2015-12-10

The Best Friends Animal Society is revered for many things: they run the biggest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals, establish innovative and effective programs nationwide to help find homes for pets, and has long been a helping paw in the effort to reduce the number of animals killed in shelters.



They’ve helped those numbers drop from a staggering 17 million to roughly 4 million. Best Friends is now hosting the “I Saved My Best Friend” campaign, celebrating humans and their rescued pets in the best way we know how—by telling people just how pawesome they are!

You know when you're doing something and it makes you think there's hope for the world after all? Felt that way yesterday during our photo shoot for @BestFriendsAnimalSociety, a national animal welfare organization dedicated exclusively to ending the killing of dogs and cats in America's shelters. They're launching a campaign I'll share more about soon. In the meantime, remember #AdoptDontShop. (PS: Doesn't Happy look marvelous?) #SaveThemAll #DogsOfInstagram #Instadogs #pets #petsofinstagram #greatpyrenees #greatpyreneesofthehour #goldenpyrenees #bdrr #rescuedogsofinstagram

A photo posted by Jack And Suzy Welch (@jack_and_suzy) on
Sep 18, 2015 at 5:26am PDT

Jack Welch, CEO of General Electric, and his wife Suzy Welch are big dog lovers (in the literal and figurative sense!) Their big fluff of a Great Pyrenees, Happy, had eight hours left to live when Suzy snatched her up and brought her home.

It took nearly fifteen years of pleading with Jack to open him up to the idea of adopting a dog—he’d been bitten as a child and feared them for a long time—but he eventually came around. When Welch first met Happy, he said:

It took me about two days to realize what I’d been missing. She’s changed my life.



And how could she not? Happy’s certainly living up to her name with a family who adores her, and now she’s smiling for the camera to help other shelter animals feel the same way.



Suzy Welch, who is an animal rights advocate herself, said:

Once you know the joy a shelter dog can bring to a family, and a family can bring to a shelter dog, you know you have to help. Nine thousand dogs and cats die every day in America’s shelters.

She and Jack know just how shocking the number is, and they’re dedicated to helping bring it down to zero. As a part of Best Friends’ Save Them All call to action, the Welches and Happy posed for a photo along with many other notable animal lovers.

They’ve joined the likes of Amanda Seyfried and Finn, SNL’s Cecily Strong and Lucy, Danny Trejo and Cash and Penny Lane, and Ian Somerhalder and Nietzsche, to name just a few who have joined the cause.

Animals have the power to change lives, but we need to save theirs to give them the chance to do it.

Related

10 Reasons Dog People Should Visit the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary

Best Friends wants you to be a part of the solution by spaying and neutering your pets, volunteering your time, donating, and passing the message along. Become a fan of Best Friends on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and give a gift if you are able. It’s time to make your mark, and there are so many ways to help!

Featured Image via @jack_and_suzy

Topics: adopt, Best Friends, dog rescue, i-saved-my-best-friend, save-them-all, shelter

The post Major CEO Was Scared Of Dogs, But Now He’s Part Of The Effort To Save Them appeared first on BarkPost.

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