If I could give a negative star I would. I have fostered multiple dogs back to back for this shelter but my last experience revealed a DISTURBING lack of professionalism and humanity. After providing feedback regarding a major communication discrepancy, the dog program manager acted out of spite immediately. During a phone call, Michelle W. (dog program manager) repeatedly talked over me and refused to let me finish. She continuously mispronounced my name despite multiple corrections. Even before I could finish a sentence, her final words were "you can finish but at the end of this phone call, drop off the dog at the shelter" and "I don't need to have a reason. I can ask for the dog back because I can". They attempted to force a well adjusted puppy (one I had fostered for over a month) back into a cold kennel environment as a "power trip" simply because Michelle didn't like receiving a constructive criticism. It was clear she lacked empathy for the dog's stability and was prioritizing her own authority over the animal's well being. The adoption process here is abysmal. At the adoption event, numerous potential adopters who were interested in my foster dog said that the interview process is a joke. The interviewers talked more about themselves than giving the potential family to speak. A lot of them said the interview didn't even last 10minutes. Worst of all, I witnessed firsthand they use a lottery system (that's what everybody calls it at the event). They literally pull a name out of a plastic bag to choose the final family for the dog. Lastly, I find it interesting that Dawn (the executive director) responded to my google review asking to "connect directly". During my call with Michelle, I repeatedly asked for the contact information of a supervisor. Michelle lied and told me there was nobody above and she was the final authority. While the rescue claims their decision to pull the dog was for "safety" that concern only appeared AFTER I voiced my frustrations with their non existent communication which resulted me and my foster dog to stay at the vet for over 4hours. Was the "safety" they were worried about actually the safety of their own egos? As a rescue using an animal's placement as a tool for retaliation against a foster is very very disturbing and unacceptable. This organization is not what they market themselves to be. They claim to appreciate their fosters, but their actions prove they view them as disposable and animals as leverage. If you want to support a rescue that values animal welfare and basic human decency, this is not the right place. I would stay far away from this one. read more

Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation - Animal Shelters Near Me

I cannot recommend this agency under any circumstances. My experience with this rescue was extremely disappointing, distressing, and frankly unacceptable. They have absolutely broken my heart and I was already going through hell. I was actively fostering a dog (Charcoal) and had clearly communicated my intent to adopt him. I coordinated with staff regarding timing and transportation for adoption events and explained that I was recovering from serious injuries following a semi-truck accident. Despite this, the organization removed the dog from my care under the understanding that he would be taken for a neuter appointment and temporary holding. Instead, he was placed at an adoption event the very next day and adopted out--without any notification to me. I had to physically come in to find out he was gone. When I was directed to call for clarification, both Dawn and Michelle laughed on the phone when I asked about the situation. During that same conversation, after I explained my accident, Dawn referred to it as a "terrific" situation before correcting herself and dismissively stating that "life just happens." I was also told they did not "owe me any communication," despite the fact that I had expressed clear intent to adopt and had complied with what was asked of me. This reflects a severe lack of professionalism, empathy, and basic human respect. Fosters invest time, energy, and care into these animals. To remove a dog from a foster home, adopt him out immediately, and then respond with laughter and dismissal when asked for clarity is completely unacceptable. This agency's behavior shows no regard for the wellbeing of their fosters, adopters, or even the animals themselves. Treating a 22-year-old injured student in this manner--while she is actively trying to adopt and provide a stable home--is beyond inappropriate. Do not trust this organization with your time, your money, or your care. read more

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Don't have a puppy but absolutely love them? Not sure if you have enough time to raise one? Don't worry! Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation got you! They have volunteer opportunities to walk dogs, take them on dogventures, or host them over night! I had organized a group of 12 volunteers to become certified in taking these pups out on a dogventure. These dogventures provide the pups opportunities to explore life beyond the cage. We went hiking with two dogs at Scott's Run and and another pup at Difficult Run. One of the dogs we had taking hiking was adopted one week later! I highly recommend checking out their dogventure program! I am so glad that I found this. It's a great way for both me and the dog to relax and enjoy nature. read more

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Let me just start off by saying the foster mom was amazing. My boyfriend and I expressed interest in a sweet pup who had just been posted on their website. We immediately contacted them and expressed interest in the pup and got a very quick response. The foster mom was amazing. She responded to us very quickly, gave us all of the information, and told us the pup would be present at an adoption event at petsmart. We didn't realize that it would be a raffle system on who got to interview and adopt the dog, no matter who asked to adopt the dog first. When we got to the event, my boyfriend had spoken to a woman who was quite rude. Basically sent him away from the table when he was asking a question. There were 5 other families wanting to be interviewed for this pup, some of them not having emailed the foster mom or spoken to her at all before. The organization didn't even seem to know anything about the dog or care who the dog went to. They just wanted to send him home to someone today. I could have understood if the raffle system was in place after the interviews were done and they found multiple families that fit the dogs needs. What I didn't like, was raffling off who even got to interview, especially if you had someone who expressed interest and actually spoke to the foster mom first. The event wasn't even busy and they could've easily interviewed all of us and determined who was the right fit. I highly recommend going through another rescue. Someone who actually cares about who the dogs are going to rather than raffling off the dog by putting everyone's names on a wheel. read more

This rescue is a fantastic place to fing a best friend or/and volunteer. I've been volunteering for about 6 years now and am impressed with the positiveness, professionalism, and teamwork everyone exhibits. I also adopted a dog here and he is the best! He was a stray found by the side of a road in another state with no room at their shelter. There is always something to do here. You have flexibility and are free to help out where you feel comfortable. Great volunteer opportunities! read more

I adopted my puppy Codie, a German Shepherd mix, here! My adoption process was SUPER fast, everything happened in one day, literally. I was contacted by the foster family the morning of that the puppy I was interested in was available and that I was next in line in the wait list. Shortly after, I was able to visit Codie at the foster family's home, where my mom and I fell in love! After a few questions from the foster, she said I was to be contacted for an interview after work hours, which did happen. The interviewer, Jenn, was SUPER NICE compared to other interviewers I've talked with, and extremely informative regarding puppy care and training, especially since I was a first time dog owner. Not too long after being approved, I was permitted to pick up Codie to bring home! Only cons I could think of was how my search process took MONTHS, mostly due to the fact that new dogs posted on their website were already pending for adoption by the time I email my interest. The foster mom I was talking to said that some fosters tend to reach out to their friends and network regarding adoption and then look at interested people. I don't know if this is actually true, but it does seem like it! read more

I'll start by saying I absolutely love my dog. He is the sweetest and I am so lucky to have him in our family. My second positive is in regards to the friendly, helpful volunteers that were at the Rockville Petco Adoption event. They were kind, caring and dedicated. My issue is that I spent $375 to adopt and upon taking my dog for his "routine" vet appointment 2 days later, I was faced with a $600 bill. He had severe kennel cough and diarrhea. After all the tests and IV treatment, I was worried that he wouldn't survive. Luckily things turned around. However, I contacted the rescue because I felt it appropriate to be partially reimbursed for the vet bill. The adoption fee was was supposed to entail meeting some basic needs and not handing me a severely ill dog. Upon contacting the rescue I was offered no reimbursement as an immediate response. Then offered to go all the way to Purceville VA for care from their vet. So, you want me to travel that far with my sick dog when you had your event in Rockville??? Then they offered to take him away and give him back when he was healthy. So you want to temporarily remove this poor dog while he's just started adjusting in our home?? Absolutely not. Both of these options were unacceptable. We adore him and wanted him to have the least amount of stress possible. In good faith they should reimburse me for at least a portion of the vet bill or return the adoption fee. It looks bad on their part that they accept no responsibility. Plus, I now have pre existing conditions through his pet insurance. No one should use this rescue unless you're ready to shell out at least 1K in the first week with no offer of reimbursement from the rescue. It's a reality. You will disagree if your experience was different, but please put yourself in my position before reacting. I will reiterate that we adore our dog. Thank goodness he's ok now. read more

I had a really great experience with adopting our dog, Mochi, this time last year. And she is such a joy in our lives. I emailed a few times with one of the coordinators to ask about a few of the dogs and they were always prompt to reply and very friendly. It felt a little mail-order-bride-ish seeing the dogs we had selected to meet at the event in Arlington. But it was nice to meet a few dogs and see who fit best with our energy. The volunteers are pretty amazing too...I really liked our dogs 'handler' for the day as she gave us space and cleaned up any accidents on the floor. Mochi came home with kennel cough but the vet said she was healthy besides that. During her month at LDCRF, she had been fixed and tested for heartworm, lyme disease, parasites and a host of other things. Her record showed that she weighed 10 lbs on her arrival to the shelter and when we got her she was up to 20 lbs. You have 2 weeks to decide if you want to keep the animal, after which you can still return him/her but you don't get a full refund. While I agree with some of the comments that it's a BIG rescue organization and it might be less personal to the animals and humans compared to a small mom/pop foundation, I have to say this group does a tremendous amount of good for animals that would have ended up euthanized. I almost cry to think of our Mochi not in our lives. Thank you Lost Dog! read more

Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation - Happy in her forever home :) - Animal Shelters Near Me

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I try to volunteer at least once a month handling dogs at LDCRF adoption events. It's a great way to get in some dog time, for those of us who are feeling a little pet-deprived in the city, and also a wonderful organization to work with. They hold events mainly at Petsmart locations all around Northern Virginia, including Fair Lakes (Fairfax), Manassas, Seven Corners, Leesburg, and Reston. LDCRF rescues dogs and cats from all across the eastern US, many coming out of shelters with 24-hour euthanasia policies. They then provide care for the animals indefinitely until they can find them adopted homes. I'm not sure which part of volunteering with LDCRF I like the best, the animals or the people... The dogs come from varying backgrounds and represent all breeds, temperaments, and levels of socialization, but I have never seen a dog (or cat) at an LDCRF event that I didn't feel comfortable around. The volunteers who help at the weekly adoption events are also a diverse bunch, but they all genuinely care for the animals, and I look forward to seeing familiar faces every time I go. LDCRF maintains up-to-date listings of available dogs and cats on their website (all of which have been spayed/neutered and vetted), so if you are looking to add a new member to your household I would definitely recommend taking a look there. If you see an animal on their website that you'd like to meet in person, you can request that it be brought to a specific adoption event. LDCRF also offers a two-week trial period during which you can return the animal for any reason, no questions asked. If something comes up down the road and you are unable to keep your adopted pet, they will also take them back (actually, all animals are required to keep an LDCRF tag on their collars). You can also help support the LDCRF by eating out at the Lost Dog Cafe ( http://www.yelp.com/biz/lost-dog-cafe-arlington ) or Stray Cat Cafe ( http://www.yelp.com/biz/stray-cat-cafe-arlington ), both in Arlington. All-around 5+ stars for this organization! read more

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I struggled with whether or not I want to write this but I feel like I have to warn others of my experience with this shelter. Please read this long review if you're considering this place to rescue a dog. The people I worked with from the shelter were very kind and responsive (ie answering my frenzied calls and emails outside of business hours) but it's imperative they improve their adoption processes. My experience was completely unacceptable and 100% avoidable. I adopted Daisy (aka Olive) from Lost Dog on November 30th. Her bio said she was great with other dogs and people (see picture). There was not one negative thing on her bio. My pre-screening for adopting her consisted of filling out an application, logging on to their system at noon to basically be thrown into a dog lottery, then a 10 minute screening call. During the call, I stressed that I have an apartment and am on the 16th floor with no yard. I was assured Daisy is a sweet dog that loves other dogs and people. I was told I was approved for her adoption and jumped in my car to go meet her. When I arrived at the adoption event, I met with a volunteer named Sue (a true guardian angel and total doggy queen) who walked with me and Daisy around the area and chatted with me about the dog and the adoption. Honestly, thank God for Sue. She was the only person that gave me any advice that day. After that, I paid my $425 and Daisy and I were off to my apartment. I received Daisy's file post adoption which included a letter from her foster mom that she was with for 9 months. In that letter, I found out that she has bad leash manners and "her behavior can be scary if you don't know her intent" (see photo). It is shameful and disgusting the shelter NEVER shared this info with me beforehand. I never would have proceeded with the adoption had I known this. They kept saying "you never know how a dog will react to a situation". They used the foster moms letter to write Daisy's bio... the just chose what they wanted people to know about her. The first couple of days were fairly smooth but by Tuesday I realized she was becoming more and more aggressive towards dogs and people. She lunged, barked, and growled at anyone that came near her. It was awful but she was so sweet just her and I in my apartment. I called a dozen different trainers, made a deposit for her to attend a $4k camp, talked to various dog experts, and bought all types of products to hopefully curb her aggression. I tried training her as well with simple commands like sit and stay. By the end of the week, she had attacked another dog (fortunately they are fine) and I knew I couldn't keep her here. When I took her back, I immediately saw a change in her demeanor. She was so happy to be back at the shelter. Upon her surrender, I messaged her foster to tell her about the situation and she told me Daisy had 24/7 dog door access. This is yet another thing I had no idea about. I would never adopt a dog that's used to having a yard to run in. I know there are people that have had good experiences with this shelter but there are also plenty others that have had negative experiences with them, just read some of the Yelp reviews. They do not do a good job at vetting adopters at all. They are not forthcoming with vital information. This was one of the most heartbreaking weeks of my life and everything that happened could have been avoided had they been honest and diligent from the getgo. read more

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I adopted my cute little cat from this shelter and it was just an amazing experience!! read more

Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation - My cat. - Animal Shelters Near Me

No words. Um. Dog was supposed to be 2. Is 6months, a puppy. Dog was supposed to be good with cats. False. DOG WAS IN HEAT when they gave me her? Giant prolapsed vagina. Felt bad didn't realize how bad it was. But the heat may have been bleeding from a dog having been with her because it had only come right from Georgia shelter a few days before. They know nothing. So hopefully on Monday I won't have to get her an abortion?!!! They would take the dog back, but the reviews about their kennels are so bad, I just can't. So I will take the dog to the vet on Monday for tests. She needs prolapse surgury 1500. She's a lucky dog because I can do it but it's not right. The people never called my references or my vet. Horrible. The worst is being yelled at by them and never getting a call. SO UNPROFESSIONAL. read more

We adopted two wonderful cats from LDCRF! We appreciate the foster families who get to know the animals and their personalities, as well as making recommendations for how they get along with other animals and people in your current living situation. We were super careful, and went to several adoption events to get to know our cats. When we were ready, the paperwork was reasonable and not expensive. The contract language that others have complained about is about relying on LDCRF if your living situation changes and it becomes too difficult to care for your pet. read more

I love my dog he is so sweet loving and crazy he is perfect for my family. When we adopted our dog it seemed kinda sketchy they forgot his full health records. We said it's no problem we can go pick it up they told us no they will electronically send us them but we were only sent half. Two days after adoption we noticed our dog still had stitches from being neutered in we were never told. I emailed and called waiting days for a response and all we got was "they should be out soon". I asked if they would take them out or take the bill since they were due to be removed when the dog was still theirs but they told us that they will not pay for anything post adoption. Great dogs but lack of information seems like they care more about the money than the dogs. read more

My fiance and I were very interested in a dog that was put on the website in early January so we immediately reached out to the foster mom, scheduled a time to meet the dog, and absolutely loved her. The foster mom was amazing! The dog would only be up for adoption the following weekend; however, that weekend we went the end of their weekly event just to get a feel for the adoption process. I was going to be out of town the following weekend when my fiance was going to adopt the dog, so we wanted to see if we could talk to someone this weekend so that we could both be there. We understood that other families may be interested and we would still have to attend the following weekend -- we were just looking for information; however, the people were so rude. They essentially told us they didn't even know which dog we were talking about (because they didn't give us a chance to share her name) -- rather they just cut us off and told us it was pointless to come in that day as the dog wasn't available that weekend. Just because you are a part of the rescue does not mean you need to unnecessarily display an utter disrespect for people. Regardless, my fiance came the following weekend and a total of 3 families (including us) were interested in the dog so they decided to do a drawing! All the while, one family was holding the dog, not letting us nor the other family near it. As it turns out, that family's "name was drawn." Not only was this process unnecessarily emotionally stressful, the people were rude and it was incredibly frustrating. We will never look at this rescue again. Why let us meet the dog for an hour, fall in love with it and then do a simple drawing to determine the owner. We would have much preferred both a first come first serve process AND NICE PEOPLE! read more

Like other reviewers, I love my dog that I adopted through Lost Dog, but I am not a fan of this shelter and would not recommend it. Lost Dog decided not to neuter or spay their animals during COVID, reversing their previous policy. I can understand it's difficult to get appointments during this time with non essential businesses closed, but they do not offer any reduction to their adoption fees, which are already outrageously high. Instead they offer a $200 certificate for their vet in Purcellville (which you have to pay $200 dollars for, it's not included). It's $425 to adopt a potentially non-spayed or neutered puppy, $625 with their spay/neuter certificate. Additionally, I paid for a number of vaccines the puppy still needed the same week I adopted. Honestly a ridiculous amount that I won't ever do again. The adoption process is also first come first serve, I was never asked any questions about my history of owning dogs, my living arrangement, or the responsibility of owning a dog. It seemed like they were trying to get dogs off their hands as quickly as possible. Owning a puppy is never cheap, but owners can start off on a better foot when adoption fees are not so extraordinarily high. I recommend the SPCA which does not charge nearly as much and will make sure your pet is neutered or spayed. read more

Do I have an unbelievable story for you.... Adopted a "kitten" from Lost Dog. Two Lost Dog reps were present along with a volunteer. We were told that the cat was about 10 months old and in perfect health except for a little runny nose. Come to find out from our vet the next day that the "kitten" is 6-8 YEARS OLD. She is missing almost all of her teeth and the teeth she does have left are rotten. If anyone had looked at her teeth, they would have known that she is FAR from a kitten. Additionally, she has an upper respiratory infection, scars, unexplained bald spots, and opaque spots in her eye. Lost Dog either blatantly lied to us or is just THAT incompetent. Either way, it shows what an irresponsible organization this is as well as how harmful and neglectful it is of its animals. It took us adopting the cat and taking her to the vet for her to get the attention she so desperately needed. Needless to say, this ordeal caused an IMMENSE amount of grief and heartache when we had to return her since we are not at a point in our lives where we can take on an ill elderly cat. Not the first time this has happened with Lost Dog. This rescue needs to be seriously looked at and reviewed. Animals are suffering and adopters are being defrauded. read more

We have had Cookie, our Jack Russell Terrier mix, for two weeks now and we absolutely love her. She was one of the Chip pups named Doritos and came home with us at a healthy 9 pounds, 9-weeks-old. Her brindle coat and puppy stature get all the attention from people, which she takes in politely. She is almost done with potty-training and making improvements on how to heel on the leash. Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation (LDCRF) are wonderful people. I highly recommend anyone considering adopting a rescue dog/cat to go through them. They are dedicated, proactive, efficient, and most importantly, put the well-being of the pets first. Every weekend, they have adoption events at Petsmarts scattered across the DMV area. Potential adopters have a chance to meet the animals and talk to staff, volunteers, and foster parents. If they are completely sure about it (and believe me, the staff will check!), they fill out an application then go through an interview before taking their pooch/kitty home that day, on the spot. Three things that put me at ease were: (1) the health of the pets, (2) transparency, and (3) the thorough adoption process. All dogs and cats were happy and healthy; they had their first round of shots and were spayed/neutered. The staff shared all information about the animal including medical records, the parents (if known), how the animal came to the shelter, how it is doing in the foster home, pre-existing health conditions (if any), behavioral or psychological issues (if any), etc. In return, they made sure adopters were ready/capable of owning a pet and that it was a good match between adopter and animal. By being professional all the way, I felt comfortable knowing the pets came from and were going to the right places. We have renewed hearts for rescues, because of LDCRF's great work. Our Cookie is a lot of love as well as work, but we would go through everything again for her! read more

I have adopted from Lost Dog before, and I have fostered with them before. I also used to volunteer at their events. They are very well-organized, have many different adoption events, and they're good at answering questions about the many different animals they have available for adoption. However, the long and short of my complaint with Lost Dog is if you adopt an animal and there is a problem, it is YOUR problem. Here's one example (of several) I have. My boyfriend and I fostered this wonderful dog, and the family that adopted it had to pay out the nose to fix a malignant tumor discovered only a few weeks after the adoption. When I was later at an adoption fair, I asked the woman sitting at the table whether Lost Dog was willing to take the animal back for free in that situation, or whether their vet would work with the family to reduce some of the costs. I was honestly just asking for the information, not because the family (or I) was upset. The woman pretended to be distracted by a movement behind me during the middle of our conversation to avoid answering the question. Um, yes, I'm still standing right here, five feet in front of you! I emailed about it twice as well, and no one responded. Adoption fairs with adorable puppies are fun and fabulous, but if that puppy has a health issue (FYI ours still pees like a girl because it was neutered far too early, per our vet), good luck getting help from Lost Dog. Their goal is to get the animal out the door. This is sad especially because many of the people who need to return animals or deal with issues aren't doing it because they're ignorant or not willing to do the work - they need genuine help from an organization that has the resources and claims to care. read more

Lost Dog Rescue is the best. We have two Lost Dogs, and have volunteered with Lost Dog Rescue frequently. First, yes, Lost Dog Rescue is basically a no-kill rescue effort of last resort. They go to crisis situations and rescue dogs and cats. That is why they are so cool. They rescued hounds that had had their kennel burn down around them. They rescue dogs from puppy mills. They rescue dogs from other terrible situations. Yes, that means some of the dogs are not pure bread perfect dogs - but they are wonderful loving dogs. You can spend a lot of time with a prospective dog at an adoption event. Lost Dog Rescue offers a two week trial period. If for any reason you and the dog dont work out, bring it back. No questions asked. Just bring it back. Lost Dog Rescue works through the use of a tremendous amount of volunteers. They have a great staff. They have some regular volunteers who are fantastic. And they have some volunteers who - well - dont know what they are talking about; they are just dog loving volunteers after all. Make sure you talk to an actual Lost Dog Manager if you have any issues. They are at every event, and they will talk to you. Lost Dog does not sell dogs and cats. Period. There is an adoption fee that covers the farm where the dogs stay and the medical expenses. The dogs and cats (and other animals) are kept at a farm. The farm is regularly open to the public for events - sort of alumni events where the dogs go running about. Lost Dogs gets dogs that they do not necessarily know much about. They create a file on each dog and will tell you what they know. But they will tell you (and they tell their volunteers this) that they dont know everything, and what they do know is based on short term observations, and observations of their volunteers and their fosters. They may not have complete records because there was no records from where a lot of these dogs came from. Lost Dog has been in operation for over a decade. They have adopted out 1000s more dogs then the local shelter and other groups, because Lost Dog was willing to work hard and set up adoption events that others are just now following. Lost Dog has a large network of volunteers, fosters, and supporters. They have been expanding because they are effective at getting unwanted dogs adopted. They got dogs out to prospective owners, while the animal shelter just waited till people came to them. Finally, in the Arlington adoption events, there is usually a wait list to volunteer - because Lost Dog is such a great group, they garner tremendous support from the community. read more

My husband and I are proud to be supporters of LDCRF. We have volunteered, fostered, and adopted through their amazing organization. We have them to thank for our forever dog, Chelsea, a beautiful greyhound-pointer mix that they rescued from a shelter in WV over a year ago. Before we adopted, we met with several organizations in the area. Although we were approved for other adoptions, I did not reach a comfort level until working with LDCRF. Their volunteers are friendly, dedicated, and truly good people. In no way did I feel interrogated when we were interviewed in the adoption process, as was the situation with some other groups. LDCRF fosters and event volunteers treat and train their dogs and cats as if they were their own family - with love and TLC - so they are best prepared to be matched with a forever home. LDCRF saw the loving potential when they rescued Chelsea as a dirty, underweight stray. Two year old Chelsea recently passed the Canine Good Citizen Test, and we plan to work with her to be a therapy dog. Over the past year, she has brought us so much love, joy, and laughter, and we are so grateful to have worked with LDCRF to give her a forever home. read more

I don't have experience with trying to adopt from here but I really like volunteering here. Management/directors are really responsive and constantly check in on their volunteers. read more

I got my year-old Chihuahua mix from these fine people. I came to an event at the PetSmart in Seven Corners. Lo and behold, I found the little furry love of my life on that fateful day. His medical history shows that he was a weak little puppy and had kennel cough and I think pneumonia--which is bad enough for a dog, but downright deadly for a teeny tiny one. They took good care of him though, because when we got him he was a healthy, happy, bouncy little guy. He has had absolutely zero health issues since. The one thing is that he is very attached and I believe has anxiety. I think this is common in many rescue dogs--and probably amplified by the fact that he's a small breed. He's quite timid around other dogs, but loves people. Thanks Lost Dog! read more

We fostered three dogs through LDCRF in 2016 and were very pleased with the care and support of the volunteers and staff. It's clear that LDCRF cares greatly about finding animals the right home whether it's one with/without another furry companion, one with/without children, an experienced dog owner/a first time owner, etc. They are very understanding to the needs and wants of families as well as the animals they rescue. The volunteers who conduct interviews with potential adopters really do a thorough job of going over the process and the adventure that families are about to undergo. If you are looking for a group to foster with, LDCRF is definitely one you should consider - they have an awesome community of volunteers that are always willing and ready to help each other out. They also make attending adoption events super fun. It's been wonderful to get to know other foster families as well as the animals that LDCRF has taken in. read more

I can't say enough good things about this organization. I adopted my dog as a puppy from them in 2008. When he got into a scuffle with my other dog in 2011, they worked with me to find a trainer for him and helped identify other solutions to keep him in my home. He's still with me five years later! Their volunteers are helpful and friendly, and their policies are some of the most reasonable in the the Washington DC area. They let you have a two-week trial adoption to make sure things are going to work out, and if for some reason you can't keep the dog, they will work with you to find a better fit. Their adoption events are numerous and convenient, and they adopt out 40-50 dogs and cats each weekend so have always have new animals coming in. I give this organization my heartiest recommendation. read more

Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation - Parker, whom I adopted in 2008 - Animal Shelters Near Me

One of the rudest and most unprofessional groups of people I've ever dealt with, the individual named Kathy who handles dog adoptions was particularly nasty. Most of those involved with animal rescue are decent and likable people, sorry I can't say that about Lost Dog and Cat Rescue. I wanted to adopt a dog who was being held in the Jesup, Georgia animal shelter, I saw her picture on the Freedom Bridge Animal Rescue Instagram page, who are great people by the way. When I contacted them they told me she had already been sent to Lost Dog and Cat Rescue in Arlington, VA. I immediately contacted them and everything went downhill from there. Kathy acted as if she could care less whether I adopted the dog, told me she was carrying puppies and to "check back in 3 months", I told here I would help with her expenses and would put down a deposit, nope, they didn't take deposits. When I asked her if she could just call me when the dog was ready for adoption so I could have a chance, nope, couldn't do that either. She basically treated me like I was Michael Vick trying to adopt a Pit Bull. I went over her head, got an email from an individual named a Michelle, who told me to fill out an application, which I did, and she would put "adoption pending" on the dog's record and let me know when she was ready for adoption, in 10-12 weeks. I thought everything was okay, but when the time was up and I hadn't heard anything I called Michelle, she didn't call back but instead sent me a patronizing and smarmy email telling me that the foster who was taking care of the dog had decided to keep her and that the foster always had first choice. Unfortunately, she had "neglected" to tell me that earlier. I did adopt another dog from the Swainsboro, Georgia animal shelter, with the help of Freedom Bridge Animal Rescue, who are great people to work with. I would definitely steer clear of Lost Dog and Cat Rescue unless you're a masochist, if you don't believe me, just read all the other bad reviews about them. read more

I know of three people (2 of my friends and myself) who have had bad experiences with Lost Dog. All three of our dogs (adopted at different times) had something wrong with them when we took them to the first vet appointment. One dog had heartworms, another had kennel cough ($400 bill), and mine came with a parasite that cost over $200 to treat. Lost Dog claims to take care of their dogs and treat them while they are in their care, but they just go to random shelters and sell (yes, sell) these dogs to unsuspecting adoptive owners for $295 each. The dog I got from Lost Dog also bit three people! I'm around children a lot because of my profession and I couldn't keep a dog who had a history biting people. When I brought him back and explained, through tears, why I couldn't keep him, one of the LDCRF reps said, "Why did you have to say that he bit people? Now we have to report it and we can't have him adopted by someone else." I was thinking- seriously? They really want to adopt an agressive dog again?? To make a long story short(er), I don't trust them. They don't seem to know much about the dogs they bring to their adoption events, and they are very rude when you try to explain a problem to them. read more

We adopted a dog from Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation. They failed to disclose to us that the dog we adopted has severe separation anxiety problem. We found out the hard way; our front door molding is totally destroyed; a $2,000.00 couch is totally destroyed; we cannot leave the house even for an hour. This has been the most terrible experience for us after we lost our dog of 16 years and adopted a dog from Lost Dog. When I contacted the organization, the managing director, Barbara Hutcherson, emailed me and said in her email that the dog's profile shows that she has severe separation anxiety and destructive behavior. She furthermore claims that these problems were discussed with us at the time of adoption. The papers that we signed at the time of adoption and the profile of the dog that were emailed to us by Barbara's organization do NOT mention anything about the dog's problems. Not even a word was uttered by the adoption people when during the adoption event about the anxiety or the destructive behavior. I am planning to take Lost Dog and Cat Rescue Foundation and Barbara Hutcherson to court and let the court of law decide who lied. My hope is that what happened to us will never happened to another family. Our lives have been turned upside down because our 10 year old daughter and our teenage sons are very attached to the dog. Giving up the dog is going to hurt our children emotionally. This organization has put us in an extremely difficult predicament. read more

Cannot recommend this organization. Puerto Rico pups DIED! To begin with, they do nothing to really pair a dog with their prospective owner, the "interview questions" are rushed through and not specific to proper match making. The "names out of a hat" process we ended up with was far from adequate in assuring that the right pup goes to the right family. We received a notice 2 weeks after adoptions that one of the litter mates to our pup had been diagnosed with Parvo virus and had died :( Our pup was also sick and the ensuing nightmare is one I would not wish on my worst enemy. read more

I work for an animal hospital and we have a client that adopted a puppy from Lost Dog and Cat, the client was not given medical records so we called to see if Lost Dog and Cat could fax them to us. We left a message and a few hours later a woman called back and was VERY rude! She rudely said our message was not clear and if we ever need to call back we need to be clear. She then proceeded to go on a rant about how our client may not be the person that adopted the dog, I asked her why they did not get the names of all the adults living in a house when someone applies to adopt a dog to do checks on because they need to make sure they are not adopting out a pet to someone that is not suppose to have pets, her response was that "we do not have time for that" I said well most rescues do so they can insure the well being of the animal. She responded by "well we don't have that kind of time." I was also told that everyone goes home with medical records unless Lost Dog and Cat do not have them. I ask shouldn't all the animals see a vet before you adopt them again I got the answer of "we don't have that kind of time." After that I simply said thanks for all your help and hung up. If they do not have that kind of time to ensure the well being of the animals are they really caring for them before adoption and they are not all getting medical care then they should not be running a rescue. I will NEVER adopt from them because of this experience alone and I am 100% pro rescue! read more

What a terrible adoption agency. Their screening process is a joke and they know nothing about the animals they are adopting out. We found out after we got our dog that she had a bacterial infection AND kennel cough. When contacted they claimed not to know, even though she sounded like she was hacking up a lung. They also offered no compensation. Finally, they told us she was okay with other dogs. Wrong. She is very jealous and attacks them if brought in contact. Maybe they didn't notice because she was too sick to act out when they had her. read more

I found this organization through Club Red another volunteer group. I have volunteered in several other shelters and have found this one to be the best group. They are a no-kill shelter which is great and they do rescue dogs from various other shelters that may euthanize these dogs. I started volunteering with them a little over a year ago. Their process to volunteer at events is very easy and they are extremely responsive. There are definitely a lot of volunteers so you may not be able to volunteer right away, which just shows how popular they are. Since I had a really good experience volunteering, I started fostering. A lot of the fosters are very experienced with dogs and have done wonders for some of the dogs that may need to open up or get relaxed. I must say the fosters and staff have been super helpful for me and they were very understanding when I was not able to keep the first foster. They do make sure to tell us volunteers and fosters to be very upfront about the dog's behavior so that way a potential adopter would be aware of any issues and that the adopter takes a dog home best suited for him/her. read more

Update: since leaving this review I was contacted by Susan who is on the board of Lost Dog Rescue with a nasty email and by another yelp member who was at this event and informed me a puppy in this litter died and all others adoptees were sent a notice that the other puppies may have the parvovirus virus. I believe she too posted a review on yelp. It's nice that this organization sends nasty grams if you verbalize your experience. Very happy we adopted our puppy elsewhere. read more

My husband and I stopped by an adoption event just to look at the adorable pups they had and ended up leaving with a sweet puppy. We were totally smitten with the pup and thought for sure he would fit in well with our current dog, a two year old rescue. We were assured by the volunteers that there was a two week grace period if things didn't work out. Sadly, the older dog wasn't a huge fan of sharing with the baby pup, so we contacted the rescue to return him less than 24 hours after taking him home. PROs: - super easy adoption process. We walked in and walked out with the puppy in less than an hour. - the volunteers. We met a wonderful woman who was so patient while we weighed our options and never once pushed us in either direction or seemed annoyed. The woman who helped us with our paperwork was also fantastic. The amazing volunteers we did encounter and the ease of process give it a three star rating. CONs: - the volunteers. I know I put this in the pros, but one volunteer was not the most pleasant to us when we went to return the puppy. We made arrangements to return the puppy and were told most any time was fine. We suggested early afternoon. My husband was tied up at work and honestly, it was a bit emotional to return the pup, so we got a late start getting out to drop the puppy off (we also didn't realize we'd be driving to a home 45 + minutes away). Half way there, we got a phone call from the volunteer calling him "inconsiderate" and scolding him for being late - despite my husband's apologies. I understand that we should have called but I found the volunteer's behavior to be inappropriate. - return process. We have to go an adoption event to get our refund which doesn't sound like a lot of fun after a pretty emotional experience. Needless to say, if we look to introduce another pup into our home, I don't think it will be from this rescue and I don't think id recommend them to friends given the types of people you have to interact with. read more

There are so many animal rescue groups in the area, it's hard to differentiate between them. The thing that stood out to me about Lost Dog and Cat is that they are really people-friendly and want to make the experience a positive one for adopters. It would have been so easy for me to go to a breeder to buy a dog, but I wanted to try rescue first. I was wary because I'd heard the horror stories of adopting an animal being more difficult than adopting a child, but that was absolutely not the case with Lost Dog. They clearly care about the animals they rescue, and they take the time to get them placed in the right home without being overbearing. I would recommend the organization to anyone looking for a new canine or feline family member! read more

This is the most caring, organized and professional group I have volunteered with. I am a handler, foster and adopter. Event captains review the adoption process with new volunteers at the beginning of each event. This organization makes sure to let potential adopters know about any problems whether behavioral or medical that is known about the animal. They also give a 2 week trial period and ask that you have the animal checked by your own vet during that time to identify any medical problems that may have appeared after their initial intake exam. 100's of volunteer's give up their own time each weekend to man 10 adoption events, all for the love of animals. read more

I love this rescue. You can tell that they really care about the animals. I love that I am able to go every weekend and love on the animals. read more

Let me start this by saying that my experience with the foster parents associated with this rescue has been phenomenal. If I was rating the fosters alone, I would give them 5 stars. I have dealt with two foster families in this rescue and both times they have been understanding, honest, and very nice throughout the whole process. That being said - I would not recommend this rescue to anyone who wants to have an easy and fulfilling experience adopting an animal. I have been looking for a dog for about 6 months and have been very particular about finding a dog that I know will thrive in my lifestyle. I adopted a dog from this rescue and fell in love with her, but unfortunately she was not a good fit for me. I was able to take advantage of their return policy but was devastated to do so and upon arriving to return her, was not treated with very much respect nor were they understanding as to the reasons why I felt she was not a good fit and why my lifestyle was not a good fit for her. A few months later, I found a dog on their website that I was very interested in and contacted the fosters to meet the dog outside of an adoption event. They graciously drove out to meet me and I spent a good amount of time with the dog. The fosters told me that they felt I was a good fit and that they would pass that along to those who made the final decision. They also told me that although I was the first person to show interest in the dog and to take the time to meet him outside of an event, that another person had emailed about the same dog that day. This is not an uncommon thing, so I wasn't surprised. However, I was surprised and completely unhappy at how the rescue handled the situation. I went to the adoption event the next day to adopt him, was interviewed and was approved. The other person who had shown interest was also approved. They then told me that because we were both approved, they would have to do a drawing to determine who would take him home - even though I had shown interest first and met him ahead of the event. I lost the drawing and therefore, lost the dog. I was completely devastated and had to leave the adoption event without a dog that I was basically told was perfect for me AND that I would be recommended for. The recommendations of the foster families, who know this dog better than the volunteers do, mean absolutely nothing when it comes to who gets to take the dog home. That is not right. Their policy of doing a drawing if there is more than one person interested - INDEPENDENT of who shows interest first and puts in the time and emotions to meet a dog, meet with the fosters, and drive 45 minutes to an event the next day - is completely unfair and emotionally trying. Every other rescue I have interacted with adopts on a first come, first serve basis - if the first applicant doesn't get approved then they move down the list. The fact that this rescue doesn't do that is not ok. I watched two other couples go through the same thing I did when they lost a drawing for a puppy, even though they had taken the same actions I had. They were equally devastated. If you're looking for a fair adoption process and one that affords you the respect for your time and emotions during the process, do not go to this rescue. I would hate for someone to go through what I did. read more

So, a friend of mine with a pooch suggested that I day-foster a dog from Lost Dog, and I totally went with it assuming that they were well-organized and knew what they were doing. If you volunteer at any capacity with the group, you have to sign up online and they automatically assume you're good enough without chatting with anybody. If you want to take a dog out on a "dog-venture" (day-foster for hikes or whatever), you have to email them directly to discuss what you're doing and what kind of dog to excpect, so that's what I did with the intent of taking it tri-or-treating at a dog event with a friend and her own dog, and I was careful the entire outing not to have the dog I was fostering engage in large crowds. Anyway, long story short, I was asked to show up at the shelter before 10am to pick up my dog before their regular volunteer shift began, and I expected an actual employee to greet me, but (1) the office door was locked and I walked through an open door in the back (2) no one was there except for a Hispanic man in charge of feedings told me he had zero knowledge of anyone picking up a dog. Another guy there simply asked for which dog I signed up for brought me the dog and asked if I had a leash or a kennel for the dog, and I'm like, "no dude,this is my first time here; is there an actual employee for me to talk to?" And then I was told to wait in the office to show up, and I wait for an hour and no one came, so I did the dumbest thing and left with the dog I was "assigned" and went on my merry way. Im also told to return said dog before 5pm because that's when the shelter closes for volunteers, and when I went back with the dog, there was a group of ladies sitting on the floor thinking I was just gonna walk through and deal with it myself, but instead I told them I was returning the dog and one of them asked if I had paperwork, and I said, "nope, no one was here this morning and I just took the dog out with me." And then she said, "oh, do you wanna come in and put it back?" And I'm like, " I don't even know where it came from, it was handed to me." And then she said, "okay, I'll put her away and tell the supposed employee that the dog is back". Needless to say, I'm very disappointed with my expectation of how the day turned out with the shelter and simply do not recommend using them for any sort of fostering. They are clearly disorganized and the paid employees are terrible at customer service. Mind you, the people I met were cordial, but of the zero employees interacted with, I can tell they don't care and expect first timers to know as well as veteran volunteers... which I was very clear to say in my initial emails to the organization that I was using them for the first time. read more

We adopted our bullador (American bulldog/Lab mix) when she was 11 weeks old from Lost dog and could not be any happier. She is a darling dog and would never ever think of getting rid of her. They always have an event at Petsmart right up the street so we stopped by and then what do you know we were dog owners. I will say that lost dog and cat rescue has some of the laid back adoption process that I have seen. If you go to an event you do an in person interview and you pay for the puppy and off you go. There was no home visit or other policies that were required. The foster mom was amazing and sent us all types of puppy pics later on so we would have baby pictures of her. If we were to adopt again and Lost Dog had puppies we were interested in we would go with them without hesitation. read more