Beyond the Fight Initiative

Beyond the Fight Initiative is a partner of Best Friends, working together to save the lives of dogs and cats in communities like yours across the country

The Best Friends Network is made up of thousands of public and private shelters, rescue groups, spay/neuter organizations, and other animal welfare groups — all working to save the lives of dogs and cats in communities like yours across the country.

From Beyond the Fight Initiative

BTFI focuses our resources specifically on reducing the amount of animal cruelty court case dogs being euthanized after their court case has been wrapped up. Many of these victims of animal cruelty are held in holding facilities for months or years while their court case is ongoing and without anyone to advocate for their lives after their release will end up being euthanized. We network all of the adoptable dogs to no-kill shelters and rescues and then transport the dogs anywhere in the US. If we can't get the dogs to a no-kill placement before their time is up in the holding facility then we fundraise to transfer them to boarding or fosters to buy more time. We have saved 54 dogs from court cases in the 7 months since we started. Well, 55 if you count me as being a foster failure with a federal court case dog named Kelso :)
The second focus is providing enrichment and comfort items to the dogs in the holding facilities while they're waiting for their court case to be done. These facilities often don't give the dogs toys, enrichment, beds, blankets, treats etc. BTFI sends items as funds allow to reduce kennel stress and increase the likelihood that more dogs will stay adoptable.

Palm Bay, FL 32907
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How is your community doing when it comes to lifesaving? 

Our partners support each other and inspire their own communities to increase lifesaving of dogs and cats across the country.

Every partner has one common goal: to save the lives of homeless pets.

Animals in Florida need your help

You can make a world of difference in the lives of cats and dogs in your community when you work with Beyond the Fight Initiative and Best Friends to support homeless pets and save more lives.

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Adopt a pet

When you adopt a homeless dog or cat you’re saving the life of a loving and loyal animal. You’re also making space for other pets to find families of their own.
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Foster a pet

Fostering a pet is a short-term commitment with long-term impact. By opening your home to a dog or cat for even a few days, you can save lives.

Heartwarming stories from our partners

Just like , shelters and rescue groups around the country are saving the lives of homeless cats and dogs. Read more about their lifesaving work. 
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Who we are

Best Friends Animal Society  works alongside thousands of animal shelters, rescue groups, and other animal welfare organizations to save the lives of cats and dogs across the country and to make the entire country no-kill in 2025.

The Best Friends Network is comprised of thousands of animal welfare groups from every single state, all working to save the lives of pets in their own communities.

Ranging from animal shelters and rescue groups to spay/neuter and trap-neuter-vaccinate-return (TNVR) organizations, they collaborate with Best Friends to save even more lives in every corner of the country.

Best Friends provides marketing help, fundraising events, webinars, grants, and other resources so that, together, we can Save Them All.

Interested in becoming a partner? Visit bestfriends.org/network »