A national animal rescue nonprofit plans to open its first facility on Long Island.
Utah-based Best Friends Animal Society purchased a 14,050-square-foot office/flex building on 1 acre at 3 Crossways Park Drive W. in Woodbury for $3.4 million. The building was formerly occupied by legal and accounting firms.
Founded in 1984 as a no-kill shelter and sanctuary for pets in southern Utah, Best Friends Animal Society now has locations in Manhattan, Houston, Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and Bentonville, Ark. The nonprofit also has a network of more than 5,000 shelters and rescue groups throughout the U.S., including public and private animal shelters, rescue groups, spay/neuter organizations, and other animal welfare groups, all focused on saving the lives of dogs and cats.
Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton, Best Friends has deployed staff to the affected areas to help shelter workers on the ground with animal care, transport, supply distribution and clean-up operations. The organization has also sent grants to several severely impacted shelters, according to a statement from the nonprofit.
Best Friends is urging the public to foster or adopt from local shelters and rescue groups to make room for incoming dogs and cats from impacted areas.
“This is an all-hands-on deck situation for animal shelters that have been or are going to be decimated or greatly diminished by these devastating back-to-back hurricanes,” Julie Castle, CEO of Best Friends Animal Society, said in the statement. “By adopting or fostering from your local shelter or rescue group, you’ll make room for dogs and cats displaced by the storms, in hopes that they can eventually be reunited with their families.”
Ian Leigh of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Laffey International Realty represented Best Friends Animal Society, while Harris Rousso and Jordan Oliver of Real Estate Strategies represented the seller, JLM Realty LLC, in the Woodbury sales transaction.