Extremely helpful, along with kind and compassionate to help resolve a very difficult situation…read moreinvolving a stray foster dog. His name was Duke later his name was changed to Specs. Specs was a cross between a Dalmatian and a Great Dane. He was massive in mind and body. His strength was far more than I could possibly manage. He was a wandering soul with an independent mindset. He was also an intact male around 18 months old. He could climb a six-foot fence with ease and agility. Trying to keep him contained was a physical struggle beyond anything I have ever experienced. And it should not go unsaid that I raised Arabian race and endurance horses. Handled many different ages and sizes during the breeding season. Specs scared me more than all of those stallions put together. Why? Because his freedom and independence outweighed any consequence he may have thought about - if at all. When it became clear I was not going to be able to do any more for Specs' health and well-being I reached out to Animal Control - who were not helpful. However, since I picked him up from the Quady Winery area and that was county - I was able to call the Madera County Animal Shelter. Amy Toler was able to make an emergency intake for Specs. The fear he would get loose, again, and cause harm to someone, someone's property, or breed a fenced-in dog (given his ability and documented journey, in and out of high fenced yards), Specs, also did not do well with cats. My two cats had to be kept in a separate closed room while he was with me. I placed him with the Shelter, listed him on the lost and found data base. I was able to visit him on a number of occasions before I left for a job in Pacific Palisades. Without the shelter's help, advice, and care for Specs, I dread to think of what could have happened.

checked out a sweet kitty named spring back in october, fell in love, took her home, renamed her…read moreand she is the best cat i could ever ask for . highly recommend this place to others

I don't understand all these negative reviews. My experience was nothing but positive. I saw a…read morelittle dog on a Facebook post. He and other poor dogs had the misfortune of being passed up by potential adopters. This doggy I saw was at the shelter for two weeks. So, he was scheduled to be euthanized that same day I saw his picture. The post had been up for 3 hours. I saw it 30 minutes before closing. I messaged the shelter through Facebook that I was interested in taking him home. I also called and left a message. 30 minutes came and went and the shelter closed. I thought that's it. Poor doggy. But then 5 minutes after the shelter closed, I get a message back. He's alive and well and I can have him! Yay! The shelter officer was very kind in her response, very glad I wanted to take this adorable doggy. She also let me know he had to be picked up the very next day, so I agreed. I told her I live 90 miles away. And she said that was no problem. They will adopt to people out of the area. It took me just under 2 hours to get there because of traffic and weather, but I kept calling to let them know I was on my way. And the officer was very kind and said it was fine. I arrived, and the little pup was immediately presented to me, I filled out the paperwork, paid the $15 + a $100 neuter deposit (they have no vet there so I had to make an appointment elsewhere and then later send a copy of the neuter certificate to get the deposit thrown out, which I did). I took the little pup to the Phil Scholz Surgery Center which had just opened in Pleasanton (amazing staff! Good prices) and the rest is history. So, I have nothing but good things to say. And from the pictures they post on Facebook, I can tell you that there are a lot of amazing doggies at that shelter. Yes, it's an "underpriviledged" shelter, but PLEASE don't let that deter you from going and saving a life. This pup I got is happy, healthy and wonderful. I drove 4 hours round trip for him and this whole experience was totally worth it. PLEASE SAVE A LIFE and go to this shelter--despite the negative reviews. Don't base your opinion on those. Call the shelter. Facebook message them. Get in touch. And SAVE A LIFE.

We adopted our Izzy from this shelter. They care a lot about their animals and work very hard to…read moreget them rescued or adopted. Many of their dogs are highly adoptable. It's a very low adoption fee and the shelter is eager to see the animals go to a good home. Please give them a try, you won't regret it.

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.

This is a rescue! They rescue as many animals as they can to find new homes. They care for these…read moreanimals, make sure they are spayed or neutered. They provide all medical care while in their care. They do not put animals with any known sickness into the stores. If the animal has watery eyes, sniffles, ringworm, or any known ailment they are treated. They will not send to the stores for adoption until they are well. They are all great people.

Manager was extremely rude, making backhanded comments, extremely unprofessional. Asked for a video…read moreof explaining how animals get in to the animal shelter then made a comment saying "there goes my Friday" for a 15 second clip. Apparently, basic requests are a full-day inconvenience here.

I adopted a sweet little dog named Mr. Chewy from Kate's Rescue in January. The communication was…read moregreat. My family was ready to adopt and put in an application for a different dog. And I messaged the person who ran the Instagram account. They said that dog was already meeting an adopter. But they had some new dogs she was about to post. They asked what I was looking for in a new family member. They found a perfect match for me! We meet Mr. Chewy who was being fostered by Brandy. And we fell in love immediately! They did a great job at matching him to our family. It took him a while to completely open up. But he is the sweetest, silliest dog and we couldn't be happier. Thank you sooo much!

I'm writing this review to encourage this rescue to do the right thing by their dogs. One in…read moreparticular that was born into the rescue by the name of Smartie was born with a congenital heart condition. The money was raised through a fundraiser started by Julia before she passed away last year. The new president is refusing to pay for his surgery even though it was raised specifically for his lifesaving surgery at UC Davis. She is stating the money was raised for all of the dogs. I'll share some pics below so you can see for yourselves. Please encourage the rescue now under Kate's Furreka Rescue to give Smartie what he needs. There is a video as well stating that this is specifically for Smarties surgery but I can't upload it to yelp. Please help Smartie get his surgery.

I've had friends and family that I had nothing but positive experiences with this company. The…read morestaff are amazing and have a lot of love that they give to these animals that are in need of it. True gems to the community you guys are and thank you for all that you do. You guys don't get enough credit.

This review is long overdue. We adopted our Boxer mix from ARF when he was only 8 weeks old in June…read more2009. ARF rescued his pregnant mom and gave birth to 10 puppies at the shelter! The staff sent video updates until the puppies were ready to be picked up. They are well organized and truly care for the rescues. Our pup lived a wonderful 14.5 years. He has given us so much joy and we miss him dearly. Thank you ARF for all that you do.

I approached searching for a kitty as I would dating. I contacted numerous rescue volunteers and…read morelet them know my specific interests. The first of this was a kitty that would get along with our other kitties, but that's hard to know unless the cats meet. With how far away Merced is from the South Bay, that was impractical. So, I had to rely on descriptions of personalities. Over a period of three weeks, I perused shelter websites from all over the state. I made numerous inquiries and even visited some shelters and adoption events in person, but I just wasn't finding "the one". However, one kitty on Merced's shelter site stuck in my mind the whole time. Obviously driving two hours each way wasn't ideal, but I couldn't get this kitty out of my mind! It was only one picture and he looked so special. During this three weeks, I phoned the shelter so many times that I probably spoke to every employee! I had questions about this kitty's availability, personality, ability to get along with people, with other cats, length of time in the facility, and health. The staff didn't know much about individual cats because it's a high-kill shelter and they simply aren't there alive long enough to get to know. In fact, if they enter the shelter unaltered, they don't even bother to alter them unless they're placed for adoption because they're more likely to be killed than adopted. Realize this, if you're squeamish about death (and what animal lover who wants to save them isn't?), this is an inescapable fact when dealing with a high-kill shelter. So, the standard explanation given was that the kitty was there for three weeks, meaning he must have quite a special personality. They explained that most cats do not last three weeks there; they get four days (or fewer if they're severely overcrowded). So if this kitty was still alive, it's because the employees really liked him and wanted to keep him around. That meant, inevitably, that other cats would be put down first, so don't be too impressed that kitties get lots of time here -- most don't make it out at all. I wasn't getting enough information to make a decision, so I kept calling in the hopes that I could find an employee who DID know more about his personality. It was critical that this kitty be highly social and tolerant of other cats. So, they put me in touch with the director herself. She was wonderfully helpful, taking him out of his cage and observing him in a room with other cats. She reported back that he was very social and friendly. The only requirement she had of me as an adopter was that I own my own home. (I don't know if that's a requirement across the board, but at that time, most of their strays were pets that people had abandoned when they vacated their rentals, so she felt better about adopting to homeowners.) I explained that I lived two hours away and we couldn't make it out until a weekend (they're open on Saturdays and that's when most of their out-of-town adopters show up), so they advised me to pay over the phone, ahead of time, to ensure he'd still be alive by Saturday. The money went for his neutering. The vet only worked on certain days and they can't legally adopt out an unsterilized cat or dog. So, that's what I did; paid with a credit card ($15). The really crummy thing (hence only four stars) was that depending on who I talked to each time I called, some employees said my kitty could STILL be put down by the time I arrived on Saturday, even though I had paid! They said it was so overcrowded that they couldn't guarantee he'd be alive within a couple days. That was horrifying. Another call clarified with the director that it was NOT the case; once you pay, the animal's safe. My partner and I arrived as planned, walked up to the window and handed over our kitty's cage #, and asked if we could go visit with a bright orange and white kitty who was meowing at us from the socialization room. They said sure! This kitty stole our hearts right away! Our sweet kitty whom we'd already adopted turned out to be as sweet as we'd been told he was. So, we ended up leaving with both of them! We'd only brought one carrier, so they provided an extra. I could tell the staff truly loved the cats. The other kitty was already neutered, so it was just $15 adoption fee. The state pays shelters more than that to kill each animal, so they technically lost money adopting them out vs. killing them. We also received starter goody bags and they applied flea control. The staff were incredibly warm and nice. They thanked us for saving these lives. Because we "ordered" ahead of time, we were spared walking past a bazillion cages to pick out an animal (don't want to do that because we'll want all of them and we can't take all of them) and we didn't have to smell a death room (the scariest part of going to kill shelters). Overall a fantastic experience! Five years later, our Merced kitties fill our lives with love! I wouldn't hesitate to adopt from here again.

You call in for a pet that is available but when you show up it suddenly becomes unavailable.It…read moreseems that the ladies communicate about everything except the job that they are being paid for.I would drive there with anticipation of adopting a pet only to be disappointed when I approach the desk.They are not people friendly and would not recommend

This is Lainey. She's 3y/o and she's our FOURTH rescue. She's a wire haired Terrier. She's been a…read morewonderful part of our family for almost 3 weeks now. We fell in love with Lainey during her VERY BRIEF stay at Mrs Winkles in Oxnard. Karen , the very LOVELY LADY at the front Reception Desk @ Mrs Winkles, took outstanding care of my husband, myself & Lainey; until Lainey was discharged, as a permanent family member There are lots of worker bees at. Mrs Winkles. But, WE ESPECIALLY THANK KAREN. She absolutely has a soft voice, very sweet manner, lots of knowledge and, is extremely kind Lainey thinks she fell into a tub of BUTTER !

Everyone was great & super kind , no negative vibes or attitudes, very welcoming & peaceful, told…read moreus a-lot of information , toured around . they really know & care for their animals which is super special & amazing to see! miss winkles 1000/10 service. Clean too!

Ruffles is a small but mighty rescue group.. They take in medically needy dogs that otherwise would…read moreprobably have nowhere to go. I adopted a dog from them in 2013. He is a pitbull who was "owned" by a homeless man and was beaten by him regularly. He was severely underweight and deemed dog aggressive by the animal shelter. Ruffles nursed him back to health and even took him to an animal behaviorist to assess his needs. He is now a happy, well-adjusted pup who lives with 2 other dogs and a cat. He even passed the Canine Good Citizen test. A year later we adopted another Ruffles rescue dog who was formerly a stray in Compton. She had also suffered abuse but was socialized and loved by Ruffles until we adopted her. She is currently a part of our pack without any issues. I cannot recommend Ruffles highly enough. The owner, Christina, has very high standards and always does right by her animals. I still support this rescue and donate to it often. Their mission is a lofty one and they never give up on any dog.

Ruffles Rescue is an amazing rescue! Christina is an amazing person! I adopted my baby almost 8…read moreyears ago and once a Ruffles pup always a Ruffles pup. Christina was there to help when we fell on a hard times, she worked with me and made sure my dog was well taken care of. She takes the time to know the dogs in her care and find them the right home. So thankful for Christina and Ruffles Rescue.

Nestled in the heart of the Sierra foothills, the Mariposa SPCA stands as a shining beacon of hope…read moreand a sanctuary for those who cannot speak for themselves. For years, this organization has been far more than just a shelter; it has been the beating heart of our community's compassion. Walking onto the grounds, one is immediately struck by the palpable sense of dedication that permeates the air. It is a place where every wagging tail and soft purr tells a story of a second chance made possible by the tireless efforts of a team that views animal welfare not just as a job, but as a sacred calling. The physical environment of the Mariposa SPCA is a testament to the staff's high standards and respect for their residents. The buildings are remarkably clean and well-kept, defying the usual expectations of a high-volume animal shelter. You won't find sterile, cold atmospheres here; instead, the facilities are designed for maximum comfort. The animals aren't just "housed"--they are cared for in a way that ensures they are happy, socialized, and eager to meet potential "furever" parents. This cleanliness reflects a deep-seated respect for the animals, ensuring their temporary home is as dignified as the permanent ones they are waiting for. At the center of this incredible operation are individuals like Jeanette and Faith, whose names have become synonymous with Mariposa's rescue efforts. Faith brings a warmth and steady kindness to the daily operations that makes every visitor feel welcome and every animal feel safe. Then there is Jeanette, the cornerstone of the SPCA's leadership. While some might mistake her focused demeanor for a "gruff" first impression, those of us who know the weight she carries understand it perfectly. Kindness is indeed free, but Jeanette's time and energy are precious resources dedicated entirely to the animals. She has no patience for those looking to take advantage of the system, but to those with a genuine heart for rescue, she is an incredibly kind, helpful, and fierce advocate. Jeanette's leadership truly shines when the community is at its darkest. During the terrifying fire evacuations that have plagued our county, her coordination and steady hand have been unparalleled. She doesn't just manage a shelter; she manages the town's morale, providing a safe harbor for pets when families are losing everything else. From the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic to the smoke-filled skies of summer, the SPCA has been there through thick and thin. They have served as a pinnacle of the community, bringing hearts together for the common cause of animal love and proving that Mariposa is strongest when we stand together for our four-legged friends. The staff's kindness extends beyond the animals to the people who walk through their doors. Every interaction is fueled by a desire to find the perfect match between pet and owner. They take the time to know the personalities of every dog and cat, ensuring that when you take a new family member home, it is a success story in the making. Their patience and expertise are what make the Mariposa SPCA a gold standard for rural shelters. It is a place where the "temporary visitors" are treated with the same love as if they were already home. For those looking to support this mission or find a hidden treasure, the SPCA Thrift Store is a local gem. Located right on-site at 5599 CA-49, Mariposa, CA 95338, the shop is open Wednesday through Saturday until 3:00 PM. While some might suggest the thrift building itself could use an aesthetic upgrade, it is clear that the SPCA wisely prioritizes its funding toward the animals' well-being first. The charm of the shop lies in its authenticity and the fact that every cent spent there goes directly toward feeding, vetting, and housing the animals next door. There have been occasional whispers or reviews claiming that donations are "cherry-picked," but as a frequent visitor, I can personally debunk those myths. I have been there numerous times a week and have witnessed the process firsthand: donations are taken daily, reviewed for quality, and placed directly onto the floor. I have even assisted other customers in unloading heavy items that were moved into the shop almost immediately. The transparency and honesty of the thrift operation are refreshing, proving that the staff is dedicated to getting items out to the community to raise much-needed funds. The bond between the SPCA and Mariposa is one of mutual resilience. When the fires roar and the smoke settles, it is the SPCA team that stays behind or works double shifts to ensure no animal is left behind. This level of commitment is rare and deserves our utmost respect. They have weathered every storm with grace, ensuring that the needs of the animals are met even when resources are thin. They are the silent heroes of our county, working behind the scenes to keep our community whole.

They are interested in their yard sale and making money more than actually finding homes for the…read moredogs and cats in their care.