I wish I could give this organization a higher rating for all the good that they do but I can't…read more I've adopted 2 cats and 2 chinchillas from the spca over the years and every single interaction I have ever had from the staff has been negative. They have been so rude to me every single time as a potential adopter. I am so put off every time I have to deal with the staff. I called the spca today inquiring about potential volunteering for them because I do love what they stand for and how much good they do and the response that I got was an incredibly condescending woman on the phone who interrupted me and told me that no they don't and that I should have checked the website before calling. A bit stunned I apologized and she said "ya" and I thanked her and she hung up. I understand that the work environment is stressful but I think it's terrible that that is the type of image the staff are putting out for this great organization. Spca staff, there's no reason to be rude to people who donate to your organization, give loving homes to animals you rescue, and who want to donate their time by volunteering.

Came here a few times to look at puppies to adopt. Staff members are super nice and friendly. You…read morecan tell they actually care about all the animals there. We ended up adopting our puppy from the Vancouver branch because the puppy we first fell in love with were adopted out. We would recommend anyone who's interested in adopting to check them out!

I came across SlowBlink Cattery while looking for a Maine Coon breeder in the Greater Vancouver…read morearea. After a thorough search and conversations with various breeders, I stumbled upon SlowBlink. Mia, the owner, stood out with her extensive knowledge of cat health and nutrition. She was incredibly kind and patient, taking the time to address my concerns about purchasing a kitten without breeding rights. She offered me several options, and we found one that suited me perfectly. As a new cat owner, I valued Mia's ability to accurately assess the kitten's condition based on my brief description. SlowBlink's expertise and the inclusion of first-month insurance provided me with a strong support system in the initial stages of bringing home my kitten. Thanks to their guidance, I was able to confidently reserve a beautiful kitten. I wholeheartedly recommend SlowBlink to anyone searching for a trustworthy and caring place to find their new feline companion. --T and D's mum.

From the owner: Slow Blink Maine Coons is a small, family-run cattery. Our kittens come from the most healthy,…read morebeautiful, well-balanced champion bloodlines imported from Europe. They are raised in a loving environment as a member of our family. We breed healthy, big, stunning, sweet-tempered, gentle, and loving Maine Coons with striking and rare characteristics: odd-eyed, polydactyl, black smoke and shaded silver, large, well-tufted ears, squared muzzles, muscular, well-balanced rectangular bodies, long and flowing tails, impressive lion-like frontal ruff manes, and silky coats that are both smooth and shaggy. We sell Maine Coon Kittens - the perfect furry companions - and make the adoption process as easy and stress-free as possible.

- OMG it's like haven for cat lovers! -…read more It's like 1 min walk from Island Hoppin' Brewery, and that's the reason why I went there. I don't drink much, so I'd rather go to a shelter to see animals XD! The front lady was nice and she didn't push us to adopt anything. There was an obese cat that's been separated from the other cats because he's on a special diet. He was friendly. I then went in two other rooms, each with about 7 cats. The cats there were really friendly, but some are shy. I spent like 20 minutes there patting the cats.. lol. The cats there have a nice outside patio area where they can walk around as well. The adoption fee is also lower than most places if I remember correctly. My friend donated some $$ to thank them for taking good care of the cats. I probably won't come back to this island again since there's not much to do, but if I go there again I'd stop by this place and pat the cats once more~

From the owner: The mission of Orcas Animal Protection Society is to promote the humane care of animals by…read moreoperating an animal shelter, educating the public about responsible pet care, facilitating the adoption of unwanted dogs and cats into loving homes, and providing spay/neuter services to reduce the number of homeless dogs and cats.

The reason why it's so low is because one of your programs deserves it. sure, you guys do some…read moregreat work!!!! but to literally kick someone when they are down and desperate is horrible.... I can't get help because i am staying somewhere out of "boundaries"???? I legally live within those boundaries but just left an abusive situation and THE ONLY SAFE PLACE FOR ME is where I am until I can safely go live my life again. Disgusting!!! Absolutely disgusting

It's been almost three years since my Simon passed away (I still miss him a lot), and my husband…read morelooooooves cats, so we decided to adopt a cat, specifically an older cat, as kittens, while adorable, are a little high energy and high maintenance for us. We were planning on adopting a cat sometime this summer, when last week, I found out that the SPCA is reducing the adoption fees on older cats (not kittens) by 50% between May 25th and May 31st. So while we weren't planning on adopting a cat just yet, we decided to take advantage of the promotion this weekend -- it was the puuuurrrrfect opportunity! We had looked at the website ahead of time, and there were some cats that we were interested in, based on their description and appearance, but you really have to meet the cat before making a decision. At the SPCA, there were a couple that we liked (neither of which we had considered from the website), and in the end, we chose the oldest cat there, at ten years old. (According to his backstory, he was surrendered because a child in the family was allergic -- so sad that after ten years he was given away.) Not only is he old, but he's also really fat, at nearly 20 lbs! But he's a lovely cat, very friendly and affectionate, although a little shy. (So far, he's spent the majority of his time hiding under the couch or bed, but he purrs a lot and likes being pet, and he has come out a few times for cuddles.) While my husband and I had been discussing adopting a cat, and from where (SPCA, VOKRA, Cat Therapy & Rescue, etc), I was worried that it would be a huge hassle and that we would be rejected for some ridiculous reason. (VOKRA and Cat Therapy & Rescue seem a little intense -- I understand wanting to make sure that a cat goes to a good home, but good grief! Their rules and requirements are ridiculous!) However, we had no issues at all with the adoption at the SPCA. Once we decided on a cat, we filled out an application, a staff member asked us a few reasonable questions, as well as patiently answered all our questions about the cat, and it was done -- we had a kitty to take home! The cat's name was Seth Rogen, a name we hate (I don't even care for the actor), but it's wrong to change a cat's name when he's so old, so we tried calling him Seth. But the name just doesn't fit, and in the end, I'm calling him Beau, after Beau Nugget, an extremely obese cat whose weight loss journey can be watched on YouTube.

I have 3 animals from these guys. After this last adoption there are just too many red flags and…read moreirresponsible practices going on. Animals are not properly vetted, they use Atlas clinic for Vancouver and they almost killed my first dog from B&S. Now my latest is supposed to have vaccines covered but nope, hasn't been checked for heart worm and has had multiple heat cycles with a risk for mammary cancer. When I reach out I'm met with attitude. Avoid.

Very questionably run. Suspected puppy flipping business. Rescues puppies and marks them up to make…read morea profit. My experience and red flags that others should look for: 1) Website & Facebook page have no information as to who's responsible for the rescue. Who's behind the scene? No team names. No accountability 2) The audit on the website is from some random place in California (pretty sure it's the same place they get the dogs from) The link is broken so you can't verify. 3) Dogs all seem to be imported from California. Also she primarily only saves puppies to flip the costs. The owner complains about the third party transportation costs. But why can I adopt a dog from Taiwan that includes a flight & more health vetting included for less? There are also PLENTY of dogs right across the border in Seattle. 4) The quote Larissa gave me for a pup was 1000$. Mixed breed, not spayed/neutered, or fully vaccinated, despite their claim to spay and neuter all dogs on their website. Meaning we'd still have to pay another 500-700$ out-of-pocket to cover the rest of the initial costs. 5) After doing more research on other similar rescues, we thought the fee was too high. I offered to pay 800 and that we'd cover the remaining vet costs ourselves (which was still way too high, but I fell in love with the pup we met). Next I received a very aggressive text, email, and phone call from her telling me numerous times it was unacceptable and "not okay" that I questioned the fee or compared Big & Small to other rescues. There are reviews elsewhere about of her flipping a personality switch, so I was a bit prepared but same time I wasn't. I didn't mean to upset her by just asking a simple, innocent question. I had so much anxiety writing that email because I was terrified of the response I was going to get. There are so many ways she could have professionally handled it but she sadly chose to be aggressive and mean about it. 6) Larissa will only tell you about the adoption fee in a private email. I later found out that a lady and I were being quoted two different prices - 50$ difference for the same pup. 7) A quick google of Big & Small will have two top hits, the second is a Facebook page dedicated to outing this rescue. 8) There's a video on YouTube of the husband acting horribly towards a family who also questioned the adoption fees. Can be found with a little internet digging. 9) There is a CBC article about this business that's also worth a read. 10) If you look at Instagram and Facebook you'll notice Big & Small has zero outreach. I'm guessing because they aren't reputable and no other rescues or business will work with them. 11) The comments on their Facebook page are heavily censored. I have watched comments get deleted if people question a breed type listed as incorrect. Or Facebook will say there are a large number of comments, e.g. 40, but only 16 show up. 12) Initially I tried to give Larissa the benefit of the doubt. I emailed advice to help her rescue. I offered to do dog portraits as a fundraiser. I also asked for the Google form I filled out so I could reuse the text to quicker fill out adoption applications. I received no return communication, I'm guessing because I told Larissa we wouldn't be paying the 1k and so she crossed us off. So here I am. Bottom line is there are better and more friendly rescues in the area that don't treat rescue dogs as a profitable business or take advantage of people for money. Save yourself the stress by supporting a rescue elsewhere. To Larissa: People genuinely want to support rescue animals. Don't treat these people like the enemy just because they can't afford your insanely high and unfair adoption fees. If you're really a non-profit, your rescue needs more transparency. And just be nice to people. It's really not that difficult! Update: Larissa has blocked my Facebook for reviewing.

I'll get a little personal to explain my five star review…read more.. I have a child with Autism and anxiety. I have anxiety and depression as well (to the point where I'm on disability from work). We are still functioning and find animals very relaxing. I've been a cat owner my entire life and we've also adopted rescue animals. We tried adopting through both the Vancouver SPCA and the Cat Cafe. I found the staff and volunteers were often uninformed about the animals. When we did find an animal that would be well suited to us - we were often told that it was already pending adoption. I tried to explain that it was devastating to my child (age 12) to meet and bond with an animal, only to be told it wasn't available. They refused to hold animals, so we could meet them and, if suitable, adopt without being told, "Oops, this one is already spoken for". An acquaintance of mine used to work for RAPS and often posted available cats on her Facebook page. I saw a beautiful, big black cat named "Nero". I called them and explained our unique situation and how we had found difficulty with other agencies. They invited me to submit an online application and come down to meet the cat. I did. He was perfect. They agreed to hold him for a day and a half so my son could meet him. We adopted him and he is a pleasure. My son is less anxious at night with the newly named, "Oliver" in his room and sleeps better. I hang out with him during the day. The staff were all so kind and professional to us. I can't praise or thank them enough.

I do respect RAPS for the tremendous work they do for the benefit of animals. Though I feel obliged…read moreto post a bad review after having been treated unacceptably by the person responsible for the dog kennels, I do hope that this is the only bad review they ever receive on Yelp. I visited the shelter earlier to-day as I was interested in a small poodle which was offered for adoption. The animal was presented to me held on a tight leash by the shelter person, who was standing with the pet behind a metal fenced door. The pet's look was of friendliness and curiosity. I chatted with the attendant and requested that I be allowed to hold the dog on its leash. The attendant refused saying that the dog can be aggressive and she cannot allow him being handled by a visitor. If really the shelter believes that a small pet is so dangerous that it cannot be offered for walking a few steps on leash with a potential adopter and that it must be kept behind a strong fence which only their handler can access, then in my opinion this shelter is irresponsible in offering the cute little monster for adoption. The reason I'm granting them 2 stars instead of one, is because their personnel at the reception has been kind and helpful.

I went to the Humane Society of Skagit Valley a few weeks ago hoping to adopt a dog. The front desk…read morestaff was really friendly and helpful -- they took their time and pointed me toward some sweet dogs that seemed like a good match. While I was there, I noticed a little pug and asked about her. They told me she wasn't available for adoption. I could see why -- her butt was prolapsed and there was liquid poop and blood all over her kennel. She was panting, whining, and frantically trying to get out. It was really upsetting to see. I spoke with the manager, who told me not to worry, that they had it under control and the dog was fine. I left feeling terrible. I came back a few days later and the poor pug was still in the same condition -- prolapse, bloody diarrhea, the whole thing. She still looked miserable. I'm really concerned that they don't have the animals' best interest at heart. A prolapsed rectum is painful, and there was clearly blood coming from her. I just don't understand how a person could look at that and think it's okay to leave her like that. This experience has me seriously questioning the level of care the animals are getting. I wanted to support the shelter, but I left feeling heartbroken and worried. I'm still looking to adopt a dog, but after this experience I don't feel confident adopting from here.

Bad customer services, never return phone calls! I submitted an application and then called them…read more The lady said she would call me back within an hour but never called me back. I tried again two days later, same experience happened. Finally a day later they told me the cat I chose was already gone and told me to just make an appointment whenever I see a new cat arrives. I did but then the lady said I can't make an appointment because the cat just came in, need 72 hours. She can't guarantee I would get the cat though. I don't want to waste more time, I went to a different shelter where people know how to run the business. I got the cat!

I gave Mixed Blessings $500 on April 30th, 2020 for a puppy to be delivered to me on June 12th,…read more2020. When I arrived to pick my puppy up I found out that they had sold it to someone else with more money. Now they wish to give me back $300 instead of the full amount. We are heading for court. Be very careful when dealing with these people. They have no moral compass and very poor business sense. Looking forward to court where it will cost them an additional $150. Lauren Flynn

I met Joanie in the Fall of 2020. We chatted regarding the purchase of a puppy and came to terms…read morewhere we were both happy with the end result of our conversation. I won't go into the details because that's between Joanie and myself, not for all of you to gander on about. As I've said before, life is not perfect and some situations can't be fixed, but they can be accommodated where applicable and that's what Joanie did on my behalf. Since that imperfect situation occurred, I have to express how pleased I am with the little, darling puppy Joanie provided me with. I couldn't ask for a better choice than the one puppy I received. Thank you so very much, Joanie. I am so sorry for all the troubles you have recently had to deal with.

Wonderful home and yard, lots of trails with trees and ferns to play hide and seek. Can't wait to…read moremeet the new pups...

From the owner: It’s a Doodle K9 Service is a small boutique breeder raising standard size Labradoodles. We have…read more1-3 litters of our amazing home raised Labradoodle puppies per year. We are dedicated to the health, fitness and happiness of our parent dogs, thereby ensuring we produce the best possible companion puppies for families.

this is a very well stocked store with extremely helpful staff. I understand prices may not be as…read morelow as the big stores, but with the price you get true service and people that really care for your pets. why leave town anyway!