Disclaimer: I only stopped by on a whim while in the area to look at the adoptable dogs. We did not…read moreend up adopting any so I cannot speak to the adoption process. The location is a bit isolated at the end of a street where it looks like there's some illegal dumping. But the building itself and facilities were very clean. It's honestly either the best shelter I've seen or the one closest SPCA to my home is extra rundown or both... You can stop by without an appointment just to look at the animals. This place does not smell. Really! I'm used to walking in and the shelter reeks of dog or waste. I don't think I saw a single accident. These kennels are all inside. They're glass. The dogs don't immediately cry and bark for attention! They're actually calm and happy for being in a shelter. The shelter has a little bucket of treats. You can help train the dogs to be calm by giving them a treat. What a wonderful idea! The bios are pretty detailed for each animal. They also have a couple in foster care but those bios are in the hallway wall. While we were there we saw they do a schedule and put different shelter dogs together in an outdoor area to play together. Play dates! Great idea for enrichment and to help learn more about an animal. From what I saw, I wish every animal shelter was this nice and all shelter dogs could be this comfortable!

Hispanic lady with long black hair was EXTREMELY rude, if you want people to adopt your pets have a…read moregood attitude. Everyone else was a dream :)

After my Siamese Sarabi died from FIP (got her free from a "breeder", wanted to rescue her!) my…read moreheart was broken. We'd only had Sarabi for 18 months but they were loved filled. I was looking for another Siamese and happened upon a picture of a sweet grey tabby but didn't think much of it. While my husband and I were out in San Jose one day we stopped at the local pet store for some cat food for our Nala. I just by chance happened into the rescue area and there was Elisa, and "Chica" the grey tabby I saw online. Mind you, I was looking for a Siamese, however when I saw the tabby I picked her up and it was over. I turned around to my hubby and he knew, she was mine. I filled out the paperwork and went to visit/pick her up a few days later from her foster home. "Chica" renamed IzzyBelle or IzzyB (or my nickname for her was Mama) wasn't quite a year we think, small and Elisa said was a "silent meower", Elisa lied! Once Izzy settled, she never stopped talking! Sadly I lost my girl yesterday, after 8+ years (she was 9 we think) she's waiting for me on the other side, she's not in pain and she's fat and sassy like she used to be. I had a wonderful vet give me and her the chances to try and then a grace filled passing, on my shoulder tucked under my neck like she liked to snuggle in often. Once my Nala passes, our hearts are healed and the threat of any leukemia "germs" from Izzy are gone, I will be back to Unconditional Love for a new kitty friend. Please patronize rescue places, the kitty that is yours will find you, no matter what you think you want, they'll find YOU and your heart will be theirs forever. In my grief I tell you this, let a rescue come into your heart.

Having been raised in a household chock-full of pets - cats, bunnies, horses, a younger brother…read morewith ADD, and even a parakeet - my mind was set on adopting two cats of my own as soon as it was financially feasible. When that day came, I checked out Unconditional Love's website based on a friend's recommendation, and after finding out I'd be supporting a rescue group, I eagerly submitted my application. A few days later, I received a call asking if I could swing by their next adoption fair so they could show me some cats they thought would be great matches. I'm pretty sure I screamed "YES!" before Elena, the volunteer-slash-foster-mom on the other line, could even finish asking the question. Upon my arrival to the adoption fair at the Pet Food Express in Los Gatos, I quickly remembered that I suck at making decisions, especially when it comes to cute, fuzzy things. Thankfully, without my having to ask for guidance, Elena and Renee, another wonderful volunteer, introduced me to Kona (Cleo) and Ellie (Lorelei), who instantly turned my heart to mush. Unfortunately, due to extenuating circumstances, I was unable to take them home immediately. Though the weeklong wait felt like years, this time was well spent. Unconditional Love got my girls socialized, and organized their medical records, chip information, and adoption forms, making the pick-up seamless. Perhaps most importantly, they saved two cats whose lives got off to a rather rough start, and let me give them a forever home. There are no words to describe the joy, silliness and love they've brought to my life. Unconditional Love's $100 per animal adoption fee does not begin to cover what's owed for that. *And now, as an added bonus, I am going to step on my soapbox for just a moment to discuss my take on the breeders vs. rescues debate.* According to the ASPCA, between 3-4 MILLION dogs and cats are euthanized nationwide each year. The vast majority of these animals are perfectly adoptable, but due to overcrowding, they don't get that chance to find their "forever" home. If you are wanting to adopt a pet, please consider: A) rescuing instead of buying from a breeder; and B) getting your pet spayed or neutered to prevent more overcrowding in shelters. If you do, you'll save money, be more likely to get a healthy pet, and most importantly, you'll feel better because you're saving two lives - the pet you adopt and a homeless animal somewhere who can be rescued because of space you helped free up.

I adopted a cat from HHAR last year. The process was fantastic from beginning to end. My emails…read morewere responded to in a timely fashion, every volunteer I came into contact with was friendly, patient and helpful. They took the time to answer my MANY questions, both before and after the adoption. I've never had a rescue be available after the adoption to answer questions. I was offered the contact information of the foster and have been able to keep her updated. You can tell that the best interest of the individual animal is at the forefront for this organization. Thank you HHAR!

I would not recommend fostering for this rescue. Absolutely no support or communication from the…read moreperson in charge, Melissa. You are expected to provide all supplies and medical care with no reimbursement, even if you have to go to a vet. Then she adopts them out at Petsmart for $$$. Scam?

We have adopted two kittens from the HSSV located at the Petco in Saratoga. Both experiences were…read moreexcellent. This time a woman working there named Cat helped us pick out our kitten and answer all our questions. She was very sweet and knowledgeable. Wouldn't have got my baby if she had not been there to help. Thank you! Also a volunteer named Florence was great help too!

I've tried to visit twice now, both times during posted business hours (once mid-day, once evening,…read morea couple months apart) they have been closed both times. The staff at Petco knows nothing about their hours either "it says they should be open...so they should be back there" both times

The staff are caring, kind and helpful. I was able to volunteer and this led to an adoption. We…read moreadore our pup and she's been the best addition to our family!

The good: I mean---- it's an animal shelter! They take in strays and tend to hurt and abandoned…read moreanimals-. That's wonderful!!!! The animals seem well cared for and healthy. The ugh : Every time I am here I cannot see the animals for some reason. I have rarely found a helpful, friendly face at the counter. You have to check in and stand outside and wait for them to let you in. Even when no one is there, they take their time letting you in. I don't want to play into classic government employee stereotypes but they give off suspicious and unhelpful. They ask why you are there-- if you say you just wanna say hi to the animals-- you know just see some cute animals and give them some attention they seem deeply mistrustful of your visit. Last week we went and DID want to adopt (2) cats. We were there at 3:50. They close at 5. There was no one out front but we did the tedious QR code and stood there for a long while. Finally we just opened the door and peeked in. The 2 women there were visibly annoyed that we did this. There was no one waiting inside or out so why make us stand outside? We felt like this was some weird power dynamics thing. Vibes were OFF. They said it was too late to see the animals. We asked why when they were open still for a whole hour. They said they needed to tend to the animals. We didn't say anything but we thought --- then if you are essentially closed to the public, why does the sign say differently? It's not exactly a place that is on the way to anything, so we made a special trip out there. We asked if we could just look at the animals. We knew what we wanted: a bonded pair of senior cats to start our new cat fam because our older kitty just passed away. They said no, that we could only see animals until 4. I didn't say--- but thought-- well if you hadn't made us stand outside for 10 minutes we could've seen the animals. Bottom line from us: 1) deeply unwelcoming; 2) weirdly overprotective (and not in an I-adore-animals-way- more-like-it's-my-house-manner); 3) you have lots of animals- do you want them adopted or not?!?!?

When will there be another dog food give away? Even more…read morethan needing food... I would like to say what a wonderful thing ya'll have been doing. I would like to give yall a million dollars to keep helping Monterey county, but I guess you have already figured out i dont have a million $'s to give. I will feel the same even if your unable to help us at all anymore. Thank you for your love & compassion. Lorie K.

Thank you for helping me with my dog Hanky. I could have never done it without your help. you guys…read moresincerely love animals and for that, I love you.

Can't believe we got the cuddliest lap kitties here! My other cat is a cat distribution backyard…read morecat and we could not desensitize her in time. We came here last minute on a Friday and wasn't able to see any cats as they're closing. Dont go unless you have 2-3 hours before the closing time. The next day we wanted to see 2 kittens but they couldn't locate one of them and they also happened to be part of a bonded pair so we assume maybe they were adopted. We knew we wanted 2, so we asked to see 2 more kittens, and they allegedly gave my partner some attitude but let us see them. We got one free vet visit and went to VCA already, easy and great staff. They were 10 and 13 weeks at adoption, and are quickly growing and such a blessing. No fleas or ticks, both spayed and the older one with rabies shot, both began to do their other vaccine series as well.

I am extremely disappointed with my experience with San José Animal Care & Services regarding a…read morenoisy dog complaint. I invested a significant amount of time documenting the issue, maintaining a detailed log, and collecting audio evidence of the excessive barking. Despite making every effort to provide objective documentation, my complaint ultimately went nowhere. I was informed that the department could not open or review the audio files or links I provided. During a phone conversation, I attempted to play the recordings for Supervisor Flores so she could hear the barking firsthand. Instead of evaluating the obvious evidence, she complained about the noise herself and insisted she couldn't hold a conversation with the barking. Experiencing the barking first-hand only led her to give me unprofessional and rude service over the phone rather than admitting the barking established an issue. The requirement for a second petitioner was another major source of frustration. In my view, a complaint supported by detailed documentation and objective evidence should be evaluated on its own merits. Whether another neighbor is willing to sign a petition should not determine whether a documented nuisance receives attention. Their claim is that it eliminates targeting, but it does the opposite, whereas soliciting around my neighborhood would in fact create a great opportunity for targeting me. The system is backwards. Staff can read the rules off a sheet of paper but when asking the why/reasoning behind these requirements they can't elaborate. Throughout the process, I felt that staff were unable or unwilling to provide meaningful assistance or offer reasonable alternatives for submitting evidence. When I initially attempted to escalate the problem I was transferred and did not receive a call back in a timely manner after leaving multiple voicemails. I asked for the supervisors contact information, and was given the incorrect number for the Supervisor. Rather than working toward a resolution, the process felt focused on procedural barriers that prevented the complaint from moving forward. As a resident, I expect a city department tasked with enforcing nuisance animal ordinances to fairly evaluate documented complaints and provide workable methods for submitting evidence. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. I am left feeling frustrated, disappointed, and with very little confidence that the current complaint process is designed to address legitimate concerns from residents. I sincerely hope the department reviews its procedures for accepting evidence and reconsiders policies that may discourage residents from reporting ongoing nuisance issues. The current process did not leave me feeling heard, supported, or served.

I had a wonderful experience adopting from Santa Clara Animal Shelter. The staff were incredibly…read morefriendly, knowledgeable, and helpful throughout the entire process. The adoption process was quick, smooth, and easy to navigate, which made bringing home my new pup stress-free. I also appreciated that the adoption included spay services and vaccinations, showing how much the shelter cares about the health and well-being of their animals. Most importantly, I absolutely love my adopted pup! She has already brought so much joy into my life. Thank you to everyone at Santa Clara Animal Shelter for helping us find each other. I highly recommend them to anyone looking to adopt a pet.

Outstanding facility with exceptional staff and well cared for fur babes. I have visited several…read moretimes in the last few months to find that special one to adopt and bring home as my 15 year old passed a year ago. The employees have always been polite and helpful. The animals appear to be well cared for and the facility is perfect for visiting and playing with potential adoptees. I did fall in love with a puppy today, but I didn't bring her home. I need a gal that's going to be a bit bigger and older. I'm sure she will go to a good home soon. In the meantime, I will visit again and keep looking for that one.