Thank you, Blue Buffalo!

The Bishop family has always loved Airedales. One day, Bill, Jackie, and their college-age son, Billy, were planning to bring a new female Airedale pup home. That changed when Billy, who spent some time playing with the puppies, said he’d made a connection with a different one. The Bishops decided this little guy would be theirs. They named him Blue, and he made a huge impact on their lives.

Blue quickly became part of their family. He was a playful pup who loved being chased. He would sometimes grab a shoe and run off with it, trying to get someone to go after him. Whatever the family was doing, Blue would be right there. He was part of every family vacation. He was there when Jackie and Bill went to visit their younger son, Chris, at college. He was even the ring bearer at Billy’s wedding. To the Bishops, he was the best dog ever.

Years later, Blue’s groomer felt a lump on his leg. Their vet diagnosed Blue with cancer. Blue would later pass away from the disease, and the family would be devastated. But, during Blue’s sickness, the Bishops made a promise to him. They would feed him the best food possible, and they would fight pet cancer. They worked with veterinarians and animal nutritionists to create their own pet food, and Blue Buffalo was born.

The True BLUE Promise badge you’ll find on every package of Blue Buffalo food and treats is a commitment to natural ingredients. It’s one of the ways the Bishops work to help dogs and cats in need and to fight pet cancer. And it’s a wonderful way to honor their beloved boy, Blue.

As the future of animal sheltering, the Best Friends Pet Resource Center is more than just a place to adopt a pet. It’s a community destination that gives people better connection to adoptable pets and to each other, provides support for families to keep pets in homes, and offers opportunities for animal lovers to help make the state of Arkansas and the entire country no-kill in 2025.

It's also a place where we pay tribute to beloved pets like Blue with the sculptures you see displayed around the center and grounds, and a place where we express gratitude for generous donors like Blue Buffalo. 

You can save the lives of homeless dogs and cats in Northwest Arkansas and help keep families together.

When you adopt from a Best Friends location, or from one of the many shelters and rescue groups around the country, you’re not only adding a loyal and loving companion to your family, you’re helping to save lives.

Just a few years ago, cats and dogs were killed in staggering numbers in this country simply because shelters didn’t have the community support or the resources to save their lives. As of 2023, that number is 380,000 per year, but there’s still work to do to ensure a bright future for every dog and cat in America. 

Best Friends operates the nation’s largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals and is saving the lives of homeless pets across the country by working with shelters and passionate people like you. Together, we will bring the whole country to no-kill in 2025. Together, we will Save Them All. 

Follow along to see photos and videos from our events, hear about upcoming adoption events, admire adorable adoptable pets, discover kitten care tips, check out foster success stories and so much more.