Today reminded me just how fortunate we are to have compassionate people looking out for animals in…read moreour community. This seagull who we named Simon spent hours in my side yard, alone and clearly not where he wanted to be. I became increasingly concerned, especially after having to repeatedly chase away a persistent cat that seemed determined to make him a target. (Please keep your cats safe inside) Wanting to help, I put out fresh water for him and even made a trip to Zehrs to buy some fresh fish while my daughter supervised him. He happily ate it and drank the water which was wonderful to see. Still, I knew he needed more help than I could provide, so I contacted the Humane Society of Greater Niagara. The person who came out quite quickly was absolutely wonderful. He treated this bird with kindness, patience, and respect, and it was such a relief to know someone cared enough to help. What made the visit even more remarkable was learning that he actually recognized this gull. He had helped him before after a previous rescue and release. Unfortunately, this poor bird had found himself in need of assistance once again. What makes their work even more remarkable is that organizations like the Humane Society of Greater Niagara receive no direct provincial operating funding. They have to rely heavily on donations, fundraising, and community support to help injured, abandoned, and vulnerable animals. They also have a low cost spay and neuter clinic. Meanwhile, the Ford government's PAWS system was supposed to improve animal welfare enforcement in Ontario, yet humane societies, wildlife rehabilitators, and rescue organizations continue to shoulder so much of the burden with limited resources. The people on the front lines keep showing up for animals every day because they care, not because they are adequately funded. Organizations like the Humane Society of Greater Niagara deserve our financial support. Every donation helps provide rescue services, medical treatment, shelter, and a second chance for animals in need. If we value the work they do, we need to support them whenever we can. Thank you to the wonderful staff member who came to help this beautiful bird today. Your compassion, dedication, and willingness to help animals that cannot speak for themselves do not go unnoticed. Knowing that you remembered this gull from a previous rescue speaks volumes about the care and commitment you bring to your work. Niagara is fortunate to have people like you looking out for our wildlife.

I have to admit it is really hard to get an appointment at any of the OSPCAs and Humane Society…read moreclinics. However, it is well worth the wait. The staff here is very friendly and very compassionate to animals. I had to call them and put my puppy on a waiting list for their spay and neuter services. It can sometimes take up to 3 months for them to call you back, that's how long their queue is! The day of your appointment you have to go in early and be on time because they only open the doors for that short duration. They give you all the information you need about the surgery and recovery. You are asked to come back in the evening around 4 to pick up your pet. That is when they give you all the paperwork and pain medications. I was really pleased with the service we received. I have and will keep donating to this organization and participate in their fund-raising events. They deserve a lot more recognition for what they do!

I stopped by to drop off adoption application paperwork, and cuddled all kitties within reach…read more Board members will now review the application, and when I get a green light, it's good for six months. The cost of the adoption covers rabies/distemper shots, deworming, a flea treatment, and the placement of an RFID, as well as the usual spay/neuter. We had passed a farm earlier in the week with a sign, "Free Kittens"; it was only by doing the calculations of all the eventual costs that made it possible to resist.

Awesome people! Great animals! Slow moving animals but they are respectful and helpfulread more

Please note: this is in the Niagara Centre Mall, NOT 6025 Chippawa Pkwy. Yelp insists on lumping…read morethe locations together. My friend and I stumbled upon this fantastic cat adoption centre in the otherwise dead mall that is Niagara Centre. In the front area, they stock odds and ends (water bottles, t-shirts, etc) to raise proceeds for their efforts. The back of the store is the really impressive part; it's divided by a floor-to-ceiling chain link fence with a gate, and they have dozens of cats wandering free. The area is the size of a large living room, and it's filled with all sort of furniture for the cats to climb/sleep on, as well as toys. There's an area in the very back marked "employees only" where the cats are free to retreat to if they need the litter box, food, or just a quiet place to hide. The employees are happy to let anyone in with the cats to visit, and you're free to pet or play with them, or just let them come to you. It's a great setup, almost like a cat cafe, where you can get to know your future pet on their home turf. No cages, so the cats aren't stressed out. One cat in particular approached us for attention, and we happily petted her and fed her some treats while she purred non-stop. The other cats casually strolled around or slept, not bothered by us in the slightest. I only wish I lived nearby, because I'd love to visit all the time. It's probably for the best, since I'd want to take all of the cats home.

We brought home our two Devon Rex kittens -- Mac and Tosh -- from Chimbuka Cattery over a year and…read morea half ago, and we couldn't be happier with the experience or how they've grown. From the start, Chimbuka kept us fully informed throughout the process. They sent us regular updates, photos, and videos of the kittens as they grew, which helped us feel connected and excited while we waited. We were even welcomed to visit the kittens in person before bringing them home -- something that meant a lot to us. Both kittens were healthy, playful, and well-socialized from day one. They adjusted quickly to our home and are still the most affectionate, curious little characters. It's clear they were raised in a loving, cage-free environment. Communication was always clear and thoughtful, and we appreciated Chimbuka's fair and compassionate approach to pricing -- they charge based on what clients can afford, which is rare and deeply appreciated. Chimbuka is registered with TICA, CCA, and CFA, which gave us extra peace of mind. While there weren't many reviews online when we first found them, our experience has been absolutely wonderful. If you're looking for loving, well-adjusted Devon Rex kittens raised with care, integrity, and genuine passion, we highly recommend Chimbuka. Mac and Tosh have brought endless joy to our lives. Barry & Chantal Kramer

From the owner: We are a Devon Rex Cattery. We breed and show Devon Rex cats…read more At Chimbuka we specialize in breeding Devon Rex cats, known for their distinctive curly coats, playful personalities, and affectionate nature. These cats are medium-sized with a unique appearance, featuring large ears and an impish expression. Our cattery focuses on responsible breeding practices, ensuring health testing and genetic screening to produce strong, happy kittens. Kittens are raised underfoot, in a nurturing environment, receiving early socialization to help them develop friendly and outgoing temperaments. Our cattery offers various colours and patterns of the Devon Rex breed, and potential buyers are often encouraged to visit and interact with the cats. Additionally, our cattery provides support and guidance to new pet owners, emphasizing the importance of proper care, nutrition, and veterinary attention. Overall, at Chimbuka Devon Rex cattery we aim to promote the breed's charm and characteristics while ensuring the well-being of the cats throughout their lives. We also work with clients as far as purchase. We do not charge what normal catteries charge for these little guys. We ask the approved new parent to pay what they can. You can find a questionnaire on our Fb page Chimbuka Devon Rex Cattery.

I've adopted 2 pets from Toronto Animal Services North Region…read more First was Riley, an 8 year old Lhaso Apso who was found wandering the streets. From his condition, it was evident he was homeless for many weeks and unfortunately, showed signs of being abused. It took a few months for Riley to build his trust with humans again, but for the 6 years we had him, he brought untold happiness to our home. Recently, I've adopted another dog...Finnegan, a 1 year old Shih-Tzu/Pomeranian mix. Finn was turned in to animal services as his owners could no longer care for him. Like Riley before him, he has personality with a capital "P"....and has, in a months time, become an old friend. When thinking of adopting a pet, why not look at an animal shelter or humane society? They have numerous animals looking for what they call "forever homes'. Some animals come with little or no background, so they are assessed and information is provided based on professional observations. Some animals are turned in by their owners, for whatever reason, and some background information is available. Some animals are rescues from a life that is unfitting anything. Besides dogs and cats, they have other animals as well, rabbits, guinea pigs...the list goes on and on. The people that I have been fortunate enough to deal with at Toronto Animal Services North have been stellar. They truly love animals and are careful to ensure that pets available for adoption are placed with individuals who can provide proper care for them. Sorry if I can't recall names, but everyone there was pleasant, knowledgable and obviously loved their jobs. They made the adoption process so much more enjoyable and they seem thrilled when one of their animals finds a new home. The cost is minimal and there are companions waiting to be found here. Please, before visiting a pet store or breeder, give a pet in a shelter a chance. You won't be sorry

The only reason I'm not giving them a 1 star rating is that they might be good at the actual…read morespaying and neutering, but I never found out! Calling them for the last 2 weeks, no one ever answers the phone, literally, not once. I'm talking calling 20-30 times per day, 2-3 calls at a time. Then their answering machine....the message is literally 3 minutes long. THREE MINUTES for what should be: "Leave a message after the tone" !!! So leaving an actual message for callback is very frustrating, as the message says so much information it kills your entire train of thought. Among other info, the message stated that they will call you back within 24 hours. It's been a week, no callback again. When we did get through to them months ago, we asked for spaying of 2 of our cats. The receptionist was very rude and we felt like she was just trying to get us off the phone so she could go back to playing Solitaire on her computer. She told us the fax number where to send all of our info and that it set up through that. Ok, so I faxed all of our information about both our cats. We did not receive any call back or anything, so after 2+ weeks passed, I got frustrated and called them again. The same (rude) receptionist picked up and said that they did receive the faxes and booked the cats for spaying. One was due to be spayed the next day, and the other in a week! Needless to say I was very upset, since they first off, booked both my cats on different dates, even though I requested they both be done on the same day. More importantly, I was upset at the fact that no one called us to tell us about the booking dates in the first place! Needless to say I cancelled. So yea, price wise this place maybe cheap, but they have absolutely NO customer service what-so-ever. Worst receptionist I've ever encountered with any business!

After an endless search to adopt a kitty, I came to this shelter. The place was spotless, and there…read morewere 3-4 employees on the job. Everyone was very helpful, courteous and accommodating. We were invited to go into any one of the adoption rooms, see, touch and bond with the kitties. I chose the kitty I wanted, filled out an adoption form, and she was mine! The shelter employees answered all my questions, gave me tips on care and handling based on my kitty's unique personality and gave me a bit of food she was eating at the shelter. It was a very positive experience. I highly recommend coming here if you are tired of running around to every rescue or pet store on a quest to adopt an animal.

I adopted my beautiful girl Molly 8 years ago, she has brought me nothing but joy!…read moreThe adoption process was so smooth and everyone was so kind and helpful! The time she spent with her foster really helped her adapt to being the princess that she is .

We previously attempted a rescue from the downtown animal shelter and they had no information about…read morethe dogs. It was not a good experience. BPSBR was the opposite. Amazing place. I appreciate how hard they worked to properly match their rescue dogs and new owners. Melissa, one of the fosters, didn't think we were a match for a dog we wanted. We were disappointed but she told us she'd help us find the right dog and she did!!! I love my girl! The price for rescue reflects the care they put into getting to know the dogs, home visits, etc. Highly highly recommended!

I am so broken for what this place did to me today. I connected to a dog, Bobby, they had on their…read moresite for a month. I read his description and saw his picture and I just knew he was meant for me, you know. I called them, they sent me a form to fill and filled it honestly. They called me to set the date for the meet and great and with more addition question like, where you live? Have you lived with a big dog? Etc. I ended the call with high hopes cause everything was going amazing and I thought this was it! I'm getting a companion in my life I can care for. He was my baby on my mind already. The day of meet and greet came by which was today, went in 30 minutes early cause I was anxious, it's like having a new baby. I had everything ready for him at my home. Have been preparing ever since I got the call. I showed up and i could tell straight ahead, he wasn't going home with me. The employee didn't even want to let me through the animal shelter door. Asking question about where I live and how often I'm home. Making excuses like he's big, he's strong, he needs training, he has separation anxiety, did they let you know about that?, who did you speak to? Then after all that, they started suggesting other dogs for me. Like how insensitive are this people. A dog is a lifetime companion and you're choosing different dogs for me like it's a temporary situation for me. I'm not a fostering the dog. I connected to the dog I choose, he is the one I see in my life and they treated him like he's a chess piece to me. I said I would do whatever suggestions you want. I will hire a trainer, I will get medication for this anxiety, I would have a caretaker with him when I'm at work so he doesn't get anxious, anything and everything you tell me to give him a good life, I would do. They finally let me meet him and I was in love with him. He was so beautiful and I could just see how he would change my life. But I knew I had to leave him behind. I'm writing this review in pieces, mentally, I left the animal shelter in tears. It's like going to the hospital excepting a baby only for them to tell you it won't be happening. Coming home to all the things that you got and did for him to feel at home in your home is so heartbreaking and something I never knew I would experience like this. I am gonna try again to find my forever companion but after my experience today, I need a few months to mourn my almost baby. My advice to the animal shelter east service, please include issues and concerns of the dog on the description and what's family and living conditions works for them . I hope this review is a lesson for you guys to do better.

The shelter is completely disorganized and truly makes me question their priority of the animal's…read morewellbeing. On Wednesday, I saw a dog that was available that was perfect for me. I've rescued dogs my whole life and knew this would be the perfect home. They do not accept emails so I set an alarm to be up and ready for their opening at 10:30 to be able to call. I get through, and the 7 million directory voices make me press a bunch of things until I finally get their *full* voicemail where it says try again later and the phone then automatically hangs up. From then on for hours the line was busy and I could not get through to even a ring. I took screenshots of all this. I got a hold of a human by noon and at this point the dog was already taken because "phones were off the hooks." I know.. I was the first caller so he would have been mine. Then that night, I see an add for another sweet dog in the West location's shelter. Perfect. I set an alarm and THE SAME THING HAPPENS. Now I lost two dogs that I would have been perfect for and kudos to the person who got through to a human because I genuinely do not know how they did it. All I can say is if your priority is rehoming the dog into a good family, the dog should not be "claimed" between 1030 to noon, without background checks and inspection. Regardless, now I'm upset because it seems like the shelter's priority is who has the quickest fingers to dial, rather than who will make a stable home for a rescue dog. Also, it's covid- get a call waiting system.

I have adopted three (3) wonderful dogs from Siber rescue. Lisa and her team of foster homes are…read morejust amazing. The dogs I adopted are truly gifts and they are great at matching dogs to adopters. I have had 3 amazing experiences with Siber Rescue that now I am thinking of fostering for them. I highly recomend Siber Rescue. Be aware thought that they care a great deal about their dogs and will not just adopt out to anyone that wants a dog from them, they have strick guidlines that insure maximum succes. If you have husky experience or large breed dog experince there is no better rescue to adopt from.

I have always been a dog lover, and larger breeds as well. When I was ready to have one of my own…read moreit couldn't have happened at a better time in my life. I went to Siber Rescue because I had only heard amazing things about this rescue, and thanks to their big hearts and amazing foster families, Brooklyn came into my life. I was able to meet him at his foster home and get appropriate feedback on what his needs were going to be. We were a match made in heaven and he has been by my side ever since, and it has now been 5 years!!! Recently my husband and I have decided that we wanted to bring in a new addition to our little family, and another husky is just the addition we want, and the first thing I did was call Siber Rescue. They have been a great help and I know that soon enough Brooklyn will have a little brother or sister to play with and to have as his companion!!! We can't wait!!!! Thanks for everything Siber Rescue!