You Can Take a Shelter Dog on a Sleepover at This Utah Sanctuary

The Largest No-Kill Refuge in America

Five miles north of Kanab, Utah, a red rock canyon is home to 1,600 animals waiting for families.

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary sprawls across 3,700 acres of high desert, with dogs, cats, horses, pigs, parrots, and rabbits living in dedicated areas throughout the property.

Visitors can tour the grounds for free, sign up to volunteer, or do something you won’t find anywhere else: take an adoptable dog back to your hotel room for the night.

It Started With Friends Who Refused to Give Up

In 1984, a small group of animal lovers arrived at Angel Canyon with three old trucks, some hand tools, and a radical idea.

They believed that homeless pets labeled unadoptable by shelters could be saved with enough patience, care, and love.

They built the first buildings themselves, hauled their own water, and took in every animal they could. The canyon that old western movies once used as a backdrop became a refuge for the forgotten.

Best Friends Sparked a National Movement

What started as a scrappy operation in a remote Utah canyon grew into the heart of the no-kill movement.

When Best Friends opened, American shelters killed roughly 17 million dogs and cats every year. Today that number has dropped below half a million.

The organization now partners with more than 5,500 shelters and rescue groups nationwide, and two out of three shelters in the country have reached no-kill status.

Take a Free Tour Any Day

Guided tours leave from the Welcome Center daily and take about 90 minutes.

You will ride through the scenic grounds, stop at different animal areas, and learn how the sanctuary operates. There are also specialty tours of specific areas like Cat World or the Bunny House.

If you prefer to explore on your own, download the Best Friends app for a self-guided tour with maps and points of interest throughout the canyon.

Volunteer Shifts Get You One-on-One Time

The best way to connect with the animals is to sign up for a volunteer shift.

You can walk dogs on canyon trails, socialize shy cats, groom horses, shower parrots, or rub the belly of a potbellied pig.

Shifts fill up fast, so book online as early as possible.

Kids as young as 8 can volunteer in Cat World, the Bunny House, and Parrot Garden when accompanied by an adult. Dogtown requires volunteers to be at least 16.

Dogtown Has Nearly 400 Pups to Meet

This is where the dogs live, spread across multiple buildings with outdoor runs, play yards, and shaded areas.

There is an off-leash dog park, agility equipment, and a covered training arena. Volunteers can take dogs for walks on nearby trails or sign up for an outing into Kanab.

Some dogs are shy, some are energetic, and some have been here for years waiting for the right person to notice them.

Cat World Spans 11 Buildings

More than 600 cats live in Cat World, placed in small groups based on personality and medical needs.

Some buildings house social cats who love attention, while others are home to shy felines who need patience.

Volunteers help with feeding, cleaning, playtime, and socialization. You can also take a cat for a walk in a harness.

Take a Dog or Cat to Your Hotel

Best Friends pioneered the sleepover program, and it remains one of the most popular experiences.

If you are staying at pet-friendly lodging within an hour of the sanctuary, you can host an adoptable dog, cat, or bunny overnight.

You pick up your sleepover pet in the afternoon, spend the evening together, and return them the next morning.

Many visitors have ended up adopting the animal they took home for the night.

Horse Haven, Piggy Paradise, and More

Dogs and cats get most of the attention, but the sanctuary also cares for horses, donkeys, mules, goats, sheep, potbellied pigs, parrots, and rabbits.

Horse Haven sits in gorgeous pastures where you can help with grooming and feeding. Piggy Paradise lets you take a pig on an outing by dropping a trail of almonds.

The Bunny House and Parrot Garden round out the animal areas open to volunteers.

Hiking Trails Wind Through Angel Canyon

The sanctuary sits in a landscape of red rock cliffs, juniper trees, and sweeping canyon views. Miles of hiking trails wind through the property, and leashed dogs from Dogtown are welcome on many routes.

The Water Canyon Trail follows a stream that eventually flows to the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon.

You can also hike to Angels Overlook for panoramic views of the entire canyon.

The Vegan Cafe Costs Five Dollars

Angel Village Cafe serves a buffet lunch daily from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

For five dollars, you get a main dish, two sides, fruit, salad bar, and dessert. The menu changes every day, and everything is vegan.

The outdoor patio overlooks Angel Canyon, with views of pink cliffs and red rock formations stretching into the distance.

Water and hot tea are available all day, and there is a soda machine outside.

Stay On-Site in Cottages or Cabins

The sanctuary offers eight cottages, four cabins, and six RV sites right on the property, so you can wake up surrounded by the canyon.

These book up fast, especially during busy seasons. The hotel has dog washing stations, a fenced dog park with a splash zone, and no pet fees.

In Kanab, the Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile has 40 rooms and welcomes pets with open arms. Sleepover animals are welcome here too.

Combine It With National Park Hopping

Kanab sits at the center of what locals call the golden circle of parks.

Zion National Park is 25 miles away. Bryce Canyon is 60 miles. The Grand Canyon North Rim is about 75 miles, and Lake Powell is 65 miles.

You can spend a morning volunteering with animals and an afternoon hiking among hoodoos or slot canyons.

Few places in America let you do both in the same day.

Visit Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah

Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is located at 5001 Angel Canyon Road in Kanab, Utah. The Welcome Center is open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Christmas.

Admission and tours are free, though donations are encouraged. Volunteer shifts should be booked in advance online, as popular times fill quickly.

The sanctuary is about a three-hour drive from Las Vegas or 90 minutes from St. George, Utah.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• Exploring Zion’s sandstone trails in October’s golden glow
• Florida Will Publicly Name Animal Abusers Starting January 2026
• Dream Job Alert: These 13 National Parks Need You in 2026