Thank you, Christy Walton!

Meet Hen-reatta, the Rhode Island Red chicken. Chickens are the pets of the farms, gardens, and backyards. Christy has spent many years cultivating, enjoying, and building communities in these environments. At times, chickens have played practical roles of catching bugs, laying eggs, and turning the earth over. At other times, they’ve been friendly and personable companions. You may one day visit some of the sites Christy has built at Olivewood Gardens in National City, California; Rusted Gate Farm in Southern Oregon; or Rancho Cacachilas in Baja California Sur, Mexico, among others.

The Best Friends Pet Resource Center is a valuable resource for the well-being of people, animals, and the environment in Northwest Arkansas. Christy is proud to help build this next chapter for the community.

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 Hen-reatta with the sculptures you see displayed around the center and grounds, and a place where we express gratitude for generous donors like Christy Walton.

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.