I'm so impressed with this animal shelter and how well it is run and loved by the community. We…read morestopped this weekend to drop-off a bit of everything on their wishlist. I was surprised to see so many other cars in the parking lot. There was another family dropping off donations, and a family who was picking-up a new member of their family, a well cared for dog. There were also three teens who were cleaning the cat kennels in a separate room. The main room is open where there is a couch, fireplace, laundry room and office with cat kennels and four large, dog kennels surrounding the room. The animals all looked relaxed - the small to medium size dogs were excited, the kittens were play fighting and adult cats were either sleeping or chilling. There was also another room that housed 8 large dogs, and they all had a nice, cozy place to sleep, plenty of room to walk around and fresh food and water. On each cage, there were notes about the dogs, like "hard toys only", "keep in kennel, jumped over cage", etc. The third room housed more cats. It was small, and the smell was a bit over-powering, but the teens were busy cleaning each cage. The cats looked content and cared for. The entire facility is clean and well maintained. There are also kennels outside with tarps covering the tops to protect the dogs from sun and rain when they are let outside while their kennels are being cleaned. From the extra blankets, netting, fencing and wood boards, the care-givers have gone out of their way to keep the dogs from being able to escape or take nips at each other which I image happens when dogs get bored or playful. They all had several toys in their kennels too, as did all the cats. The volunteers at the shelter are very friendly, the board member present gave us a tour, answered all our questions, allowed us to wander the facility freely, and let us adore the animals at our leisure. I admired their system for organizing the food by expiration dates and mixing them to prevent the dogs from getting used to one and getting sick, if introduced to something different. They also have a system for letting the cats out of their cages to play and enjoy the room either during the day or night. From the amount of good sized kennels, towels, blankets, litter boxes, cat beds, toys and food, the community does its part in chipping in to keep this place going strong. They have a website and facebook profile. The VP on the board who was there that day was very gracious, welcoming, extremely nice and personable and could not thank us enough for our donations. It was also nice to learn that the members of the board are experienced animal rescuers and professionals in the community. We look forwards to working with them in the future.

I was searching for the perfect dog and I came across Lucky Star Cavalier Rescue. They rescue…read moreCavalier King Charles puppies and dogs along with helping other breeds out of a horrible life after being born into puppy mills. I went on the site and saw pictures of the Cavaliers that were up for adoption. They were really so cute that I google this breed and fell in love with them. So I applied to foster a dog and about a week later they called and told me that they had just found out about this puppy mill in MO that had been shut down and they were driving there to pick up 20 dogs and puppies. So they needed fosters right away. I drove to Indiana and picked up the dog (puppy) that I was fostering. Her name was Fergie and she was 6 months old and in perfect health. Well, of course I knew I was going to fail at being a foster because the second I met Fergie...I knew she was mine. So about a week after I was fostering her I finally broke the news to Lucky Star that I was going to adopt Fergie. The whole process was very easy and what a great feeling to know she was rescued away from a bad life. They pay all the vet bills for being fixed, a complete check up, all their shots and teeth checked. They do ask for a donation when you adopt. But they do have alot of vet bills as some of the dogs that come out of puppy mills aren't always healthy because they were so abused. A small cost for saving the life of a beautiful, snuggable, kissable puppy. I want to rescue a bunch more, but I am at the limit of two dogs right now. Check them out at http://www.luckystarcavalierrescue.org/ and they will melt your heart too.

I fostered 2 Chihuahuas from them for almost a month and when I adopted and paid my fees, things…read morewhen bad with dogs! They were very loving home alone with me but if anyone mainly my small grandchildren came in they snapped and lunged at kids, only had the girls 10 days after adoption and returned them for the safety of my grands! I asked about a refund and was told no!! So they double adopted them and doubled their money!! Mary was rude and told me me nothing was wrong with the dogs behavior I dont appreciate the comment, sounds like she is calling me a liar!!!

I am a regional director for a breed specific dog rescue. I've helped many dog rescues find good…read morehomes for this breed. I know what kind of home is good for the breed. I reached out to MARY, the rescue manager to help with Cheeto. It takes a few days and planning to find the right home. Mary FALSELY accused me of lying to her. She does not fully listen; instead, she has a tendency to be reactive quickly which hinders he ability to comprehend. She is extremely rude. I had a good home, but by then, I did not trust that she wouldn't be rude to these very responsible adopters. I wish I had read reviews about this rescue, most specifically about Mary. RUDENESS by MARY is a common complaint. Jennifer was very nice, but unfortunately, Mary is the manager and the face of this rescue. This is not a dog rescue I would recommend.

We love cats and currently we have 2. We don't need anymore, but we sure like petting and making…read morefriends with other cats. When i first arrived here at cats haven for the open house, I was impressed with the number of cats roaming around the yard and house. These cats are all older and some were injured or crippled. They all seem so friendly and appear to be well taken care of. A caged area out back let's the indoor cats get outside through a clever ramp system. Without this shelter, many of the cats would be euthanized because of their disabilities. It seems like an awfully big responsibility to care for some of these cute little critters, but I understand the passion that makes it all work. This place works mainly from donations and if your a cat lover like me, you need to get in here and see the great things going on and give them a hand.

Most of us are familiar with our local county animal shelters, but I had never heard of Cats Haven…read moreuntil volunteering with a group of friends. Cats Haven is Indianapolis' oldest no-kill, free-roaming cat sanctuary. It cares especially for elderly cats or those with special needs (missing limbs/eyes, genetic disorders, etc). I would estimate in this three-story house they have at least 100 cats. {Did my fact checking - on its website, it says 300 cats are in its "network" - meaning living in the shelter or in a foster home or feral cat colony in the community). They do adopt some cats out who are well enough to be adopted out, but for most of the felines, this is the place they will live out their days in comfort, basking in the sunlight or by the fireplace. For awhile, it kept its location a secret in an effort to prevent midnight drop-offs of unwanted cats {they do not take cats from the public}. Now it seems the address is more public, largely because it is in greater need of donations. Its most recent fundraiser was the Purr-Fect Cup Cat Cafe. It looks like it is hoping to introduce more of the community to its work in the coming year. Cats Haven has an open-door policy, and anyone can drop in during business hours. Fair warning: the place VERY much smells like cats {what do you expect - there are cats everywhere} but I am impressed with the quality of the facility and how dedicated its staff is. I hope Cats Haven will see continued success!

we got our Maltese from Companions Forever. She is precious. She is beautiful. We are so pleased…read morewith her. I wish we could've taken her brother Billy because he is just as precious and beautiful as our little girl it breaks my heart because that Billy is a sweetheart, and they are so smart and so well kept we are so happy with our baby whoever gets Billy is gonna be so lucky

https://www.undertheweatherpet.com/blogs/under-the-weather/ivdd-in-french-bulldogs-recognizing-signs…read moreand-seeking-care

The Boone County Humane Society does a great job of engaging in the community to place dogs and…read morecats. The organization has assembled a good network of homes to foster dogs and cats until permanent homes can be found. The fostering experience helps the pets adjust to normal home environments so that they have the best chance of transitioning to a forever homes. The organization is a private non-for-profit that is run mostly by volunteers. We regularly donate to support the efforts. They frequently bring adoptable dogs to events such as local farmers markets. This weekend they brought about a dozen dogs to the Zionsville Farmers Market. Foster parents were on hand to let potential owners know the dog's names, age and history. They offered a great selection of young small and large dogs. We are exploring getting a dog to join our aging 17-year old Yorkie. Interacting with the assorted dogs was a good experience and helped us decide on next steps. Adoption fees range from $75 to $300, depending on the dog.

They are currently only allowing visitors by appointment only. If you fill out the form online to…read morerequest a meet and greet with a dog/cat of your choice they will respond fairly quickly. The kennels are very large and clean and the animals seem very well cared for. Theres a large fenced yard for the dogs to run around safely. There is a couple who volunteer/work there, they are super friendly and great with the animals. Unfortunately I don't remember their names but you could tell they truly care about the animals. The female even flagged us down as we left to let us know there was a freeway closure since they knew it was on our way home. Super nice people. The shelter seems to have more of a variety of dogs, not just the usual pitbulls you see at shelters. Definitely keeping an eye on their website for available dogs.

They do a good job for a work that needs to be done. I…read moreappreciate so much the help they gave me with a stray pet that I'd found, but couldn't keep. The adorable fur baby was reunited with its human. I will be throwing some support their way here and there when I can.

the staff here is so friendly and kind . brought my pomeranian here to get her shots updated and to…read morebe microchipped . i was seen as soon as my appointment was set to start. the vet checked to see if i had any follow up questions or concerns . i like they have fenced in areas for animals to roam . as well as a dog trail for walks . on the inside they also had cat/dog treats . this is going to be my go to now for yearly shots

We are fostering for this rescue and having an awesome experience! Kelsey has been super helpful…read moreand answers all our questions. Lindsey, one of the volunteers who also lives in our neighborhood, put us on to Tipper. She is an absolute gem. She has the best house manners and looks super healthy. You can tell she has been very well cared for. I would definitely foster their dogs again.

Honestly I understand what they are doing, and the idea is great. But they are not the ones who…read moreshould be doing it. First, the location is behind a house, so it feels a little sketchy. Second, once inside the actual building for the animas, it's pretty gross. It truly feels like a few people got together and had an idea and decided to go for it in an old building and some fencing. Also, the lady who "talked" to us was quite rude. Maybe she was having a bad day, but still. All in all, I would much rather see these animals go to an actual shelter, be advertised more, and truly given a fighting chance to get into a good home. I can't see it being here.

Horrible process for adoption..Nothing like the previous owner.They never ever answer the phone nor…read morereturn calls . Twice they gave away pup dogs i had choosen.Would NOT recommend this place..Seems very unorganized and they ignore people's calls messages and adopt dogs to other people

I have volunteered here for a few months waking dogs and love it. So good for the dogs and really…read moremakes my whole day every time I get the chance. There should be a disclaimer that if you volunteer to walk, you WILL want to adopt at least one of the dogs.

The process is simple: you arrive and check out the dogs/cats that are available from…read morerescues/shelters around the state; find one and play with them; fill out the paperwork and pay $30; and you're on your way with a new pup. I can see how this can be an issue for those that are cautious about ensuring that the animals are going to a good home, but on the flip side, it's a great event that helps to find permanent houses for most of the animals (just an assumption). This year, I went on both days. The first day I arrived 2ish hours after they had opened and nearly all of the pups were gone that were what I was looking for. I wanted to go back the next day to check it out, thinking that more pups would have been brought in - not the case at all. Cats were still in abundance both days. I got there right on time and they had nearly no new dogs from the last time. Sadly, there were all nearly Pits too. Even worse, my apartment complex doesn't allow Pits. I love the idea but hope that next year, even more dogs are brought in on the 2nd day so they can find their forever homes. The volunteers are great too. They usually didn't know most of the answers to the questions you had because they were simply volunteers, so that might be something to improve on next year. Instead of having the volunteers taking you and your possibly furry friend to the "meet and greet" stations, have one of the staff members from the shelters/rescues there so that you can get your questions answered while you're getting to know them. That was one major flaw I had. Every question I had wasn't able to be answered. Big props to the volunteers though!

THIS IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL EVENT…read more I cannot stress enough that if you are looking for a cat or dog, GO TO INDY MEGA. I would highly suggest going earlier in the event too because animals get adopted quickly!!! All the adoptable animals are up-to-date on vaccines, spayed/neutered, and microchipped. They cost $30 for adoption and they are ready to go to their furrever homes!! A lot of the shelters too offer vets that give free wellness checks or 30 days of free pet care insurance. (FYI: most vets will give you a free first visit if you adopted from a shelter). DOGS: One thing that I do want to caution about: A lot of the dogs are pitbulls or pit bull mixes. I have NOTHING against Pits; I love them. What I want to specifically bright to light is that a lot of these dogs had to go to an only pet home and were not good with kids. As a cat lady, this doesn't really work with my family. There a lot of other dogs who are not like this but I just want people to know this because there are a lot of dogs who need some love in a single pet/no kid home. I KNOW there are people out there who can do this for these animals. I heard that all the dogs got adopted except one the last time this event was held. AMAZING!!!! CATS: WOW. So many cats at Indy Mega. I think hundreds and maybe thousands of cats. I came at the end of the event and was leaving when I found the MOST perfect kitten who I just knew belonged to me and needed to come home! There was only 20 minutes left in the event but I was not rushed into the decision at all. The volunteers helped me visit with the cat, listened, and helped me through the decision making process without pushing me into adopting. If the volunteers didn't know the answer to my questions, they directed me to someone who could. The adoption process of my new cat was so easy. Took about 10 minutes. The greatest part is all the stuff they sent me home with. I got coupon books for both Petco and PetSmart. I got TONS of toys and treats. They gave me some wet food and a wet food can cover. I even got a bucket for free 10 pound box of litter (so helpful) and the bucket can be reused so I can go back for more discounted litter at Petco (I think). They really set you up for success. They want these pets to go to great homes. I couldn't be more thankful for such an amazing event. Great job Indy!!! and PLEASE check this event out even if you are just considering getting a pet.