Are you a risk taker? The decisions we make in animal welfare are often fraught with risk. If for no other reason than our work involves the lives of people and pets. It's natural for even the most seasoned risk-taker to experience doubts.

During the 2022 Best Friends National Conference, 20 speakers had seven minutes each to share a story about how they stepped out of their comfort zone and took a risk. Some shared stories of risky programmatic decisions, while others were more personal, but they were all inspiring.

The audience voted on their favorites, and five speakers earned a $1,000 grant from Petco Love. The other 15 speakers received $500 each from Best Friends to put towards their work.

This week, we're sharing a selection of the presentations with you. We know their stories will move you - maybe to take risks of your own - when you hear your courageous peers' stories about the risks they took.

Time is running out to participate in the Best Friends National Big Dog Campaign. The deadline to register is September 16th: https://network.bestfriends.org/join-us/events/national-big-dog-campaign

Is your organization a Best Friends network partner? Check out this link to learn more about the partner program, to see the requirements, and register: https://network.bestfriends.org/join-us/become-network-partner