walking the property at twilight you’ll see numerous wild deer grazing on property. It snowed one day while we were here in March so volunteering was canceled but we enjoyed the day playing in the snow.
The Kanab Sand Caves are 1/2 mile away. They’re super cool but a little dangerous. We saw young kids and old people climb to them, so they are do-able.
I stayed one night in a cottage here in December with 3 girlfriends and we had a blast drinking cocktails, listening to music and taking Sanctuary tours.
FYI There’s no oven and bring your own can opener. Dishes etc and towels in kitchen and bathroom are provided as well as dish soap and bar soap. Bring your own toiletries. I favor nice hotels in general and the cottages meet my higher standards (sounds snobby but I don’t know how else to say it).

Best Friends is literally a paradise for just about any animal. The care and the facilities are really done right here. From the animal housing to the gift shop and the grounds on which this sanctuary sits is just breathtaking. The wonderful care they provide is top notch. If you ever have a chance to visit and take one of the many tours they provide it would be well worth it. You can also choose days to volunteer your time here. One of my favorite areas was the kitty habitat. I loved all of their beds, their walking bridges and toys. They get to roam freely in the enormous enclosures and are not barricaded in tiny pens.

We loved our visit and tour of the sanctuary. The staff was extremely friendly and the tour of the beautiful grounds was wonderful. We especially liked interacting with the cats on the tour. Reservations are recommended and can easily be made online. There are various tours from which to choose on different days and times. We took the 1.5 hour tour of grounds which allowed us to visit with a couple puppies and lots of cats. :)
This is a wonderful place and an enjoyable visit for all animal lovers.
A thank you shout-out for what this sanctuary is doing for the wellfare of our animal friends.

My teen daughter and I spent 3 days at best friends volunteering at Cat World and had an amazing time! The staff were all very kind. Not only did we spend time in various cat houses, but we also did the Grand Sanctuary Tour but also took cats/kittens for overnights as we stayed at the Roadhouse. Lunch is also exceptional. Overall an incredible way to spend vacation time - in a truly beautiful setting.

After being members for years and adopting the best dog ever from them, my husband and I volunteered 2 days at the Sanctuary in October 2018. It is an amazing place doing wonderful work to “Save Them All.”

What a fabulous place doing such good work to "Save them all". Genie was a wonderful guide and driver. So fun to meet some of the dogs and cats up close.

If in the Southwestern area of Utah, do yourself a favor and stop here. We made a reservation online for the "overview tour". This was easily done. I received a confirmation immediately. I was also sent a reminder email.
We had their vegan lunch for $5.00 per person which was good. We ate on their balcony and the view is astounding. We waited inside until our tour was called. We stopped at dog town and a cat facility, all while learning about Best Friends from our driver/tour guide. This was a free tour. This place operates on donations, so please give to this worthwhile cause.

The staff makes the volunteers feel so valued and appreciated. There are two volunteer shifts a day. The morning shift is at 8:15-11:30 and then there is a $5 per volunteer vegan lunch offered at their cafe. The second shift starts at 1:15pm. They offer tours in the afternoon and I would recommend watching the videos they send you before hand. Our family did sessions with pigs, rabbits, wild things, cats & dogs and each one was special in it's own right. We fell in love with friends in each session. We also learned so much from really cool conversations with the staff members. We worked hard cleaning animals living quarters, preparing and dispensing food. They let you have time with the pets. It was rewarding brushing, walking and caring for them. They do such a nice job marketing and placing these pets and it is so nice to feel a part of that.
We rented a house for our large family from Canyons Boutique, made smoothies for breakfast, had lunch at Animal Sanctuary and we loved dining out at Sego, Wild Thyme Cafe and Rocking Cafe.
This was an exhausting but rewarding and special experience to share with loved ones.

Stopped in here on a trip to Kanab for hiking and fell in love with the whole concept. So much land for all the animals and the people that work there are extremely friendly and you can tell they care about the animals. Great job helping the four legged creatures that need love...

Such a great organization and the location is gorgeous. While I was there my friends played in the cat room while I walked a dog around the grounds. If you love animals be sure to visit.

My husband & I loved the organization & their mission but be advised that the tour was just okay. Buildings are to far spaced out & contact with the animals is limited. Pet cemetery was sad but inspirational. I think it would be better if they gave visitors a virtual tour of their facilities & then have a building close by to visit various animals. Skip this activity if running short on time.

After seeing The Champions a few years ago I fell in love with the mission of Best Friends as well as with the incredible beauty of the land it's set on and was determined to schedule a trip. On a whim, I decided to head to Utah for a solo trip for my birthday and it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I signed up for the morning Dog Town tour and then the Grand Sanctuary tour in the afternoon. Both Jeannie and Holly, the tour guides, were informative, friendly and accommodating. I got to meet and play with the puppies (twice!), and met two more beautiful pups who were in the visitor center hoping to be adopted. What's not to love about playing with puppies?! In between tours I got to explore the vast property that Best Friends is located on. Thanks to Jeannie's direction and maps I found the Hidden Lake and ancient petroglyphs which were incredible to witness up close. I enjoyed peaceful moments in Angel's Rest, honoring all those animals gone before us with a backdrop of beautiful wind chimes in a slight breeze. Then I had a delicious lunch for $5, yes FIVE DOLLARS while overlooking the vast canyon out to the White Cliffs.
Visit this place, spend some time with the animals if you can- they deserve all the love and kindness we can give. My only regret is that I didn't have time to volunteer but something tells me I'll be back, this place really draws you in and makes you put a lot of things in perspective.
Thanks Best Friends!!!!

I love best friends animal sanctuary. I visited there twice this summer. The staff is friendly and the tour is fun. Next time I want to volunteer.

My children, aged 22 and 19, and I volunteered two days at Best Friends, Kanab, UT. We did two shifts each day, one shift at the Bunny House and one at Dogtown. Our interaction with the many caregivers and volunteers was so pleasant. Best Friends is exceptionally organized enabling you to maximize your time and energy towards the animals. We will be returning to Best Friends, Kanab, UT!

Took a group of children here... with a collection of animal loving adults. They found plenty to interest them for several hours.

I have been here 3 times and plan to go back to volunteer in the near future. The program is absolutely amazing. They give you a short video before you go on one of several tours. The video is very informative. There is a nice gift shop. The restaurant is vegetarian or vegan...Not my style but I understand where they are coming from. You need to go to their web site to see everything that they do there. We took down 7 dogs from an Animal shelter that they neutered while we were there. They do not charge th Shelter for the service. In fact I adopted one of the dogs we took there to get fixed last year. They help everything from birds to rabbits, dogs, cats, pigs, horses etc.
Great place and great people. What they do there is AMAZING!!!!!

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is a heavenly place. My mom and I stayed at The Roadhouse Mercantile the first night. This hotel is located about 5 minutes from the sanctuary. A very nice setting for guests. A light breakfast is included with your stay. The next 3 nights we stayed in cottage #2 on the sanctuary grounds. Mom and I preferred staying at the cottage over the Roadhouse because we were able to bring dogs to our cottage for visits and overnight stays. We so enjoyed sharing our trip with a few of the dogs that live at the sanctuary.
The animals at the sanctuary include dogs, horses, bunnies, goats, pigs, wild animals, and parrots.
We volunteered at the Bunny House, Parrot Garden, Roxy's Room, and Dogtown. While volunteering at the Bunny House and Parrot Garden we cleaned, feed, and interacted with the animals. While volunteering at Dogtown and Roxy's Room we were allowed to take the dogs on walks and outings. During an outing, my mom and I took 2 dogs separately, to Angel's Rest and then back to our cottage for some quiet time away from all the other dogs.
Angel's Rest is a must see!! This is a cemetery for all the sanctuary animals that have passed away. It is such a beautiful place for the animals' final resting place. There are wind chimes everywhere and many beautiful head stones and statues. So much time is spent by workers and volunteers keeping the cemetery pristine.
So much love and care goes into everything everyone does at the sanctuary! I am so happy to know there is a place like this for our dear innocent animals.
Please visit the website at bestfriends.org

This was our 2nd time visiting Best Friends. We took a one hour tour given by employees who were very knowledgeable about all aspects of the facility. There was a lot to see in one hour, but we were able to have some one on one interactions with some cats, see some behavioral training in process, and have limited interactions with one of the dogs. The amazing thing about this organization is the impact that they have had on local communities across the nation. They have an interactive map that shows every animal shelter in the nation and what the kill rate is. I learned a lot about our own state just by visiting. It was pouring down rain when we visited, but it did not deter our trip. If you are an animal lover, this is a must see facility.

We spent the whole day (Sept 6th) at Best Friends. We signed up in advance for 3 tours (all free, of course) - Dog Town, Guided Hiking Tour and Grand Sanctuary. Enjoyed all of them (was a bit hot hiking, but Bambi has tons of information for us). Theresa was great showing us Dog Town. Had the $5 lunch on the property. These committed folks do a great job!!

We had one last day for our vacation at Zion and Bryce Canyon and we were a bit tired of hiking. A friend suggested we contact Best Friends to see if we could get on a tour. We did and are so glad that we did. What a wonderful place to visit! If you love aminals, this place is fantastic. The tour was informative and fun with an opportunity to meet some of the pigs and goats and then we went on our own to visit some of the dogs waiting for adoption. We also ate lunch at their cafe- a terrific vegan buffet. Best Friends does such great work and it is great place to visit if you re in the area!

I’ve been wanting to visit here since I was a child! What a treat. So awesome to finally see the sanctuary!!! I love donating to these guys🐾🐾

We didn’t actually book a tour, but the people at Best Friends were super helpful about other things to see in the area, and my son had a nice visit with the cats in the two cat rooms. Beautifully maintained property and areas for rescue animals. They recommended the hidden lake, and indigenous ruins which we hiked to - not much to see at the indigenou ruins site but we really liked the hidden lake!!

When we took the Peekaboo Tour, we found out about the animal sanctuary. We would have loved to take the full tour, but we got to ride around and see all the animals, the buildings where they keep cats and dogs and the pet cemetery.
These people are doing such good work.

Best Friends is a beautiful animal sanctuary set in Angel Canyon. This was our second time there. They have had to adapt their tours due to Covid. You now need to make appts. for tours and you don't get to go into the bldgs or play with any of the animals. That said it is still so worth visiting to see how well and lovingly they treat all the animals. We were only able to get an appt for Cat World this time, but I will be back and hopefully be able to volunteer. Best Friends is working towards all shelters to be no kill by 2025!

We booked a tour at Best Friends for our family of 12. The power in town was off so our tour was canceled. We re-booked for the next day but in the hubbub our reservation wasn't logged. It was busy and hectic there when we showed up. They explained we didn't have a reservation but got right to figuring out how to make it right. We ended up going in a wonderful 15-passenger van with a great guide. He took us to the cat house where we got to pet beautiful furry friends and hear about how many cats they care for then the dog house where we heard how many dogs are taken care of there.

What an impressive operation! It's truly amazing to hear how the kill rate has dropped dramatically across the country since Best Friends started operating. There are some very dedicated people doing wonderful things there and all across the U.S. at other Best Friends locations.

We ended our tour and went back to eat at the restaurant they run where the food is all vegan. There are a lot of meat-eaters in our group who I thought might leave unsatisfied but the meal was delicious and hearty! It was all-you-can-eat for $5 which was great for our big group. The salad bar had a lot of variety, the hot meals of lasagna and another noodle dish were hot and tasty and the desserts were equally good. I believe they only serve lunch from about 11-1.

This is definitely a place to go when in the Kanab area.

I just concluded my second visit to Best Friends, and this trip was even better than the first. I spent a few days volunteering with some very dedicated and helpful caregivers in Cat World and Wild Friends and went on an informative sanctuary tour as well. All employees were very welcoming and hospitable. The beauty of Kanab and the canyon are not to be missed!

We went here as a family to see the animals. We loved learning about how they are trying to save them all, however we were a bit disappointed as we thought we would have much more interaction with the animals. We saw several cats and 1 dog to visit with. Much of the tour was in a van learning about the shelter. Very impressive, but again we were expecting much more interaction with the animals so for us the tour was too long. I do have to say we waited over an hour since we didn’t know we needed a reservation. They let us take our car and follow behind the tour van with a pre-recorded CD. That was very thoughtful as a backup plan.

This huge animal sanctuary is all the reason you need to visit Kanab, Utah. It is located along the Kanab Canyon with amazing views. The services they provide for all types of animals is beyond anything we have encountered. Take a day and see it all!!!!!

When planning your trip to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, check for tour times, so you can get an official tour through the Sanctuary. We tried to get there in time for the tour on our last day in Kanab, but we missed the officially guided. The folks at Best Friends are wonderful, and we were greeted by a nice lady who gave us a map to do our own self-guided tour. You have to take a walk through the Angels' Nest (pet cemetery), and take in the beautiful sounds of the many, many rememberance chimes blowing in the canyon breeze. It will bring you to tears to see how many loved animals are remembered there. While you're there, don't forget to DONATE!

Worth the effort and time to sign up for volunteer shifts and tours here. So impressed by their facility and mission and all they're doing.

The staff made us feel welcomed and cared for. The canyon is indescribably beautiful. If you love animals and want to be connected to them and to people who have dedicated their lives to them, this is the place to go.

We had read about this place and really wanted to visit. But it is required that you either sign up for a tour or volunteer for several hours. Unfortunately things book up in advance and we were on a schedule. Keep in mind that you are not allowed to walk around and visit the animals on your own. There is a scenic loop drive you can take through the property and up to the cafe for lunch. You will see some animals like horses and some cats from afar. We missed lunch. I think it stopped at 1pm. I'm sure this place is amazing if you have the time. We did get to hold the resident store cat Billy. This place does a great job for animals and rescues. You can purchase and donate in the store.

I love this incredible sanctuary. Good people doing amazing work. A really good place to visit and shop, watch a film and/or take a tour. If you love animals you will love this place.

BF is an amazing place to visit. My friends and I took 3 tours (Angel’s Rest, Grand Tour, Old DogTown). All were wonderful. I also volunteered at DogTown two days, and had a dog sleepover with me at my hotel. Lunches at Angel’s cafe were amazing! Run, don’t walk, to visit this gem. Their vision to change our approach to decreasing homeless pets of all types is life changing.

An amazing place - we just can't say enough about what these folks do & the animals they save. We stayed in town at the Roadhouse, so we had to go. Sadly they were short staffed & this did affect our visit here. We were advised over breakfast that you could get a tour almost anytime - when we showed up at 11:30 am this turned out to be incorrect. The volunteer who was on the tour desk was also not helpful - she really, really wanted us to wait for two hours for a tour & even when we demurred (that would have been almost another FOUR hours!!) she could barely manage to give us a self-drive map & tell us where to see a few animals on our own (we did manage to figure it out ourselves). We didn't find out till the next day at the Roadhouse that there was an app that would have provided us with an audio tour!! We intend to return again so will do better next time, I guess.

Such a wonderful experience. Great people, beautiful animals, unforgettable. The volunteer experience is excellent. They are so organized and a wonderful experience.

Was surprised and pleased, after high recommendation from Visitor Center, how many easy hiking and sight seeing options are here. Absolutely beautiful and so convenient.

Our timing did not allow us to take the 2 hour tour, but the lady at the front desk provided lots of information and a 15 minute video. Very impressive place in terms of what they are doing for animal welfare. I believe they said they have 1,600 animals on site and it is a no-kill shelter. Beautiful location in Angel Canyon. Gift shop has lots of great gift ideas and is a win-win because proceeds go to the animals. Definitely worth a visit if you are staying in or near Kanab.

We went here for the two hour tour today! What a great organization that promises the goal of ending kill shelters across the country by 2025!
Wonderful staff, and Genie, our guide was a wonder of knowledge!
There are over 1600 rescues here and I really think she knew most of the names!
Will return and support this great group of human beings and their love of animals!!

This sanctuary is awesome. They do fantastic work saving animals and we have loved visiting them twice now.

Longtime fans of the Best Friends mission, we knew we couldn't come to Kanab without a stop at the Sanctuary. My husband and teenage son volunteered with the dogs while my 10-yr-old son and I took the tour and saw a horse training demonstration. (Prior online registration for volunteering and the tour is required.)

The staff is friendly, professional, and are committed to the animals in their care.

After visiting the Sanctuary, we are even more impressed by the organization. The day we spent at Best Friends was one of our favorites on our vacation.

We visited the BF Animal Sanctuary with our family of 8- two grandparents, 4 kids, ages 14, 13, 9, 7 and two parents. (I would characterize the grandparents as un-animal people and even THEY had an amazing time.) We signed up for the tour the morning of at their office in Kanab.

The tour was amazing. It was put together well, entertaining, and informative. Our kids especially loved the stop at the cat house.

We also ate lunch at the vegan buffet, which was a steal! $5 for that with an amazing view! After that, we actually went hiking on the property per the suggestion of our tour guide.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is really magical. You can feel the love and concern for all living creatures as you drive through the entrance. It’s over 3000 acres of Utah’s beautiful landscape. I highly recommend the tour. Very worthwhile and gives you a great sense of just how much work goes on here between caregivers and volunteers. They have a very nice gift shop and although the prices are a bit high, it is rewarding to know that proceeds go to help the animals. They care for all of God’s creatures, including dogs, cats, bunnies, horses, goats, pigs, and even birds. Be sure to stop in at the cafe. A delicious buffet lunch for only $5.00. And the cafe is set in a beautiful setting overlooking gorgeous scenery. The Sanctuary is definitely worth the visit while in Kanab.

I've been here 4 times and I will be back. It is magical. What they do here is lifesaving and the stories of the animals are beautiful. It is a must - go - even if for an afternoon!!

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is a truly wonderful experience! I booked the 8:30 am tour and a gal named Bambi gave a wonderful tour. After the tour, I visited the parrot area to see the lovely birds that this organization takes care of. After that, I enjoyed a vegan lunch for only $5 with fresh food, salad, and fruit.

Next time I come, I plan to stay overnight at the lodging they provide instead of a hotel in Kanab. I will also plan a day or two to volunteer with the animals

By contacting Best Friends in advance you can sign up for a 2 hour tour of the property and visit a few of the animal areas. The tour is preceded by a 20 minute film about Best Friends and concludes with a drive around the surrounding area. If you remember the TV series "The Lone Ranger" you will be awed!

Best Friends also offers a $5 vegan, buffet lunch that is open to the public. Sit on the balcony and admire the views!

Unbelievable visit to a most beautiful place. If you love animals and want to see them surrounded by beauty and love, this place is where you need to visit. Choose anyone of the demos, we choose the horse demonstration with Felix the horse. We were so impressed with Felix and his trainer. It will melt your heart. This beautiful place is in the middle of the breathtaking angel canyon. Just the sight of this canyon is worth the trip. Everyone who loves nature and her animals needs to spend the day here. All of our family, young and old fell in love with best friends, and carried some of it home with us. Don’t miss this place.

We traveled from New York to visit Best friends for a spring break trip with our college student daughter. We had an amazing time. Everyone who works here is warm and so caring for the animals. We loved all of the areas that we helped at. You learn about the animals and how to care for them, feed them and love them. We even got to take two dogs back to our hotel for a sleepover. The lunches that you have here are wonderfully vegan and delicious. What a great trip and such an amazing place for animals to live at and hopefully get adopted. We will definitely be back. This is great for families to learn about animals and any age group to volunteer at.

You can come here and tour, or actually volunteer. The sanctuary is amazing. They so clearly care about the animals first and foremost, and the setting is beautiful.

This has been on my bucket list for almost 10 years now and I finally got the opportunity to visit. My friend and I were warmly welcomed and took the tour. The expanse of the sanctuary and the care that each and every animal receives is unbelievable. We volunteered at the Cat World the next day. Each cat had its own story and that story was known by the workers at each house. I loved helping out, loved the animals, and loved the happy feelings that surrounds everyone there. By the way, they have the new kitten neonatal and kittens downtown. We stopped in three times to play with the kittens. Rather than treating us as annoyances, we were thanked for coming in to help socialize the kittens. I cannot wait to go back.

I took a Wild Friends tour and my daughter volunteered at Dogtown. It’s a wonderful, spacious sanctuary for animals of all types. The Angel Village Cafe (on the premises) has THE best vegetarian buffet for only $5 a person. The Welcome Center has a nice gift shop with lots of quality items.

We were only able to make a quick stop here for an afternoon as part of a longer trip but so glad we did! If you're in the area, it's definitely worth the stop to take the free tour or volunteer if you can.

I had read the book about its founding but was totally amazed at what they have accomplished here for their animals they've rescued. One must take the free tours and visit the gift shop. The pet cemetery is haunting and sad. I was surprised they had a wildlife rehab center there and horses and burros. Loved the way the dogs and cats were set up in their enclosures. The place is absolutely gorgeous nestled close in surrounding mountains. There's a two place camp spot for rvs and cabins one can rent. This place took in some of the Michael Vick dogs and did a really good job with them.

Our family of five (9, 12, 15 years old) plus Golden Retriever visited the sanctuary on the way to Bryce from Page, AZ, and it was enjoyable. I booked as many tours as we had time for three months in advance: Water Canyon Hike, Horse Haven, and Parrot Tour. Due to rainfall prior to our visit, we were unable to do the Water Canyon Hike and saw the pet cemetery instead. It was nice to take our dog on two of the tours. No dogs in the parrot building. The people at the welcome center were friendly and nice to our dog. The cafe food was good, cheap, and healthy, and I highly suggest eating lunch there. If we are in the Kanab area again, we will definitely go back and try to go on some other tours.

I need to specify immediately that my review addresses volunteering at the sanctuary. The free tour offered by Best Friends is separate, and also a worthwhile outing. n fact, the tour is a good way to get an overview and see where you might want to return as a volunteer. So on to volunteering. I have volunteered at BF seven times because I believe in their mission, find the people working there caring and compassionate, and love working with animals. Given that you are giving BF your time, energy and commitment, make sure that you get the volunteer assignment you want. If you want to work with horses, don't let them tell you they only have spots available in dogs or wild friends. They will find a way. While you are obviously unskilled (in terms of their operation) and unfamiliar with their specific animals, you have a right to say you don't want to clean cages your entire shift. They make a big deal (rightfully) on socializing with the animals, so make sure that you get time to be friends with the horses/dogs/cats/pigs/birds ... Volunteering is not a good option for young children who will get bored quickly, and then you have the child and the animals to be concerned with. Even socializing/playing with animals for the three hour shift is too much to ask of most children. Make sure you wear old clothing because you will end your shift with dirt, hair, food, droppings, etc. on whatever you wear. If you volunteer for a full day, morning and afternoon shift, you can get a very good vegan lunch on campus for $5. in a facility that overlooks the canyon. Note that the online scheduling for volunteers is extremely user non-friendly and frequently inaccurate about availability, so it is best to email the volunteer coordinator to check on shifts and get questions answered.

excellent customer service in Best Friends Im still their supporter and very thankful for their attention

Amazing operation they have here...well worth taking a tour. They are the largest employer in the County. Its absolutely amazing the level of care, training, etc. provided to the animals.

The tour was informative and heart warming with the care being shown for of the animals here. Only wish there had been more opportunities to interact with some of the animals since it is near impossible to be able to volunteer from so far away.

My 12 yr old grandson and I spent 2 mornings here volunteering. I have been supporting them for many years so it was great to finally get there. They take all kinds of animals from dogs and cats to horses and pigs. I really recommend this place to everyone. At least take the free tour.

The highlight of our trip was the Bunny House, where we were given a wonderful tour and got to play with Alaska the spokesbunny. But we are bunny lovers, and there is an animal for everyone at this large and beautiful animal sanctuary located in the vermillion cliffs of Southern Utah.

We also took a self guided tour that I recommend to anyone visiting. Just install the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary App on your phone. The tour is easily downloaded from there. The Angel's Rest, an old movie set, even a center where we could meet and learn about adoptable dogs. We could not do everything, because we were short on time, but my family and I definitely want to return to this special place!

What a wonderful place! I wasn't feeling well that day so could not spend as much time as I would like so I want to go back to spend more time. The surroundings are beautiful and it is wonderful to see all of the animals and to see how well they are cared for.

You can't help but be inspired by the dedicated staff and volunteers who run this amazing facility. We were given a very comprehensive tour and then a goody bag at the end. Not once did they pressure us for, or even mention, a donation.
They were able to accommodate us as short term volunteers on very short notice.
I would love to go back for an extended stay

The sanctuary was a nice place to visit to see what caring people do for the animals. They put the animals first. If you are going there expecting to pet and play with the animals, this is not that place. They put the well being of the animal first with the care and interaction of visitors. It is an educational experience.

We followed the tour bus (our dog was not allowed on the bus) and tuned our radio to the designated station to hear the tour guide tell us about this amazing place. The drive took about 45 minutes on dirt roads that a sedan can easily handle. We learned a lot. Impressive set up with admirable purpose.

This is the greatest place ever If you pass up this location you are a fool. This is a no kill animal sanctuary that has over 400 workers and over 1000 volunteers.

My husband and I have been there 3 times. And all 3 times as we walked in the door we are immediately approached by staff and being informed that we can't adopt on that day. They always have a reason that sounds very far fetched to both of us. Made my husband wonder if it is because I look Hispanic. We have indeed suffered some discrimination in Utah over both my race and my gender so it was his immediate thought the third time this happened. And if they only knew the life that both our spoiled rotten dogs live they would beg us to adopt. Each time it has been a different reason and none of them ever made sense to me and certainly not to my husband neither. We have driven the grounds which are nice but we have never been allowed to see the adoptable dog kennels. The kennels are always either closed, being serviced or it's too late. One time they told us we couldn't look at the dogs because they were having a wedding on the grounds. So many homeless animals and they do not do everything in their power to try and have people adopt. I just shake my head. I will never go back. Our local Enoch Animal Shelter has allowed us to adopt the 2 dogs we have now.

We absolutely loved our visit to the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. We preordered lunches which were only $5 each ($10 for 2 people) but we added $10 tip to the Sanctuary. The lunches are boxed lunches and include a vegetarian pasta, a broccoli salad, kale soup, a spring mix salad, and a dessert. We ate half for lunch and saved the other half for dinner that night. We did a couple short hikes and drove our Jeep on some back roads and visited the pet cemetary. A lot of the places where you interact with the animals were not available due to covid. Wish we would have had longer to explore!

Stopped by to use the restrooms returning from a tour. Was impressed by the operation and the people who staffed it.

You’ll fall in love with their philosophy once you’ve seen what they do.
Together we can Save Them All.
We got to see some cats in a habitat as well as a dog habitat.
This is a wonderful example of how to love animals. Make a reservation though!

I can’t believe people don’t come by here when visiting the area. It’s amazing!!! Kids and adults will love it.

This was a bit different, but glad we stopped. Definitely worth the time. There are other sights to see besides the pet cemetery, but honestly the cemetery was really neat as well.

We visited the Kanab caves, and happened to see a sign for the animal sanctuary which is nearby. We decided to check it out. We first stopped at the visitor center, where they told us about and audio guide we could doqnload. We then drove the loop through the sanctuary. Very interesting, and some amazing scenery as well. Would definitely recommend checking it out!

We, like many took a road trip to Zion, Bryce and Grand Canyon and stayed in Kanab. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express and loved that a Best Friend adoption site was right next to our hotel. Our kids loved going into the kitten room to pet and play with them.... they didn't want to leave!

They loved the downtown location so much we took the family out to their main site out of town for a tour. The kids were wishing the tour had as much hands on as the downtown site, but we loved learning about what a great company Best Friends is. It is the perfect spot in america to touch the hearts of millions traveling through on their vacation.

We took the 90 minute tour of the sanctuary. It was a great experience with a lot of good information. The tour is done in a van, with a couple of stops to play with the cats and dogs.
We also had lunch at the Angels Landing cafe. It was good food for only $5. We were there on Thursday and got to hear updates from the different areas of the organization.
If you are an animal lover, this is a good stop to make.

Wonderful peaceful lived every minute of our stay. Be sure to volunteer and eat lunch in the cafeteria... what a view the patio dining has!!! This is our 4th time but this time we stayed in the cottages that overlook the horse corrals. We highly recommend. We will be returning!!!!

We did the Dog Town tour of this amazing facility. The work they do is amazing, socializing the puppies, working with the older dogs etc. Maybe we will be back soon to adopt our next best friend...or thru one of their networks.

My friend, her daughter and I scheduled the Grand Sanctuary tour. Our tour was led by Bambi who did a great job explaining about the sanctuary and their purpose. She was really funny and answered a lot of questions. After our visit my friend and I became members and are planning a long weekend to volunteer. The sanctuary takes in a lot of “special needs” pets and if they aren’t adopted they get to stay for the rest of their lives! All kinds of animals are at the sanctuary from parrots to pigs, to bunnies and horses. They even have space for wild animals. The tours are all free!

I can't say enough positive things about BFAS. You must go. Take the tour, it is well worth it to see the love these people have for animals. You can even volunteer here for a half day or more. Best experience we have had on vacation.

This is a wonderful place that does good for animals. It is located in a beautiful canyon with lovely scenery.

I've donated to Best Friends for years so it was a pleasant surprise that on a trip to SW Utah, I found that they are based in Kanab. I was able to sign up for a tour of the group and was highly impressed at the extent of the work that is involved in animal rescue (training, rehabilitation, infrastructure, transportation, etc). They're a great organization and worth visiting.

Largest animal Sanctuary on the Country. A gorgeous spot just a short distance out of Kanab. Dogs, Cats, horses and many other animals, Well worth the visit and better yet take a critter with you to a forever home!

We had heard about Best Friends through the animal shelter that we volunteer at. The shelter is very clean and has lots of animals on the property (pigs, goats, birds, horses, & of course cats and dogs) which are all up for adoption!! They are pushing for no-kill animal shelters by 2025. You can go on several tours that they have during the day which are all FREE but sign up early so you can get on the tour you want. You can also volunteer there if you want. They also have cabins you can rent but you have to request them about 9 months in advance and probably have to volunteer at the shelter. They also have a restaurant and gift shop by the welcome center (not in town) where you get on the tours vans. The people are very friendly and knowledgeable. If you are in the area and a animal lover stop by Best Friends for a couple of hours to either to do a tour or volunteer they would love to see you.

Beautiful spot to learn about animals and take a short hike. Their vegan lunch is delicious and has a great view!
Everyone was really friendly.

Beauty all around—evident in the employees, volunteers, and happy animals, aside from the stunning views of canyon cliffs. We took a tour and actually got to interact with some of the residents. Best no-kill shelter anywhere.

My wife volunteered for a week but I only came for a day to tour the facilities. This is an amazingly well organized no kill animal sanctuary occupying about 370,000 acres of beautiful country. They cater to dogs, cats, birds, pigs, horses, and are extending to nondomesticated animals. There are 2 animal cemetaries and 2 hiking trails worth doing. The general tour is 2 hours and free. It starts with a 20 minute video and ends with a van tour of the main facilities stopping to interact with animals and docents. The $5. vegetarian buffet is a great deal and the canyon view is terrific. This place will inspire you.

I can’t say enough about the work done by Best Friends...we have been members for 7 years now. The effort’s to “Save Them All” is something I truly believe in.

Our second trip and we’ll be back for sure! My husband and I made the trip 9 years ago and vowed to bring our kids when they were bigger. So we brought them this week and while Covid-19 shut down the sanctuary do we were not able to complete our volunteering shifts, we were able to take a dog for a field trip and sleepover and she was so fun! All the staff are amazing, the work they do is incredible and I will continue to share my experiences with others and encourage others to visit! Thank you for all you do!!

Dog friendly. We had our rescue dog with us and had no problem walking with her. The only thing we couldn't walk around to see animals, you could only see them on the tour and we had limited time for our stop. Tour is 2 hours long. But we understand that it's for their safety.

I have two pre-teens and as you can imagine, finding things to do on vacation that they enjoy can be a challenge. We planned this trip about a month in advance and had no trouble finding availability for the areas in which we wanted to volunteer. We weren't able to stay on site, but found plenty of hotel options in Kanab which was only about a 10 minute drive away. The kids loved it! However, two shifts per day were too much for their short, teenage attention span. We ended up doing one 3-hour shift each morning, then exploring the local canyons in the afternoon. The staff was welcoming, informative, and grateful for our time and enthusiasm. The animals are so well-cared for, and it was great to see such passion from the people working there.

As an animal lover, I had heard about Best Friends through a friend and thought it would be a great addition to our roadtrip to see the cats, dogs, horses! We joined a one-hour tour around the entire Sanctuary, learning more on what they do and why they do it. We met cats and dogs and saw horses, turkeys, pigs and more. I would have loved to allow more time to walk through the Valley of the Angels where the 8000 wind chimes are, but am leaving that for another trip. Great work and an awesome way to see what they are doing for the animals.

Best Friends is a sanctuary and loving home to 1,600 animals that would otherwise be euthanized. It is also an experience of compassion, beauty and kinship with all creatures great and small, that is so profound, it has a spiritual dimension. For historical facts and current info, visit their website. For a beautiful, fulfilling and inspiring experience, visit the sanctuary. You can take a two hour tour, or you can volunteer, as we did. We had the opportunity to choose how to spend our volunteer time: we cuddled and socialized with the animals, took them for walks, supervised them at play in safe, enclosed outdoor areas. We cleaned rooms, stalls & litter boxes. You can also help with weeding or painting or small projects. You can choose to work with cats, dogs - puppies, kittens or oldsters- rabbits, horses, pigs, birds or wildlife. If you are an animal lover, you will find that anything you do is deeply rewarding, because it contributes to the loving environment these animals have in this first class facility. I found it particularly rewarding because so many of the animals have suffered from medical conditions, neglect or abuse, and now are safe and loved. And the setting is breathtaking! This is not an exaggeration; the natural beauty of the setting will take your breath away. The staff is hard working and passionate about the animals. You must register online in advance for your volunteer shift(s). Do this well in advance of your visit, because the available volunteer slots fill up quickly. And no wonder...once you experience Best Friends, you want to come back. So many of the volunteers that I met have been returning year after year. We met a variety of staff and volunteers from diverse, fascinating backgrounds with one goal in common for the animals: Save Them All. We learned so much. And as a bonus, we had a delicious vegan lunch every day (for $5!) in a dining room and balcony with a view that I will carry with me forever. Come prepared for outdoor work, with hats, sunscreen, sunglasses, work shoes, and weather appropriate outerwear. The weather can change quickly. And come prepared to have the experience of a lifetime. Do not miss Best Friends.

This place is amazing and a must see for animal lovers! We stayed in a cabin, which had everything we could possibly need. We went on so many beautiful hikes and even got to volunteer with the horses at Horse Haven. It was the trip of a lifetime.

I just returned from Best Friends & was I impressed!!! Not only will the scenery take your breath away, they are definitely making a better future for animals. They are strategic in implementing solutions to problems country-wide. At the sanctuary, it is very well-run due to safety protocols and organizational policies in place. The employees are extremely dedicated & go the extra mile. It's an enlightening environment. I would highly recommend visiting, volunteering, & adopting. Well worth the trip!

I love Best Friends animal sanctuary. What they stand for is so amazing and they do what they can to save all homeless animals and rehome them. If not they live out life at the sanctuary! You can take tours of the sanctuary thats ACRES huge. Visit with all sorts of animals and learn more about how you can help animals in need also.

I did the 2-hour general tour, then had lunch at their cafe (with the most beautiful view). What a special place! We had a fun tour guide, Bambi, and I really enjoyed having the chance to meet some of the cats and dogs. I especially appreciate the work that Best Friends does for spay/neuter and no kill. Best Friends is definitely worth a visit, and it is a good idea to make a tour reservation online in advance. Also, they have a great gift shop!

I have volunteered at the sanctuary four times. I have worked in all areas of animal care at Best Friends and they all take great care of the animals. The caregivers are so loving to their animals and friendly to the volunteers. Angel's Rest and Angel's Overlook is heartwarming and calm. Beautiful scenery, great cabins and cottages to stay in, and great message to Save them All! Can't say enough great things about Best Friends!!

Where to start?! First, that 1600 animals are cared for here is almost hard to believe - it is so quiet and peaceful and every area is so clean. Jeff at Dogtown HQ was really helpful, as was Pete. We took 2 dogs on outings and one of them did a sleepover with us. It was perfect! The dogs were well matched for us and we were so happy to have a dog while missing ours and happy to get them out for a change of scenery and some different activity. The entire canyon area is beautiful with many hikes. A really amazing place.

We took the Dog Town Tour and thoroughly enjoyed it. Our guide told us all about the organization and how the processes work. We toured the different buildings and even got to play with puppies! We were very impressed with the faculty and it's organization. We were glad we toured Best Friends!

I had a full day at Best Friends scheduled for my two week Southern Utah trip - first a Grand Sanctuary Tour in the morning, and then an afternoon shift with the cats. I had such a lovely time at the sanctuary that I watched the tour schedule and snagged a Dogtown tour spot two days later before I left Kanab, so I could go back and see a bit more. I highly recommend reserving a tour or volunteer shift while you're in the area - it's such a pleasure to support the animals and the great work BFAS is doing! It will warm your heart.

We stumbled across a great little RV park in Kanab, UT - The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. The RV park is great and offers full hook-ups. We stayed in the new section, campsites 9-18. If you come here, make sure to sign up to take the free Sanctuary tour. The facilities are very impressive and home over 1,300 companion animals. Best Friends also offers a daily vegan buffet for $5, which was fabulous (go for the salad bar and the views). They also have cabin rentals on the property and a dog friendly hotel in town, The Roadhouse & Mercantile. We were able to use the dog spa at the hotel to give our dog a bath.
Even if you don’t stay here, I recommend stopping by for the Sanctuary tour and lunch.

Visited during the hot month of late June. Facilities are top notch. Animals very well cared for. Staff is universally out-going and friendly. They love their animals, and it shows. Everything is very clean. Take the tour to really see the facilities and learn about the sanctuary. The tour guides do a great job. Really, a unique facility to experience for all animal lovers. Their cafe for lunch is a vegan's dream. $ 5.00 all you can eat and an exquisite view of the canyon. Wonderful!

We visited the Sanctuary on our first day in Kanab. Beautiful property! If you are traveling with your dog as we were, you may still go to the Welcome Center and hike the trails. The Water Canyon Trail is across the street from the parking lot and winds it’s way along the creek. Midway you’ll find some shade & a picnic table. Very nice way to start our vacation!

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah is my husband and my Mecca! Not only because of the beauty and magnitude of the area and what Best Friends offers, but if you are an animal lover - this is a must see / must do! Our first visit to Best Friends was back in June of 2012. We just returned from our seventh volunteer visit ... this time we were there for two weeks. Each visit gets better and better (and longer and longer).

I visited the Sanctuary for the first time this week -- and I'm already planning my next visit.

Best Friends is such a loving place for animals -- and it's a blessing to get to experience it up close and personal.

I volunteered at Cat World, Feathered Friends, Dog Town and I did three dog outings to the sand dunes. It was such a rewarding experience.

In addition to spending quality time with the animals, volunteers do chores and jobs that make a difference. You'll make connections with people and animals that will live in your memory for a long long time.

A large area with lovingly furnished grounds. Horses, dogs, cats... even facilities for aggressive or sick animals (feline leukemia). The tour was free, we donated and bought caps. It's impressive how much commitment is put into caring for the animals here and how spacious the area is.
It's definitely worth a visit.

Amazing place, will definitely b back to volunteer- my only advice is to book way in advance if u want to volunteer!

This is the most amazing place, I love best friends. If you have not been you need to visit. The story behind the animals will touch you and the beauty of everything this place is about is what makes it so special.

A five minute drive from Kanab, a wonderful, peaceful, beautiful oasis. If you love animals, this is a must see place.

There are many free tours available, it is best to book as far in advance as you can; during tourist season, tours book up quickly. The various tours include dogs, cats, horses, pigs, rabbits, goats and birds.

You can also volunteer with them, as well. Volunteer shifts should also be booked as far in advance as possible. We did separate volunteer shifts with dogs, cats and rabbits.
Working with dogs, you will help clean kennels and walk dogs. With the cats, it's much the same. We helped clean the cat area and then walked cats - one at a time - in an enclosed stroller and one in a harness. With rabbits, we cleaned and then sat and fed them lettuce. The rabbit experience was surprisingly meditative and uniquely fun.

Children under 18 are permitted to volunteer, but must be supervised by an adult. Check the restrictions on each animal assignment, as they may vary.

If you are at the Sanctuary between 11:30 and 1:00pm, they serve a $5 all-you-can-eat vegan buffet at the Angel Village Cafe.

The staff is extremely friendly, competent and eager to answer your questions.

It is an amazing place in a beautiful setting.

Be sure to visit Angel's Rest.

Bring water and sunscreen.

If you are in or near Kanab this is a must visit! The work this organization does and has accomplished is amazing. We did the Grand Sanctuary tour that gives the big over view as well as getting to visit Dogtown and Cat World where we got to interact with some of the animals. More specific area tours are also available for more in-depth exploration of those areas. Incredible, incredible place...can’t say enough good things about it.

I have been an animal lover all my life, a while back I found out about the “Best Friends Animal Society” and knew I had to visit them & see this wonderful sanctuary.
Me and my son were given a tour of the entire complex (no charge) but give a donation please as we did.
We got to see all the animals, that are so well taken care of by a large staff of people and volunteers, yes, if you are so inclined you can volunteer.
The also have a motel in Kanab “The Best Friends Road House & Mercantile. You can bring your dog or cat, they welcome the animals in the rooms.
I highly recommend visiting & making a contribution to this loving wonderful non-profit animal sanctuary.

I did 4 days of volunteering here, working with a different section each time. It was fabulous - the staff made us feel really welcome and like we were actually helping instead of getting in the way( which I suspect we were some of the time). I learned a lot about what it takes to look after the animals and got to pet loads of them. This is a happy place - it's not a miserable pseudo-zoo where you think the animals would be better off living stray. Go and do a tour or, better still, volunteer and spread the word. oh and DEFINITELY have the $5 vegan buffet. The food is amazing and the view spectacular.