Dallas Pets Alive Helps Set AI Standards for Animal Welfare

Dallas Pets Alive recently joined nearly 60 leaders at the first Best Friends AI in Animal Welfare Summit to help develop a national charter for the responsible use of artificial intelligence in animal welfare. This collaborative effort aims to ensure that AI supports lifesaving work for pets in shelters nationwide.

Dallas, TX – Dallas Pets Alive, a nonprofit dedicated to saving the lives of pets in North Texas, recently took part in a landmark event to help shape the future of artificial intelligence (AI) in animal welfare. The organization was among nearly 60 leaders from animal welfare, academia, and business who gathered at the first Best Friends AI in Animal Welfare Summit, held October 9-10 at Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah, according to Dallas Pets Alive.

The invitation-only summit, hosted by Best Friends Animal Society, brought together a diverse group of participants—including representatives from national organizations like the ASPCA, PetSmart Charities, Petco Love, municipal and private shelters, rescue groups, spay/neuter organizations, and technology companies such as Amazon Web Services and PetWise. Thirteen faculty and staff from Southern Utah University, including AI ethics experts, also contributed to the event.

The main goal of the summit was to establish a Charter for Responsible AI in Animal Welfare—a shared set of guidelines to ensure that the use of AI in animal welfare remains focused on saving the lives of shelter pets, protecting the human-animal bond, and upholding human judgment. Before the summit, there was no agreed-upon set of standards guiding the use of AI in this rapidly evolving field.

The Charter outlines eight core commitments: animal lifesaving and welfare, humanity, integrity, oversight, accountability, intentionality, adaptability, and sustainability. These principles are designed to help organizations use AI in ways that benefit both animals and the people who care for them, while maintaining transparency and ethical oversight.

According to Dallas Pets Alive, animal welfare organizations across the country are already using AI to analyze data, improve marketing, streamline operations, and enhance communication with stakeholders and the community. However, as these technologies develop, having clear standards is essential to ensure that AI continues to serve the best interests of animals and people alike.

Leslie Sans, Founder & CEO of Dallas Pets Alive, expressed the organization’s excitement about being selected to participate in the summit. She emphasized the importance of collaboration in animal welfare, noting that working together—including on how AI is used—has always been central to saving shelter pets. "We’re honored to help guide how AI will be used in animal welfare and here in our community," Sans said, as reported by Dallas Pets Alive.

Best Friends Animal Society, the national nonprofit leading the summit, is focused on saving every healthy or treatable pet in shelters across the country. Whitney Bollinger, director of strategy and network operations at Best Friends Animal Society, explained that the charter needed to be built collaboratively to be useful throughout the field. Bringing together people and organizations with different perspectives, resources, and experience helped address both the challenges and opportunities that AI presents for animal welfare.

The summit marks the first step in a larger animal welfare AI initiative led by Best Friends that will continue through summer 2027. As AI continues to transform how shelters and rescue organizations operate, the Charter for Responsible AI in Animal Welfare will serve as a guiding framework for ethical and effective use of technology in saving animal lives.

What this means for pet owners

For pet owners, these developments mean that animal welfare organizations are taking proactive steps to use technology responsibly for the benefit of pets and their communities. As AI tools become more common in shelters and rescues, pet owners can expect improved services, better communication, and more efficient programs. Most importantly, these new standards help ensure that the welfare of pets remains at the heart of every technological advancement. If you have questions about how technology is used in your local animal shelter, consider reaching out to learn more about their commitment to ethical practices and animal care.