Why I love them: 1. They saved my baby and 19 other dogs from an evil man who posted on Craig's List that he was going to shoot all of them unless somebody picked them up. There are plenty of other little cuties waiting for new homes too. 2. The woman who was fostering my soon to be new babe let me come to her home to meet and adopt her (after going through their normal application process) instead of making me wait for one of their adoption events. All of their animals are kept in foster homes and are shown at various adoption events. 3. They adopted to me even though I live outside of their normal adoption area. read more

We had adopted thru this foundation before, back in 2008 and that went perfectly fine. We just tried to adopt from them again and the head lady Lynn was so rude and condescending that we will never go thru them again.... there are way too many other rescue foundations and dogs, especially older ones, that are in need of loving homes, they should be more respectful and understanding of people's situations read more

This is just my personal experience with them and please note, they have placed many pets in great homes without incident. I feel that this place is trying to do a good thing, but I think they are understaffed on the "communication" level -- and volunteers are not educated enough about the dogs they "show" at the PetSmart events. All of the above said, here is my best advice if you are adopting a dog (not puppy or cat) from AHF: Do your own research to make sure the breed of dog you are interested in, is "likely" good with other animals you may already have at home. The same goes for what they say about the dogs getting along with other dogs you may already have. Do not take their word for it. For example, coonhounds would likely not get along with your cats - rather they would probably hunt them. They also might not like the dog you already have and it might attempt to attack it on a regular basis. They may also appear to get along with the cats or other pets for a little bit before you realize that they want to eat them. The 10 day "pending" period is not always going to bring this behavior out in these animals. And this is not something every person - especially when you are getting your first dog - would be alert to. Likewise, if you have to return a dog per the contract's terms -- after you've spent nearly $2000 and two years trying to get it trained to just follow basic commands, and to help deter it's aggressiveness (aggressiveness meaning: when it starts ripping your house to shreds, snaps at you and your children when you try to discipline it as instructed by the reputable trainer you spent $2000 at, and also having to keep your cats locked in your bedroom so they aren't hunted and killed by said coonhound ) do not be surprised when they try to still pin it on your family for not trying hard enough to fix the situation. It was hard enough on our whole family to have to return him. It sucked to be told by the man in the filtered reviews that it was probably our fault after we had invested so much time and training and love in the dog. Well -- short of completely getting rid of three cats and my children, and taking out a large loan to send the dog away to some more serious training -- there wasn't much more we could do. Luckily it appears that they found a new home for him. I hope it's one without kids or other animals and I hope he's doing fine. Just do your research here and you'll be ok. read more

We rescued Beckett, a beautiful lab-hound mutt, full of energy and without any training. The shelter did a fantastic job. They told us about his personality, they checked if we have a fenced yard, made sure we know how to deal with normal problems you can encounter with a new dog who will be part of your family, and needs love and patience to learn. I like that first you foster and that you decide if you want to adopt. Thanks to Ursula, Gianna, Arita, Joanna and Gianna for being straightforward and helping us during the process. We love this handsome guy who is bringing us joy after our previous dog died suddenly read more

Almost Home Foundation - Our - Animal Shelters Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to adopt two adorable kittens. They were so well taken care of through the foundation that bringing them into our home was a breeze. Our vet praised the foundation's shot records and treatment records. Highly recommend AHF! read more

From my own personal experience I think they are great. I adopted a puppy around 3.5 years ago & she is the best. She was rescued from a bad situation & now all the puppies have great homes. I have followed them thruout the years & they are very caring & concerned about the dogs. They are in constant need of volunteers & obviously money from donations. Paperwork was easy to fill out, they did interview me & came out to see my home environment. I would recommend adopting your cat or dog thru them if possible. They are usually at PetSmart in Schaumburg on the weekends FYI. read more

Back in August, I put an application for a particular dog I saw on their website. After meeting with the Adoption Coordinator Paige, we concluded that the dog was probably not the right fit for me. Paige helped match me with a suitable dog and passed my information to another coordinator, Jenna. Jenna was terrific to work with answering any questions and checking up on me with the foster to adopt process. I have made a new best friend with my boy Brady. I cannot thank the group enough. They really care for the animals and vet the potential adopters appropriately. read more

I have been volunteering with AHF for 13 1/2 years. We are an all volunteer rescue made up a human beings who are not perfect. All of us love animals. That is the key. Unfortunately, not all of us are best with humans. That is our biggest complaint. HOWEVER, there are so many volunteers who are great with people too. Those who aren't great with people, tend to be fantastic with the animals. I can't apologize enough for any rudeness someone may experience. I just ask that if possible, move past that person and ask to deal with another volunteer. It's not the animals fault. AND if you don't adopt from AHF, that's fine. PLEASE adopt a rescue/shelter dog from somewhere. They all need loving homes. I am in it for the animals and in it for the long haul. I not only volunteer, but I also foster both cats and dogs and adopted my current dog from AHF. read more

Almost Home Foundation - This is Grandpa, an 8 lb 14 1/2 year old Chihuahua I adopted from AHF. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

Very disappointed with this rescue! We responded to a post on Facebook about a cat that was up for adoption. The foster mom posted and told the location and time of adoption event. My family, including our two small children, went to the event to inquire about the kitten. When we got there, both volunteers had their noses buried in their phones. I asked about the kitten and they still didn't move much away from their phones . Finally, one of the volunteers asked if I wanted to hold the kitten that we inquired about. While holding the kitten, they proceeded to tell me about the policy of their organization. They do not allow kittens younger than 6 mos to be adopted without adopting another cat. What?!?! Your organization is bursting with the amount of cats you have for adoption and your going to pass on an excellent home because the kitten is younger than 6 mos!!! Then why put him up for adoption right now? It seemed like a quick excuse to make more money. When I reached out to the organization, and this is the ONLY reasons I gave 2 stars, someone emailed me back to explain their policy. She then stated that they lose money on adoptions due to the vet costs that are included in the adoption process. Really?!?! Organizations are definitely not paying the same prices that pet owners are paying for the vaccines. Sounds like a quick cover up! We ended up adopting the perfect kitten from 4PAWLUV rescue. read more

This is a fantastic non profit organization that rescues dogs and cats. They truly make a difference, and have saved countless lives. read more

Sara, I'm sorry, but you are grossly misinformed on what animal abuse is. A pinch (or prong) collar (not a chokey collar, as you call it) is used for training overly-vivacious dogs that are very strong and/or very large. Professional trainers use them all the time. You also seem to have a really stupid misconception about pitbulls and that is unfortunate because people like you are WHY pitties have a bad reputation. Instead of stereotyping all dogs of a particular breed, why don't you volunteer some of your time to get to know a few of these dogs. You may be surprised how wonderful pitbulls can truly be given proper training and a little love and affection. The bottom line is, Almost Home Foundation saves hundreds of deserving cats and dogs every year from TRULY abusive situations, or an otherwise very sad fate (euthanasia, etc). AHF utitlizes foster homes, not professional dog trainers, to care for their dogs while they are waiting for forever homes. The fosters volunteer their time to help save these animals. They get nothing out of it except the joy of knowing that hopefully this dog they've been taking care of will eventually find a GOOD home. Unfortunately, not every foster parent knows exactly how to handle every single dog that comes through. It's a learning process! Posting negative reviews of an organization that truly is out to save the animal does nothing but DETER people who could give these very deserving animals a second chance. As a self proclaimed animal lover, why would you want to do that??? To everyone else.... PLEASE, please, please consider rescuing from AHF! There are so many wonderful, deserving doggies and kitties here, being cared for by people who genuinely CARE about their futures! read more

At first, I loved this place. We got our first dog from here back in 2009. Despite the fact that her foster dad lied to us about her house training and aggressiveness, we loved her and gave her the best life she could've asked for. I also volunteer here and walk the dogs at the kennel. Not to mention, after my dog had to be put to sleep due to old age, we became babysitters and babysat sweet Timon last summer. Now, we are interested in getting a new dog. We took Squirtle home over a week ago. She spent the last 9 days with us. She got attached to me; she slept in my bed, followed me around the house, and went out with me wherever I went. In turn, we got attached to her. We bought her clothes to wear because she got cold outside, we bought her the Royal Canin chihuahua food that her foster mom had been feeding her, we bought her treats, we bought her a new collar, tag, and leash, we bought food bowls, and we even bought her a car harness with a seatbelt for safer transportation. Since we we were under the impression that she would be our dog, we spent a good amount of money on her. I also was working hard and making significant progress with her potty training. 2 days ago we "adopted" her at the Bloomingdale PetSmart. We paid her fee and filled out her paperwork and it was the happiest day ever for my family. Today, ARITA SEGO calls us and claims that she needs to "do a home check", to which we're perfectly fine with. She shows up and tells me to go inside so she can speak with my mother alone. Then, she tells my mom that she is taking the dog from us. When I tried to speak to her about it, she told me it was an "adult conversation". I am 20, not 5. Apparently, they had just then finally decided to contact our old vet (Todd Zink, who is a terrible vet and told us nothing was wrong with our old dog when she was clearly suffering) and he had said negative things about my mother. 1) He is a terrible vet who watched us BAWL our eyes out less than a year ago as we had to put our dog to sleep because he REFUSED to help her in any way 2) we had already had this dog in our home for over a week. We had grown attached to her and her to us. We had bought her so many things. Why would you do this now after we had already had her in our home and "adopted" her? This poor dog has been in at least 4 homes in approximately a year of life and has had at least 4 names. She deserves better. She deserves a family that loves her and will stick with her; we were that family. I will no longer be volunteering here. This place is just outright cruel. They do not have the dogs best interest in mind because if they did, they wouldn't be removing her from a place that she felt safe and loved. I would like to note that Megan Burns is a great foster mom and if anyone else deserves to keep Squirtle, it would be her. read more

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I am not confident in this organization's vetting process for dog owners. Apparently this organization does not adhere to accepted guidelines for the adoption of puppies which clearly require more work and time spent at home. Very disappointed. This is a big reason why so many puppies get dumped at a shelter after Christmas. read more

I adopted an older dog from them. They neglected testing her for diabetes despite her having a bald spot on her rump! I'm spending money to help her heal... hopefully. The vet said maybe she'll live, maybe not! If as a senior, I can do this surely they could have done the same! She also has a broken tooth and various infections. all of which has to be put off until the diabetes is controlled. I also, got the impression that when I adopted this poor little girl, that all they were not really interested her or me! The only reason I was able to get her was through her foster mom! I would never adopt through them again! read more

I am writing this review, because I am picking up my baby girl from her Almost Home foster parent in the morning, and I am much too excited to fall asleep. When my fiance and I first considered taking in a puppy, we were both worrisome of the adoption process. It is a risk, you can't be 100% certain of your dog's breed, potential size, history, etc. But the Almost Home foundation and the foster parent we have been working with have made this the most enjoyable and easiest of decisions. I would never think twice about adopting from another rescue organization. We found these puppies just last week, and have already completed the adoption process. Others on here have complained about the adoption process, but I very much appreciate how serious this group takes the well being of their puppies/dogs. Why adopt from an agency that could be potentially sending dogs back to unhappy homes? On top of the home check and application/checking references, they also match the dog's to the owners they feel will make the best match. After visiting our litter, we got to name our top two and they foster parent matched our personality/lifestyle to one of those puppies. After all, she has with them 24/7 for the past three weeks. I think that I most appreciate the fact that all of the dogs/puppies are put into foster homes. They are not kept in kennels with hundreds of other animals that need attention. We found our puppy in a very beautiful spacious home, with a large area outside where they could enjoy the sun with their litter mates. Our foster parent even had two dogs of their own, which the puppies were playing with and socializing at a very early age. Thank you Almost Home : ) read more

Almost Home Foundation - Animal Shelters Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

Having worked and adopted from other local rescues over the years, I have to say Almost Home is the best. I have adopted two dogs from them over the past 18 months and not only are they super sweet, fantastic dogs, the support from the volunteers and their community is fantastic. Their volunteers are just that - volunteers that just want to help the animals. When you look into rescue you should understand what breeds and ages of pets will work for you before you go looking. Also, if you have other pets at home, you really need to understand their temperament and ensure you know how they interact with strange animals in and out of the house before you bring a newbie in. You also need to have to the time to bring a new pet in and work them into your home. There is always an adjustment period which can sometimes last longer than a few days/weeks. I've personally seen it take years. You have to be committed to working through it - good and bad. Adoption is always a risk, and you have to be willing to take whatever you are presented with. Some of these poor animals have never had a chance to experience what it's like to be loved and cared for. Because of this, it's not always easy to shed those demons and become a "perfectly behaved pet". That said, many of these animals get acclimated to their new environments and thrive with no issue. Unless you are willing to support responsible breeders (i.e. not advertised in a newspaper, ebay classifieds, pet store, or $400 special etc...) that promote documented health testing and betterment of the breed, rescue is a fantastic way to go. If you are worried about a clean and perfect house and do not have the time and ability (not necessarily $$$) to work with an animal, then maybe a pet is just not right for you. At the end of the day if you are looking for and committed to a new forever family member that will give you unconditional love, laughter and companionship, check out Almost Home. read more

We had a great experience adopting from Almost Home. I had been following the Almost Home Facebook page when I saw a cute pup and found out he'd be at an adoption event at my local Petsmart that weekend. I loved that I was able to meet and talk to the pup's foster mom at the adoption event too. I think that really helped ensure that we were finding the perfect fit for our family, because we knew what to expect from our new pal! A few days later, the foster and pup came over for a home visit. Then, once we were approved to adopt, we were able to pick him up the following Saturday! I love what this place does and the people we encountered, but I'm knocking off one star because I emailed the volunteer email address (from the website) almost two weeks ago to see if there was any opportunity for me to volunteer, and I haven't heard back. Hopefully, they aren't missing chances for others to help the pups they're rescuing! read more

Almost Home Foundation - Our boy! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

Thank you for my bestie for a couple years now, Seymour. I discovered a piece of paper in his Heartland Animal Shelter folder (dated 08/23/2015) with your stamp on it & was pleased to see that up organization I've been blindly donating to for years at veterinarian offices, pharmacies etc. is making such an encompassing impact on stray puppies & kitties that Seymour's paperwork is stamped by both you & 4 Paw Luv all the way in Newark before he went to Glenview's Heartland Animal Shelter. I am truly grateful for your volunteers' efforts/financial supporters and just wanted to let you know your exotic looking fluffy black lion is living the good life with plenty of cat trees & more than a few dozen enticing toys. read more

To start off any negative review about Almost Home Foundation is as far from the truth as possible! I adopted my new buddy Hawk(Kringle) and could not be any more pleased with the entire process. The communication was great, the home visit was great and the adoption process was made as comfortable as possible for me and more importantly my new four legged friend. When I went to the adoption event at Petsmart everyone working the event was very friendly and you can tell they truly care for all the dogs. When Kristin came to the home visit again you can easily tell that she genuinely cares for the dogs and I know this goes true for everyone else involved in the foundation. I would absolutely recommend giving Almost Home Foundation a shot if your looking to rescue a dog. Thank you everyone at Almost Home Foundation for all that you do for the dogs. Keep up the GREAT work!!! read more

Almost Home Foundation - Hawk (formerly known as Kringle) - Animal Shelters Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

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To the caretakers, volunteers and staff - thank you - you guys rock! I have completed my second adoption (1st was in 2015) and I couldn't be happier . To all those negative reviewers out there, there is probably a good reason for your application not going through - not that you are a bad person, but maybe your home does not meet requirements of the dog / cat you have fallen in love with. Is your home fenced - to safely protect your dog? Or maybe it is a tiny white picket-fence thought to hold back an active 120 lb dog? Maybe the cat you like, doesn't like children and you have 3? All I am saying, as with any rescue - there is NO SUCH THING as a bad pet - just bad or misinformed owners. Rescues/shelters only want the best for the animals, and if you feel slighted by a volunteer - don't, just think of it as there may be someone that might be a little better for the animal you think you want. Don't take it personnally, as hurtful as it may feel. There is a little/big wigglebutt out there for the individuals that truly want to take on a lifetime responsiblity of love and kisses, walks in the rain and snow, poops and piddles (not always outside), destroyed carpet, furniture, clothes, food costs and as they get older - sometimes the medical bills can be overwhelming. But the love you get in return is 24/7, 365 days a year - INCLUDING ALL HOLIDAYS!!! In the end, if you wrote a negative review, maybe the volunteer saw your negative attitude and just decided that if you are negative about not getting what you want, how will you react to the animal when they poop in the middle of your new carpet, right before you have company due to arrive. (Go volunteers!!!) In the end, Bless everyone who has ever adopted, and bless the shelters and volunteers - and forever bless the animals that have found their forever homes, and bless the animals that have not. read more

we are in need of donation for a up coming silent auction. please contact me deannemarkos@sbcglobal.net if you have a company or work for a company that can donate. Thank you for any consideration read more

I write about 2 checks per year so my account balance is pretty much accurate. When I adopted our dog after 13 months the adoption check was never cashed I now realized. 13 Months later they cash it which is just unethical in my opinion to not contact the customer asking if the funds are still available. I'm a single parent making ends meet and after 13 months you think you're balance is pretty much accurate. I was shocked I was overdrawn seeing this check cashed 13 months later. When I called and spoke to a woman on the phone I was told it's not her fault, said you still have the dog right and it's my fault for not paying attention. REALLY? That was just beyond rude of a comment and you missed the point. read more

AHF is an all volunteer organization that cares deeply about the animals they rescue is dedicate to placing them in good homes. They are out there this weekend in the heat with their annual "Barking Lot" sale trying to raise funds to operate this great facility to save dogs and cats. Adopt, foster or donate! read more

My experience more closely matches that of Alyssa's from 5/2016. We were looking to adopt a small/medium dog (not a puppy). We picked Almost Home Foundation because in our minds, a fostered dog would be much happier and a better companion. Also, we would hopefully know more about the dog's mannerisms and make a more informed decision. We are gainfully employed and have experience with dogs previously, especially in the size range and energy level we were looking. I was unable to go to the first showing on a Saturday, but my wife put in an application. The dog had another application in and the foster ignored my wife's application, despite the other family eventually no longer wanting the dog. Then we went back the following weekend where both of us met the dog, talked to the foster. The foster had never acted on our initial application. The foster spent a lot of the visit joking and upset about how nobody she personally knew wanted the dog, while we were standing there saying, "We've already applied and would like to set up a visit." She set one up, spending 90 minutes at our house where the dog wandered freely and played with us. She then informed us she had one more application and another house visit... after she had ignored our application the first time anyway. Her tone implied she had already decided for the other family unless something happened at that visit. Three days later we received a phone call confirming it - with an entirely subjective vague phrase that the dog "was more comfortable" at the second person's property... with no explanation of how this was determined or any examples. After deciding for the other family, this foster then tried to upsell us different dogs at other weight limits. This is not her place to tell us what kind of dog we should be looking to have. If the Almost Home Foundation has a surplus of large dogs for adoption, stop accepting larger dogs. This organization and this process is very arbitrary and left up to the whims of one person who has predetermined that she does or does not like any prospective applicant. It is an "application process" in name only. Overall we felt our time was not valued, we jumped through many hoops and in the end were prejudged by someone. The good of this organization: The dogs DO seem happier with the home of a foster as opposed to a shelter. Their health is in good shape and the fosters are all knowledgeable about their conditions or medications. They are spayed/neutered, have vaccinations, and microchipped. read more

The worst experience I've ever had with an adoption agency in the 26 years of owning cats. Proceed with extreme caution if you chose to adopt an animal from this organization. Unprofessional, militant, extremely poor communicators and they will break your heart. The volunteer we worked with was not pleasant. We had two cats but lost one of them in January. We waited a few months and then when we were ready, we started looking for kittens so our surviving cat could have some playmates as he is a very social cat. We found two kittens that we were interested in and filled out an application but it took forever for them to get back to us. We emailed them a couple of times to see if the kittens would be at PetSmart and we finally heard back from the foster. We went to see the kittens at the foster home and then met the volunteer at the Pet Smart during the adoption event. We fell in love with the kittens and told them we were definitely interested in adopting them. The foster mom and the volunteer approved our application and we were told that we could adopt the kittens the day after they were neutered, which was going to be the following week. We chose names and started getting our house ready but we had additional questions so we reached out but then the communication stopped-absolutely no communication at all. It wasn't until five days later--TWO DAYS before we were supposed to pick them up- that we received a call from the volunteer saying she changed her mind and wouldn't adopt the kittens out to us. Needless to say we were heartbroken. They strung us along for a week only to change their minds two days before were supposed to pick them up. The way this organization operates is the reason why people go to breeders and Craig's list to get their pets. Sadly, the kittens are the ones who suffered because they lost out on living in the lap of luxury by having the run of the house, the best medical care, food, treats and toys..all because of a woman who has a God complex. Also, during the adoption event we asked for the kittens medical history to protect our cat at home and we were given resistance on that- she said they don't give that information out until AFTER you adopt them, which makes no sense. It wasn't until we pressed her that she sent us their records. "Almost Home" is the perfect name for this organization because with how they operate, their pets never will get a home. These kittens ALMOST had a great home. read more

I have not adopted, nor fostered from Almost Home. However, I have volunteered with them, and I am always so impressed with the quality of staff and the love and care shown towards the animals. They are so loved, watched carefully, and everyone does what is in the animals' best interest. Most of the animals come from kill shelters. This is a rescue center, meaning they do not kill them and do anything they can to care for them and find a forever home for them. They try so hard to find them foster and forever homes. I can tell you from experience that these babies are so sweet, and they all deserve homes. The organization is completely run by volunteers and is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. There are three two-hour shifts per day, 365 days a year, to volunteer. As a dog walker, we take the dogs out as much as we can during that time, interact with them, give them treats, etc. Openers are responsible for other duties like medication. They also have fundraising and adoption events throughout the year. Volunteering here is the best part of my week//day. The animals are well cared for, and there have been many happy families who have adopted fur babies from here. The volunteers are also great about communicating with each other so we know what is happening even when we are not at the shelter. I highly recommend adopting/fostering/volunteering/supporting this organization. read more

Such an amazing organization. My family had been looking to adopt a dog for quite some time and wanted to go through a reputable rescue. When we heard about Almost Home, we looked online at adoptable dogs and found a picture of our sweet Sydney (formerly Flirty). Within 2 hours of filling out an application, my mom was contacted by Kim, a volunteer, who set up a meet and greet for 2 days later. Melissa kindly took time out of her day to introduce our entire family to Sydney and made special arrangements for us to complete paperwork and pick her up early the next week. The adoption coordinator Arita was very patient with us and so helpful. We brought Sydney home and yet another fabulous volunteer, Christina, came out the next day just to check in and see how she was adjusting. We never expected the process to be this easy and to have so much support. We absolutely love our new addition and have already recommended Almost Home to friends looking to adopt in the Chicagoland area. The next time we adopt, it will definitely be through AHF. read more

Almost Home Foundation - Our sweet Sydney!!! We are so thankful to AHF for allowing her to join our family. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Schaumburg, Illinois

We adopted our beautiful dog, a chow mix, from the Almost Home Foundation. The foster parent was very knowledgeable about caring for animals. It was clear that she spent a great deal of time working on training this little puppy. She has gone on to be at the top of her obedience classes. We are going to begin her on agility training. We are so happy to have her in our family. She is the sweetest, most loving, smart and obedient dog. Everyone comments on how cute she is, and asks about her breed. It goes to show how wonderful mixed breeds can be. I hope people will consider adopting a dog or cat from a rescue organization when seeking a companion animal. The volunteers at AHF are hard working, and just that volunteers. They are giving their time to help save animals in need. read more

After tragically losing both of his 2 dogs, my grandfather was looking to adopt a new puppy. He was interested in Lab puppies that were being shown about 2 weekends ago. After being the first person at the location, filling out applications and following further directions given by a volunteer, he was told that all the labs were adopted. My grandfather was of course disappointed and asked the volunteer to give him a call that night just in case something fell through (this didn't occur). She promised she would either way the adoptions went. Not knowing my Uncle was on his way to meet him, my grandfather left. When my Uncle arrived he was told there were 3 more labs still needing homes. Puzzled by this, he asked for an explanation. After speaking to the volunteer and manager, my Uncle was told that my grandfather was "too old" too care for a puppy. If this is the truth, that's fine but how come my grandfather could not have been told this instead of being mislead numerous times by these people? My grandfather is not "too old" to care for a puppy and the puppy would have come home to a loving home. He cared very well for his dogs for a very long time. We are just confused as to why we weren't told this up front and also why the age discrimination. The volunteer had said to my Uncle, ''who knows your father could have a stroke tomorrow.' A 30 year old could adopt a puppy and have a health issue just the same. read more

My family and I have been big supporters of almost home for several years, even adopting a dog and a cat from them. My son is a volunteer dog walker many hours a week. He was recently asked to work with a particular dog with special training for the dogs aggression. My son agreed, but before the date could come, we found out the dog had been euthanized. Very very upsetting. We contacted a representative of the board, who after a very lengthy conversation, admitted she had no knowledge of this incident within her organization. During our communication with a board representative, she was consistent in repeating the words ass, crap, s***, as though this was normal speech for her. So not only was there a very very poor lack of communication within the organization but the individual we spoke with was a very poor representative to the public. I am very sad at this new insight into almost home. I strongly suggest they put some energy into tightening up communication amongst staff so that a tragedy like this does not occur again. read more

My family and I have been looking for a dog for a while. We got one from a rescue. We really wanted him to be a part of our family. Sadly, he had aggression issues that escalated to a viscous attack very early on. For the safety of young children in our home, we made the difficult decision to return the dog and keep looking. Enter Almost Home Foundation. We found a puppy and were very excited! All was well, and then the foster decided that we were not suitable to adopt in the eleventh hour bc we had previously surrendered the other dog. Seriously?! I find this ridiculous and to do it after the dog had been promised to a child is horrible. I attempted to contact management for Almost Home Foundation and was ignored. We were never even given a home visit! They just made a general judgement about us. We will keep looking and find the right furry friend, but I want as many people as possible to know that Almost Home Foundation in Elk Grove Village, IL is not above lying, judging, and ignoring potentially loving homes for rescue animals. read more

Hmm....Very interesting review by Alix R. I had the pleasure of going to the PetSmart in Bloomingdale 2 weekends ago to get some supplies for my Cockatiel and the Almost Home Foundation was there with a bunch of adoptable dogs. The majority of them were Pits. Now, anyone that knows me knows that I absolutely love dogs, (having 5 this past year) but Pit Bulls are not one of the breeds I will even look twice at. When I was there shopping around, the Foundation had setup camp around where they do the puppy training classes so you pretty much had to walk completely around the store to get anywhere because it was blocked off by chairs. I noticed one Pit was sitting down in front of one of the handlers and had one of those awful choke collars on, the ones with the spike looking things that dig into their neck..and some lady who had her own 2 dogs with her (A Husky and a Lab) was talking to one of the volunteers, the Pit Bull's ears went straight back and it started growling very heavily and the lady jumped back and pulled her dogs away, Now, anyone would've done that, but that's not smart to jerk them away like that. The Husky growled as it was pulled back and the Pit Bull lunged at it almost pulling the handler right out of her chair and made this awful aggressive growl like it wanted to fight and the volunteer pulled on it's leash and choked the dog. The dog let out this ear piercing yelp and started scratching at the collar, when it did this the girl pulled hard on the leash again making the dog squeal. Now, I'm sorry, I may not like pits, but that just proves why that breed is so aggressive. They shouldn't have put a choke collar on that animal in the first place, maybe that dog wasn't emotionally ready to be put into the adoption program if it's growling at other dogs, they should have done more homework on it. While I was checking out the cashier asked me if I would like to donate to the Almost Home Foundation and I told her no, and gave her the honest truth that I will not donate any money to a shelter that abuses their animals that way. So, if you are looking to adopt a shelter pup, please look else where, given what Alix R. stated in her review and what I personally witnessed, this shelter is no good. Good luck! :) read more

Let me start by saying that I love my puppy, but would not recommend Almost Home to anyone. I found two puppies that I liked on petfinder. I emailed the address on the page and expressed interest. Two days later the woman fostering the puppies emailed me back and asked me to fill out an application. I did and sent it back the same day. Two days later I emailed her again because I hadn't heard that she had received it. When I asked for confirmation all I got was a, "Thanks, got it." No time frame of when I might hear or any indication that this adoption would be moving forward. Again, I wait a couple days before emailing her. She responds saying that the board will review my application and get back to me. A few days later, I get an email saying that I am not a suitable home for a puppy since I work 8 hour days and perhaps I would be interested in taking one of the older dogs. I write back that I mentioned on the application that the puppy would be allowed to come to work with me and would not be alone at home for stretches of more than 2-3 hours until housebroken. They respond saying they need my boss' number and a signed letter from him saying I can bring the dog to the office and that the foster mom would also like to talk to me about a special situation regarding the puppy she has left. When I call she explains that he has some fear based aggression. That he growls when he meets new people and she is nervous about placing him. Understandable, temperament is really important and I don't want my dog (even my little chihuahua) biting anyone. I ask if I can still meet him and she insists that it be at one of the adoption shows instead of her home because he is comfortable and, therefore, not aggressive at home. Fine. I go meet him at the Petsmart in Shaumburg. When I arrive he is not with her, but instead being walked around the store with someone else to "get used to his surroundings." We go to find her and she is carrying the dog and not letting anyone touch him. I ask if I can hold him and I am given canned chicken to treat him and he comes to me. He growls a little and then calms down. We go and sit on the floor in a corner with him and his mom(dog) and the foster mom. It soon becomes clear to me that it is maybe the foster mom who is enabling this slight aggression. She doesn't let anyone near him. She "warns" them in a way that makes them back off. Anyhow, he's fine, he's playing and I tell her that I would like to adopt him. She says we have to arrange a home visit. It's Saturday afternoon and I am working on Sunday because I took Saturday off to go meet him. So I tell her I'm home every day after 6 and all day on Friday. There was a lot of back and forth and lack of availability. It takes until Wednesday to confirm that someone is coming out to check my house on Friday afternoon. The woman who came asked me approximately 3 questions and never left my kitchen...so I could have had a slaughter house in my bedroom and I still would have gotten the dog. I went to pick him up the next day...back at the Petsmart. This time the foster mom wasn't there at all. There seemed to be two women in charge. One was nice and the other one was pretty rude. She asked for my application and I explained that I was not told to bring it, I was just asked to bring the letter from my boss, but that I had emailed it to the foster mom and could forward her the email. I was given all of the paperwork and sent on my way. I looked through it and saw no mention of what food the puppy had been on. I asked so that I wouldn't give him a stomach ache the first day home. No one knew. So finally they called the foster mom and found out for me. As soon as we left the store the dog was happy and playful! Big surprise!! They also told me that they would be sending a list of approved vets for the rabies shot and neutering which was part of the adoption fee, but had to be scheduled through them. Puppies usually get rabies shots at about 16 weeks. My puppy was about that age when I brought him home. After a week, my check had not cleared and I had no list of vets...so again I emailed someone who told me she would drop it in the mail, but today was a bad day because her dog was in the hospital today. I was sympathetic, I also was annoyed that it had taken a week and a reminder from me for her to do anything. Two days later she calls to confirm my address because the letter "had been returned" to her...and that I needed to hurry up and make the appointment because he was past due. I explained that I knew, but had been waiting on the list from her! So really it's been a disorganized mess. But, since I've had him, he has met many people without incident. Happy ending, I suppose. read more

I had a great experience with Almost Home Foundation. Last April, I found a bengal listed for adoption on petfinder.com. Since I have been looking for this breed of cat for a while (and wanted to avoid a breeder), I immediately emailed. I received an email reply asking me to fill out an application and asking me some additional questions about myself (why I want that breed, have I had animals before, etc). We went back and forth for a couple weeks because I believe other people were also interested in him. I also was able to go to the foster's home to meet the cat to ensure that we were a right fit. I was approved to adopt and I went to the PetSmart in Bloomingdale to pick him up. The whole process took less than a month (probably 3 weeks tops). I couldn't be happier...he is such a sweet cat (he will be 4 yrs old this March). He has never once bit or hissed or any type of acting out. All he wants to do is love on you and get belly scratches. His breed is a bit different than other cats so he does do some crazy things but it is all about adjusting. I wouldn't have it any other way! read more

I just adopted my dog on my b-day on 9/22 after looking about 1 1/2 years for the "right" dog. I wanted another husky, but just did not want to spend $2000+ from a breeder, and will not buy from a pet store ever again after a bad experience 15 years ago. I watched PAWS, ANti-Cruelty and Amost Home every Thursday to see what dogs would be at adoption events forthe weekend. I tried to catch every husky that showed up and a couple pit mixes. I just was not bonding with any until this Sept. Somehow I missed this beautiful red husky the first time he was on the site. THankfully for me, the people who adopted him retuned him because they were "moving". Sorry but I just NEVER buy those stories. Did they also leave their kids behind? Anyway.. I went to see him at the Schaumburg Petsmart on 9/15 and we bonded right away. He walked up to me, leaned against me and puthis head on my shoulder and looked at me with those big blue eyes and I knew he was "the one". I went home and talked to my roommate to make sure he would help me walk him as the people who had him appeared to have overfed and not exercised him because he was 93 lbs when he should have been about 70, and his intake papers showed him at 64 lbs. So he gained close to 30 lbs in 3 months! I went back the next day hoping to be coming home with him, but he was not brought to the event that day. I filled out the paperwork and made arrangements for a home visit during the week. By thursday I knew I was going to be able to bring him home Saturday. I was a little surprised that my references said they were not contacted but maybe I just made a REALLY good impression! lol. Besides, who gives a reference for someone who will say something bad about them anyway??? I took him to the vet 3 days after I got him and foudn out he had to have surgery on a lump that was founf in his tail. Poor boy - 11 days with me and he was off to surgery! Almost Home worked with me on vet costs, which I greatly appreciated. He now has a new name, a new home, has dropped 3 lbs and came through his surgery with no problem. He is just a big bundle of love that likes to cuddle - all 90 lbs of him! I am surprised with other people's bad experiences. I would not hesitate to recommend Almost Home. BUT I always think you need to know what you are looking for and what you are getting into and cannot be swept by the idea a dog/cat is "so cute I have to have him/her". It is not just a monetary investment, it is a responsibility investment. If you are not going to love your pet like a family member, really think twice. read more

While we were very excited to work with this organization, we were just as quickly judged and written off at one of their adoption events. After spending time talking with someone at an adoption event, we were told that we would not be going home with a dog and would be better suited to foster a dog. This was after meeting us for 20 minutes and barely letting us talk but instead telling us all the reasons we weren't ready to take home a forever dog. Our application was never reviewed, references were not called, yet we were written off within minutes. There seemed to be a big stigma with "working hours" even with work from home flexibility. While we can understand the concern with wanting to find adopters who are home all day, at the end of the day these dogs need permanent homes and it takes $ to raise a dog needing food, toys, grooming, vet visits, ect. My advice to this organization is to be careful how quickly you are to turn someone down before getting to know them. We ended up going through a local shelter and found an amazing puppy who has made a successful transition into our loving home. Hopefully this review helps anyone with a full-time job avoid wasting their time, I left disappointed with tears in my eyes from frustration with how we were treated. read more

We had such a great experience with Almost Home and love our new dog. We had seen a dog that we were interested in on petfinder and after emailed with AHF, decided to go meet her at an adoption show. Well, she wasn't the right dog for us - but it was a great environment to really get to meet all the other dogs they had available there. And the volunteer was really helpful, finding out what we were looking for and suggesting dogs. We put in an application that day, got interviewed and accepted. Our girl had to stay with her foster home for a week to get spayed and finish fostering - and then they drove her to our house. They had clearly taken excellent care of her and left us with all the info we needed. She's adjusting so well - and they called yesterday to check in on her. It was a great process that let us find the right dog for us - and they clearly care a lot about their animals. read more

I found my cat on petfinder.com and contacted Almost Home. When the foster mom called, she was friendly and answered all my questions about the cat I was interested in adopting. I filled out an adoption application and a meet-and-greet was arranged at Petsmart in Bloomingdale. The foster mom was there, and she couldn't have been nicer, as well as the other volunteers I spoke to. The cat was wonderful and beautiful, she seemed to be the cat I was hoping to find. I eagerly filed out the paperwork to take my new cat home. I found love once again! read more

Best Foundation!!! I've adopted 2 dogs of my own and foster dogs for the group!

This is the best animal rescue ever! Five years ago I adopted my beloved Chow Chow from Almost Home. He is my pride and joy. Almost Home has given my family an overwhelming amount of love and support. I can't thank this foundation enough!! read more