Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Jackie Roach, Executive Director of Best Friends Animal Society – Northwest Arkansas, a leading animal welfare organization pioneering the no-kill movement. Best Friends is working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters by 2025, and has helped reduce the number of animals killed from an estimated seventeen million per year to around three-hundred-forty-seven thousand. In addition to building Best Friends’ presence in Northwest Arkansas, Jackie is also the Co-founder of Taysia Blue Rescue, a nonprofit organization that envisions a time where all adoptable Siberian huskies and Alaskan malamutes have a loving home. Throughout the episode, James and Jackie discuss the importance of fostering animals, what Best Friends hopes to achieve and how the community can get involved in working to make the world a kinder and more compassionate place with Best Friends’ new Pet Resource Center in Northwest Arkansas.

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‍Show Notes
(0:51) Introduction to Jackie
(2:57) About Taysia Blue Rescue
(6:00) Why Breed-Specific Rescues Are Needed
(8:26) About Best Friends and Its Mission
(9:38) Bentonville’s Community-Based Resource Center
(12:13) The Benefits of Fostering Pets
(16:02) Community Pet Pantries
(18:20) Available Vet Services
(23:29) Bentonville’s Business Community and Culture
(25:52) #BecauseBentonville Story
(30:17) Closing Questions
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‍Links
JAMES BELL‍‍
‍BENTONVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT‍‍‍
JACKIE ROACH
BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY
TAYSIA BLUE RESCUE
BEST FRIENDS PET RESOURCE CENTER NORTHWEST ARKANSAS
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Quotes
“We understand there are going to be some animals in shelters that are too sick or too not behaviorally sound to make it into the community or be adopted. So no kill is really just a benchmark. We look at a ninety percent save rate. We’re working with every shelter and community to try and help them achieve that.” – Jackie Roach, (8:50)

“An animal shelter is a very transactional place…What we want to do, the idea of the community supported shelter, is inviting the community to help be a part of the solution as we reach out to the community in need.” – Jackie Roach, (11:13)

“Foster care is really important. An animal shelter is a very dangerous, unhealthy place for a cat or dog to live for a lot of different reasons. Disease can be very prevalent, and just the environment of being in a cage and seeing other animals is very stressful.” – Jackie Roach, (12:14)

“[Bentonville] is like no other place I’ve ever been. It’s really incredible. The community is so open and willing to listen and to help…It’s just a really unique thing.” – Jackie Roach, (23:29)

Sparking the Movement to End Pet Homelessness with Jackie Roach of Best Friends Animal Society NWA
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Jackie Roach, Executive Director of Best Friends Animal Society – Northwest Arkansas, a leading animal welfare organization pioneering the no-kill movement. Best Friends is working to end the killing of dogs and cats in America’s shelters by 2025, and has helped reduce the number of animals killed from an estimated seventeen million per year to around three-hundred-forty-seven thousand. In addition to building Best Friends’ presence in Northwest Arkansas, Jackie is also the Co-founder of Taysia Blue Rescue, a nonprofit organization that envisions a time where all adoptable Siberian huskies and Alaskan malamutes have a loving home. Throughout the episode, James and Jackie discuss the importance of fostering animals, what Best Friends hopes to achieve and how the community can get involved in working to make the world a kinder and more compassionate place with Best Friends’ new Pet Resource Center in Northwest Arkansas. ‍‍‍
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Best Friends’ No Kill Ambitions
Best Friends Animal Society is a nonprofit organization that operates the largest homeless animal sanctuary in the nation. It provides adoption opportunities, veterinary services and educational programs. The Best Friends Network is composed of public and private shelters, rescue groups, spay and neuter organizations and other animal welfare groups across all fifty states.

“We understand there are going to be some animals in shelters that are too sick or too not behaviorally sound to make it into the community or be adopted. So no kill is really just a benchmark. We look at a ninety percent save rate. We’re working with every shelter and community to try and help them achieve that.” – Jackie Roach, (8:50)
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Best Friends is a coalition committed to saving the lives of animals through collaboration, information-sharing and implementation of lifesaving strategies. It provides educational resources for those within its network to help them start and build essential life saving programs. Some of these resource topics include returning pets to their owners, fostering and adoption, intake and community services, medical cleaning and care, fundraising, volunteering and transport and transfer.
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The Pet Resource Center
Opening soon is Best Friends Pet Resource Center in Northwest Arkansas, a community-based resource center where members of the community can come together to help save the lives of dogs and cats in the area. This reimagined shelter is a first-of-its-kind in that it was constructed without cages and kennels in an effort to break the mold of older antiquated animal welfare facilities. The center was built with the intention of being a community destination that connects people with adoptable pets and offers support for families with pets.
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“An animal shelter is a very transactional place…What we want to do, the idea of the community supported shelter, is inviting the community to help be a part of the solution as we reach out to the community in need.” – Jackie Roach, (11:13)

Included in the building’s design are spaces for getting to know adoptable pets, partaking in fun activities, dog bathing, a cat and kitten cafe, a pet food supply pantry and a rentable event space. The Best Friends Pet Resource Center is setting a new standard for the future of animal sheltering because animal companions are an integral part of our families and communities.
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Get Connected!
‍Thanks for tuning in to this episode of The Bentonville Beacon! Join us weekly for more stories from entrepreneurs and business leaders who are making a positive impact on Bentonville’s culture, community and lifestyle. Don’t forget, Bentonville is a place where you can have more of what you want and less of what you don’t! You may reach James at JBELL@GREATERBENTONVILLE.COM or (479) 273-2841.