Arkansas's biggest celebration of rescue pets is coming back to the Arkansas State Fairgrounds next Saturday, with organizers hoping to find homes for dogs like Jack, a six-month-old mix with a prison-program pedigree, and Constance, a year-and-a-half-old who loves people but needs a yard to burn off her energy. Bark and Paws runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 14, and admission is a suggested $5 donation.
Organizers describe Bark and Paws as Arkansas's largest celebration of rescue pets, according to KATV. Founder Diana Angelo said the event will feature vendors, classes and demonstrations, with vendors expected to sell pet-themed items like bandanas, uniquely designed dog and cat bowls, dog and cat quilting, and Christmas gifts for pet fans.
Classes and Demonstrations Open to the Public
Demonstrations and classes will be held in a second building at the fairgrounds and run on a first-come, first-served basis. The lineup includes basic puppy training, making your own pet treats, obedience demonstrations and a session on how to select a suitable dog. Attendees are welcome to join the classes and bring their own pets along.
The event arrives as rescues statewide say they're stretched thin. Organizers told the station there are 180 rescues and shelters in Arkansas, and all of them are currently full of dogs and cats looking for adoptable homes. Last Chance Arkansas board member Gwen Styer put it bluntly: “The resources are very limited, and the demand is very high.”
Two Dogs Looking for the Right Family
Among the dogs expected to be available is Jack, a roughly six-month-old pup rescued by Last Chance Arkansas from the North Little Rock Animal Shelter. He may be a mix of beagle, Jack Russell terrier and foxhound, and the station's report describes him as full of energy, a fan of the outdoors, and well-behaved in the car. He's also a graduate of the Paws in Prison program, which the outlet suggests could make him a good fit for an energetic family.
Constance, about a year and a half old, originally came from Pine Bluff Animal Control and will be adoptable through Southern Hearts Rescue. She gets along well with other dogs, though the same account notes she starts out high-energy and will likely do best in a home with a yard. Angelo said Constance is very attached to people.
A Statewide Push for Fosters and Donations
Styer encouraged people to support rescues and shelters through donations, fostering or volunteering, saying everybody can help. She also said community support needs to go hand in hand with legislation and stricter laws.
The appeal lines up with broader numbers on the state's shelter system. About 81% of animals in shelters statewide were saved in 2025, up from 80% the year before, according to Axios. The outlet also reported that roughly 1,700 fewer pets entered Arkansas shelters in 2025 than in 2024, per a separate report. Axios noted that Best Friends estimates 64 of the state's 98 shelters are considered no-kill, a designation the organization defines as saving every healthy and treatable pet with fewer than 10% euthanized.
Bark and Paws isn't the only large-scale adoption push Arkansas has seen in recent years. In February 2024, a multi-shelter adoption event billed as the biggest of its kind in central Arkansas drew more than 100 adoptable dogs from 14 shelters and rescue groups, including Southern Hearts Animal Rescue, to the Hall of Industry at the Little Rock Fair Grounds, according to Best Friends Animal Society.
