Bella Vista Animal Shelter

I tried getting a kitten for my boys after the loss of our kitten, been two days and still no word.

We could not have asked for a better experience in adopting our 2 puppies. We applied through Petfinder, were screened thoroughly and got the call several days later saying we'd been chosen. We drove 8 hours each way to get them. The staff could not have been nicer! They have qualifications for pets to be adopted and maybe those who feel differently than I do, did not have a good match for that pet. Cannot imagine them being anything but caring and helpful.

VERY rude service here. I would suggest finding another location to go to. This was my 2nd visit to this place in a couple of years. I was under the impression that the service and location had been revamped. Boy was I wrong. The larger man, Matt I think his name is a real jerk. He does not need to be tending to ANYONE looking for a pet. Also a lot of gossip and cussing in the main office along. I am a christian man and don't take too kindly to this type of language. It should not be used in a publicly funded place in front of patrons. One last thing, don't get in the way of the smoker's smoke breaks. Probably just not a good idea for anyone to go here. I finally found my baby at another location and am very happy with my choice, or should I say his. This place should probably be shut down. Check out Rogers and Fayetteville before you go here. You'll notice a HUGE difference in treatment.

I adopted a cat around Thanksgiving, and I have to say that I had a pretty good experience. I asked where the cats were and the man gave me directions to the next building. I could tell he was busy, but when he finished, he came and found me in one of the cat rooms. He answered my questions about a particular cat, and he helped me fill out the paperwork. A few days later, I got a call saying I was approved for adoption. I ended up adopting a cat from the main office (love him!). It was obvious that the staff cared for the animals. I appreciate the fact that they check to make sure the animal is going to a good home. The office lady recommended a good vet clinic for my cat, and was overall very pleasant and helpful. The shelter was clean both times I was there, and all animals had food, water, and clean areas.



I would--and probably will--adopt from this shelter in the future.

I am sorry you had a bad experience at the Bella Vista Animal Shelter. I see by the date of your review it was well over a year ago. They were just finishing up a massive fund raiser and building project expanding their newer facility at that time. The BVAS is extremely low kill and the staff gets very attached to each and every animal that ends up in their care. They're also protective in a way I've never known a shelter to be. They do not do same day adoptions--which is sometimes puzzling to potential adoptive families who want same day acquisitions. All applications--even those of their volunteers--are thoroughly checked to ensure that their charges end up in the best situations possible. The staff there deals with many other situations than just the pets brought to them by Animal Control. They assist with puppy mill break-ups, cases of abuse and animal collecting, dumped dogs and cats, and dispense food and litter to those families in need, all while tending to an absolute overflow of dogs and cats. I've been in some pretty ratty animal shelters and the BVAS is by far the cleanest and most organized I've seen. They are at capacity most of the time--but each animal is cared for. If you have not been there lately, give the place another chance. I just adopted from there and the staff was wonderful to both of us.

I AGREE TOTALLY WITH YOU ON THESE PEOPLE.THEY ARE EXTREMELY RUDE AND HAVE NO IDEA HOW TO DEAL WITH THE PUBLIC I WANTED VERY MUCH TO BUY A KITTEN BUT WAS TOLD BY THEM THAT I NEEDED TO HAVE ALL OF MY ANIMALS "TAKEN CARE OF FIRST"ALL OF MY ANIMALS ARE VERY TAKEN CARE OF I WAS TRYING TO GET MINE SPADED WHEN I DISCOVERED THE KITTEN MY ANIMALS ARE VERY WELL GROOMED AND VERY CLEAN UNLIKE THE TWO HUMANS THAT I HAD DEALINGS WITH.AS I STOOD WAITING I GOT TO HEAR ABOUT THE OFFICE MANAGER AND A SO CALLED HELPER GRIPPING ABOUT ANOTHER EMPLOYEE AND IN FRONT OF ME AND ANOTHER WOMAN.AND THEY NEVER OFFERED TO HELP UNTIL THEY GOT DONE WITH THEIR ISSUES ABOUT ANOTHER EMPLOYEE.I WENT INSIDE TO SEE THE ANIMALS AND THIS PLACE WAS DIRTY SOME OF THE CATS WERE VERY WEAK AND THE DOGS HAD TORN UP WHAT I AM GUESSING WAS CHEW TOYS AND THE STUFFING WAS SCATTERED ALL THROUGH OUT THE PENS THE DOGS COULD HAVE VERY EASILY HAVE CHOKED ON THE REMENANTS OF THE "STUFFING"BUT THE MANAGER AND HER "SO-CALLED HELPER WERE TOO BUSY GOSSIPING AND GRIPPING TO GET UP AND WALK WITH ME TO THE BUILDINGS TO LOOK AT THESE ANIMALS.WHEN I ASKED IF I COULD SEE THEM THEY SAID YEA AND I ASKED WHERE THEY WERE AND THEY BOTH SAID OUT IN THE OTHER BUILDING NOT ONE OF THEM GOT OFF THEIR DUFFS AND TRIED TO EVEN SHOW OR INFORM ME OF THE ANY OF THE BEHAVIORS OF ANY ANIMALS.THEY NEED TO DRESS MORE APPROPRIATELY AND HAVE SOME PRIDE IN DOING THEIR JOB AND THE "HELPER"SHE LOOK LIKE A CRACK HEAD THAT HADNT BATHED HERSELF SO I WONT BE BACK EITHER.I WOULD PAY FOR ANY ANIMAL THAT I WANTED BUT NOT FROM THIS SHELTER...DO THEY LIVE WITH THOSE DOGS? MAYBE THE DOGS COULD TEACH THEM SOME NEEDED MANNERS.THIS IS THE WAY THE TREAT HUMANS MAKES YOU THINK HOW THEY TREAT THE DOGS.

I THINK THAT THE PEOPLE THAT WORKS AT THIS ANIMAL SHELTER ARE SOME OF THE RUDEST PEOPLE I HAVE EVER DELT WITH, I WAS THERE TWICE AND THEY WERE THE SAME BOTH TIMES. ALL THEY DID WAS POINT TO THE DIRECTION OF ANIMALS DIDNT ASK ANY QUESTIONS. NOT WILLING TO HELP. I WAS MORE OF A BOTHER TO THEM. YOU WOULD THINK THAT THEY WOULD BE A LITTLE NICER AND MORE WILLING TO HELP SOMEONE THATS INTERESTED IN ADOPTING ONE OF THESE ANIMALS. MAYBE THATS WHY THEY HAVE SO MANY PETS THERE. PEOPLE ARE GOING TO OTHER SHELTERS WHERE THEY HAVE NICE PEOPLE AND THEY REALLY WANT TO GET THERE PETS ADOPTED AND FIND THEM GOOD HOME. I DONT THINK I WILL GO BACK AND THATS REALLY SAD FOR THE ANIMALS.. THEY ARE CUTE.