NAVC Names BestyBnB as the 2025 NAVC Gives Marquee Award Recipient

NAVC Awards $25,000 to BestyBnB for Life-saving Efforts to Find Safe Shelter for Pets Impacted by Domestic Abuse, Mental Health, Housing Instability, or Other Crisis Situations 

ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 27, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) named BestyBnB the 2025 NAVC Gives Marquee Award recipient, awarding the organization $25,000 for its work supporting the wellbeing of people and animals impacted by crises.

BestyBnB is a technology platform that helps shelters and social service agencies find safe, temporary care for the pets of individuals in crisis. This tool is designed to reduce the surrender of pets who are impacted by situations such as domestic violence abuse, mental health/substance use treatment, or housing insecurity, and will help reduce the psychological damage for individuals who have been separated from their pets by keeping them connected to their pet through the platform while always keeping identities confidential.

People in crisis, who want and need help, will often decline life-saving services if they don't have a temporary home for their beloved pet. According to a study from The Urban Resource Institute and the National Domestic Violence Hotline, 50% of respondents said they would not consider shelter for themselves if they could not bring their pets. The numbers are even higher for pet owners experiencing mental or behavioral health crises. BestyBnB was created to remove these barriers, with a mission to keep pets and people safe, connected, and together while maintaining the vital Human-Animal Bond.

The NAVC recognized the 2025 Marquee Award recipient during a ceremony in Orlando Saturday evening, January 25, on the opening day of VMX 2025, the world's largest and most comprehensive annual veterinary education conference. The NAVC launched NAVC Gives in 2023 with a $1 million commitment to fund awards that will be made on a year-round basis.

"We are honored and humbled to receive this recognition and support from NAVC Gives. This award helps create more awareness for our life-saving mission within the veterinary community, directly with the professionals who inspire us every day," said BestyBnB co-founder Matthew Krentz. "With the support and assistance of veterinary professionals, we can bring our crisis-care platform and services to every community across the country. Just like NAVC Gives, we have a shared mission to educate, support and improve the well-being of both animals and people through compassionate care, innovation, and community engagement." 

Since its launch in 2022, BestyBnB has partnered with 49 agencies in 18 states and has a presence throughout the U.S., resulting in 5,000-plus safe nights for pets with a 100% reunification rate.

"BestyBnB is a shining example of what can be achieved when individuals are committed to tackling big problems with an innovative approach," said NAVC CEO Gene O'Neill. "The NAVC is proud to recognize an organization that is leveraging technology in a way that will enhance the safety and well-being of so many people and the pets they love."

Created in 2023, NAVC Gives is a board-directed award program that has been initially funded by a $1 million commitment from the NAVC. Through this program, the NAVC will recognize and support individuals, groups and organizations around the world that have made a significant difference in the lives of veterinary professionals and animals. Since the program's inception, NAVC Gives has distributed $90,000 in awards to six different honorees.

NAVC Gives builds upon the NAVC's long-standing commitment to philanthropic pursuits, which amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to members of the international veterinary community through scholarship programs such as the Dr. Earl H. Rippie Veterinary Nurse Leadership Scholarships, the Michael J. Day AFSCAN Scholarship, the Colin F. Burrows International Scholar Program, free education subscriptions and conference registration, and other charitable donations.Learn more about NAVC Gives and submit nominations at https://navc.com/gives/.

About the NAVC
The North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and advancing veterinary professionals worldwide. The world's leading provider of veterinary continuing education, the NAVC delivers essential training, tools and resources for veterinary professionals to stay abreast of advances in animal medicine and provide the best medical care for animals everywhere. Through its commitment to innovation and excellence, the NAVC has developed a diverse portfolio of products and services, including: educational events, headlined by VMX, the world's largest, most comprehensive continuing education conference and launchpad for new products and innovations within the veterinary industry; a robust digital platform for virtual learning and engagement; the veterinary industry's largest and award-winning portfolio of trade publications; and an advocacy arm which unites the veterinary community and pet lovers. The NAVC was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Orlando, FL. Since 2017, the NAVC has been recognized annually as one of the Top Workplaces by the Orlando Sentinel. To learn more about the NAVC's products and brands, visit https://navc.com/. To see our schedule of upcoming events, visit https://navc.com/calendar/.

About BestyBnB
BestyBnB is a first-of-its-kind solution that creates Crisis-Care/Safety-Net Pet Advocacy Programs and helps Human Social Services Agencies, Animal Welfare Organizations, and Disaster Relief Services secure safe, temporary homes for clients' pets during their time of crisis. BestyBnB has been described by its Agency Partners as a highly confidential, HIPAA compliant, Airbnb for pets. To learn more about BestyBnB, visit www.mybestybnb.com.

SOURCE North American Veterinary Community