We adopted two cats from this rescue, and we were treated with courtesy and professionalism. Blythe is incredibly dedicated to the animals she cares for while finding them decent homes. She appears to be the real deal. When our cats were old enough to be spayed/neutered, the staff provided transportation for the surgery to and from the vetinerian. There was no cost to us for the surgey Some of the animals Blythe takes in are at the end of the road- injured, disabled, recovering from trauma or illness. Most folks don't have the patience or time to save an animal in dire straits. It's admirable, to say the least. These Karens complaining about smelling pee or getting feelings hurt by staff are just being petty, trying to discredit these folks doing good work. Find something more productive to do. Blythe and crew are doing a tremendous job. read more

Found my best friend here! Very caring people that save pets lives. The owner goes out of her way to make sure these pets are taken care of. To anyone complaining or reading complain to here about smell or presentation, this is not a puppy farm or puppy mill this is a place in which animals are brought to be helped and saved. I read someone complaining about the smell, of course neglected dogs and cats who are being saved are going to have a smell. Here is a perfect example. I was speaking with Blythe and she tells me she's gonna have to call me back. I contact her the next day and find out that someone had randomly left five dogs somewhere while moving. She stopped everything she was doing to prioritize, saving those dogs so of course when she went to get them, it was not like she was picking them up from the groomers, but the exact opposite and yes they smelled obviously it's not her fault the dogs were left in that state, she did everything she could to get them healthy get their shots up to date and to make sure to find suitable homes. When I first read the negative review, I was skeptical and i was being very critical. Don't believe everything you read here keep in mind. There is a bunch of people trying to sell puppies vs save them. read more

We adopted a 3 year old Torti cat named Grace. Blythe is running the place by herself and could use some more help. I plan to return and clean and care for the cats. Please reach out and do what you can to help her and the animals. read more

I visited this shelter with my kids and was so happy to find it. I want to go back often, just to pet some cats. They are no kill and obviously house some animals who are...less adoptable! As soon as I sat down, a cat who must have been pushing 20 leaped on my lap and stayed put the entire time. The cats roam free in a common area and are absolutely friendly and delightful. If you want sterile, hospital like shelters who eye you with suspicion, this isn't your place. If you want warmth and love and happy animals and people, this is the best shelter for you. My kids looked at dogs. I just provided a lap for a senior. :) read more

Animal Refugee Response - Animal Shelters Near Me - Lower Lake, California

See all

I went to this shelter a few days ago and the place reeked of stench and smell. Understandable because there's a bunch of animals that need homes. I already have dogs and cats at home adopted from humane society and wanted to see what this place was all about since I pass it all the time. Not what I expected! First of all, I don't know if it's because of lack of donations or volunteers but I think it is important to establish safety precautions: such as greeting people and advising them to sanitize their hands before and after touching the animals. Be cautious of sick animals, some were surrendered from vet hospitals to save them from euthanasia. I was looking at cats and most of them had drainage from their eyes and nose, possible upper respiratory infection? I was scratched by one of the kittens. Have they been vaccinated by rabies? It's quite a concern because the place looked like it needed to be cleaned and properly maintained, it looked so contagious! I've been feeling sick and worried if I brought something home to my cats and dogs and I kept thinking about my visit there. If you are going to visit, my advise to you is be careful and safety first. I understand it is no kill, but to me it looked like animals keep pouring in and it's starting to look like a death camp. Not recommended to take kids who like to touch everything for a visit. Safety first!!!! read more

Animal Refugee Response - Cat tower, which is nice - Animal Shelters Near Me - Lower Lake, California

See all

We recently preadopted a puppy from here and I can tell you that they are nice people who care about their animals and cause of them we will be taking this cutie here home soon I think $250 to adopt is good it also includes they shots and neutered/ spay for the animal. Also I like how the vet is near by and how they have so much room for the animals to play in. I'd probably adopt from them again when I think of getting another pet. The staff is wonderful and they know a lot about their pets read more

Animal Refugee Response - Meet our new pup Bailey - Animal Shelters Near Me - Lower Lake, California

An incredible lady that opened this No Kill Shelter for Cats and Dogs in San Pablo near El Sobrante, Pinole, CA! Check it out! Donate, Volunteer ! meow, woof !! read more

Animal Refugee Response - Animal Shelters Near Me - Lower Lake, California

To Ms Hayley F, You should know what your talking about before you speak on an issue. The woman that runs&owns this shelter does not let animals leave her care without all of their shots. If your animal was adopted out before it was old enough to have all its shots it was without a doubt expected that you return to the shelter to receive the remainders. she never lets an animal go out the door without at least its first set of shots. So mrs Hayley F I would advise that you check yourself and your paperwork before slandering a shelter just because you failed to follow directions and your pet died as a result. You are obviously not a good or responsible pet owner yourself, you sound quite frankly extremely ignorant. This shelter has some of the happiest animals Ive ever seen, especially considering the life threatening trauma a great number of them had to recover from. This shelter is doing incredible things and should be looked up to and used as a model to all the other shelters around, this woman deserves only our encouragement for all the remarkable things shes done for these animals. This place is one of a kind and I would highly recommend it to everyone that can effectively follow directs and provide a stable and loving home. to everyone else I would suggest doing a little more research and take some time to learn about what it is to have&own a pet what it takes to be a responsible pet owner before coming to an animal shelter. read more

Just a shout-out to Blythe at Animal Refugee Response. As if she didn't have enough on her plate, and as if I didn't have my own rescue group, this sweet lady took in five two-day old kittens this afternoon! I got the call about babies in the back yard, and went to see what was up. The babies seemed in danger, as they were exposed to the sun, dehydrated, and the girl swore no mother had been coming to care for them. To leave new babies for the mother or to take them is always a tough decision, as they are best left with their mothers, but I thought the danger was too great in this case. Oh yes, there was a dog temporarily held in the house, who would be released to the yard. I took them directly to Anima Refugee Response, as another cat lady said there were two nursing mothers there. Blythe was not there, but I phoned her, and she said she'd meet me there in an hour. Meantime, I took them home, sweet little ones, and gave them some milk replacer and fluids. When I got back to Blythe's shelter, were three nursing moms, and one of them took in all five babies! Blythe fixed up the cage so the little ones could not get through the bars, and will be watching over them to make sure they nurse, and are safe. Bless her heart...not only rescued these babies, but rescued the rescue lady! Cynthia Burke President/Founder Bee Holistic Cat Rescue and Care www.beeholistic.com 510-237-1190 read more

These people are absolutely amazing!! I highly recommend going here. We tried to adopt an older dog through our local shelter & it was the worst experience. We did a meet & greet w/the dog & the shelter told us they would hold the dog for us & to come back mon to get her. When we showed up to get her they said they "accidentally" gave her to someone else. My 5 kids were devastated. I was about to give up & then I found this adorable puppy named Molly on petfinder at Animal Refugee Response. I really didn't want a puppy & it was 2 1/2 hrs away so I was hesitant but we decided to go check her out. Best decision I could make. Blyth & her team were so awesome to work with! They really care about these animals & the potential adopters. Molly looked so healthy & happy & they were so nice to work with. She was definitely worth the 5 hr round trip & we just couldn't be happier. read more

BEWARE OF RABID STAFF Today I went with my daughter and her boyfriend to visit this shelter. There was a very young girl behind the counter. We signed in and told her we were interested in seeing the dachshund puppies from the sight which said they were "ready for good home/shots current". She explained they were in the bathroom and could not be touched but that we could remove the caution tape and get a closer look but warned us again not to touch them. We were in the room for a minute or two to look for the male. An older blonde haired, blue eyed woman came in ranting and raving like a lunatic. She was screaming at us and the volunteer. She even asked us if we were stupid or something. She kept screaming and I told her once was sufficient and to calm down because we were complying and were already out of the room. She would not stop screaming. She kept berating the poor little volunteer, so I went back inside and explained that we have adopted many dogs and understand about Parvo and that there was no need to continue yelling and that it seldom resolves anything. She replied "she had enough with me". We returned to our cars and left. I don't believe having the puppies in cages close to the office and outside door is considered quarantined. According to the sight the puppies were available and ready. Perhaps more care should be given on the part of the shelter to properly quarantine and not put up puppies for adoption until they are truly ready to go. They may also want to save themselves from litigation by not going after volunteers or the public in that manner. If they were not a non profit they certainly could not get away with an employee speaking to the public or another staff member in that way. We will not be returning to this shelter. I just wonder since she is that abusive to the public and other volunteers, how abusive she may be with the animals at this shelter. read more

I give this organization 5 stars for 'heart', If you are looking for a cat or little dog this organization is caring for so many. Skip the pound and come here to find your pet companion. We adopted the tiniest of kittens, she now runs the house keeping our two little dogs in line. They sleep together as furry friends. Dogs were here first and yet they adopted this little baby and tolerate her pouncing and play. When we were looking for a small dog the numbers were limited at the SPCA, here there are so many small breed dogs looking for a home. I highly recommend Animal Refugee Response for your new pet family, they need you! Bring a big bag of pet food to donate it so needed. read more

I wish I could give this place no stars.. Blythe, the woman who is in charge of the facility is especially RUDE and unconcerned of others. She talks as if she is being investigated and she quickly becomes defensive. Blythe talks over her volunteers and customers/visitors who come through the door. The place is a complete mess. The day it opened, it was spotless! But now.. there's fecal matter EVERYWHERE. The place smells like a hoarding house for pets. The dogs outside in the cages don't seem to get walked, they just stay in their cages. The cats roam to their pleasure (inside of a boxed off, fece infested "hole in the wall"). The cats seem extremely sick and very dirty. The last time I went (about a week ago, to this day.), there was an over abundance of cats that had their own defecate on their fur AND THE VOLUNTEERS STOOD AROUND, LOOKING AS IF NOTHING WAS HAPPENING. They stand around like hawks, making you VERY uncomfortable! WHO LETS CATS WALK AROUND LIKE THIS? ARE WE REALLY SUPPORTING A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT CLEARLY DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO SUPPORT ANIMALS FAIRLY? I mean, it's only natural that the "volunteers" and "owner" of this facility do their best to accommodate their time to these animals. Instead of uncomfortably watching your clients, HOW ABOUT PAYING SOME MIND TO THE ANIMALS? The payment method. $100.00 for a cat and more for a dog? I would pay less at the El Sobrante Animal Feed down on Appian Way in El Sobrante. They treat their animals A LOT more with respect. I called in, asking to drop off my dog, who is energetic, playful and is an amazing pet (we just can't afford to have her any longer.. which brings me to tears..That said, we are still looking for a home for her because we are scared to hand her over to an adoption center due to this situation..). Blythe laughed at me over the phone and told me that she didn't have any room. How was I supposed to know? The last time I went, Blythe explained to me that there were 'open' cages and told me to check back. Blythe never expressed any form of kindness over the phone towards that. I asked what the payment method would consist of - she then RUDELY stated that I would have to pay HER $100.00 and it is mandatory to get the dog spayed/neutered, get papers and have the dog vaccinated. WAIT, WAIT, WAIT. When a friend of mine ADOPTED a dog from there, she had to pay $100.00 FOR her dog at the facility, so the dog could be spayed/neutered, vaccinated and get legal documents of the dog and also informed my friend that they already did it themselves, they just have it as a "fee" for it already done by their vets.... UMM, EXCUSE ME? WHERE IS THE $100.00 FEE GOING TOWARDS IF WHOMEVER DROPPED THE ANIMAL OFF ALREADY PAYED THE AMOUNT AND DID THE WORK FOR YOU? AND WHO ARE YOUR "VETS"? AREN'T YOU TRYING TO GET THE ANIMALS "GOOD HOMES"? WHY SCRAPE THE BARREL FOR MONEY WHEN THE ANIMALS COME FIRST? I feel as if a scam is going on.. but hey, that's just me.. I will NEVER do business with them ever again. I hope someone in the near future.. hopefully soon.. will take over and then turn that place around for the good. In my opinion.. if you love your animals, please.. PLEASE do not take them there. Those animals deserve amazing homes, not this place. You can do so much better. I know you have limited options, but it's not worth dropping your animal off at a place like this. If you want your animal to be treated with the dignity and love it deserves, find an alternative. Hop-A-Long 945 22nd Ave, Oakland, CA 94606 (510) 267-1915 El Sobrante Feed & Pet Supplies 501 Appian Way, El Sobrante, CA 94803 (510) 223-3483 Hope For Paws - Animal Rescue Hopeforpaws.org read more

I adopted the perfect dog for me in June of 2013 from Blythe. I greatly appreciated the time she took to understand what I was looking for, my personality type, schedule and matching me with the right dog. I couldn't be happier, thank you! I witnessed her doing the same in the time I was there for other clients. She shows a true affection for the animals and diligence about their care. She was sure to provide me with all of the medical history of which Sadee was current, as well as where I could take her for follow up appointments. She also requested I email her in a week or so and let her know how it was going or to let her know of any concerns. I emailed Blythe a few times to let her know how Sadee was doing and each time her delighted response made me smile. It warms my heart to witness those who have the heart to not only care for such animals but to be sure they go to a home where they will receive the same loving care. I would highly recommend this shelter if you are considering adding a new pet member to your family! read more

I haven't adopted an animal from here, but wanted to donate my cat's things. They made donating a bunch of cat litter boxes, toys and a carrier very easy. read more

First time I went there I adopted a cat that died 3 days later. I was so devastated. After 2 years I decided to try again. I walked in and the place stinks like urine. Went to look at the cats and found one I liked. I had to wait on it, because he was going to the vet. When he came back they told me I couldn't adopt him. After we had already gotten our hopes up, named him, and even had a vet appt. I think this place is a scam. The poor animals. read more

The woman who runs this shelter is a GODDESS! I am on the verge of homelessness and have two dogs that my mother left behind when she died. They recently had a bad case of fleas and developed tape worms as a result. Animal Refugee Response helped me with free resources to control the fleas and de-worm my pets so I don't have to surrender any of them! They even helped me with food for my puppies!!! This has been an amazing resource! Once I have money I intend to donate to this cause as much as I can!!! read more

The kitten we adopted arrived in our home with ringworm. I know this can happen with kittens, but my untrained eye noticed the patchy red bald spot on her inner leg on the first day she arrived home. A shelter should take the time to notice health problems with the animals before adopting them out. I think that they are trying their best to do a good thing, but do not have the resources to properly care for their animals. Ringworm is highly highly contagious to both animals and humans, requires 6+ weeks of treatment, and a full house decontamination (the spores can last up to 2 years!). It's not a life threatening situation, but its also no joke to have to deal with this during a pandemic. Be very wary of adopting from this shelter. Because ringworm is highly contagious, and our kitten was in a room with multiple other litters, I'd be very surprised if many more do not have ringworm at this shelter. read more

I found a stray dog and took him to Contra Costa Animal Shelter hoping he would be reunited with his family but his family never searched for him. Because he was shy and tested as "fearful" by the shelter staff he was up to be euthanized. He was never aggressive or violent, just shy but affectionate once he's comfortable. Blythe at the Animal Refugee Response shelter took him in, thus saving his life. Thank you Blythe! If you can help them with donations and volunteering they could use it. Jorge . . . read more

To me, customer service is everything! I called not too long ago bc my coworker recommended this spot to surrender my sisters dog (she's allergic to her fur). Blythe answered and was EXTREMELY rude and UNPROFESSIONAL! She was very short with me and continously talked over me. My coworker told me this place has an opened door policy on surrendering dogs &when I mentioned that to Blythe, she rudely chuckled and told me that they do when they're not full and right now they are full (how was I supposed to know that they're full?). Okay that's fine, but after I began explaining to her that I'm unfamiliar with how the process normally is and how it's handled. She then began yelling at me over the phone (yes, yelling!) telling me that whatever my coworker told me is wrong. I then asked her why she is arguing with me, she replied "because you keep on trying to tell me what the facts are and you don't know the facts!". Obviously I don't know the facts which is why I openly told you that my coworker gave me the wrong info and I'm asking YOU how it's normally handled. I've been a manager in customer service for years and could never imagine hiring someone that will speak that way to potential prospects. I asked for her supervisors name and she again began laughing at me and informed me that she runs the entire facility. I hope she woke up on the wrong side of bed bc idk how anyone would want to do business with an unprofessional woman like herself. Hopefully her dogs are better trained then she is. read more

I have called this shelter for over 2months...I told her I wanted to surrender my 2 dogs because I can no longer take care of them...she said it was $100 per dog... I really don't have it.. Do anyone know where I can give there dogs away....I gave them to my sister and now they looked bad.. I can't feed them and my kids ..I'm having hard times..bad times....please help read more