Don't let the negative reviews deter you. Jelly's place is an amazing shelter with compassionate and kind people working their hardest to take care of those animals. I had a litter of puppies that were failing to thrive and on deaths door, when I contacted the owner Julie about them she took the puppies and mom home with her without hesitation to tube feed and administer meds and fight for them to survive. She loves every animal in her care and will fight to advocate for them and what they need. Even when two of the puppies passed away, she ensured the others got the best care possible and survived. Jelly's place wants the best for all of their animals and want to find a home where they can thrive. They have many reactive and traumatized dogs from all different situations that they have to be careful about adopting out, it is only sensible they would say no if it isn't a good fit! You cannot just take a dog home without taking into account it's background and if it would be a good fit, and that seems to be the issue with a lot of these reviews. Thank you Jelly's for all that you do! read more

Jelly's Place - Pet Adoption Near Me - San Pablo, California

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My friend tried fostering/adopting a puppy from here, and the owner of the place told her that the puppy was "so f'd up" and also mentioned "this China dog is another level" mind you, the dog wasn't even a Chinese breed, she is a Korean breed. My friend followed instructions and they made it nearly impossible to adopt the pup that she gave up. This place should be reported and shut down. read more

They go above and beyond to help animals and people. Caring snd dedicated to their community and those they serve. They are careful and meticulous about placements which is an incredible benefit to both adoptees and adopters. A wonderful team who deserves much thanks and generous donations for all the good they do. Thank you read more

Adopter beware. We adopted a dog from Jelly's 15 months ago and it's been nothing short of a medical and emotional nightmare. We are up to $20K in vet bills with more on the way. "Save them all" eh? Save Jelly's some money while enabling some sick obsession is more like it. They won't give a rats a$$ about this review but I hope you do. read more

I love Jelly's place! I got my sweet baby here and I'm forever grateful to all the wonderful people who work and volunteer here. Thank you for the work you do to help animals read more

I have fostered and adopted countless dogs from Jelly's Place over the years. They go above and beyond and really get to know the animals in their care. Reading some of the bad reviews and not sure whether to laugh, cry or be angry at some of the people blaming them for this or that (a dog that turned out needed vet care, dogs that won't be adopted out to them). It's just crazy. Get a life! Love what you do Jelly's Place! read more

Julie, YOU took away a chance from Cheeyoo and wasted our valuable time by making us vising the shelter for more than 2 months. 1000s of dogs just like Pepe&Cheeyoo found homes. Please don't bring dogs from other countries if you don't have good understandings and mean to help them to be adopted. Julie is barely available, incompetent, disorganized, disrespectful towards others time. She agreed to let us foster these CHINA DOGS (That's what she called them, even though Cheeyoo is from Korea, lol) but only after we visit them until they develop some trust. We visited more than 2 months, weekly. After Cheeyoo made some progress, we decided to adopt her instead of fostering 2 dogs because we learned that it is so painful to communicate with these folks and don't want to deal with them next few years while we foster 2 dogs. Julie wants these dogs to be outside dogs. We told her that my yard doesn't have fence from the beggining and she was ok with it, but when we tried to adopt Cheeyoo alone, she said she doesn't feel comfortable that we don't have fenced yard. It doesn't matter how much I can walk the dog. No fenced yard = not qualified dog owners. SHE doesn't feel comfortable that they won't have their own fenced yard, and SHE doesn't feel comfortable Cheeyoo and Pepe are seperared even though a staff who actually takes care of dogs said Pepe gets along with other dogs. They are outside all time except when they go to a crate from 3:30pm to next morning. and they get to go out to a bigger play are once a week for 30 mins. Pepe and Cheeyoo are sensitive since they are resuced from meat traders, but they aren't different than other traumatized dogs who are rescued from the same situation. Julie, who has all the power IS the reason why they haven't been adopted. Her best interest is not Cheeyoo and Pepe's wellbeing at home. She wants to keep them. Please don't even bother to adopt Cheeyoo and Pepe. They are HERS. read more

Jelly's Place - Pet Adoption Near Me - San Pablo, California

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I went here with a friend and it was so nice to experience. I met a cute cat her with a leg that didnt function and it was so sweet and followed ua around. read more

Jelly's Place - happy doggy family - Pet Adoption Near Me - San Pablo, California

My husband and I adopted 2 dogs from Jellyplace one was adopted October 30 2025 and the other was sister adopted November 16, 2025. We still have an issue with the microchips for the dogs. The microchip company want us to pay for it. Janeen from Jellyplace told me the adoption fee was included , Janeen told us she will take care of it. I sent numerous text to her, no response. What kind of service is that. I just want the dogs in our name incase they got out. Is it too much to ask? read more

My boyfriend and I adopted a dog here a few days ago, and although it unfortunately wasn't the right fit for our home, we had an absolutely wonderful experience with the rescue. We were so anxious about having to return him, but Shannon was incredibly kind, understanding, and supportive throughout the entire process. She truly made us feel so much better. It's clear that they genuinely prioritize finding the right match for every dog and every adopter, which we really appreciated. The whole experience, from adoption to return, was seamless, compassionate, and professional. We're so grateful for how we were treated, and we would absolutely recommend this rescue to anyone looking to adopt. read more

Great experience with Jelly's. Staff was great and you can tell they love what they do and love the animals that are in their shelter. I love the fact that they are a no kill shelter! read more

My cousin was sharing all their posts on IG and I saw they had some small dogs they got from a hoarding situation and I had been looking to adopt and give my very small dog a friend and help a dog that needed a home so I filled out an application online. I was approved and a woman called me to set up my appt for the following week and asked me which dog I was going to see. I drive an hour to them for my appt and it was increasingly obvious they didn't know who I was and no appt was even set. Krissy who greeted us was very curt and rude and seemed very irritated that we were there. I let her know we had an 11am and she asked who we were, what dog we were there to see at which time she said the dog we were there to see had an adoption hold then had us follow her outside to where the dogs were kept, changed her mind to bring us back inside to go get someone else to help us, asked us to move against the wall as a reactive dog was going to pass so we did only to then raise her voice to ask us to just sit down instead as the dog passed. Finally Michael came to help us. He was very nice, knew the dogs and said the dog we were there to see had an adoption hold but would probably be the only dog they had that would be a good fit with my small dog we brought. He was nice enough to show us a couple of dogs anyways and he was correct, they weren't a good fit but it was nice to see his interaction with the dogs and you could tell they really loved him. He did also let us meet the dog we went there for. She was a sweetheart and we would've taken her if we could have but we had to wait if her adoption hold fell through. I then asked how you put an adoption hold on a dog and he informed me that you just had to have an appointment to see the dog. At which time it was blatantly obvious the woman that called me never made the appointment as I had an appt to see her at 11. That really upset me. As we were leaving the owner, Julie asked us if we had seen anything we were interested in and we said no, the one we were there for was on adoption hold and the other two we saw weren't a fit for our dog. She was very nice and made some recommendations for a mama dog and one of her small puppies she thought would be a fit and brought us back inside to Krissy to ask Krissy to make an appt for the following week to meet the dogs she recommended. Krissy was nice in front of Julie but as soon as Julie left she was extremely rude again telling us with an attitude that they have 12 approved applications for the puppies and only 5 puppies giving us an attitude. I told her I was just going by Julie's recommendation and she told me she would text me by the end of the day to make an appt to see the puppies. I said we were also interested in meeting the mom as Julie recommended and we weren't adamant about a puppy, mom would be of interest as well but to also let us know if the adoption of the dog we went to see that day fell through. She text a couple hours after that the dog was adopted and to make an appt for the following week and the attitude came through over text as well. She said we could come Friday at 4 but it would be the last appt for the day so I replied that I could do earlier as I was off and didn't need to come so late so I wouldn't be the last appt of the day and got more attitude. I'm hoping this was an off day for her but honestly she shouldn't be customer facing based on my experience that day. It continued to bother me with my interaction with Krissy both in person and over text and the fact the dogs are kept outside in cages in the elements with tarps over them so I decided to cancel and look elsewhere. It would have been 1 star had it not been for Michael and Julie! read more

Jelly's Place - What I felt was attitude over text - Pet Adoption Near Me - San Pablo, California

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We are so in LOVE with the amazing feline additions to our family. Thanks to volunteer and cat extraordinaire, Molly, we adopted two wonderful cats last week from Jelly's Place. She was so patient with me and really took time to understand what we were looking for. She guided me to the PURRfect kitties. In just a week, they have already settled into our household, which includes a dog, so well. We are smitten. Thank you, Molly, and Jelly's Place. read more

I love this place. We adopted total 2 of our fur babies from here. Our newest addition is a sweet senior 8 year old boy they rescued from being euthanized. He's so sweet and cuddly, I can't believe he was never chosen to be adopted. The staff is friendly and helpful. We came multiple times to visit Romeo (now Twinkie) until our mom decided it was ok for us to get another dog. The adoption process was pretty easy but they still make sure these pets are going to good homes. Twinkie is enjoying his second chance at life and having a family thanks to Jelly's Place. read more

Jelly's Place - Twinkie exploring backyard - Pet Adoption Near Me - San Pablo, California

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Free vaccinations for my cat on Saturday' People who work there have a heart! Sadly, I heard they have to close because the city of San Pablo is asking them to leave!!!????‍‍ read more

We attended the dog fair in Berkeley and stopped on over at Jellys Place to admire a beautiful black chihuahua they had for adoption. As we are asking about the dog we keep getting brushed off by one of their employees by the name of Mario. We asked to have a closer look at the dog Mario picked the dog up and moved it all the way on the other side of the kennel as it we were trying to steal the dog and ignored our questions as if we weren't good enough to adopt the dog. The women who were present even noticed the action and said it was very rude. As two African American males who were just as deserving of the dog as Any one else really disappointed mario read more

I have observed Cheeyoo up for adoption at Jelly's for months now. That is a horrible story about him not being adopted out. He lives in a dark area at this shelter and always looks sad. It is not okay to keep dogs from being adopted. read more

We adopted a dog in October '24. The staff was friendly with us and caring towards the dog. The dog came microchipped, spayed and vaccinated. The dog is an awesome companion dog! Jelly's Place made the adoption process easy. read more

Great resource for getting your pets vaccinated! Thank you Jelly's Place!! Definitely recommend!!

I tried to adop a kitten through this shelter and it was a complete waste of time. The communication is terrible and after almost a month I gave up and got one elsewhere this weekend. I saw a a post on petfinder so I went to their site and did an application on the shelter's site for a specific cat. They followed up with me relatively quick, about a week. We scheduled an appt for me to come meet and potentially adopt. When bookig the appointment they confirmed which cat I wanted and gave me the day and time to show up. When that day came they called me as I was on my way to the appt to tell me they couldnt reach the foster family so I would have to reschedule and that they'd call me back to do so. Over a week went by without anyone calling me so I followed up and left a VM but heard nothing back. Another werk and a half went by so I followed up via e-mail rather than by phone and its been 5 days (I know this because G-mail asked me if I wanted to follow up again since there hasn't been a response). I'm sure the staff is great and that they're busy but my experience was terrible nonetheless. I am not sure why the foster family wasn't contacted when the appointment was booked since the application listed the pet by name and that was confirmed when booking the appointment. There was a week in between booking and the actual date of the appointment. The lack of response after the last minute cancellation is worse than the lack of planning prior to the appointment. The last time I checked the kitten was still listed so I hopevshe goes to an awesome home. I have a bunch of friends who are looking to adopt dogs / cats and I have had to tell them to look elsewhere based on my experience. read more

Jelly's Place goes above and beyond to help animals found by Good Samaritan's, or needing to be pulled by rescue due to behavior issues while in a kennel with hundreds of other dogs. They take in the unwanted, offer free vaccine clinics, and provide food to people who have fallen on hard times. This is just a small part of the aide they provide. And it literally comes most often at the sacrifice of the founder and her spouse. Don't gripe and complain until you walk in their shoes. Fostering saves lives. read more

Mixed feelings about this place since we did adopt our dog here, who was with us until an untimely early cancer death. They didn't provide any attempt at a behavior assessment, so it was just a risk to take what you can get situation and figure it out later. They didn't have any notes to share about her behavior from the shelter she had been transferred from, and didn't have any assessment of their own. From observing her there she got along well with one dog, but IRL she was reactive to the vast majority of dogs, which was a big problem. She was too nervous and freaked out from being at Jelly's for me to really judge her behavior (there was a super stressed dog in the adjacent kennel and it obviously affected her), but it turned out that was her m.o. all the time. I was bitten in the chest a few days after adopting, but the dog and I made amends around the triggering situation and it didn't happen again. If they had tried to bathe the dog there, they could've told me she was reactive to water/hoses, but they hadn't bathed her (a volunteer told me he meant to and didn't get around to it). They also charged what felt like a very inflated adoption fee ($350-400 I think) and labeled her an exotic breed mix citing that as the justification. Our genetic test revealed a classic pit / mutt mix, none of that exotic breed. I'd hoped she might have some of the athletic characteristics of that breed which would've fit our lifestyle, but she didn't which made it more difficult on our lifestyle. In the end we worked around all of the surprises of adopting and made a great home for the dog, and loved the damaged goods that she was very much. But it resulted in many unpleasant surprises and difficulties to make it work within our lifestyle. In the future I will adopt from a more reputable place with professional behavior evaluation to help you know what to expect more honestly, and not from a place that uplabels breeds and charges more for it. Or honestly I may go the breeder route after such a challenging experience with managing the surprises that come with rescue dogs. Not a popular notion but Jelly's Place actually convinced me why it's not always best to adopt vs shop, and I have more understanding and less judgment now of people who go that route. read more

Made an appointment to meet a puppy. Waited an entire week for it and when we arrived they told us that she is not there that day but they have us down to meet other puppies. We were upset and told them we really want to meet the puppy and reluctantly meet a few other dogs - I mean who knows maybe there's another dog we fall in love with and who will be perfect. We did not find a pup we want, but our pup got along with one dog and now they are pushing for us to try with her (claiming she will be okay with cats since she did not react walking through a cat room). Finally get to meet the puppy a few days later and foster told us that Jelly's told him not to come on Sunday for the appointment. Kids all fall in love with the dog and our dogs get along so we tell them we are ready to adopt her and take her home but then they tell us we cannot adopt her and they will have other people meeting the puppy before making a decision. I mean WTF??? Why let us meet the dog if you're not willing to adopt her out? Still waiting for word but feel we need to move on. I highly recommend NOT going there unless you want them to tell you which dog to adopt. Go to Milos instead. Will safe you lots of heart ache. read more

What a magical place. We are fostering an adorable min-pin right now and she is so well socialized thanks to Julie and the Jelly's crew. Did you know you can donate to Jelly's Place by making any purchase through Smile.Amazon.com? You don't pay a thing. Amazon donates 5% of your purchase. Just go to smile.Amazon.com and choose Jelly's Place as the recipient. UPDATE: We have now adopted the dog! True love read more

Really nice staff and lovely animals. Impressed with extensive knowledge on animals in care. Worth the drive to San Pablo to meet animals. Website is incredibly helpful. Wish I could adopt more than one dog! Thank you! read more

2 weeks ago I put in an adoption application for a dog named Mo-mo. I heard nothing for days, and checked their website every day to see if she was adopted already. Even today, she is still listed on the webpage as available, and I thought they were still reviewing adoption applications for her. They didn't answer my phone calls. Then I messaged them about Mo-Mo. Two days later, they messaged me at 1am to tell me she's already adopted. Meanwhile, since you can only apply for one dog at a time, I was unable to apply for a couple of other dogs that I was also interested in. I understand why they want to see just one application at a time but I wish they were able to tell me right away that Mo-Mo was already adopted. Seems to me this organization is at best unorganized and at worst may not actually be carrying out a fair review of all adoption applications. Maybe they are understaffed or do not have many active volunteers at this time, but good telecommunication and organizational skills are vital. I think they have potential but as I am reading comments from others, I am not the only one who has experienced this lack of communication from them. read more

Jelly's Place - Taken 08/10/20 - Pet Adoption Near Me - San Pablo, California

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I appreciate the work and kindness of Jelly's Place, although I am frustrated. I got two wonderful kittens from Jelly's Place. I was told I would be reimbursed for their neutering since it was being done in Santa Rosa. Little Homie was neutered on June 14, 2024. Rockette (formerly Ophelia) was spayed on Sept. 4, 2024. Each time, I sent the paperwork into Jelly's. I did not hear back and left messages multiple times. It was only after I posted on Yelp on Sept 24 that I received a call back from Julie, saying that a check would be in the mail the next day. It is now Nov. 13th. I have received no check, although, once again, I have left messages multiple times. I do not like to leave negative messages, but I am frustrated and don't know what else to do. read more

Jellys Place for all your animals needs This Christmas our Ruby the poodle stayed with Jellys Place. I say stayed instead of boarded as that sounds like I I left him at a shelter. Wait a minute, they are a shelter. But let me tell you about his "stay" as it was more like visiting a spa in Heaven. I was so worried about him missing me and having a bad Xmas. He fit right in. Leslie told me that at night time when they go to bed all the dogs are bark barking, but at bedtime the minute they turn off the lights everyone goes absolutely quite, turn the light on and the barking starts, off, silence again. This is so funny to me but they really do have a routine which helps the dogs feels at home. Every dog is well cared for on a daily basis. I should say on a hourly. Each dog has a schedule beside the routine they all go by. Ruby's feeding time is separate as he has a prescription diet. There is Maybell in the office that is waiting for eye surgery is well maintained by keeping her eyes clean constantly to prevent further oh phone charger on the ground no infection , fed and diaper changed as well as moved around to prevent bed sores. She is bed ridden from humans overbreeding her. So that's what I mean by constant care. Ruby had an immaculate hairdo and his shots for free. They offer this to the public for San Pablo residents. But Ruby was actually brought in from Korea through Jellys Place and they also chip your animals. I mean wow, the love, devotion , time, care, I just can't list all the things they do for these animals. It is all channeled from the one and only Julie Bainbridge who I'm so proud to say is my friend. She came from mid US to Cali. An animal lover before Jellys but couldn't just sit and watch all the crap that happens to animals and now she gave them a place to recover and thrive and feel loved. Julie is a Saint here on earth. You know, if you might wonder why the folks at Jellys can be abrasive toward people , you should take the time to come in and Volunteer. Some of the fur babies brought into the rescue that have been neglected and abused would make you change your tune toward people too. How can people be so cold to life so innocent. And then you have rescues like Jelly Place or Julies Place and all the volunteers that help keep it going. Thank you from the bottom of my dark little heart. read more

I want to first thank Alyssa & Ignacio, 2 employees of Jelly's Place. I had spoken with Kendal by phone who I believe is a volunteer. She was nice & informative. I should mention their application is quite detailed however that's because they really care about animals & as a no-kill shelter want to insure their pets go to good homes so please bear with them. I read some of the negative reviews however they mainly centered around one individual. I frankly hope she's gone based on the negative reviews however I found Alyssa exceptional. I visited yesterday, Friday, & seeing Agate, a cute, gorgeous 4 month old male kitten, got to take him home to be the new friend of my 9 year old boy Chi. Unfortunately I had to euthanize his life-long buddy Abdul who developed face cancer. I kept him as long as I could having followed my vet's advice and brought him in last week knowing it was time. Very happy with Jelly's Place. The adoption fee includes having Agate neutered & chipped in the near future. Don't let the negative reviews turn you off. During the pandemic fill-out an application online, a volunteer will call you and you can make an appointment to visit the shelter. If possible see Alyssa. read more

Jelly's Place - Agate at Jelly's. Isn't he cute! - Pet Adoption Near Me - San Pablo, California

Help San Pablo PD with their annual donation Dive for Jelly's Place Animal Shelter. Need donations by Nov. 30, see the attached flier for more information. read more

Jelly's Place - Pet Adoption Near Me - San Pablo, California

I adopted my dog here in Feb this year from Joanna Ging! I adopted a 2 year old poodle from China, who was hosted at Jelly's Place. I'm so glad I came across this shelter, which my sister referred me to, as she found on IG. The people here, and what they do, are amazing. They aren't opened everyday, but it's run by volunteers, and they really do have their heart in the business. They really care for their animals, and want to make sure each of their animals finds the right home. They have a thorough application process, which I found annoying at first, but relieving on a second thought, to make sure each animal gets the love they deserve! Adopt don't shop, and save a life!!!! read more

We adopted our cat from Jelly's and plan to adopt a puppy from them some day. We love our kitty so much. He is awesome. Just donated some cat food and dog food to them. It is a No-Kill Shelter which we donate to every year. read more

I am so grateful to Haley at Jelly's Place for helping find the perfect dog for me. She was so kind and patient as we met dog after dog and didn't feel an immediate spark. She reached out when a puppy came in that fit the description of what we were looking for - and forever changed our lives by connecting us with our perfect pup! We weren't able to take her home right away, but because Haley is so dedicated and caring - she texted us pictures and updates on our puppy on the days between meeting her and taking her home. I highly recommend Jelly's Place for many reasons, but especially because of Haley. read more

Jelly's Place - Pet Adoption Near Me - San Pablo, California

We love this place! This is Luna, the perfect addition to our family. This place really tries to allow animals a second chance, they just need you to come by and make that opportunity a reality for these dogs and cats. read more

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Terrible communication here. We visited without an appt the first time, found a dog we quite liked, and we were ready to adopt. We were told to complete an application and we would be contacted. Went home, completed the application, and we were phoned in a few days to schedule an appt to visit with the dog. We had a great visit and were ready to write the check only to learn that another person also was coming that had made an appt. We were there on a Sunday and were told the other person had an appt either Monday or Tuesday. They're closed on both days. So, I sent an email thanking them for their time and looked forward to hearing from someone. I received a response the next day that we would hear something on Wednesday to complete the adoption. Never heard a peep. Sent another email and basically got an auto reply that they're very busy. This dog is still on their website. That dog would have received superior care, lots of love, and a great home. These people are not professional, are likely understaffed, and frankly, shouldn't conduct business so carelessly and play with people's emotions. We'll go elsewhere. Sincerely Disappointed! read more

DO NOT GO HERE! We fell in love with a tiny puppy named Omie, but he was too young to adopt. So we completed the adoption paperwork, were approved and were told that we are first on the list to adopt Omie. Our name was even on his cage door! We called almost every week to check in and finally the day came when he was old enough to adopt. We called and were told he had been sent to foster and that Julie the owner would need to speak to us. We called back 3 days in a row, trying to reach Julie, but she was either in a meeting or not there or gone for the day. Finally we called today...they let the foster adopt Omie, right out from under us. SO HEARTBROKEN and unethical. I strongly encourage you to NOT go there, nor do I think that they should get funding for a new place, if this is how they treat the people who want to adopt. I just read through several reviews and this seems to be a comment happening at Jelly's. We are also going to write the San Pablo Mayor about our concerns. read more

I I think it's out rages how much these places and what I mean by places are at all shelters. They are like puppy mills. The amount of money they charge is ridiculous. read more

I've got at Jelly's place as a last resource to find a veterinarian who I could trust! I had a very bad experience at a Veterinary hospital at San Pablo Dam Rd! Renata, a staff member was extremely eager to help me! From now on my beloved Diego, the cat has been treating with responsable and caring PROFESSIONALS! I have no words to thank Renata and all the staff member! Thank you so much for the support they are giving to the animals in this facility as well! Every community needs people and services like this! read more

Zero stars first time here and the staff was really rude . No wonder they are shutting down soon.

As I mention my dog, My Heart Rambo is a very high, spirited and energetic dog. When adopting him the owner Julie was very kind to me and my partner, unlike other staff. The reason I rated how I did, is because if anyone is to adopt anywhere please don't be afraid to ask questions about the animal you're adopting so you do not end up, causing them to stress and also so your not bringing home chaos Luckily, Rambo adjusted to us very nicely, and we never had to worry about anything other then his surroundings still being considered a puppy learning to stay calm with children and birds as well, he still of-course has a lot to learn. Again, PLEASE don't be afraid to ask questions about the animal you're adopting. read more

Jelly's Place - 8months ago I adopted Rambo (Jayco). He's an amazing dog with a strong personality. - Pet Adoption Near Me - San Pablo, California