NEWTON, Massachusetts—In celebration of National Animal Shelter Appreciation Week, Sonesta International Hotels Corporation has announced it is teaming up with Best Friends Animal Society to support its mission to end homelessness for animals. To commemorate the collaboration, Sonesta Select properties will serve a complimentary pet-inspired mocktail to guests and offer opportunities for team members and guests to make donations to help dogs, cats, and other animals.
Best Friends Animal Society is a national animal welfare organization focused on ending the killing of dogs and cats in U.S. animal shelters by 2025. The organization runs the nation’s largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals and partners with 3,900 rescue groups and shelters across the country to sponsor lifesaving programs.
The collaboration with Best Friends Animal Society provides Sonesta with an opportunity to make an impact on companion animal welfare across the country. Guests at Sonesta Select properties will have the opportunity to donate to Best Friends Animal Society at check-in via a QR code located on hotel key card sleeves. In addition, a complimentary pet-inspired mocktail, Sonesta Puppy Love, will be served at The Commons at Sonesta Select locations nationwide on weekday evenings through the end of November.
“We are proud to support Best Friends Animal Society in their mission to help save shelter animals and find them loving homes,” said Elizabeth Harlow, Sonesta’s chief marketing and brand officer. “We understand the importance of pets to their families, and we are committed to making travel with pets possible and easier through our PAWS program. We look forward to welcoming our guests at Sonesta Select properties nationwide with a complimentary pet-themed mocktail and support Best Friends Animal Society’s progressive new initiatives and lifesaving programs.”
Sonesta plans to offer animal volunteering opportunities for team members at Best Friends Animal Society centers in Salt Lake City, Los Angeles, New York City, Atlanta, Houston, and Northwest Arkansas and their national network of animal shelters. Sonesta also intends to host future animal adoption events and other programs at Sonesta Select properties.
“We are so grateful for Sonesta’s support of our organization’s mission to save the lives of homeless cats and dogs across America, giving pets second chances and happy homes,” said Candi Maciel, director of corporate partnerships at Best Friends Animal Society. “Donations from Sonesta and their guests, as well as the additional audiences we’ll be able to reach through Sonesta’s community, will bring us closer to achieving our goal of making every shelter in every community of the United States no-kill by the end of 2025.”
Sonesta’s collaboration with Best Friends Animal Society follows the introduction in May 2022 of its PAWS (Pets Are Welcome At Sonesta) program that offers amenities for every pet, including a complimentary dog treat at check-in, feeding bowls, pet supplies in retail markets, a pet bed at Select and full-service brands, and more. The program is available across Sonesta’s U.S. portfolio, including The Royal Sonesta, Sonesta Hotels & Resorts, Sonesta Select, Sonesta ES Suites, and Sonesta Simply Suites.
