Best Friends

February 1, 2001
The largest no-kill animal sanctuary in the country, Best Friends houses between 1,800 and 3,000 creatures--from dogs, rabbits and birds to sheep, pigs and horses--75% of which are adopted and many of which have special needs. Located on 3,000 acres in Angel Canyon (formerly Kanab), Utah, the shelter was founded in 1982 by several friends. This is the story of their efforts to execute their grand plan, from locating an appropriate piece of land to building various shelters, taking in ever growing numbers of abused and abandoned animals, finding a reliable veterinarian and raising the funds needed to keep their huge project afloat. Not quite as wonderful as its subject, the book gets bogged down in extraneous details and the introduction of numerous secondary characters. Readers curious about the practical side of this endeavor may find it frustrating that, in the first half of the book, it's not clear how the sanctuary supported hundreds of animals and its staff of a dozen or more; only later do we learn of generous donors, fund-raising efforts, the beginning of Best Friends' excellent magazine and the sanctuary's canvassing efforts. Still, readers drawn in by the authors' 25-city radio tour and 20-city television campaign will find distinctive, memorably drawn portraits of many animals--such as Tomato, the head cat of the TLC Club and the main source of local gossip for Best Friends magazine editor Michael Mountain. Agent, Meredith Bernstein.

February 1, 2001
Best Friends, a domestic animal sanctuary in Kenab, UT, is permanent home to more than 1800 dogs, cats, birds, horses, etc., many of them abused, disfigured, and unadoptable. Glen (coauthor of Search and Rescue) chronicles the trials, tribulations, and triumphs of a small band of dreamers, including Faith Maloney, Michael Mountain, and Francis Battista, who envisioned a refuge where such animals could live out their natural lives in comfort and safety. In recounting Best Friends' 20-year history, the author introduces us not only to the humans who brought the dream to reality but also some of the charming and needy animals who necessitated its creation. Among them are Sinjin, the burned cat; Mollie, the pot-bellied pig, evicted from her suburban residence because of a change in zoning laws; Benton, the lame cat, inspiration for the construction of a special-needs residence; and Ginger, the Chesapeake Bay retriever, rescued from continuous breeding in a puppy mill. A heartwarming and inspiring tale of love, dedication, and courage, this book belongs in every library where there is interest in environmental issues and animal rights.--Florence Scarinci, formerly with Nassau Community Coll. Lib., Garden City, NY

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2001
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary has played a major role in perpetuating the "no-kill" shelter movement that has swept the U.S. over the past 20 years. The Angel Canyon (Utah) sanctuary, which is home to more than 3,000 animals and birds, was founded in the early 1980s by a group of friends who pooled their money to purchase 3,000 acres of desert scrubland for the purpose of rescuing homeless animals. Despite personal and financial difficulties, the group, bound by their passion for animals, persevered; and now, 20 years later, Best Friends is the nation's largest sanctuary for abused and abandoned cats and dogs and other animals. Glen tells the poignant but also hopeful story of the sanctuary's beginnings as well as the stories of some of the animals that have come to live there. The well-written and informative book also features an introduction by actress Mary Tyler Moore.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)