Best Friends Animal Sanctuary hosts ‘Welcome Back Day’ featuring guided hike, demonstration and more

Young visitor at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Kanab, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, St. George News

KANAB — After limiting visitors and volunteers due to COVID-19, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is encouraging visitors and volunteers to return with a special “Welcome Back Day” on Thursday starting at 7 a.m. and filled with activities for visitors of all ages.

Canyons around Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Kanab, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, St. George News

Best Friends is the nation’s largest animal sanctuary, with more than 1,600 dogs, cats, pigs, goats, horses, bunnies, birds, and wildlife residing on 3,000 acres. According to a press release, the organization will celebrate their Welcome Back Day event with a guided hike around the red rock canyons at 7:15 a.m., a horsemanship demonstration at 10:45 a.m., lunch with several Best Friends founders, refreshments and an iced-tea social from 4-6 p.m.

In 2019 the sanctuary had more than 53,000 visitors and close to 16,000 volunteers, but they had to severely limit visitors in 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is the headquarters and heart of Best Friends Animal Society, a national nonprofit animal welfare organization dedicated to making America a no-kill country by 2025.

The animal sanctuary offers a free, family-friendly vacation experience where visitors can learn about the animals that live there and Best Friends’ lifesaving work across the country.

Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Kanab, Utah, date not specified | Photo courtesy of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, St. George News

The sanctuary is part of a complete Best Friends voluntourism experience offering guided tours, hands-on volunteering opportunities and the ultimate in pet-friendly lodging at Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile, where guest can take a complimentary shuttle to the sanctuary.

With its unique amenities and location, Best Friends makes an ideal staging area for trips to other national wonders such as Zion National Park, Grand Staircase Escalante National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park and the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is located at 5001 Angel Canyon Road, 5 miles north of Kanab on Highway 89. It is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Entrance is free.

To book your free tour online, click here.

To learn more about visiting or volunteering, call 435-644-2001, ext. 4537 or go to the  Best Friends Animal Society website.

Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2021, all rights reserved.

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