Virginia shelter summits spark lifesaving connections

In a milestone initiative to strengthen shelter relationships and promote lifesaving efforts, the Best Friends East regional team hosted the inaugural Virginia Is for Animal Lovers Shelter Summits on November 19 in Richmond, with space kindly provided by Richmond SPCA, and on November 20 in Roanoke. Twenty-two organizations came together for a key step in the Best Friends' "one-to-many" strategy, designed to engage and support shelters across Virginia.

The summits offered a blend of general sessions and two focused educational tracks — shelter operations and field services — allowing attendees to choose sessions that best suited their interests and operational needs. With impactful presentations, the events provided a wealth of practical insights and inspiration.

The summits not only facilitated new collaboration with previously unconnected shelters but also underscored Best Friends’ commitment to supporting the community. The event was free for participants and included lunch, fostering a welcoming and collaborative atmosphere.

To further empower organizations, grants and scholarships totaling $6,900 were awarded over the two days, benefitting six different shelters:

• Grants: $250 and $1,000 each day
• Scholarships: A full Best Friends conference scholarship valued at $2,200 awarded at each summit

The summits featured presentations by many Virginia-based Best Friends staff members as well as team members from neighboring states. This regional representation underscored the shared mission to support shelters and communities across the East Coast.

The summits were just the beginning. The connections forged and the resources shared at these events will pave the way for meaningful lifesaving work across Virginia and beyond. Plans are already underway to bring similar summits to other animal services organizations along the East Coast.

We look forward to continuing this lifesaving journey together.

Check out photos from the events to see the energy, collaboration, and impact of these incredible summits!

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill in 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.