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    Berkeley Humane

    4.0 (135 reviews)
    Open 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

    Services - Berkeley Humane

    Animal shelters

    Private dog training

    Pet adoption

    Berkeley Humane Photos

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    Please disregard that big hand
    Chris L.

    "Bravo Bravo!" I had the chance to meet these nice people at a local brewery in berkeley. They were hosting an adoption event at Fieldworks, featuring a beautiful German Shepherd puppy. They explained that they source many of their animals from city shelters. They drive their animals, or even fly them to get to their new destination. That's what I call dedication! Thanks for all the wonderful staff and volunteers working here. I don't know how they do it.

    Violet and I upon completing the AKC Good Canine Citizen class.
    Lisa F.

    We had such a great experience training with Nancy Frensley and Dee Iaroli! It was our very first class together of any kind. Violet just turned a year old and they were so patient with us. My dog is very high energy and overly friendly with other dogs and yet they were able to help us pass the tests to be able to get our AKC Good Citizen Certificate. Even though the class has been over for sometime, I keep remembering all of the tips they gave me, and we continue to work a lot of the techniques that we learned in class. I felt like we got a lot of individual attention, and I felt like both of them were amazing. Both women have a wealth of knowledge between them and so much experience - it was an honor to be in their class. I am excited about taking more classes at Berkeley Humane! It doesn't hurt that there are some really good restaurants very close by as well heh

    Judy L.

    Pet adoption with Berkeley Humane. Firstly, the staff is made up of volunteers that are very knowledgeable in the adoption process and deeply care for the animals. There are two rooms that houses the cats. I am not sure if there is a separate area for other animals. The cat areas were very clean and the cats themselves were very clean. During the process, you complete a check in form and someone walks you to the cats. Once you've decided, you go into a separate room with a staff to go over the paperwork. You are given documents including records of your newly adopted animal and a welcome bag with cat food. They prep your new family member in a cardboard box for a safe ride home. You can return your animal back anytime less the adoption fee. Check out their website for updated pets to adopt. Hooray for wonderful staff at Berkeley humane!

    Makena G.

    Nice facility. Pets look well maintained. I have not utilized their medical. I have seen many negative reviews regarding medical procedures. I cannot verify them. There are a number of veterinary's close by. I donated several pet supplies: frisbees, W Pet Hol-EE Roller Dog balls, etc. Check their inventory. Support shelters instead of breeder losers. Plenty pets in need.

    Donating a bed.
    Simba G.

    Nice facility. The dogs and cats seem well. Adoption fees are reasonable. Great cause. Thankful for trusting Berkeley Humane. I have not used their medical. Plenty of vets nearby. Codornices Veterinary Clinic in Albany is excellent. Banfield in Albany has low fees. I have seen many specials where adoption fees are exceptionally low or FREE (waived)!

    Ted is a proud 16 year alumni.
    David N.

    My son says that I'm Dr. Doolittle. Yes, I talk to animals and from the look in their eyes, we understand one another. A few weeks ago I walked by and popped into a adoption event. After seeing the great care and understanding Berkeley Humane's mission, I signed up to volunteer. Eight hours per month are asked of the volunteers. We all participated in a training orientation, which provided us with a great understanding of what the organization accomplishes. There's plenty of opportunities besides just waking a dog or visiting with the cats. Go to the website and sign up for the orientation and then decide. I'm looking forward to serving and supporting the fantastic care of our furried friends. I am Dr. Doolittle. Did you know all dogs and cats understand Spanish? Trust.

    My cats hair that I got to keep as a keep sake from her passing..
    Elise B.

    If I could give 0 stars I would. If I knew my cat was going to die due to who ever spayed my cat I would have never gotten her fixed here. I dropped her off to get a simple spay done and was told she was clear for surgery since she was in good health. She was only a year and a half old. I went to go pick up my cat at the time I was told and the moment I saw her I knew something was wrong.. she didn't look good. I brought her home and she looked very weak and didn't want to drink or eat. I know some cats may not eat or drink after the surgery but this was different. She had no life in her. I immediately took her to the emergency room at a different clinic called (VEG in San Ramon) btw, go there if you ever need help with your animals they're amazing. But I took her there and they found that she had internal bleeding that spread to her lungs which made fluid build up. She had to stay two nights in the emergency room with so many needles pricking her and tubes through out her body. She even needed to be in a oxygen tank because she couldn't breathe. I stayed there two nights by her side just to watch her die. I thought "Berkeley humane" they want to "spay the bay" must be nice. Nope. Got the exact opposite. My cat died. And I'm left with heart ache and a 4K bill from trying to save her life.. I even called them to ask for help and I was told I'd get a call back from the vet there and never received one. This is horrible. My poor Lovely Bones... I can't stop crying. UPDATE: This is appalling, Not only was I not contacted at all during Lovely Bones death you now portray you did everything in your power to help me and my grief. This HAPPENED TO MY CAT. Not yours. I was the one by her side for almost 3 nights, crying, heart broken watching her die from your facilities practice while you and your "vet" were never to be herd from or found. When someone is dying in the hospital, do you talk to other doctors or do you talk to the family of the person dying... Your money you gave me did nothing for me. The fact that you have to announce that you paid me a measly two thousand dollars in the loss and devastation of my cat is incredibly heart breaking. I didn't sue you because I wanted to lay my cat in peace and you're right, I couldn't now because we didn't do a necromancy! The fact that you're assuring everyone on Yelp that this may never happen again when there are documents that you sign stating if your pet dies is horrible Also, you'll always keep Lovely Bones in your heart?? You don't care about my cat.. that was MY baby. This continues to be the worst thing that has ever happened to me. So traumatizing even by the words of your business owner. I will always say bad things about your facility. And I will keep spreading awareness of what happened to my baby in your care. Bye.

    Kimberly I.

    I recently had my kitty spayed and it went great, drop off and pick up was quick and easy and had no troubles at all! My kitty has been feeling good and healing as she should, I would definitely recommend having your pets spayed here, also as a person of lower income the cost of the spay was not expensive at all! Thank you for a wonderful service, you guys are amazing!

    Post surgery rocking her cone!
    Nicole K.

    I took my baby Cleo here to get spayed this week. They were very kind when I arrived to drop her off, it can be very scary to drop off your little fur baby for surgery and they walked me through the process with care. I recommend filling out the intake paperwork before you arrive, I did not do that and it made the drop off process a lot longer. Drop off is at 8, you take the carrier with you and come back at 3 to pick up the babies from surgery. At pickup they give detailed instructions on how to cone your pet and for how long the cone should stay on for, the full two weeks! I personally had a very hard time putting the cone on my cat, and when I called them to ask for suggestions they were very helpful with different methods I should try. I gave my cat the works while in surgery, they trimmed her nails, gave her all her shots, chipped her, and gave her a little tattoo, this cat is mine forever!

    Welcoming committee!

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    this is where I found my sweet calico cat...I will be forever grateful that I found her at Berkeley Humane!

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    Aww Misty! Thank you so much for adopting!

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    Thank you for using our spay/neuter services!

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    Berkeley Humane Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Berkeley Humane

    Review Highlights - Berkeley Humane

    If you are in the market for a dog, you would be doing yourself a disservice to not check out BEBHS first.

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

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    Cause & Effect Dog Training - Hans on a pack walk with Kathy off leash and loving life

    Cause & Effect Dog Training

    (144 reviews)

    West Berkeley

    I cannot recommend Kathy at Cause and Effect Dog Training enough! When we first reached out, our…read moreSpringer Spaniel, Checkers, was fearful, anxious, and often growled at my spouse and sometimes even at our kids. We had already tried multiple trainers, different techniques, and even followed our vet's suggestion to try antidepressants--but nothing was helping (in fact, the medication only made things worse). The moment I spoke to Kathy on the phone, I felt confident she truly understood the problem and could guide us in the right direction. And she absolutely has. Over the past year, Checkers has made tremendous progress thanks to Kathy's knowledge, patience, and the clear guidance she gave us. We followed her suggestions carefully--even switching vets based on her recommendation--and the results have been life-changing. Earlier this year, we had to travel out of the country and trusted Kathy to board Checkers. During that time, he developed a beautiful bond with her partner Dan. This was nothing short of amazing, as Checkers has always been fearful of men. Watching their relationship grow has been such a gift. With Kathy's help (and the influence of her own two balanced dogs), Checkers has learned how to be a dog--something I once thought might never happen. He now participates in pack walks and can even run off-leash in the fields, something I couldn't have imagined a year ago. If you're struggling with your dog's behavior and feel like nothing is working, do yourself and your dog a favor and call Kathy. She and Dan have changed our lives, and I am endlessly grateful for the care and dedication they've shown to Checkers and to us.

    Kathy had great techniques and homework for me and my husband. She was punctual in every session…read moreand gave us constructive feedback. I really think having the training sessions with Kathy helped us bond with our dog more. It was a really rewarding experience. I absolutely feel more confident about my communication skills towards our girl Cub. Thank you for helping us work with her Kathy!!

    BravoPup - All finished and graduated from Dog 1! Proud Moosey, and even prouder Dog Momma!

    BravoPup

    (84 reviews)

    Berkeley Hills

    I would give 500 stars instead of 5 stars if I could. My young, rambunctious Great Dane Otis and I…read moreLOVED the BravoPup class run by Anna Carlson. We took her Dog 1 and Dog 2 classes in Rockridge. Anna's methods are totally fun, totally force free - and they totally work! We had been having trouble with Otis's recall and after only our first 2 classes Otis had a super solid recall - seriously, wild horses couldn't keep him away when he hears his recall word. Anna later helped me with private sessions acclimating my older dog to a new rescue dog. It was miraculous how quickly and effectively Anna was able to diffuse the situation and get my older dog to be calm and relaxed in the presence of the new dog. Anna really knows what she's doing and it's obvious she has a special talent for reading dogs and figuring out stress free ways to guide them into the behavior we want. Updates to follow - I'm so impressed with Anna, we'll do more private sessions to help me continue to improve the behavior and happiness of my 3 Danes. PS: Check out this photo showing how happy Otis is with his off leash time now that he can be trusted to come back.

    Out of all the dog trainers I have gone to with all my dogs, Bravopup is the best place! The owner,…read moreSandi is super informative and she can really tell you more about your dog and what struggles she sees while you're at the training. My dog Kaya has gone through many classes at Bravopup and has even completed her canine good citizenship class there! Sandi really ensures success with you and your pup. I would highly recommend trying this dog training out and see for yourself why everyone here on yelp gives this place 5 stars!

    Berkeley Animal Hospital - My kitten

    Berkeley Animal Hospital

    (116 reviews)

    West Berkeley

    Best experience for veterinary services in Berkeley. Calm,…read morecompetent and organized from the moment you enter. You can feel confident with the care, your pet will receive.

    Kind staff, but a frustrating and disorganized urgent care experience…read more Our visit took about 1.5 hours. Even though we completed intake over the phone, we were asked to fill out the same information again on paper, and we weren't seen until ~15 minutes after our scheduled time. We also spent a long time waiting due to a lepto test. We were initially told results could take up to 30 minutes and that the assistant would check with Dr. Holliday to see if we could leave and come back. About 20 minutes later, we were told we only needed to wait 10-15 minutes total--by then, we had already waited most of that time unnecessarily. Follow-up was the most frustrating part. The front desk was responsive through the online portal, but not helpful--they repeatedly said they would "leave a note for the doctor" or were "waiting for the doctor to finalize their notes." We later found out test results were available on Tuesday but weren't released to us until Thursday. For an urgent care visit, this delay felt unacceptable. We requested SOAP notes and lab results on Monday for insurance purposes and had to follow up multiple times to get documentation that should have been readily available. The medical care itself seemed thorough, but the administrative side was lacking. Given the cost (urgent care exam alone was $147), I expected a more efficient and timely process. Overall: kind staff, but poor follow-through and delayed communication. For urgent care, I expected a much greater sense of urgency.

    Happy Hound Play & Daycare - Inside or outside play all day!

    Happy Hound Play & Daycare

    (372 reviews)

    West Oakland

    I have brought my dog to Happy Hound for over twelve years, after we tried another doggie day care…read more The staff at Happy Hound knows and cares about all the dogs, they have a thoughtful system for placing every dog in the appropriate group based on the dogs' energy level and temperament (mine is cranky with other dogs and wary of people), and the staff (all great) really understand how to accommodate different dogs -- no matter the size, breed or personality. For years my dog was there five days a week as I commuted into the City, and I always knew she was safe and happy there. Really the best facility for boarding dogs. M.A.B.

    Update following the owner (Suzanne)'s response:…read more I appreciate the business taking the time to respond. I want to clarify a few points for transparency and for prospective customers considering Happy Hound. My concern was never the existence of a first-day assessment fee, but the value delivered. I have used dog daycares across NYC, Chicago, LA, and San Francisco and have never encountered one that charges more than a standard daycare day for a first-day evaluation. In many cases, the first day is complimentary. That context shaped my expectations going in. When I called to book, the 3:00pm time slot was the only option presented to me by Happy Hound. At no point during booking--or after the tour--was it communicated that the daycare credit would apply the same way regardless of whether my dog attended for a full day or only a couple of hours. Without that clarity, it is entirely reasonable for a new customer to assume that paying for a full day would result in receiving a full day of care. That is where the communication breakdown occurred. I am not disputing the sequence of events shared in the owner's reply. My concern is with the policy itself--specifically, requiring payment for a full day of daycare while not delivering a full day of service when scheduling limitations come from the business. The outcome was that I paid for care my dog did not receive. A prorated refund for the unused portion of that day would have been a reasonable, customer-oriented resolution. Sharing this simply so other prospective customers understand how the onboarding process and policies work in practice.

    The Barkmont - This pup loves the Barkmont!!

    The Barkmont

    (68 reviews)

    West Berkeley

    We have been boarding our dog and sending her for daycare to the Barkmont for about 3 years now. It…read moreis a fantastic safe place for her and a good price given other options (many more expensive options don't even have playtime included!!). She always runs right in when we drop her off and we can tell she has a lot of fun when we watch her on the webcam. Her latest stay was 2.5 weeks and while she was exhausted when we picked her up from playing so much she is very healthy and happy. In situations where our travel plans have delayed us in picking her up, they have always been incredibly kind and understanding. We started adding walks to her long stays so she gets some individual outside time in addition to all day inside playtime. I have nothing but good things to report about the Barkmont and they make being a dog owner in the Bay so much easier. I also think they are just really good people, I heard they now partner with local pet rescues to give their foster dogs some socialization and love. Makes us feel good supporting them. Picture is from home but the boarder in question.

    This is an updated review. After getting my dog Ollie neutered - we returned to the Barkmont. I…read moreadmit that I tried another daycare facility - with not good results. At the other facility, Ollie for the first time displayed separation anxiety. The first time he did so, I thought he was just a bit nervous. The second time he had that look in his eyes that said, "do not leave me." Recently, we returned to the Barkmont. There was and continues to be a completely different response from Ollie. HE CANNOT WAIT TO GET IN THE DOOR AT THE BARKMONT. He absolutely loves the staff - professionals who are all very loving, kind and tender with the dogs. I should add that Ollie is somewhat of a higher maintenance dog - a 2-year-old 80 lb Samoyed who is an attention hound. I really like that the Barkmont has cameras so that you can log into to see how your fur baby is doing during a stay. The dogs are constantly monitored by staff who are in the various rooms - to ensure that no one gets out of line. Alot of additional services - meals, walks, bath etc. Kirk and Amanda - the owners both love dogs. They have provided in my opinion the VERY BEST DAYCARE FACILITY in the Bay Area.

    Berkeley Humane - animalshelters - Updated May 2026

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