On Sunday, March 30, 2025, nearly 300 animal welfare leaders, advocates, and interested community members gathered in Chicago, IL, for the 2025 “Bring No-Kill Home” Summit hosted by national animal welfare organization Best Friends Animal Society. Attendees came from all over Illinois and neighboring states to join Best Friends representatives from across the country. The Chicago summit was the third in a series of five taking place around the country. A virtual summit is also coming up in June.
Julie Castle, CEO, Best Friends Animal Society delivering the keynote speech at the Best Friends Animal Society 2025 “Bring No-Kill Home” Summit in Chicago (Photo provided)
Julie Castle, CEO, Best Friends Animal Society kicked things off with a keynote speech highlighting the importance of getting the country to no-kill through local efforts. Kaitlyn Simmons, Director, Grassroots Advocacy, Best Friends Animal Society led a group discussion with leaders from local organizations Mutts of the Midway, One Tail at a Time, and Tree House Humane Society about how advocates can find strength through common ground with others in the field. In addition, breakout sessions and workshops focused on opportunities to increase lifesaving in Illinois and how to help reunite lost pets with their families and avoid entering shelters altogether. Pet adoption is a critical factor in helping shelters to become no-kill, the nonprofit said. Currently, a majority of all U.S. shelters are considered no-kill, with about 1,400 shelters remaining that haven’t achieved or maintained no-kill, a news release said. To learn more about Best Friends, visit bestfriends.org . For those unable to attend the Chicago summit, Best Friends will host a free virtual summit on June 12 and 13, 2025. For more information, visit bfas.org/summits .
From left to right: Kaitlyn Simmons, Director, Grassroots Advocacy, Best Friends Animal Society; Heather Owen, Executive Director, One Tail at a Time; Ashley Archer, Executive Director, Mutts of the Midway; Raissa Allaire, Executive Director, Tree House Humane Society (Photo provided)
