Best Friends: The True Story of the World's Most Beloved Animal Sanctuary by Samantha Glen, Mary Tyler Moore (Introduction)

From the Publisher

In the summer of 1982 a group of young men and women, determined to make a difference, pooled their resources and brought three thousand acres of high desert in the wilds of southern Utah. Through endless effort, tenacity, and dedication, they turned that land into what is now one of the most beloved animal sanctuaries in the world--Best Friends. This is the inspiring true story of how these devoted animal lovers made it all happen.

Publishers Weekly

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. (Feb.) Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.

Library Journal

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 Cahners Business Information.

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