Bentonville, AR...The City of Bentonville announced that it has earned City Certification through the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program from Mars Petcare, showcasing its commitment to creating a pet-friendly community.

More people than ever view pets as members of the family, and with more than 90 million pet-owning households in the United States,1 Bentonville is on the forefront of creating a vibrant community where pets are not only welcome, but thrive.

Bentonville recognizes and celebrates the four-legged residents of Bentonville and are proud to support them with features like the Bentonville Animal Services & Adoption Center that is currently under construction, the new Orchards Park Dog Park & Playground, and the upcoming dog park at Creekside Park. Being recognized with BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ certification is a testament to their commitment to helping more people enjoy the benefits of pets and keep their pets with them even in tough times.

Bentonville has multiple programs to support a pet-friendly community, including:

-A new city-owned animal shelter opening in early 2023, which will offer adoptions, as well as volunteer and foster programs.
-Yappy Hours, held in the spring at the Bentonville Bark Park, which offer low-cost microchipping for all pets.
-The Bentonville Pet-Friendly Business program, which began in 2021. This program is open to businesses located within city limits that allow pets either inside or on the patio.  

The BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ city certification launched in 2019 as an extension of the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ program, which works with government, businesses and non-profits to help communities be pet-friendly. It was created in partnership with Civic Design Center, a leader in designing public spaces, and incorporates input from government and animal welfare experts. The program also offers a pet-friendly certification for airports.

“We established the BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ certification to celebrate cities that are creating positive and welcoming environments for people and their pets, and encourage more cities to recognize the benefits of our four-legged friends,” said Jam Stewart, Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Mars Petcare. “We look forward to continuing to support cities as we work toward our purpose: A Better World For Pets.”

The full list of BETTER CITIES FOR PETS™ certification recipients is available at BetterCitiesForPets.com/cities. To learn more, visit BetterCitiesForPets.com.