A Utah shelter hosted a special Thanksgiving dinner for its dog residents, in memory of a beloved rescue pup who is no longer with us.
For the fifth year in a row, hundreds of adoptable dogs at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab were treated to a gourmet Thanksgiving feast complete with all the canine-friendly trimmings.
This year’s dinner was a little different to those previous efforts, though—the meal was paid for by a generous donor, who did so in memory of her beloved tripod rescue dog Jack.
No expense was spared when it came to the meal itself, with the shelter enlisting staff at Kanab’s Sego Restaurant to prepare the feast.
It all amounted to a “Dogsgiving” to remember for the shelter’s residents. Sego’s team spent almost a full day transforming approximately 700 pounds of ingredients into an elaborate, dog-friendly meal prepared without salt, sugar, or spices.
It was then down to shelter staff to spread a little Thanksgiving cheer among the kennels by passing out servings to several hundred adoptable dogs who eagerly awaited the feast.
By the end of it all, it was hard to tell who was having a better time.
Julie Castle, CEO, Best Friends Animal Society, says both she and everyone else associated with the work they do believe in the importance of including our four-legged friends in the annual Thanksgiving celebrations.
“Our pets are our family, so they deserve to be included in our Thanksgiving traditions,” Castle told Newsweek. “As long as we keep them safe and away from foods that could be harmful, it’s a wonderful way to show how grateful we are for the love they give us all year.”
Looking back over the course of another busy year, Castle believes the Best Friends Animal Society has plenty to be thankful for in 2025. “At the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary we’re thankful to care for 1,600 animals—from horses and bunnies to dogs, cats, and owls,” she said.
“Currently, two out of every three shelters in America are no-kill and all of us at Best Friends Animal Society are grateful to our 5,550 shelter and rescue partners across the country, as well as our supporters, who are helping us work toward a future where no pet is ever killed simply because they don’t have a safe place to call home.”
When it comes to enjoying Thanksgiving at home, in the company of a pet, the Best Friends Animal Society offers four key pieces of advice: don’t feed your dog scraps, never give them a bone from dinner, be vigilant of pets around toxic ingredients like chocolate and onions and, finally, make sure to close the front door to avoid any pets escaping out into the cold.
Above all else, they would simply encourage everyone to celebrate the day in the company of friends and family—both human and four-legged.