We’re overjoyed to share some wonderful news: The Haven has been named Best Animal Rescue Organization in Lagniappe’s 2026 Nappie Awards!

This one means a lot to us. The Nappies are Lagniappe’s Readers’ Choice Awards — now in their 24th year celebrating the best of life on both sides of Mobile Bay — and every winner is decided entirely by public vote. Being named Best Animal Rescue Organization means our neighbors, up and down the Gulf Coast, took the time to vote for us and stand up for the work we do every single day.

We were honored just to be nominated alongside so many other organizations doing meaningful work for animals in our community. Winning is something else entirely.

This award belongs to every volunteer who’s walked a dog on a hot afternoon, every foster family who’s opened their home to a scared or newborn animal, every donor who’s trusted us with their gift, and every adopter who’s given one of our pets a second chance.

Twenty-five years in, this recognition is proof that the work is being noticed — and that it matters to the people we do it for.

What This Means for the Animals Still Waiting

More than a trophy on a shelf, this award means visibility — and visibility saves lives. Every person who hears about this win is someone who might not have known The Haven existed until today: a future adopter, a future foster family, a future volunteer, a future donor.

And that reach doesn’t stop at our shelter doors. Through programs like Project PAWS and our Pet Food Pantry, we work every day to help struggling families keep the pets they already love — because sometimes the most important rescue is making sure a pet never has to enter the shelter system at all. The more people who know about The Haven, the more families we can reach before a hard month turns into a heartbreaking goodbye.

That’s really what this award is about for us: not just rescuing animals who’ve lost their homes, but helping keep pets in the homes they already have.

To everyone who voted — thank you. To every supporter who has stood behind The Haven this year — thank you. We can’t wait to show you what this recognition helps us do next.