On June 19, I found a small dog outside of the building in which I reside at 274 Delaware Ave. The animal was in terrible distress, and had been left in a laundry basket in the parking lot. Despite the fact that the shelter was closed that day, employees opened the back door and took the poor little guy/gal in. Many, many thanks. read more

I had to put down my elderly cat. It only cost $20 and the staff was incredibly kind.

I experienced an incident where my two female huskys escaped my backyard. I had no documentation for these dogs and the director worked with me until I was able to make the proper payments for their license and shots And spay surgery. If it wasn't for the kindness of these staff members, I would not have been reunified with my dear loves, Ava and BiBi. Thank you Kelly and the workers at the Buffalo Animal Shelter. read more

Buffalo Animal Shelter - Animal Shelters Near Me - Buffalo, New York

They never answer the phone or return calls. We went to the shelter and expressed interest in a dog. He wouldn't be available for 48 hours as he was on meds.....they said to call back. We've called 5 times and no return call. read more

I know that the Animal Shelter is severely underfunded, and the building really needs some updates. But the people that work there are very kind to us and most importantly the animals. Yesterday was the second time we have adopted from them. Our first one was the best dog you could ever ask for. We had her from age 1-15. We adopted our second yesterday, and I have the feeling it's going to be another great match! The reality is the shelter needs help, but they seem to do the best with what they have. And they don't "double dip" like some other places do. For example, if the intake pet has already had their rabies shot, they don't give them another. That keeps costs down. And hey, these babies need homes. read more

Buffalo Animal Shelter - Our new adoptee Lexi - Animal Shelters Near Me - Buffalo, New York

I've been on a hunt for a new kitten after my cat passed away in March. I was notified on pet finder that there was a kitten that was being fostered by a family through this organization. I adopted Poppy (formerly Alice) on 5/29. She's a calico kitten a good little girl. She was taken great care of before I got her. I definitely reckoned checking them out of you want to get a new pet. read more

Buffalo Animal Shelter - Animal Shelters Near Me - Buffalo, New York

The staff is super friendly and the dogs get excited to see all of them which makes me so happy, adopt these dogs please! They are all sweethearts looking for homes!! I went there yesterday and not a single dog there growled, tried to bite, or anything like that. Every. Single. One. Was amazing read more

Fantastic people there , no bullshit they are very accommodating, they really are trying to find homes for their dogs unlike the Niagara Falls one. Don't waste your time or fuel driving there. Buffalo was great ! No problem seeing all the animals. Niagara Falls told me to go on the website, I won't repeat what I told them. Lol. Go to Buffalo !!! read more

We recently adopted a pit puppy and would recommend this shelter to anybody! The volunteers are all great and welcoming, you can tell they all just have a love for animals and enjoy what they are doing. Anybody that walked by us asked if we needed help with anything and were very helpful with tips and suggestions. We went to the shelter "just to look" but deep down knew we wouldn't be leaving without a dog. The supervisor recognized that we were not exactly prepared and gave us some time to get the house puppy proofed and buy what we needed before taking him home. He sent us home with some treats, a bag of food, a leash, and even some toys. He gave us lots of good tips, advice, and contacts for future needs. Our pup was found to be a little under the weather when we took him to get neutered and the shelter even picks up the cost of the medication. Go today and give an animal a forever home read more

Buffalo Animal Shelter - So happy to give Cooper a forever home - Animal Shelters Near Me - Buffalo, New York

OK. 5 stars, its a shelter whose purpose in life is to help other lives. How could it NOT BE 5 stars? I was down here twice recently. I'm still looking to offer some lucky dog a "forever home". Since we are pretty specific, we want a senior dog, not too big, not too small, but just right, its taking us some time. One of the family has "the Big Vote", so he has to like their picture too. Today the dog I went to see had already found a forever home, just not in our home. However, this place on Oak street, near the Buffalo Homeless Shelter actually, has a large parking lot that had plenty of space for the shelter guests. Always love easy parking (check my reviews if you need confirmation of that). Its open 6 days a week, closed Sundays and Holidays. While the hours do vary by day, they open weekdays at 9 am and Sat at 9:30 am. Closing times vary, and they do have some days with evening hours. Its a well organized shelter from what I have seen. The employees are super dedicated and they also run a large group of volunteers. The facility has been clean when I have been there. The dogs are barking away, and while none of them "like" being in the shelter, none have seemed overly traumatized by it. I was here once when someone came to turn in a stray found in their neighborhood. That process was carefully done, lots of info taken from the "dropper offers" and the dog examined and cared for by the staff. They do have many cats as well. There was actually a sign that they cannot take anymore cats or kittens, so clearly there is a surplus. All in all, if you are looking for a dog or cat, this is a good place to start. If you can't come down and see them in person, their pets are online at petfinder.com and they have a very active FB page (City of Buffalo Animal Shelter) as well. read more

The staff are very kind. The facility is in a great location. Unfortunately the smell of pet urine is enough to knock you over. No way to put in an exhaust fan or two? Please? I don't think it would cost more than $400. I wish this group every good thing. They're doing a wonderful job. read more

had posted a review before speaking with Kelly The cat I adopted died after 3 weeks of a virus causing Congestive Heart Failure. She assured me that precautions are taken but since it's a shelter things can go wrong. I felt much better after speaking with her. Thank you Kelly for taking you time to talk to me. read more

Recently I had the amazing opportunity to adopt a dog from the Buffalo Animal Shelter. I really can't say enough about my experience. I really like how they post dogs available to adopt on social media, so go follow their Facebook page & Instagram page! I say this because, if it wasn't for Facebook I would have never found little miss Penny. Once I saw her story I knew I just HAD to adopt her. I reached out via email like the post said to do, I was really surprised how quickly I got a response, which was amazing! I can really tell the volunteers and the foster homes really care deeply for these animals. The process was easy, I quickly submitted my application and waited patiently, less than 24 hours later they were diligent and fast to run my application through the process they had, I was approved! The nice part was I already had a little dog, so it was important both dogs got along. The foster mom that was caring for Penny until she was adopted completely understood everything. She set up a meet and greet for my dogs. It was a great opportunity for my dogs to meet and decide if this was the best fit for everyone. I loved how there was no pressure, no rush, it was all about the animals and what was best. We of course fell in love with Penny, and everything worked out perfectly. To adopt her it was very organized, there was a folder ready with all the vet reports, any information they had, even a detailed care sheet for what the foster mom found. Simply amazing! They even provided me with tons of food, penny is on a special diet. They even asked if I needed a leash or a bowl, anything. I was prepared for Penny's arrival, but how thoughtful! This shelter goes above and beyond, I simply can't say enough. The support is there, even after the adoption, I know they are there for me. GO RESCUE AND ADOPT, it's an amazing rewarding experience! read more

Buffalo Animal Shelter - Thank you for letting me adopt this little bundle of joy! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Buffalo, New York

There was one dog in particular that I was interested in meeting, and the foster mom never got back to me after a few weeks of trying to get in contact! Finally, someone else in the shelter reached her. Apparently it was a foster failure, which was great for the pup but at the very least, she should have let me know sooner so I could have adopted one of the other dogs. I was so dissatisfied with how things were handled that I went all the way to the Volunteers for Animals in Batavia to adopt my second dog. read more

Buffalo Animal Shelter - Animal Shelters Near Me - Buffalo, New York

The City of Buffalo Animal Shelter is underfunded, and underpublicized. And, yes, under the control of the city. It is rumored that it is true that some of the employees don't care, they just want a city job Local support is all about the SPCA Serving Erie County (which is a private non-profit, not under County Control). I would never take anything away the SPCA, as they are lucky to have a great staff, 100s of volunteers, a beautiful new building, and do a wonderful job for our county's animals in need. I too support them financially, along with many other animal groups. However, there is no community support for the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter, yet people complain about it. How many of those people donate a few dollars to the City Shelter? (Specifically to "Friends of the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter", as the donation does NOT go to the City.) Drop off some supplies or treats? How many of those complaining people take time out of their day to clean a cage, pet a cat, walk a dog? If not for the small army of exceptional, loving volunteers, the shelter would really be in dire straights. That said, six months ago, I adopted my dog from the City Shelter. My other dog had to be put to sleep unexpectedly, and a volunteer (co-worker) knew of a dog that fit what I wanted to fill my void. Their longest term resident, a "guest" of 6 months was recommended to me. I wanted someone that was no longer a puppy, but still had most of their life ahead of them - an age of around 3 years. Also, one that would tolerate my cats. My new girl "seemed" comfortable around cats caged in their cat room, but they took her offsite to a volunteers home with multiple cats to be sure of her cat tolerance. That's all I needed. She wasn't in tip top shape, she was being treated for some skin issues that I would need to continue treating with my own vet. If not already spayed/neutered, the surgery is performed on adoption day, so that they can recover in a more stress free, cleaner home environment. So, on her adoption day, she was transported down the street to McLelland Animal Clinic for her spay. They gave her wonderful care, and if I didn't have multiple animals and a long term love for my own vet, I would not have minded switching. The shelter is so lucky to have a relationship with McLelland. $100 of the $180 adoption fee was spay fee (still a great bargain!) But, that now leaves only $80 of the fee to go the shelter. $80 to cover 6 months of food and medical care this dog received. Can they survive on $80 per dog, plus the minimal funding from the city, and still run a top notch shelter? I think not!! Bottom line, before complaining, think about what's being said, and the possibility of the negativity being detrimental to animals in need . Don't discourage adoption from this facility. They do the best they can with what they have. Put the welfare of the animals first, not compaints, or your hurt feelings of not getting the dog you wanted. It's not about you. Non-pitbulls (and they are indeed a most loving, misunderstood breed) get adopted quickly. Think about what you can do to help!! read more

I love going there . I volunteer there focusing on the cats. I enjoy showing potential adopters the cats that are available. I've made many new friends. read more

My cat Ziggy slipped out of his collar w/tags and took off Weds night. He's chipped, I put out flyers everywhere and have been scouring the neighborhood; even put his litterbox outside. I called Buffalo animal shelter yesterday at 2:45pm to see if any strays had been turned in. No answer, left a message. I just called again. Some kid put me on hold for 10 minutes. I called back and got such attitude from the woman that answered. I KNOW they are busy and respect what they do for our community, but JEEESH. I was just sad, now I'm mad too! read more

Absolutely the worst place I've ever been. It smells like a garbage dump in there, the poor dogs are living in their own feces and the staff are extremely rude. They are homophobic also. I went in to adopt a dog as soon as they listed her and had a meet & greet with the dog and was ready to adopt that day and then they told us that another family was seeing her tomorrow. What kind of first come first serve policy is this? They told me to come back the next day, and I did. Check in tow, watched the other family play with the dog and adopt it. Don't go here, because your heart will be broken. These people are extremely insensitive. I think I'm going to a kennel next time because I'm so turned off from animal shelters after this experience. This place should be shut down. read more

I have an approved application on file. I called the shelter and left a vm about a particular dog, Johnny, yesterday. They called me this morning to let me know they were having an adoption event that started at 10am. I arrived at 9:45am and put my name on the list to see Johnny. I was about the third person on the list and the only person who had listed Johnny as the dog I wanted to see (other people listed different dogs). A few minutes later, they let me know they were bringing Johnny out to see me. The coordinator/ volunteer went in to get him and came back out and told me that he was being adopted to someone else inside the building at that very minute. This was an outdoor event. They let someone else adopt Johnny when I was standing right there, and had been, with no one else in front of me asking to meet him. No apologies, no explanations. Then they had the nerve to ask if I wanted to see another dog, as if dogs are interchangeable. Horrible experience. read more

If you are going to adopt a dog or cat this is the place to go! Most of the people hear are volunteers and do it because they love it and they love the animals. That really makes the difference when picking out your new family member. We recently adopted a beautiful brindle pitbull. We have two children and wanted to make the right choice for our family, the people there helped us based on how much time they have spent with the dogs. We have the perfect dog for our family and couldnt be more happy! Go and spend the animals and maybe volunteer your time! read more

(My review is based on a slightly older experience, hopefully it has improved recently). Some staff and volunteers are very friendly & helpful towards visitors & volunteers, and caring towards animals, but unfotunately not all. Although I do not want to give too negative of a review to something as important as an animal shelter; the volunteering seemed very disorganised & cliquey, the cats seemed prone to respiratory problems, and the dogs prone to unhealthy stool. I didn't always get a sense of caring from staff interactions with the animals, and I feel that I have heard one too many reports of animals being put down without due time / effort to find their owner or improve their behavior. On a positive note, the meet and greet room and the outdoor play area are nice aspects. Let's hope that they can continue with the good aspects, and improve on the bad. read more

Word to the wise: don't trust anything the shelter staff tell you. They say there's a first come first serve policy, but that's not strictly true. Yesterday we were the first to show up prepared to adopt a certain dog with an approved application and our dog ready for a meet and greet. We were told another family had placed a hold on her until the end of the day and we would have to wait to give them first choice. We waited patiently for almost 2 hours, first for the family to finally show up for their meet and greet and then to decide whether they wanted the dog. In the end they didn't commit, but by then the shelter was closed so we couldn't adopt her on the spot. The shelter staff assured us that they would hold her for us until my husband could come down on his lunch break today to make the adoption official. When he got there today he was told that she had been adopted out from under us by the other family. The staff admitted this was their mistake for not enforcing our hold, but refused to make it right. So we don't get to bring home the dog that should have been ours according to both the first-come policy and the holds policy. I know the shelter does great work, but don't trust their staff if you don't want to end up with a broken heart. read more

Adopted female cane corso mix last week.Took her to my own vet ,she is seriously underweight only 64#,she should weight close to 90.Also has pneumonia. I'm surprised nobody noticed coughing sneezing and lots of mucous.How did they place her for adoption being so sick? read more

This place would get zero ratings if I could. I have put in a dozen applications and never contacted as well as visiting the shelter where they try to force you to take the dog they want you to not the one you want. They save the beautifulest dogs for their friends and families and it's sad because I have lots of love to give to the companion I find. Still I have heard nothing from these people . They claim they are serving what's best for the animals and I honestly don't believe that . All the dogs the are unique and gorgeous they flip the tag around like they are not up for adoption so they can give their friends and family first dibs on them and it's sad. I myself will be setting up protesting and having someone look into their procedures . read more

My family and I applied online, were approved after our vet was called for a reference. After work we got our 2 dogs into the car, drove 45 minutes into the city to visit with a specific dog. We got there and they had us leave leashes on to see how they interact with one another. My dogs always get along with other animals, but like any pets it takes some time and adjustment... And in my vast dog experience, they find it intimidating to meet other dogs while on a leash. Well, they didnt see it as a good fit but we were told we could look at other dogs that were up for adoption. We contacted them this morning told them we'd like to try it out, risk paying the non-refundable $200 adoption fee, and take the dog home. Well we were told we'd have to come back down again, with our son and dogs for a "meet and greet" with another employee. Frustrating that we were all there yesterday, but now they want to meet with my son... Again. We are a very good home, have a lot of land and love to give this dog and our experience was disappointing. read more

Met a gentleman there that was very condescending to me. I had asked about a certain dog and he treated me as if I was some scumbag and told me a lot of people want that dog- I told him I have experience in training and working with K9 dogs and have quite a bit of land (so he did not assume that I was just someone who wanted a large breed as an accessory) he was still very condescending. I would've explained to him what I do for a living but he was too busy talking down to me... And if I remember correctly they're not the most professional bunch of people since one of them stabbed a pitbull at a Christmas party a few years back. So it would not be a bad idea to be a bit more humble when they talk to 'civilians' read more

I work downtown and park in an adjacent lot to the animal shelter. Beside having to walk thru urine and feces water when they wash out their vans that travel the entire length of their neighbors parking lot I often find it very difficult to get to my parking area because of their half hazard way they leave their vehicles parked. The residential area on Ellicott street smells like a pool of urine from all the dog walkers from the shelter bringing the animals on that path. With all the new development going on in this area this shelter really really does not belong here. They are for the most part careless or at best inconsiderate of the area residents and businesses when it comes to walking the animals and cleaning up after them. I am an animal lover but I am not a lover of animal feces and urine when on my way to work in the morning. read more

The Buffalo Animal Shelter helped me find a great dog. They even gave me a harness, leash, a bag of food, and some dog poop bags when I left with my dog. They let me pet and talk to a few of the dogs and then held onto one for me after I called and told them I made my decision a few days later. It's not as nice as the SPCA inside, but the people are very helpful and make the process of adoption very easy. read more