We adopted Mulder (FKA "Cider") shortly before Christmas. Even though we were running late to the…read moreadoption event, MARS representatives stayed late and made sure we had a connection with the dog that we only originally knew from pictures. Their care and concern for the puppies was evident. They also helped us select the right dog food and essential accessories, which helped us immensely. They were honest about his lack of housebreaking and leash training, and directed us to sources for assistance in those areas. Since we got Mulder just before he was scheduled to be neutered, MARS provided a $75 rebate with proof that the dog was fixed (required with the adoption contract), which was sent to my PayPal account. He was also up-to-date on his puppy series shots and very healthy. Although we never needed it (yea!) also knowing that I had a month of free health insurance for Mulder was also very comforting, as was his microchipping. Throughout the process MARS representatives have been very responsive and communicative, answering even the "tough questions" and concerns. I'm sorry for the experiences that people had 2 years ago, a sick puppy is no fun. Thankfully, our experience with MARS has been excellent in every way, and I would definitely adopt from this no-kill rescue again.

Working with MARS has been a great experience for us! My husband and I searched online for…read moreadoptable puppies, and that's when we found MARS. We found the most adorable puppy, Hannah (now Bailey!), and filled out an application, which was reviewed and approved in a very timely fashion. We were even able to reserve Bailey in advance, which meant we didn't have to worry about missing out on her or something going wrong. Shortly after we were approved, Alex got into contact with me via email (which is great for me!). I asked TONS of questions and wrote a few lengthy emails- All of which Alex responded to usually within a few hours and took the time to go over everything I wanted to know in detail. We weren't getting this kind of attention with other rescues, so it was a great feeling to see how much they care about their animals and finding them good homes! When we went to our adoption event, they offered to stay a day late since we couldn't make it for their original time due to a family wedding. They gave us all of Bailey's medical records and explained everything on there. They made some great recommendations for food, treats, toys, and keeping her healthy. We took Bailey home that day, and couldn't be happier! She's a wonderful pup, and has been a wonderful addition to our family!

I absolutely love my dog from Fido but I have to warn people about what goes on there. I adopted a…read morePomeranian and when I visited her twice she was calm and sweet to all people and dogs. 24 hours after adopting her demeanor totally changed and she was aggressive to others and dogs. She is amazing to me but I know now she was definitely drugged before we met because she has severe social anxiety. So just beware! They will drug aggressive dogs so you will be fooled. I love my dog so much and we have been training and her vet gave her trazadone to calm her which works wonders but ethically, this is not a good establishment.

I love BFF. I was looking to foster for a local rescue and my vet recommended Be Fido's Friend. I…read moream SO glad he did! I filled out a foster application and 'Liked' them on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/BeFidosFriend) One day I saw a photo they posted of this adorable little grey dog in a cage saying they needed someone to volunteer to foster her so they could bail her out of the pound. I eagerly volunteered. I was so excited to pick her up---BFF arranged to have her looked at by a vet, spayed, chipped and vaccinated before I got her. I immediately fell in love with her. It wasn't long before I knew I was never going to be able to give her back. I adopted Poppy back in November from BFF. I am so grateful that they were able to introduce me to this little pup who I've grown to love as if she is my own child. I then fostered another dog through them who I also fell in love with, but this time I was happy to know that she went to a really loving home. BFF is great. They aren't pushy at all like a lot of rescues are. Everyone is so friendly and helpful. They offer you some bonuses when you adopt from them, like lifetime help and support for your dog among other things. They are completely, 100% run by volunteers which is extremely impressive. They recently threw a really fun fundraiser at Bucktown Pub which was a great way to give back to the rescue and all of the lives that they save. I've volunteered with various rescues over the past few years, and I must say Be Fido's Friend is one of the best ones I've had the opportunity to work with. I highly, highly recommend them to anyone who is looking to adopt or give back and help some pups.

A wonderful rescue! They TRULY care about animals. Many have been rescued from high kill shelters…read more Animals that are set to be eauthanized because they're homeless. Reach Out Rescue's animals are fully vetted and spayed/neautered. They don't have a facility but a number of loving fosters throughout the surrounding communities. They do have adoption events and more information on their website. They also have a Facebook page. It's been a great pleasure dealing with them!!

ROR really cares about the animals they take in. I haven't adopted from them but know Tracy and…read morehow much her and the ROR members care about the animals and about animals that may otherwise been put down. I find Lauren's review so unsavory. My husband and I recently adopted a Golden Retriever puppy from a rescue and 3 had to give 3 PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL REFERENCES in addition to lots of info. Guess what? They called them all to see what kind of home we could give Dylan. Lauren - the rescues want to make sure they have chosen the best home possible. I'd rather give a rescue my info than a pet store my credit card!!! Save a life - adopt!

I want to give more than 5 stars for NLOL. Our adoption counselor Jackie is just amazing in terms…read moreof support she provides! She checks in with me about the dog almost everyday provide appropriate support and guidance every time when I was faced with difficulties because the dog was not fully house trained. NLOL offers two week foster period before adoption, which is a wonderful mechanism to get to know the dog before the big commitment. I am still in the middle of the foster period but I am just beyond impressed by the support I was given. It has been an wonderful experience so far. I would recommend NLOL to everyone who is considering adopting a dog!

If you read nothing else - fostering with New Leash on Life is the best, no-regrets decision I ever…read moremade. If you want more details about how and why I reached this conclusion, read on. I wanted to volunteer with animals, and I was frustrated by the larger organizations extremely limited opportunities and complicated process to volunteer. No, I didn't want to read a 50 page manual and take a test just to clean cages. I wanted to make a big difference in the lives of dogs and help Chicago become a no-kill city. Surely, it couldn't be that hard to find an organization with no red tape and an easy process to volunteer. Enter: New Leash on Life. I found them about 2.5 years ago on this Yelp page with their address listed downtown. I later realized this downtown address was only a PO Box which means NLOL does not have a physical location/adoption center. The implication of this is that all dogs go straight from rescue into foster homes until they find their forever families. This process can take weeks or sometimes months - depending on the dog. Don't let the uncertainty of a timeline deter you - fostering for New Leash is an absolute dream and here are my top three reasons why: 1. Unparalleled people - the nicest and most sincere adoption counselors. They constantly check up on the pups, their progress, and making sure you as a foster have everything you need. Not just via email- typically by text messages which means a quick response time. 2. Super flexible - a. Vacation or trip? No problem! New Leash will work with you and your schedule b. Work long hours? No problem! New Leash can schedule a walker to come during the day 3. And last but not least, THE DOGS. They really know how to pick them. Every dog that I've fostered has been kind hearted, adorable, and an A++ cuddler. Every dog deserves the right to a loving, safe home. Yes fostering is a short term arrangement, but it's a critical piece to helping these pups find their long term forever. Nothing makes me happier than seeing every dog I've fostered thriving in their forever homes. If you're on the fence about fostering, just try it. Anyone who loves dogs can do it and do it successfully. It is an extremely rewarding process and this organization makes it SO easy.

Sheri was fantastic with us; took the time to assess our situation and needs from a pet so we…read moredidn't get in over our head and (more importantly) the dog found the best home possible. The application was thorough, she communicated quickly and efficiently, and when we went to meet the dog we took a long walk with him and Sheri to further assess. Once we got our bundle of joy home, it was clear he had been shown lots of love and received the benefit of lots of training and attention while he was at Friends of Petraits. He's a 5 month old Golden Retriever who is housebroken and full of love and life. Similarly to the other review, we contacted about a female Golden pup Sheri had, but a couple came the next day to adopt her. Sheri let us know she ALSO had her brother who hadn't been posted yet; so we jumped on the opportunity and I'm so glad we did.

I love what they do, and by no means want to tarnish their reputation but the way they lied and…read moreomitted crucial things like for example, they said my 6 year old pomsky was potty trained, he's not. He didn't have flea and tick medication, so I ended up adopting a dog that I got expecting him not to be perfect but at least potty train a dog especially if he's in a foster family.... my point is; this couldve ended badly for everyone

We found Trisha online after placing a deposit with another breeder who unfortunately stopped…read morecommunicating with us. We drove about 2.5 hours to pick up our puppy, and from the moment we met Trisha, she was professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly patient while I chose the puppy that was right for our family. Before we left, she provided all of Mia's records and even sent us home with a bag of food. On the drive home, Mia vomited, but we assumed it was motion sickness from the long car ride. Over the next several hours, she continued vomiting, developed diarrhea, and stopped eating, drinking, and playing. Concerned, we called the emergency veterinarian. Based on her symptoms, they told us Mia likely had parvo, advised us to stop all food and water immediately, and bring her in if her condition got any worse. Before rushing to the emergency clinic, I called Trisha at 6:00 a.m. She listened carefully and suggested that Mia's blood sugar might be low due to her tiny size. Following Trisha's advice, I gave Mia a small amount of syrup. Within minutes, she perked up and began acting more like herself. Trisha's experience and understanding of her puppies made all the difference. Her guidance not only helped us avoid a costly emergency vet visit but, more importantly, helped keep Mia safe. Had we followed the advice to completely restrict food and water for a puppy weighing less than two pounds, the outcome could have been very different. We are incredibly grateful for Trisha's knowledge, responsiveness, and dedication to her puppies. Thank you, Trisha. We couldn't be happier with Mia, and we appreciate everything you did to help our family.

This was such a great experience from start to finish! Communication was absolutely phenomenal, and…read morearranging everything to bring home my sweet girl was a breeze. I would 11/10 recommend them to anyone looking to welcome a new pup into their home! Our new little princess is fitting in perfectly. She's eating like a champ, has already claimed all of her brothers' toys as her own , and is just the happiest, healthiest little Yorkie girl. Thank you so much for being wonderful to work with and for helping bring our sweet Ella Rose into our family!

Marty and Heidi were great! We took our dog here for puppy class - I need to come back for the…read morenext level

I gave them a try for my German Shepard - Sasha that needed training, let me say this is the place…read more Marty and his assistant (sorry forgot her name) are great! Not only was the training for my dog but for me too! It was a very informative 5 week class and I do look towards future training classes at this place.

During my visit, I was treated in a beyond unprofessional manner by one of the security guards at…read morethe facility. The interaction made me feel unwelcomed. After multiple remarks were made, the security guard then expressed frustration that I had not called ahead, even though I had made multiple unsuccessful attempts to contact the shelter by phone beforehand. I brought in a stray kitten hoping to receive guidance and support from the facility. What disturbed me most was a comment: when discussing the kitten's condition, the security guard stated that the cone would not be necessary because the kitten would be euthanized due to being found with a prolapsed rectum. I found this comment extremely insensitive and upsetting, especially considering the vulnerable and emotional nature of the situation. Despite being there for a matter involving a hurt animal seeking support. I was under the impression The Department of Animal Welfare, Care & Control states that it is dedicated to protecting the well-being of both animals and residents while promoting humane and responsible treatment. Unfortunately, my experience did not reflect those values. The manner They spoke to and approached me was unnecessary and disrespectful. After looking further into the matter, I also noticed multiple public reviews from others describing similar experiences. One review left by Natalie Flores approximately three months ago stated that a security guard and another worker were overheard speaking negatively about residents and making comments about "how dumb residents are and their lack of brain cells." Reading that, alongside my own experience, was extremely concerning and disheartening. As a young resident in the community, seeing residents and visitors being treated poorly in a place that is supposed to provide care, compassion, and support is honestly hurtful.

I had a very beautiful experience with wagon tails they were so nice and so kind and so helpful…read morethat I really appreciated I wish all the dog services that are out there like the one on Western were like this the woman really helped me out and I thank her very much thank you