About Us
what we do
About our Shelter
Our Mission is to rescue and rehabilitate the lost and homeless animals of the City of Bella Vista. We provide food, shelter and medical care for animals in need until they can be reunited or adopted into loving homes. These are animals that would otherwise be left to search for food and defend themselves against predators.
If you would like to directly impact these animals lives please see our Wish List
Finding Loving Homes
Our shelter takes the stray animals from the City of Bella Vista off the streets. We hold lost animals for 7-10 days while looking for an owner. If an owner is not located in that time period we will begin steps have the animal adopted.
We are not a large enough shelter to take in surrendered animals. Bella Vista Animal Shelter will provide available resources to help owners care for their animals.
Steps to Adoption
- Fill out an application for a dog or cat
- Bring in your animal(s) to meet the prospective adoptee
- Pay adoption fee $75 for Dogs & $60 for Cats
- Have a leash or carrier handy
- Provide a loving furever home
who we are
Our Philosophy
- Every animal should be spayed / neutered
- We can find the perfect home for any animal, eventually
- Every pet is a therapy animal
- If animal behavior changes drastically, take them to a veterinarian
- Our first priority is to the animals we care for
Meet Our Team
Nancy Cullins was hired as Executive Director in 2022. She had a short sabbatical in 2024 but is back to supporting the fundraising opportunities at the Bella Vista Animal Shelter. She brings a broad range of experience from teaching to marketing with a strong focus on project management.
Her love of animals led her to the BVAS Board of Directors where she quickly engaged in policy initiatives, fundraising and volunteering.
The Board of Directors quickly realized that
Nancy could bring the Bella Vista Animal Shelters technological efforts into today’s quick paced world.
Her efforts have created a stable income for the lost and homeless animals of Bella Vista. With the strong support of the Board of Directors, Nancy will facilitate a Capital Campaign in 2024-2025 to remodel an existing shelter building for better use. Expect record breaking fundraisers.
Nancy’s guiding philosophy: I’ve never met a stranger.
Jeremy Velten is a native Missourian who has lived in Northwest Arkansas since 2014. He has enjoyed a 20-year career in retail that has allowed him to meet thousands of interesting people, travel across the United States, and become a patented inventor.
Jeremy became involved with the Bella Vista Animal Shelter in 2016 and has served as a board member since 2017. He currently has 2 senior dogs, adopted from shelters in Missouri, that
enjoy lounging in their favorite recliner & begging for treats. Jeremy has a passion and hope that all shelter animals find homes where they are loved and cared for.
My name is Anita Werts and I have lived in Bella Vista for 39 years. Chances are we have met at one time or another. In my professional life I retired after 32 years from Village Insurance. I have served on the Bella Vista Animal Shelter board or been involved with the shelter for over 25 years. I have been hosting the BVAS Charity Garage Sale since its inception for the past 18 years at my home and chair for the Pars 4 Paws golf tournament. In my previous board roles I’ve maintained all the bookkeeping for the animal shelter as the treasurer. I am passionate about this shelter and want to ensure the shelter continues to do good work for years to come. Everything I do is to save as many animals as possible. I have also volunteered with other organizations. My experience includes 17 years as the secretary/treasurer for the BV Kiwanis Club, 20 years as treasurer for the BV Business Association, 5 years on the POA Board, serving one of those years as board chair. I also have been a chairperson at the LPGA for 16 years.
Dixie loves BVAS and volunteers for just about everything the shelter asks her for. She is looking forward to helping with the administration, planning and fundraising portion from the Board.
Her experience with rescue, fostering and volunteering as well as management, computer and event planning skills will make an excellent addition to the BVAS board.
Sherry Morris has resided in Bella Vista since December 2021. Lived in Houston from 1977 to 2021. Born and raised in Southern California. Father and grandparents born and raised in Paris, Arkansas. Member of Bella Vista Rotary Club and Bella Vista Garden Club.
Graduated from University of Houston, BA in Communications
Retired from BP America in Houston Texas in January 2021. Employed for 12 years as Paralegal/Project Manager. Previously worked as parale- gal for various law firms for 30 plus years.
While at BP co-chaired Think Pink fundraiser for several years raising tens of thousands of dollars for breast cancer awareness each year.
Volunteered at animal shelters, participated in trap, neuter, release pro- gram in neighborhood. Personally has 4 cats and 1 dog all rescues. She loves animals of all kinds including the deer she feeds.
Kathy Griffith grew up in Iowa in a family of pet lov- ers. She spent 22 years in Texas before moving to Bella Vista in 2005 to continue her 30-year career in corporate architecture, design, construction, real es- tate and project management with Walmart Corpo- rate Real Estate. After retiring in 2019, Kathy excit- edly joined the Bella Vista Animal Shelter Board to help the homeless and abandoned fur babies of our community live their best lives until they find the forever loving homes they all deserve. She has pro- vided a loving home for many rescues, 3 dogs and 4 cats, and is most recently a new mom to BVAS res- cue pup Gracie. When not supporting the shelter, she enjoys golf, music, art, theater and spending time with family and friends.
Brandon is a real go getter. A local small business’ owner dedicated to helping the animals of Bella Vista. He has volunteered for multiple shelter community events, and helps at BVAS weekly cleaning and walking animals. His background in sales and knowledge in construction will benefit the shelter as we build a new facility to house more animals.
Brandon is looking to make an impact, in the best possible way, for the employees, animals and the overall success of our shared mission, to help the animals of Bella Vista.
Amy has two Corgi’s and has participated in some BVAS fundraisers. She was impressed by the shelter and wanted to participate in a meaningful way.
Amy has a background in event planning. She has volunteered in the community through Church and various outreach programs by organizing group meals.
Jewel Williams grew up in Texas and moved to Bella Vista, Arkansas
in 2021 upon retirement. Jewel holds a Bachelor of Business
Administration degree in Accounting from Texas A & M University.
Jewel has over 30 years of healthcare experience both financially as
well as operationally, and was a contract negotiator for the past 8
years of employment. She enjoys keeping up her computer skills and
working with spreadsheets. She currently volunteers at the animal
shelter where her love of animals and heart for service to her
community are seen. She is also the current president of the Bella
Vista Hill N Dale hiking club. Jewel also provides a loving home to
two dogs, Bolt and Trixie, as well as four pet chickens. Jewel enjoys
hiking, golf, traveling, kayaking, working out, and learning new things.
She loves the outdoors and being surrounded by nature. She is also
the mother of two sons and 3 grandchildren.
I am an Arkansas native and have lived in various parts of NWA throughout my life. I have two adopted dogs of my own, Maia and Winnie, who are my entire world! Always having a passion for animals, I volunteered at local shelters in high school/college and have continued volunteering into my adult years. My goal in life is pretty simple – Make an impact by helping save as many animals as possible, while educating our community about animal welfare and supporting them in making a difference.”
Kristie is a fundraising and communications strategist dedicated to helping nonprofits elevate their brand and raise more money for their mission. She has worked and volunteered for elected officials and a variety of community-based organizations. Dog hair is inexorably woven into every article of clothing she owns.
Dianne Hume