I unfortunately had the displeasure of adopting from the Animal Care League in Oak Park. I adopted…read morea dog who had several ongoing health conditions that were evident in his medical history which was not disclosed at the time of adoption. They were informed that I did not have the financial capacity in order to accommodate a dog that would need significant financial commitment beyond standard vet appointments and care. When I took him to the vet, they pointed out several lifelong health issues that were extremely severe and would need hundreds of dollars' worth of treatment monthly. When I looked his past medical history, it seems to have been the shelter was pursuing ongoing treatment of these issues but decided not to inform me although I was very up front with my limitations. Additionally, I only had him for 5 days at the vet clinic they had discovered that he had a severe double ear infection to the point he was bleeding, clearly not something that developed in just a few days. When I adopted him, they told me and my family he was a healthy dog that would need little medical assistance and that he was vet checked which was clearly a lie considering the state we brought him home in. Over the past 5 days we have bonded and he has gotten along with all our family members and even our other dog. I unfortunately, had to surrender him due to the lack of disclosure of information, when I talked to the operations manager the solution she gave me was that she was sorry and that it can be hard to diagnose things. But looking in his medical chart there has been a long-standing issue with this very same problem and was once on the same very expensive medicine that we were expected to put him on. I am hurt that there was little to no resolution other than taking a dog away from a loving family that just didn't have enough money to accommodate to his needs, but also little accountability of their actions. The general manager was largely dismissive, never offered any solutions to me and my visibly extremely upset family. Instead, we left the office in tears with an "I'm sorry that happened". And just to highlight to any prospective adopters from this shelter in their contract it says they are not liable for any misinformation they may give as it may be from third party sources, in other words it is okay for them to misinform and lie to your face. But to leave this review on a more positive note I fortunately was able to treat his double ear infection before surrendering him, he is so deserving of a loving home unfortunately I just cannot afford a dog with such severe medical issues.

The staff was awesome! They were very friendly and answered every question…read more They were genuinely happy for one of their animals to be adopted.

We had a Wonderfull experience adopting from CCR in February 2021. We went on their website and…read moreidentified a few dogs we would like to meet, filled out the online paperwork and received confirmation within 24 hours and then set up a time to go to the shelter. The process is super easy. Gabrielle was our contact and she could not have been more helpful. When we met Gabrielle we first sat down and talked about our lifestyle and what would be a good fit. Gabrielle identified a couple of dogs and brought them to us to have an introduction. She gave us time to make a decision and we adopted a sweet wonderful boy.

It's been about nine years since you sold my dog to some other family without checking ownership…read more I loved her so much and she was microchipped in my name and no one ever bothered to check that. I'm talking about you, Janet and Amy. I hope this Weighs heavy upon your Mind and Heart, because it does to mine. And I know my furry friend Coy is probably close to the end of her life, and I will miss her forever and never forget the pain of you telling me there's nothing you can do to help us and you can't get her back. Thanks for destroying "Our Lives" Think about that for the rest of your lives, Janet & Amy.

Could not have had a better experience here! Sage, our adoption counselor, was super knowledgeable…read moreand took the time to really get to know us, answer any questions and suggest which cat would be the best fit for us. He did a phenomenal job, as the "Duchess" is already bein' a lap kitty the first night home. We're really so appreciative and are excited to give this lil' girl a loving home experience. Also this is a beautiful facility! It's heartwarming to know that these rescue animals have a wonderful space to stay until they are carefully placed in their new homes. Well done HHS!

This place is awesome. The staff here is so welcoming and kind, and they really do all they can to…read moremake sure any pets in their care feel loved. Both times I've been here it was very clean and just overall a great experience. In fact, I literally travel out there all the way from River North because I trust them so much. I've gotten two outstanding cats from this place. Sashimi, the adult tabby, came home about two years ago and has been the sweetest girl - my friends call her "angel cat" because she would never hurt a fly and loves people. Maki, the baby tuxedo, is the most well socialized kitten I've ever met. She is so brave and doesn't seem to understand the concept of strangers - I definitely credit the caregivers for socializing her so well. Both so healthy and happy! Thank you Hinsdale Humane Society for being such a reliable place and taking such great care of the little ones in their care! My home is a much happier place because of what you all do!

Went through the application process and on that application I stated I had declawed my previous…read morecats in the past. This is something I had no idea could effect the cat negatively. When asked why I had declawed and if I would in the future I responded with "The reason I have for declawing just the front claws is because that is something my family cats always had done and it never seemed to effect them. I'm open to changing my mind about this. I have never seen it cause issues in a cat I've cared for (if done young), but if there is research it does negatively effect them, then I would rethink my decision." That response was meet with a declining of my application and no further communication. I responded twice saying I would respect the policy and not declaw. Still no response. I also called and left a message. No call back, no response. Very unprofessional and disappointing.

I LOVE "Friends" and have them to thank for pulling my sweet little Stella from CACC. She was…read moredropped by her previous family with no info, was scared and sick with kennel cough. I met Stella (formerly known as Camilla) through a friend of mine that has fostered many dogs for Friends. Their volunteers really love animals and give these dogs loving homes while they wait for their "forever home". They also do an excellent job taking care of medical issues prior to adoption. I strongly believe rescuing a dog is best - and I think a foster organization like this can be the best way to find your perfect rescue dog. The foster parents can give you the scoop on the dog's personality and training level. I say thanks everyday for Stella being in my life thanks to Friends!

Wonderful Rescue!!!!!! I highly recommend Chicago…read morePetRescue. They're top notch. Adopt, don't shop and PLEASE support them in any way you can.

The volunteers who foster the animals really care and love their jobs. The problem is their…read moreDirector. They ask for Zelle payment and then claim the information that I used was not correct, even though I followed their printed instructions. I had the feeling something fraudulent was occurring when they wanted me to send another payment before my original payment was verified. I really wanted to give donation, but don't trust it will go to the care of the animals.

I have adopted from GCFA in the past, and am currently fostering an older ferret with medical…read moreissues as well as volunteering at the shelter on a weekly basis. I've scooped thousands of litter pans, scrubbed cages, conducted phone screenings for potential adopters, washed poopy laundry, and I am writing this review to clear up some of the complaints others have had, because those comments need to be taken into context and with a grain of salt (read: angry people shout the loudest). Yes, the shelter is selective and does not just hand out ferrets like candy. People who have no experience or knowledge of ferret-care are not going to walk out of the shelter with a ferret. That said, it only takes an hour or two of (online) research to learn pretty much everything you need to know as a new ferret owner. You don't need to buy a book or become an expert, but you do need to know what the warning signs of a sick ferret are, because they tend to mask illness and if you aren't somewhat knowledgeable, you might notice something is amiss too late. That said, if you walk into the shelter and are not knowledgeable, you can expect the staff to take some time educating you. That's for your benefit, as well as for the benefit of the woozles. Having gone through the adoption process (and the fostering process) myself, here's some info for anyone who wants to adopt a ferret from GCFA: First, you will go through a basic phone screening, then an in-person interview. To be eligible for adoption, you need to have basic ferret-care knowledge, as well as ferret-appropriate supplies (cage, food, toys, etc), and we will ask you what veterinarian you plan on going to (ferrets are considered exotic animals, and not all veterinarians treat exotics). Shelter staff can give vet recommendations, and often has extra cages and other ferret supplies on hand available in exchange for donations, but having that stuff in stock isn't guaranteed. Finally, ferret ownership can be expensive - they are wonderful pets, but they are also prone to various ailments as they get older, so it's important that new ferret owners are aware of the financial costs of ownership before adopting. GCFA is a volunteer-run, no-kill, non-profit, and serves as the source shelter for lost / abandoned ferrets in the Chicago area (meaning, nearly all ferrets that are brought into any shelter in the Chicago area will be transferred to GCFA). All donations go towards paying rent, buying ferret food and supplies, and paying for utilities. Some years, the shelter has barely scraped by. But because GCFA exists, thousands of ferrets that would otherwise be euthanized at other shelters have been placed in good homes with good people. It's true that many people who volunteer here are simply better with animals than with people. No one and no shelter is perfect. I hope this post will be helpful to anyone looking to adopt from GCFA.

I'd love to write a review about my favorite little shelter but first to respond to the first…read moreposter John. Firstly John, the shelter is run on donations and volunteers. The money that would be spent on a fancy expensive sign is instead spent on housing, caring and feeding the hundreds of homeless ferrets that pass thru their door. Secondly, the volunteer you encountered most likely has taken time out of her day to scrub and disinfect 50+ cages with sometimes 100 or so ferrets ( that is an overwhelming amount of poop ) and clean several play pens dozens and dozens of times between each ferret's free time. It's exhausting work but it's done out of selflessness and love. Please understand what really matters here not how big the sign is or a torn shirt on a volunteer. It is that the shelter is a safe haven for the sick and abandoned and that it does its best day in and day out for each and every one of it's residents. That being said here is my review. I have adopted several ferrets over the years all thru GCFA. I have been happy with each and every one. Their facility is super clean and volunteers are very knowledgeable. They offer tons of advice and support and are extremely good about making sure they are going to a great home. Adoptions are thorough and fairly quick. The best thing about adopting vs buying from a pet store ( next to giving a little one a second chance at a forever home ) is that you are usually able to get some back ground on the ferret's personality. The volunteers get to know them and will tell you general characteristics. Pet store ferrets are usually not very handled and very rarely does an employee know anything about their pet shop ferrets other than the price. Shelter ferrets are handled by ferret lovers and GCFA goes above and beyond in many, many ways.

We adopted a dog from LEAD late 2018 and couldn't be happier. LEAD truly cares about the health and…read morewellbeing of the dogs in their care and seek out safe homes and good owners. Our dog came with a complete health history, vaccinated and received some housebreaking/training while in foster care. The communication pre-adoption was very good and we also appreciated the follow up from Daisy @ LEAD. Overall I'd recommend LEAD to anyone looking to adopt.

I have been using Hyde Park Bark as a cat sitting service for more than two years while traveling…read moreout of town. After four scheduled cat sitting services (for 1-2 weeks at a time), I have been thoroughly pleased with ALL of their employees, the high level of communication, the friendliness and the reliability! I am so grateful that they are in Hyde Park and a local business. A few things I've noticed: 1) I get updates with photos and a narrative for every visit. I usually schedule 2 visits every day that I'm gone. 2) No matter which employee visits, I understand from the narrative report that they have read the instructions, and the comments that I've left. For example, this summer, the temperature reached 100 degrees outside, but I had forgotten to turn on the A/C. After leaving a comment to ask that it be put on energy save an set to 72, the next sitter did just that, and sent me photos to verify the settings. This put me completely at ease while being away during a dangerous heatwave. 3) My cats need medication and a special feeding schedule; my instructions are followed and this also helps me feel at ease that the kitties are fine for extended absences. 4) If I need to extend my trip, the online scheduling system is easy to update and I know that I won't have to scramble to find an alternative. The onboarding process if you are a new client is not something that can be done at the last minute; I signed up before I knew I would have a trip planned, but then once the consult was done, it has been completely a breeze to sign up for vacation house sitting appointments. I have been and continue to be very pleased with the services, care, and convenience of Hyde Park Bark!

my dog went to the daycare for years but recently there have been a lot of incidents where dogs are…read morebeing bit and hurt. Another dog owner friend who goes there told me their dog was bit because the person watching the dogs was distracted and didn't even know a their had been injured; seeing the bloody injury photos is heartbreaking. I have reached out a couple times to get information but there seems to be all new people working there and no one can answer what they are doing to keep dogs safe. I'm not bringing my dog there again.