Best Friends Pet Adoption Center - West LA
Our Mission
Best Friends Pet Adoption Center is dedicated to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters. By working together with passionate individuals and our community, we are building a kinder, more compassionate future where every pet has a safe place to call home.
Our Journey
Born from a group of friends who believed every animal deserves a second chance, Best Friends has grown from humble roots into a national movement. We champion the no-kill movement, believing that no shelter pet should be killed simply because they lack a place to stay.
Our Approach
We operate as a hub for innovation, blending on-site animal care with a robust network of foster homes. By providing veterinary care, training support, and essential supplies to our foster families, we ensure every animal in our care is healthy, happy, and ready for their next adventure.
The Adopter Connection
Adoption is a joyful partnership, and we are here to help you find your perfect match. Our adoption counselors take the time to understand your lifestyle and preferences, helping to facilitate successful, lifelong connections between pets and their new families.
Join Our Lifesaving Team
Whether you are ready to open your heart to a new best friend, provide a temporary home as a foster, or join our team of volunteers, there is a place for you here. Visit our center in West Los Angeles today to meet our adoptable cats and dogs, or explore our website to start your journey of giving a homeless pet the life they deserve.
Trust Assessment
GoldRated Sep 18, 2026
NonprofitVerifiedPhysical FacilityOperating 50+ years
FinancesOnline Review Highlights
- Friendly and helpful staff
- Clean and well-maintained facilities
- Operational friction regarding adoption queues
Vetted by
How we assessRecent Videos
10/11 - This one is special 🥹 ✨MEET GRITS✨ 9 months old When Grits came to the Best Friends Animal Society, we were told she was hit by a cyclist and had to have her leg amputated. But as you can see in the video, it hasn’t affected her one bit. I had a really hard time leaving Grits because she was truly one of the sweetest, most curious, most loving dogs I’ve ever met in my life. ✨LIKES✨ Kisses Stuffies Running around Snuggling Snoozing on your shoulder Loving on strangers ✨DISLIKES✨ Bikes Hats Dog Backpack by @heylittlechonk Grits is available for adoption via @bestfriendsanimalsociety, their location in Soho, or at the link in our bio! I can’t wait to share the next adoptable pup with you soon! #dogsofinstagram #adoptdontshop
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10/9 - Taking the time to understand and work with Abraham’s behaviors revealed the cat he was all along. 🧡 Volunteer and cat behavior expert Stassi began working with Abraham, helping him build trust and confidence along the way. Before long, she knew he was the one, and Abraham found his home with the person who took the time to understand him. 🥹
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10/8 - She’s a bundle of pure joy 💋 ✨MEET MAPLE✨ 10 months old For the person who adopts Maple, and for ALL ADOPTIONS from the NY location of @bfas_ny during the month of October all adoption fees are waived & with every adoption, you get a FREE @heylittlechonk dog backpack courtesy of the incredibly kind and generous Robert Wilder. Thank you Robert! ✨LIKES✨ Gentle kisses Aggressive kisses Chewing on toys Aggressive hugging Invading your personal space Loving on strangers ✨DISLIKES✨ Wigs of any kind Dog Backpack by @heylittlechonk Maple is available for adoption via @bestfriendsanimalsociety, their location in Soho, or at the link in our bio! I can’t wait to share the next adoptable pup with you soon! #dogsofinstagram #adoptdontshop
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10/5 - Last month, Kit and Caboodle celebrated their 10th birthday! 🎉 Ten years of being loved, cared for, and making people smile. Their care team, volunteers, and friends came together to celebrate them with an amazing party at the Sanctuary. 🧡
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10/4 - Trisha Yearwood has pulled over for a lot of dogs. No collar? She's stopping. Broken elbow, no home, no chance? She's making a call. Her name was Dottie. She was on the side of an Oklahoma road. What started with one stray became Dottie's Yard, a fund that has now supported more than 190 animal welfare organizations across all 50 states. In Trisha's words: "It's an act of love, helping a living thing that can't help itself." That's her why. And on Monday, October 19, she's bringing it into the room with us at the Benefit to Save Them All, where we'll honor the everyday heroes turning one good dog's memory into a promise for thousands more. Because saving them all takes more than one person pulling over. It takes a whole room of us showing up for the ones who can't help themselves. Together, we can Save Them All. 🧡 #BestFriendsBenefit26
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10/2 - A little extra TLC and a loving foster home can be a winning combination! 🧡 Bradley Cooper needed some extra care before he was adoption-ready, including dedicated medical attention, an amazing foster home, and plenty of playtime with his kitten sister Jennifer. Now, the siblings are happy, healthy, and adopted together!
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10/1 - Thank you for joining Patty and Dr. Tyler Carmack, Director of Hospice and Palliative Care at Caring Pathways, on Instagram Live today, while they discussed supporting pets and the people who love them through serious illness and age-related decline. 🧡 Please visit Dr. Tyler’s Instagram for resources at her link in bio. @dr.tyler.comfortvet
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10/1 - October is Adopt a Dog Month, and it’s the perfect time to celebrate the dogs still waiting for a place to call home. 🐾 Hear the story of Eloise, a senior pup who found a family to love her and a home where she could spend her golden years surrounded by love. Because every dog deserves the chance to know what it feels like to be home. 🧡 Consider opening your home to a dog in need. Your next best friend could be waiting for you! Visit bestfriends.org to learn more about adoptable pets. #BOBSfromSkechers #goodforthesole #ShoeswithaCause #adoptadogmonth
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9/29 - She came to us after being found tied to a park bench. Now, Empress has a family of her own. 🧡🐾 Our 2026 Benefit spokesdog was adopted right in the middle of her photoshoot, giving us the kind of ending we hope for every homeless pet. Watch Empress’s story, then come meet her at the Benefit to Save Them All on Monday, October 19. Because when you support Best Friends, you help create more moments like this: a pet going from homeless to home. Together, we can save them all. #BestFriendsBenefit26
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9/29 - We’re holding space for the many ways grief can look and reminding you that there’s no timeline for healing. You don’t have to “get over it.” For anyone carrying the loss of a beloved animal today, we see you and we honor the love you shared with your pet. 🧡
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9/24 - At Angels Rest, we've adopted the beautiful tradition of painting memorial stones as a way to remember and honor a beloved pet we’ve lost. This Pet Memorial Month, we're thinking about every pet who's ever had a stone painted for them, and every person who sat down to decorate a stone in loving memory of their pet. Each stone here was painted by someone who loved a little soul all the way to the end. 🌈 Tell us about the pet you carry in your heart in the comments. We'd love to know their name and a favorite memory. 🧡
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9/23 - Shadow knew something was wrong before Donna did. When a wildfire threatened their Spokane home, Shadow not only alerted his owner to the danger, but he also helped get her and even the family cat out safely. “He literally saved my life.” So, after Donna was injured and unable to care for him, Best Friends stepped in to care for Shadow while she recovered. 🧡
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9/22 - The sweetest boy just waiting for someone to choose him. 🥹🤍 Leorio is adoptable at Best Friends Animal Society in SLC! 🐾 #saltlakecity #adoptdontshop #rescuedogsrock #shelterdogs #utahrescuedogs
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