Best Friends Pet Resource Center to open March 11

BENTONVILLE — The Best Friends Pet Resource Center plans to open at 10 a.m. March 11.

There will be a ribbon-cutting that morning, according to a Best Friends news release issued Saturday.

The center at 1312 Melissa Drive is adjacent to Founders Classical Academy. It will be about 20,000 square feet on 6 acres owned by Best Friends. The center hopes to fill local service gaps in Northwest Arkansas as the largest facility for animals in the region and serve an estimated 13,000 dogs and cats each year, according to a May 2021 news release that announced the groundbreaking.

The final goal for the total capital campaign — including building costs, land donation and $2 million for operations — was $19.8 million. The center has reached its goal, said Jackie Roach, executive director.

The center will host family friendly activities, including toy and treat making, catnip planting, dog yoga, a stuffy animal clinic, paint your pet and more throughout the weekend of March 11-12, according to Saturday’s release.

Designed without cages and kennels, the center connects people with adoptable pets, offers support for families to keep pets in homes and opportunities to help make the state and the entire country no-kill by 2025, according to the release.

The Walton Family Foundation provided an $892,500 grant for architectural design and engineering of the center.

The center will also serve as the Northwest Arkansas Partnership for Animal Welfare headquarters. Best Friends has been working in Northwest Arkansas for several years and leads the partnership’s coalition, according to the May 2021 release.

Hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Fridays and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays.