Coming in 2026… the Edwina & Sam Friedman Pet Adoption & Welfare Center
A new community pet adoption and animal welfare center is taking shape on Hwy 1 Bypass, designed to bring people and pets together while strengthening animal care in Natchitoches. The project is led by FAUNA (Friends All United for Natchitoches Animals), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit formed in 2022 when Natchitoches Hope for Paws and the Natchitoches Humane Society combined after more than 70 years of service.
Funded in part by state support and primarily through a gift from longtime animal advocate Edwina Friedman, the center also honors her late husband, Sam Friedman, a respected hotelier and founder of Dimension Hospitality, a hotel development and management company. To recognize their shared advocacy for animals, lifelong support, and extraordinary generosity, the FAUNA Board of Directors voted to name the facility the Edwina & Sam Friedman Pet Adoption & Welfare Center.
“This is so much more than a shelter,” said Rachel LeBlanc, President of the FAUNA Board of Directors. “It is a community center—one that will strengthen families, create connections, and reflect the generosity, spirit, and resilience that defines Natchitoches. It will be a reflection of the Friedmans’ legacy of hospitality and the compassion of our entire community.”
The center will provide adoption services and education programs while drawing in volunteers, foster families, and community members of all ages. It expands FAUNA’s ongoing work, which includes Spay Natchitoches, a division of FAUNA that helps families access affordable spay/neuter surgeries; pet health fairs; therapy animal visits to nursing homes; and a partnership with NSU’s Veterinary Technology Program, where FAUNA has also funded an endowed scholarship, ensuring ongoing support for future animal care professionals.
The facility is expected to open in late 2026, and FAUNA encourages community members to get involved now. Volunteer opportunities range from hands-on animal care to event support, education, and community outreach. Teachers, families, individuals, and local businesses are especially invited to foster, partner, donate, or volunteer to support the care and well-being of Natchitoches animals.
