Best Friends Animal Society Named to Fast Company's Annual List of the World's Most Innovative Companies for 2021

Best Friends has been recognized for its use of data and creation of its lifesaving dashboard revolutionizing animal welfare 

 
KANAB, UT - Best Friends Animal Society has been named to Fast Company's prestigious annual list of the World's Most Innovative Companies for 2021 in the data science category. Best Friends, a national animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America's shelters by 2025, was recognized for its use of data and the creation of its pet lifesaving dashboard, a one-of-a-kind database of the state of companion animal welfare and shelter performance.

"Our work is changing the game in a 150-year-old animal welfare sector that, unbelievably in today's world of innovation and technology, was still guessing at how many animals were dying in shelters," said Julie Castle, Chief Executive Officer, Best Friends Animal Society. "No one in this country could tell you, not even professionals who worked in animal welfare, just how many shelters existed in America." 

Castle explained, "You can't solve what you can't measure. It's important to know where animals are dying so we know where to deploy resources to help, rather than guessing. This tool has allowed Best Friends to target programming in the shelters and communities with the highest lifesaving gaps resulting in more lives saved. We believe the dashboard is going to put us in hyperdrive to our goal of 2025. There are many great causes out there, but many don't have a cure or a solution that can be achieved in our lifetime, but we do. We now know exactly what tools and resources we need to get there."

Fast Company's editors and writers sought out the most groundbreaking businesses across the globe and industries. They also judged nominations received through their application process. The list honors the businesses that have not only found a way to be resilient in the past year, but also turned those challenges into impact-making processes. These companies did more than survive, they thrived-making an impact on their industries and culture as a whole.

"In a year of unprecedented challenges, the companies on this list exhibit fearlessness, ingenuity, and creativity in the face of crisis," said Fast Company Deputy Editor David Lidsky, who oversaw the issue with Senior Editor Amy Farley.

Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies issue (March/April 2021) is now available online here, as well as in app form via iTunes and on newsstands beginning March 16, 2021. The hashtag is #FCMostInnovative.

ABOUT BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY 

Best Friends Animal Society is a leading animal welfare organization working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America's shelters by 2025. Founded in 1984, Best Friends is a pioneer in the no-kill movement and has helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters from an estimated 17 million per year to around 625,000. Best Friends runs lifesaving programs all across the country, as well as the nation's largest no-kill animal sanctuary. Working collaboratively with a network of more than 3,200 animal welfare and shelter partners, and community members nationwide, Best Friends is working to Save Them All®. For more information, visit bestfriends.org.

ABOUT FAST COMPANY 

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. The editor-in-chief is Stephanie Mehta. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with our sister publication Inc., and can be found online at www.fastcompany.com.