In 2013, we found our sweet Baby Dandelion available for adoption after being saved from a high-kill shelter in GA. We filled out an application, met the pup and foster mom, and then patiently waited for her to be old enough to come home with us. We spent almost 12 love-filled years spoiling that dog. She was our firstborn, a big sister to our 9-year-old human, my co-worker, our snuggle bug, a dedicated protector of this home, and one of the quirkiest, most intelligent, and most loving souls to grace this earth. Baby Dandelion Christian passed on Monday, Dec. 2nd, after a gallant fight with a rare colon cancer. We continue to appreciate organizations like this and will continue to support their efforts to give all dogs a chance at life. read more

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I have always adopted from rescues when looking for a dog to join our family. I have used Lucky Dog Animal Rescue 2 times in the past with great results. But it was not the same experience with K-9 Lifesavers. A standard application question is what would make you return the dog? My answer has always been the same- if it were vicious. And I would define vicious as "biting someone when unprovoked and without any warning (ie. a growl, a bark)". 48 hours after adopting a dog from them she went after our cleaning lady despite my husband and our other dog being right there. I called the foster right away to discuss this incident and did not receive a call back. The next day, the dog bite my stepmother breaking the skin in multiple places. Again, unprovoked and without any warning. So I returned the dog which broke my heart. When my husband returned her- the foster shared that she had gone after a delivery person in her home, information that was not shared with us before or during the adoption process. Had we known, we would not have adopted her, as I believe all things are trainable but we don't have the skills to train vicious. Was told that the AC would call me the next day about a refund- a week later I had to call her. And she got the foster on the phone and together they defended their decision to adopt out this dog by reminding me that they told me about the dog's issues -she would need to be introduced to new people slowly. Which is different than - she tries to bite all new people and sometimes she succeeds. Instead of considering this dog a candidate for intensive training for biting, something that would make her a safer dog to adopt- they have simply chosen to place her back up for adoption right away. Buyer Beware! read more

I fell in LOVE with the picture and bio of a pup on the K-9 Lifesavers website in 2021. He looked just like my childhood dog. I applied to adopt and was approved and spoke on the phone with his foster. She interviewed me intently and decided my living situation and active lifestyle were a good match for the dog. The dog was driven 4 hours to the Silver Spring PetSmart adoption event that weekend. I was given 1 hour with the dog to walk around the shopping mall, shop in PetSmart, and finally sign paperwork to bring the dog home. In that one hour, I became certain he was not the dog for me. He wanted nothing to do with me, even when I offered him snacks! With tears in my eyes, I handed him back to the volunteer and said, "I don't think it's a good fit." She took a breath and said, "That's ok. That's why we give you some time with him. It's better to make that decision now than after you've taken him home." I emailed the foster to let her know it didn't work out, and she had similar sentiments. She offered some suggestions of alternative K-9 Lifesaver dogs that might be a better fit. The dog that didn't work out for me was adopted just a few weeks later. In the end, I adopted a dog from a different shelter that was the perfect fit for me. I sent his pictures to the K-9 Lifesaver crew, and they were supportive and excited for us. Even though I did not adopt from K-9 Lifesavers, I am forever grateful for their kindness, guidance, and understanding during my adoption process. When I am ready to adopt a second dog, I am going to K-9 Lifesavers first! read more

This is the type of organization that gives rescues a bad name. I can only echo the many other negative reviews where people have been told they're approved for a dog and are asked to travel long distances to meet the foster and introduce themselves to their new family member...only to then be told they can't have the dog due to some inane, completely nonsensical reason. This has happened to several people I know, and it's a shame. These folks truly defeat the purpose of rescuing, because stories like these in the reviews are why many people still end up going to breeders and puppy stores despite the desperate need of dogs at shelters. Shameful. read more

Just wanted to express my feelings for K-9 rescue. We adopted Daphne in 2018. It was a great experience and she is a wonderful member of our family still. She travels well in the RV or car. She is smart as she can be. Whoever worked with her in the 1st year of her life did an amazing job. We love her so much. We did send her to Applejack training once we got her and they were fantastic also. The training was for her and us and even though we have had lots of dogs thru the years, we knew she and us needed additional training. Thank you K-9 volunteers, you did a great job. read more

K-9 Lifesavers - Daphne - Always ready for a ride anywhere. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Stafford, Virginia

My husband and I adopted multiple dogs from K-9 Lifesavers. Each one has brought us so much joy. The rescue is all volunteer and they really care for the dogs. They worked with us to find the right match and we couldn't be more happy to have the dogs we adopted. read more

ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! I have interacted with countless rescue organizations having worked in veterinary medicine for almost 25 years and I have to sing the praises of K-9 Lifesavers! They clearly have only the very best people and intentions in giving their blood, sweat, and, tears to find homes for their animals. Please do not listen to bad reviews - it's frankly disgusting that someone would take the time to bash people who are giving their lives to animal rescue (of all things!). If K-9 Lifesavers decides you're not a great candidate, I am sure you're not. Keep up the wonderful work, K-9 Lifesavers!!! read more

Piper has been a joy since we adopted her from K-9 Lifesavers over 2 years ago. Since then we've had many experiences with K-9 including attendance at adoption events (great volunteers and a family fun atmosphere); visiting the kennel (friendly staff and clean facility); and always enjoy checking out their website for ongoing rescue efforts! If you are thinking of adopting seriously consider K-9 Lifesavers. They do a great job caring for the dogs and finding the best match for family and furry friends! read more

After I adopted a dog from this organization, it turned out that she had not been spayed and that she had overwhelming anxiety issues. I loved my dog despite thousands of dollars in household destruction. Over the next six months, I worked with a trainer, a vet, and put her on medication, but my dog continued to have panic attacks. After complaints from my building, and feeling like I was hurting and not helping her, I surrendered her. It was one of the worst days of my life -- it felt like a betrayal and there was no good option. How could they have not known in the first place? The representative said, "We'll just adopt her back out." I said, "Don't just adopt her back out!" The response: "You sound like you want us to kill her." I felt like I was fighting to get her the help she needed. This weekend, when I went to the pet store to buy supplies for my other animals, there was a K9 Lifesavers event underway. I equivocated between leaving and speaking up. I asked to talk privately with the person at the adoption desk, who, it turned out, had been involved in rehoming the dog I still miss. She lit up remembering, as if it were a happy ending for all. I told her they needed to do a better job in considering the human beings as well as the dogs in the work they do. And be accountable in this respect. She began to explain how they are a volunteer organization. I said: "Please stop. I will never be the same." To her credit, she said "I'm sorry." I walked away hoping that it made some difference. There was no satisfaction in it. Later, this person sent me a personally critical email. I was so mad I accidentally hit send before finishing my reply. Then I was ashamed that I reacted. She responded by taking a dig, saying she hoped I got the help I so desperately needed. I could have handled myself much better, and should have just left the store. It turned out I was perpetuating something awful. I apologize here publicly. Please also do better by the dogs and the people who love them. read more

We adopted a puppy from Michelle with K9 Rescue last week and couldn't be happier with the professionalism and efficiency of the adoption process. I submitted an application and within 72 hrs was contacted directly by Michelle who was very helpful, professional and friendly. The purpose of the pre-screening was explained and Michelle assisted us with the entire process from start to finish. We were provided with all of the puppy's medical history and known origins. Copies of helpful guides and tips as well as veterinarian and dog training contacts. I would recommend K9 Rescue to anyone looking for a new pet to rescue and provide a loving , safe home too. read more

K-9 Lifesavers - Mana sun bathing in his new home - Animal Shelters Near Me - Stafford, Virginia

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From start to finish the rehoming of Dexter was amazing. Alex was very kind in her approach, followed through on commitments, and was available even after we had received our furry friend. Dexter is one of a kind, we are so lucky to have found our best friend! People think that Dexter is lucky to be part of our family, but the truth is we are lucky that he found us. Thank you very much for the professionalism and letting us be a part of the process. We love Dexter!! read more

K-9 Lifesavers - Animal Shelters Near Me - Stafford, Virginia

In the beginning of January we got pre-approved to adopt a dog with this organization. I'm a SAHM with a 7 year old and a 3 year old. We also have a cat and live in a condo. The woman who interviewed me and approved our application was aware of our living situation and how we planned to care for our dog. My husband would be taking the dog on a morning run and I would be giving it a walk several times throughout the day. The dog would be walking 4-6 miles a day. Twice, I've kept my oldest out of Sunday School to attend an event thinking we were going to return home with a dog and twice we've returned empty-handed after being told "no" by the woman running the event. Both times we were told that we weren't being allowed to bring home the dog we wanted because we lived in an apartment and didn't have a yard available for the animal. I've since withdrawn my application. I can't keep attending these events and getting my heart and my kids' hearts broken. read more

Get organization! I have adopted both of my dogs from K-9 Lifesavers. I would definitely recommend getting pre-approved so that you do not have to go through the process once you find the right doggo! read more

Adopted my puppy from them in 2013 and have volunteered at multiple events since then. Lovely people - it's all volunteers so organization will never be perfect, but they are always trying to do what's best for the dog while making the application as simple as possible. read more

We adopted our dog from K-9 Lifesavers a year and a half ago. I had been looking at dogs before we moved, and was drawn to a number of dogs on their website. Once we moved and were settled, I emailed my dog's adoption counselor (AC) to start the process. The application is straight-forward, and the AC responded very quickly and got everything set up (phone call, home visit, landlord check). We were able to meet and take home our dog in under 2 weeks (although he is a larger and older dog who had been rescued 9 months earlier, so I think it would take a bit longer on average). He had some fleas when we first brought him home, but otherwise has been in perfect health. However, what made me realize K-9 Lifesavers is special was the support we got from the AC over the next month. She contacted us a few days after we brought our dog home, and I thought it was great she cared so much to follow up. About a week later, we realized our dog had some mild separation anxiety when he howled so much we got a noise complaint from our building. I contacted the AC, and she immediately sent me lots of ideas and advice from a variety of resources including the experience of some owners/trainers/behaviorists she contacted on our behalf. We were able to work on his behavior from multiple angles, and ultimately curbed the howling within a week. I've volunteered at their adoption events a few times and will continue to do so in the future to pay them back for rescuing our awesome dog and helping us get him settled into life in the city. We have been thinking about getting a second dog or fostering when we move to a bigger place, and will definitely work with this group again if/when the time comes. read more

I would not use this group. The woman helping me with an adoption was super nice. However after talking to my vet I decided to decline a dog who had heartworm because of a recent prolonged illness and eventual death of my miniature schnauzer. That's when things got bad. The woman insisted I talk to the executive director despite my already withdrawing of my application. The director accus d my vet of not knowing anything about heartworm. When I repeated was too heartbroken to adopt a potentially sick dog . She got nastier and said she didn't want to waste her time. She hung up on me before I could say anything else. I'm sad to leave this review as they seemed nice. But now, I have to continue my search elsewhere. It's inexcusable that they get furious about my declining an adoption. I have a wonderful home and will make some dog happy. But it won't be from their organization. read more

We drove two hours to their meet and greet event, and the director was very rude to us saying that we will not be able to handle the dog, we got rejected, after waiting for their one month wait time. WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLCE AT ALL FOR FIRST TIME DOG OWNERS. read more

My fiance and I adopted our best friend from K9 lifesavers last June and are so happy that we did! The initial adoption process was somewhat bittersweet because prior to our first visit to go meet our little guy, we were informed the rescue group had just learned his litter was exposed to the deadly canine distemper virus while being transported to Virginia from a high kill shelter in Georgia. He was moved from a foster home to the home of one of the group's founders. Because they did not want to adopt out a puppy with a potentially fatal illness, he was kept under quarantine for an additional month, but we were able to visit him several times while waiting to find out if he would survive. We were amazed how committed this group was to saving the lives of these puppies who were exposed. The dogs exposed to distemper (through no fault of K9 lifesavers, it just happens when you're dealing with shelter dogs who are not yet vaccinated) were treated with multiple rounds of antibiotics, some were hooked up to oxygen machines, etc. In the end, our fur ball was the only one out of his litter of 11 who survived. Unfortunately, the disease is very difficult on little puppies. Another adult dog who was exposed thankfully survived as well. Bringing him home was such an amazing experience. We were heartbroken when we learned his siblings didn't make it, but were thrilled that the puppy we really bonded with and became attached to somehow miraculously made it through. Even our veterinarian is amazed of everything our dog has been through because the disease is so rare nowadays due to most dogs being vaccinated/it is a miracle he survived. Overall, I think K9 lifesavers did a great job of keeping us in the loop every few days when our dog was undergoing treatment and was quarantined. They were super great about letting us come visit him so we could still bond with him while he was young, but at the same time they sent us lots of information about the disease and tried not to get our hopes up too much. Our puppy is now almost a year old, has broken 70 lbs, and is a big ole healthy hound mutt! We couldn't be happier to have him as part of our family! We would definitely recommend this rescue group to anyone looking for a new canine addition to their lives. read more

This rescue like many small independent "rescue" organizations will post dogs on petfinder that are never available. They don't update their listings and they don't communicate with their applicants. I don't care how many applications you have, it only takes a second to send a thank you the dog is already adopted email. I should't have to chase them to find out if they are available. It discourages good adopters from trying to adopt from these little "rescues" and pushes people towards breeders. I am now looking into a breeder for my next dog. Such a waste of time looking on petfinder and applying for dogs that are no longer available. read more

We adopted our beautiful girl at the end of August, the whole process went very smoothly, especially with the added obstacle of COVID. I believe my adoption counselor was Debbie, who actually took multiple days out of her vacation to email and talk with me about my girl. I understand things happen and people get disappointed with their experiences, but I can honestly say that this rescue group is fabulous. read more

I submitted my application to adopt a dog 4 days ago, I'm still waiting for some type of acknowledgement, so far nothing. I was expecting to receive a call or email approving my application, still nothing. I reached out again to follow up still nothing. I went to the website again to confirm the puppy I was trying to adopt showed pending application, well he's labeled as unavailable now! I'm extremely disappointed with the lack of response from this group. read more

We adopted our sweet pup from this rescue. Pros: - the woman we worked with was great. She helped ensure we got the right puppy for us and did a great job steering us in the right direction. - our pup came to us at 16 weeks already spayed. Cons: - our pup also came to us totally infested with fleas, despite having been to the vet just days earlier. The vet told us she was severely anemic from how long she had been infested. She had been staying at a foster. When we called the rescue to let them know (she has been housed with several other dogs and wanted to make sure they all got checked) they blew us off. It seemed weird that she had such a bad infestation. Maybe the vet who did her surgery didn't notice or maybe the foster had a terrible flea problem? Not sure. - the foster who had our pup was borderline at best. My husband picked up our pup while another couple was getting theirs. The other couple were first time dog owners. The foster told the dog owners to use pressure points to force the dog down and make it submit -- and even demonstrated. My husband was appalled as he watched the puppy collapse. Clearly the foster didn't see anything wrong. Our pup is the best. We love her and wouldn't change a thing with her. I'd say that the rescue should check into their fosters and as new puppy parents, be prepared for your pup to come with health issues. read more

I was very disappointed and hurt by my experience with K9- Lifesavers. We recently tried to adopt a puppy with them. While going thru the application process it came to light that my cats were 8 months out of date on one of their shots. (I had not known this, I thought they were on a 3 year vaccine). Once this was brought to my attention I made an appointment immediately with our new vet here (we are originally from NY) to have them up to date before the puppy was to come home. These cats are inside cats that do not ever go outside. The cats were never in any danger. After pleading with the organization many times to let me correct my mistake and update the cats they just refused to work with us and gave the puppy to someone else. Telling me that my husband and I were bad candidates to care for the puppy because of our mistake with the cats, that we did not take medical care seriously! When I explained that we do not vaccinate with the optional vaccines based on the lifestyle of my cats and recommendations of our vet, but of course would take care of the required shots, I was told that distemper can be transferred by my hand from petting a stray dog to my cats inside. (I have verified this with a vet and was told this is not even possible). I was heart broken that they made a personal decision not even based on fact and refused to let me correct an oversight that was made during an 8 month period. I love my cats and always take care of them. I am appalled that an organization that is meant to give these dogs a second chance would not allow me to correct a mistake I made this past year. We have since updated the cats! (of course) and adopted another puppy ( a different organization) in need of a wonderful family. He has been home with us 3 days now, already seen the vet and had a handful of shots( he took them like a champ!) and we could not be happier. I appreciate that this organization is designed to make sure that these puppies/dogs go to good homes but feel that they are a little to high and mighty on their personal bias and decision making. read more

We applied to adopt a puppy that I saw online and fell in love with. I was told we sounded like the perfect family - we have our own home, two teenagers who are here and love animals and pet sit in the neighborhood all the time, we are nice people, we take good care of our cats, etc. Then we were told that that there were other families who were pre-approved that were ahead of us and I asked about that process and applying for it. I also questioned why there was no information on the web site about a pre-approval process and that it seemed to me unless you were informed about it that you would never be able to adopt an animal - that someone else would always be ahead of you.Somewhere in the back of my mind I felt that something was wrong but I couldn't quite identify what it was. Then our adoptive consultant or whatever it is you call them told us that our veterinary reference did not meet their standards. What does that mean? Our cats are healthy, happy animals. So I have to question - Is this a legitimate group? Has anyone else had experience with them? Are the dogs real? Is this about funding or donations? I am completely baffled but I would seriously warn anyone who wanted to adopt a pet here to check into this group first. I am very skeptical of the whole organiation. read more

My experience with this group was as an adoption volunteer. It was not good. I am saddened, but not the least bit surprised to read negative reviews by those who adopted animals from these people. They manage to be rude via email and in person. They were completely unfriendly, lacking in leadership and social skills, somewhat unorganized and did not seem happy to be there. I believe that I attended 3 events. At one, a staff member became agitated and stressed out about something very minor. It was embarrassing to watch. Furthermore, I signed up a few times and had to cancel, due to health issues. I made it clear each time that I signed up, that any plans to volunteer must be tentative.I was told that they understood this. However, the last time I signed up for an event, over a week in advance, I was ignored. I emailed again the day before, and was ignored again. If an animal volunteer group discriminates and "fires" volunteers who have physical limitations, why is there a double standard for dogs who've experienced difficult times? I just feel fortunate that I was duped by them, like some of the well-intentioned animal lovers who've written reviews here. read more

Praises and thanks to the K-9 Lifesaver volunteers! I have had rescue dogs for over 15 years and when I moved to Annapolis, I looked into rescue groups to adopt my next dog. K-9 rescue volunteers were kind and empathetic. I adopted Max, a 2 year old overcoming heart worm and abuse. He was a great dog but 1.5 years later was diagnosed with cancer and passed suddenly. I contacted K-9 Lifesavers and they immediately worked with me and matched us with a lovely recuse to keep me and my other dog company. They are an awesome, warm, knowledgable group and works tirelessly to save lives and place animals in the proper homes. read more

I adopted my dog Lucy from K-9 Lifesavers a few weeks ago at a Petco adoption event in Annapolis, MD. I couldn't be happier with how nice and hjelpful they were answer all the questions we had about our little Lucy. The volunteers were all very knowledgable, helpful and kind. They followed up a week after we had taken Lucy home with us to make sure we were doing well. I can't say how thankful I am that I came across this rescue organization. We love our little puppy sooo much! read more

This rescue group maybe okay, but if you deal with Elizabeth then you will get bad attitude sarcastic responses to your questions about the dog your trying to adopt. Be prepare to deal with a bad attitude!! Elizabeth is the reason why people buy and not adopt!! If, she is in charge then I feel sorry for the pets!! No dog will find a home!!! Ps this lady has no clue how we treat our dogs the dog that recently died from bone cancer also had cushing disease so for the last year and half we been sleeping downstairs because he had to get up every few hours to let our dog pee. My current dog needs help to go to the bathroom I sleep downstairs everyday for the last year and a half on the floor or the couch for my dogs. Still doing it with my current dog. I lowered my bed for my dogs because they they liked to sleep on the bed. Hell I sleep on the couch. We currently are looking for a spinal specialist for our dog! So, Elizabeth has no clue what a good home is and her horrible personality and attitude no one is good enough to adopt her dogs. Fyi my previous dogs came from the West Coast guess what they came back with me. So, once again Elizabeth has no clue what a good home is. Were putting carpet down everywhere for our current dog building ramps for her. Once again Elizabeth has no clue what a good home is. Our dogs die of old age or cancer. We have never ever given away any of our pets. Once again Elizabeth has no ideal what she is talking about. I volunteered for 7 years helping out rescue groups I went to high kill shelters saved dogs on my own found them loving homes! Take off your blinders maybe you can see better and maybe more dogs will get placed. Ps Get Rid of Your Attitude !! read more

Had a great experience with K9 Lifesavers. I adopted my puppy (now a happy. healthy, and loving full grown dog) from them, and appreciate their thorough process, caring approach, and supportive network. read more

I worked with Grace H, a volunteer adoption counselor at K-9 Lifesavers, and am posting because I'm so appreciative of all her hard work. She spent a great deal of time interviewing us and though we were not chosen for the first dog for which we applied, she continued to follow up to suggest other dogs. In the course of our conversations/exchanges, I learned a great deal about k-9 lifesavers' thorough process and the on-going post adoption support they provide and was extremely impressed with this all volunteer organization. Although I'm currently expecting to adopt an older dog through a breeder (given that there are few rescue dogs available that meet my allergy constraints), if that falls through I will definitely be back in touch with Grace. I'm very thankful for the good work she and her colleagues do! read more

I can't say enough great things about K-9 Lifesavers, I have several friends that have adopted thru the rescue and all have happy and healthy dogs! I haven't myself adopted from them yet, but have been working closely with a few of their adoption coordinators and fostering as much as I can to help out, in the hopes that when we are ready we will give a puppy a forever home as well! read more

If I could give negative stars I would. It was an awful experience. am deeply disappointed and saddened by K9 Lifesavers. My family was vetted, previously visited the dog, and was approved to adopt that dog. Today we called to confirm that the dog was still available and was granted the adoption. So we drove over an hour to pick her up. Upon arriving we were rudely met by the manager who said we cannot adopt the dog because we no longer had the rights to her. We explained what we were told and she refused to listen and would not honor their verbal agreement. We were then told the woman would be reprimanded for what she told us originally. But instead the volunteer lied about us to her boss so we couldn't get the dog. They never once tried to make things right. We all had to take off work, drive an hour, only to have this happen! I'm an ASPCA lifer, I love dogs, my family and I have many recommendations, even from other rescue places and vets. So I am once again deeply disappointed in this place. read more

I adopted from this rescue last year, it was a wonderful experience. The dog initially displayed serious resource guarding and my other dog was frightened of her. Called the rescue, they put me in contact with their behavior specialist who coached me how to deal with this behavior, and to give it a little time, but if it didn't work out they would refund me and take the dog back. Well just as she suggested, the dog quickly adjusted and she became of beloved member of our household. Over the past several months I have been volunteering for them, attending adoption events, getting to know what goes on behind the scenes a bit. These people are true dog lovers. They go beyond just working adoptions. They are caring for the dogs who don't get adopted too quickly or not at all. I've seen dogs dropped off by owners at the event, no longer wanted or owners can't care for them anymore, and watched the staff of K9 have tears in their eyes as they discuss where, how this dog will be cared for while they find a suitable home. Some of them have multiple and I mean MULTIPLE rescue dogs they are caring for in their homes. They do their absolute best to find these sweet animals a home. I am amazed and proud to be a volunteer for this organization. read more

My boyfriend and I recently adopted an Australian Cattle Dog Mix Puppy from K-9 Lifesavers. I am writing this review to caution others when deciding to adopt through this particular agency. Originally, I had thought that K-9 Lifesavers was a very reasonable organization - short written application, a quick phone interview, a home visit, and very nice people. We were kept very well informed when one of the puppies, in the litter that our dog was adopted from, had been infected with Parvo - a deadly puppy disease. After being assured on numerous occasions of our potential puppy's health, and after agreeing ONLY to adopt a HEALTHY puppy, we brought him home on a Monday. The same week on Wednesday we were off to the vet's office and were sent home with $150 worth of 4 types of medication and the knowledge that the previous caregivers (veterinarians and foster parents included) had administered the normal puppy vaccines too close together, and had incorrectly treated our dog for a host of normal puppy diseases, causing them to recur. Additionally, he was diagnosed with Giardia, a disease which affects absorption in the small intestines and therefore growth, which has an incubation period of 5-7 days. We returned to the vet on Saturday, when noticing that our puppy's hair was falling out from a section on his tail. This added an additional medication and $160 of vet bills for testing. I reached out to our adoption agent (a very helpful volunteer), who had assured me of a healthy puppy, on the same Saturday of the second vet visit - DAY 5 of puppy ownership. I was met with a "can-do" attitude, that the agency should be understanding of this situation. However, when I met with the founder and president of the agency, who I went out of my way to meet at one of their adoption events, she was very rude and basically told me that I was naive to assume that my dog would have been healthy. She said that if the dog was returned to the agency my adoption fee would be refunded but none of the vet bills would be recouperated. Since sending him back was never an option, I asked if any of the subsequent vet bills could be reimbursed and I was met with an absolute "NO". Feeling insulted, I walked away from this situation, finding it inappropriate to disturb the rest of the attendees at their event. Since this encounter, my boyfriend and I have decided to move on from this situation, continuing to assimilate our puppy as a member of the family, but to warn others of the poor service that we received from K-9 Lifesavers. We had hoped to join the family of other happy adopters in bringing a new friend into our home. And while we love love LOVE our new puppy, we hope that others will use this information to make sure that they adequately prepare for the adoption by asking even more questions than we did. read more

We just adopted our puppy almost 4 weeks ago now from K9 lifesavers. The adoption process was easy and everyone was I worked with was very knowledgeable and helpful. They make it convenient for you to meet dogs and since we applied for a specific dog they were actually able to bring the puppy from his foster to one of their adoption events which was great. The puppies are very well taken care of in their foster homes and have routine vet visits. We love our little guy and if we ever want another dog in the future we will definitely look at K9 lifesavers first. read more

I can't believe it took me this long to write a review for this awesome organization! My husband and I adopted Rusty, our beloved bassador, three years ago from K-9 Lifesavers and had a wonderful experience with them. They answered many of our questions over the phone and via email about various dogs we were interested in, and sent someone to our condo to make sure we, and our place, was fit for owning a pet. They never made us feel pressured, which was nice. I went to the adoption event and, as fate would have it, saw Rusty there even though we were told another couple was supposed to adopt him (turns out they picked another dog--their loss!). The volunteer had me take him for a walk around to see how he was with me on his leash but I knew as soon as I saw him he was meant to be with me. They talked to me about how to crate train, what type of food would be best for him, etc. I felt comfortable with the process the entire time. Overall, K-9 Lifesavers is a wonderful organization and I am forever grateful to them for helping my husband and I find the love of our lives :) read more

This is a great group of people who really care about the dogs and do their best to make sure the adoption is the right fit for everyone. The dogs seem to be really well-cared for and loved; they will also be honest if a dog has a quirky temperament or would do better in a certain type of home. Don't be shy to ask lots of questions. They will help you as much as they can and don't pressure you to commit if you are not ready. read more

Update: The director called, & I feel like she listened to my concerns about the process and the manner of the one volunteer. I know it's all volunteer, & I think it's great that they are able to rescue & rehome so many pooches, but I hope they will be able to centralize applications & work it so people are generally approved & meet the dog for being able to apply for a certain dog. If an adoption event is public, the dogs at the event should be eligible for any applicant. But, thanks for listening to my feedback! read more

I had a very negative experience with this organization a few years ago. I fell in love with a puppy on their website and, after a lot of soul-searching and research, decided to pursue her adoption. I made it clear that I was looking for a small- to medium-sized dog and they knew that I was a first-time dog owner. I asked many questions, many of which went unanswered. This was the first RED FLAG, but love is blind as they say, and I was already invested. The puppy was scheduled to arrive on transport from North Carolina during my spring break, which would have been perfect because I would have had time to be home full-time and get her into routine. But two weeks before, I received an email that she would be arriving ... tomorrow! I was not at all prepared, so had to rush around and get supplies, etc. When the puppy arrived, she had been in the van for 9 hours without even a potty break, and ended up having a urinary tract infection -- not helpful for potty training! She was much bigger than I had been told and was clearly going to be a large dog. She had not been socialized at all, was not crate trained, had a strong prey drive with my cats, and refused to pee outside. Basically, she was a mess. I emailed my contact person, asking for support, but was given none. After 9 days of pure hell for me and my cats, I decided that this was not a good match for me. I was told there was a family who could take her immediately, so as bad as I felt, I knew it was the right decision for both of us. Afterwards, I emailed asking for a refund of the $355!! adoption fee, but was told absolutely not. This was my decision and the money was nonrefundable. I could adopt another dog from them -- as if I would want to! -- but that was that. I was able to write it off as a taxable donation, but still. The organization is unprofessional, lacking knowledge, and unsupportive. read more