It is so sad that such AMAZING animals are here with self-important people representing them. All the pets are wonderful and are so ready to be adopted and give love! Do not let the obnoxious, pretentious volunteers put you off!! read more

Adopted a medium-sized, mixed-breed dog who was the most wonderful dog anyone could imagine. He'd been brought to MHS from another shelter with sarcoptic mange and kennel cough. He'd been in isolation for at least a month. When I adopted him, he was given a clean bill of health but he had a nodule at the base of his tail which quickly ballooned into a large growth. Wish MHS had alerted me to it. It was quite expensive to have it removed. Nonetheless, he was an affectionate, playful, fun dog who got me out walking every day, raining or not and I loved him dearly. He had a good life once rescued and lived to age 16. Had it not been for the growth as well as attitude by some workers and volunteers, I'd give 5 starts. read more

I'm so lucky my dog was brought here! I lost him around 3pm and found his description on their website just a few hours later, and picked him up the next morning! Really friendly staff, and a nice clean building with a lot of good programs. My fee was even waived for being patient while processing and paperwork, etc. happily reunited!! read more

I have given money to the Humane Society in the past when I had money. Now I'm unemployed and financially strapped. I have a rescue doggy who needs some help. I called today to ask if they help out people like me.the answer..NOPE. And I must say the girl who I talked to was unemotional and sounded like she could care less about my problem. I think it's pretty sad... read more

Not Humane. I surprised by the closure of the Milo Foundation's facility. I was more shocked to see that the Marin Humane Society was involved in a "sting" that shut down an effort to rescue abandoned animals. I recently looked for a rescue dog at several facilities, including the Marin Humane Society, Milo and the Lake County Animal Services shelter. Perspective: the Lake County facility is a prefab building on a dirt road. The Humane Society has a beautiful clean facility, a director making over $100k/year and an annual budget over $6million. Last year, they took in 7000 animals, a budget of $855 per animal. Their key metric: 2700 animals placed in 2008. That works out to $2,200 per rescued animal. Milo had a budget of about $400k in 2005 (most recent I found) and rescues ~1500 animals/year. Key metric: $270 per rescued animal. Milo has crazy volunteers who drive all over California rescuing animals from shelters that lack the resources to operate "no-kill". Working "just in time," they save as many dogs from the kill lists as they can. The Humane Society "does good" but it also spends time and resources on vanity projects (for big donations?) like rescuing 25 dogs a year out of Mexico. I don't endorse overcrowded conditions. But I do think that the alternative, a lethal injection, makes short term conditions an acceptable tradeoff. (MHS takes in 7000 animals, places 2700 animals and claims to be a "no-kill" shelter...how exactly does this math work?) When I read that an organization with a $6 million budget was responsible for shutting down a largely volunteer operation that saves almost as many dogs with less than 10% of the operating budget, it sounds like a case of a bureaucratic monopoly trying to get rid of the competition. If you are looking to adopt a pet, avoid the Humane Society bureaucrats and go to an organization that is actually keeping animals off kill lists. read more

The Marin Humane Society went above and beyond to help our Coast Guard family during the government shutdown and gave us free dog food! The staff was amazing and it was such a welcoming vibe from everyone. Thank you to everyone at Marin Humane Society! read more

Terrible puppy training classes! Teach food aggression. Everything is treat rewarded. I train with love: hugs, tummy rubs; positive reinforcement. Terrorized my two pups. Got yelled at for bringing them as they were already trained and sailed through the exercises. read more

For adoption this place is fine.... However I had a horrible experience when we had to put our dog down. It had gotten to the point where he was so ill he couldn't walk, we were in Marin and no one else could take us immediately and we didn't want him to suffer any longer. We took him to this location and they had us drive around back, literally to the loading dock, and they brought out a cart since he couldn't walk. We lifted him out of the car and onto the cart and they just wheeled him away. We begged to go with him and be there when he died but we weren't allowed to go with him so the last think we saw was him frantically looking at us, not being able to move, looking terrified. The fact that we couldn't be there was very traumatic. Now we just have to know that our dogs last moments were spent in panic not understanding what was happening and why we weren't there. Not a great experience. read more

I brought my siberian husky in to be neutered and found the lead coordinator to be extremely rude and not animal friendly by any means. That breed is very energetic and hard to control at 1 year old and being full grown. She was not understanding of this fact and snapped at me repeatedly to control the dog better even though I'm 6'-1" 210 lb and thought I was controlling him fine. After her rude attitude towards me and the dog I decided that I didn't want her and her staff to perform the surgery. She did not want me to leave and this angered her even more. She and her staff tried to talk me out of leaving at one point even yelling at me. I had made my decision to leave and my dad tryed to intervene not knowing what had conspired. He didn't didn't witness what had happened while I was being escorted with the dog to the back of the building. I ended up taking the dog home without my dad because of the disagreement. I later returned to pick him up but that was not until after this woman contacted the Novato police and accused me of elder abuse. The police made contact with my father and I. They sided with the two of us based on the facts and were receptive to the fact she was just being vindictive and trying to get me in trouble for not staying. I will never go back unless absolutely necessary and do not trust any woman like that with my pet or anyone else's. read more

I would give this place a five if I were to base alone the point that 8 years ago we got our Sammi girl here and she has been the light of our life. They have been helpful with finding us places to help us to keep up her health with the right connections. They were good for helping directs us to stay on the right path so we got her the right vaccinations. The folks who work there truly seem to care about the animals and the making the right connections with the future families. read more

Full disclosure: I haven't adopted but I have taken puppy training classes with my dog here and recently attended volunteer training. I don't know what some of the 1-star reviewers are talking about. What I heard was that they are a no kill shelter and that they only euthanize if the animal has major behavioral or medical issues. There was a beagle on their web site for adoption for almost a year, so I tend to believe them. I also believe they are heavily funded by donations. My experience is that they have great trainers and a very clean, well run facility - and that they actually bring dogs in from other over capacity facilities. I wouldn't hesitate to adopt from here. read more

On November 20, 2012 at 12:20 a.m., I was taking my dog, Pokey, out for a quick urination before we went to bed. We were walking near the Marin Humane Society when suddenly I could not see where he went to. I figured that he went to the Humane Society because I take him there to the dog park and he loves it there. I walk onto the property and start calling his name. Instead of my dog, I was approached by a security guard and was yelled at to leave the premises immediately or else he will call the police. I tried to explain to him that I was just walking my dog and he wandered over here because this was his favorite place. He looked at me as if I were crazy and repeated that I needed to leave that second. I told him, "Okay look, I know my dog is here and I'd love to just get him but you won't reason with me. Here is my phone number and please call me when you see him." My dad and I spent three full hours, looking relentlessly for Pokey everywhere we were allowed to look for him. By the time it was 3:45 in the morning, we were too tired to keep looking, and decided that someone probably picked him up. I woke up at roughly 8:00 a.m. and checked my phone, I had a few missed calls from the security guard. He said something like, "We actually found your dog! He was here!" as if he was completely shocked that I was telling the truth. I called them back and told them I would be on my way to get him, but they said that I could not come until they opened at 10:00. They had impounded Pokey. I waited patiently for them to open the doors, I was very excited to get my dog back. They took me to the cage he was in so I could confirm that he was my dog, and then the employee told me I had to go up front to work out the paperwork. I was very confused about what kind of paperwork I had to fill out. I was handed a bill for $145, and it showed me that they had loaded him up with shots. I told the lady that I didn't understand why they gave him shots, they had his shot record and he was up to date on all his shots. Then I asked if they checked his microchip and she replied that they didn't have time to. At this point, I was very upset because they didn't do anything that I thought they were supposed to do, it should be the first thing they should do, considering we live right next to them and they had my address on file. It would have taken them 30 seconds to walk him over to my house! I told them I thought it was not polite of them to charge me so much money, considering Pokey came to them, I lived around the corner, and that I had helped fundraise for them just recently. They told me tough luck and that's what I had to pay for walking him offleash. They were implying to me that they would have neutered him without my consent if I did not come at opening. They told me that they would waive the fee if I had him neutered on the spot, to which I said no, because that was quite a big decision to make in that moment. I paid the $145 and got nothing but criticism from 3 of the staff members for not neutering him. I believe that it was very rude of them to charge me so much money after I was sick and worried all night looking for him, and it was the first time they had even heard of him. I am in utter disbelief that they did not check his microchip because they "didn't have time", and that they pressured me so greatly to get him neutered. It was a terrible experience and when I tell others about it, they all have a story to tell me about their awful experience with the Humane Society as well. read more

I have worked at many different pet stores in the bay area for years. I can't tell you how much money I have fund raised for the Humane Society, when I thought they were wonderful. But an experience I had recently made me never want to give them another cent again. My lovely little pedigreed puppy got out of the back yard, I knew instantly that it had happened and so I was looking for him everywhere. Walking down the street, I saw a Humane Society truck attempting to pull away, I knew they had my dog. I talked to the lady and she told me that if he ever got out again, that there would be serious consequences and she was doing me a huge, extraordinary favor by letting me have my dog back that JUST got outside 5 minutes prior. When I got my dog out of that god awful cage, he was so shaken up and he was not behaving the same. He was terrified and in shock. I don't know what that lady did to him but for days after he was acting so scared. When I got him back he had a gash on the inside of his leg. If you're looking to adopt, you should go to Lake County Animal Shelter, they are wonderful people! read more

I tried calling because I'm looking for a dog that was possibly left there. I do not work for the Humane Society and never "surrendered" a dog so I am unaware of the "policies" so I was very put-off when I experienced quite the attitude from the woman on the phone . I only want to know if the dog I've come to know and love is there and in need of a good home. She was rude and aggressive about sharing information and she told me it could be weeks before they list the dog online if it is there. I just want to help this dog and I hope they are nicer to her than they were to me. read more

The woman who works/volunteers of the Kitty Corner Adoption Center by the Pet Food Express has caused me to strike the Marin Humane Society off my list of possible adoption options. She was all around unpleasant, spending most of her time glaring at me and snapping responses in my direction, while being all smiles and sunshine to the other person who was with her. Thankfully, there are many other shelters and private rescues in the area. I will seek not only to adopt from one of them, but make sure my donations go towards their efforts as well. I will also be sure to redirect any friends, family, and acquaintances who are looking to add new furry family members. If the "assistance" is this sorely lacking when I've barely walked through the door, I have no confidence in their ability to ensure that animals and families are matched up as well as possible, nor that they will be any sort of resource for the questions that eventually arise while the animals and their people are transitioning. read more

Simply wonderful. Let me start with this, I'm not responsible enough to own a dog but want one badly. Being that I am a reasonably responsible person, I have not gotten a dog and choose to satisfy my habit by hanging out with my dog owning buddies, and one of those buddies is a frequent dog park person. For those of you outside of the dog world (and you're probably not that far outside of it if you're checking shelter reviews), dog park people are frequently found at dog parks and can be recognized by the plastic bags hanging out of their pockets and plastic-stick-that-throws-tennis-balls-far. There are even dog parks you can rent to have a private time to run your dogs, which is like the one at the Marin Humane Society which has public use hours and private rental hours. The park is beautiful and very well kept, and when we've visited I've often gone into the shelter. I love to walk around the property to see what is going on, the place is always active with people and animals. Just about every time I've gone inside the shelter part there are volunteers sitting there with all kinds of animals playing with them right in the main lobby. They have special comfortable rooms for kitties to play in a normal space and take a break from their cages. They have a special area for puppies and tiny dogs. They have a whole row of an ever changing variety of bunnies, parakeets, rats, hamsters and things. Out back, they have a whole farmyard area with all kinds of farmyard animals, I've seen horses, geese, chickens, goats and peacocks. With some of my family living in Marin County, many of them have adopted their cats and dogs (and in one case, guinea pigs) from the Marin Humane Society and I went with my sister and her husband to adopt their second cat. They had a counselor they had been working with and were bringing their first cat in for a meet and greet with the new potential cat buddy. The lady helping us was wonderful, very informative, and told us about all of the different programs that the shelter had to help animals and their owners. Their little pet store supply store is kind of pricey, but it's all good quality stuff and I figure paying the mark up when I'm in the area is a great way to help support the shelter and help them take care of all of the animals. read more

I have adopted two of my three rescue animals here at MHS. The experience has been nothing but positive. I am amazed at the references to this facility being an aggressive kill shelter. These folks have never been to Lake County or Madera County animal shelters where the animals have only a few days to be adopted due to over crowding etc. SPCA SF can choose the"cream of the crop" when it comes to animals in their facility because the declined animals end up at Animal Care and Control. This can be a tough job overall but I would certainly return to MHS for my next animal! read more

First, to clarify, this is a kill shelter. They are not very upfront about the number of animals they euthanize annually, nor are they upfront about being a 'kill' shelter. Second, have to agree with the other mixed reviews. We have had good and bad experiences here. We adopted our first dog here, and that was a wonderful experience. We also took that dog to training classes at the MHS, and those were absolutely wonderful. This was in +/- 2000. However, our latest experience was not so great. The instructor of our class was not on the list of 'official' instructors, so I am assuming she was training to become an instructor during this course. Her behavior and manner of speaking to me felt unfriendly, and confrontational to the point where my five-year old daughter started to notice. The staff, her assistants, were awesome. But she really ruined the class for us. I don't think we will be back for more. Was also disappointed to read about the Milo Foundation 'scandal' which reeked of politics, and of the little deer that died after MHS ignored repeated requests from individuals to please free it from a watering device in which its foot had become stuck. They waited too long to do anything-until after it was reported in the newspaper-and by then it was too late to save the little fawn. From the I.J. Article: http://www.marinij.com/sanrafael/ci_10179980?source=rss TIMELINE -- Spring 2008: Fawn steps on sprinkler, gets cover stuck to its hoof. Neighbors call various organizations, hoping to enlist animal welfare workers to help remove the device. -- July 25: Neighbors tell the Independent Journal about deer's plight, but Marin Humane Society officials say the deer seems to be healthy and they won't interfere with wildlife unless the deer's life is endangered. -- July 28: After a newspaper story that included a photo of the stricken deer, the Marin Humane Society agrees to team with WildCare, setting up feeding stations to begin luring the animal to catch and treat it. -- Aug. 11: Deer is rescued from hillside and shuttled to WildCare's rehabilitation farm in West Marin. Veterinarian says the animal has a better than 50-50 chance of survival. -- Aug. 12: Deer dies. Not sure in which direction they are heading as an organization. They sure have a lot of money, though. read more

I love MHS - I have adopted over half a dozen animals from here throughout the years so we are incredibly grateful for the love from ours pets that we received back by adopting...can't put a price on love! They also were incredibly kind when my Max passed away over 14yrs ago when my father was in the hospital and had no resources to handle his passing and cremation, they held my hand through each step in saying goodbye! For all those who have negative things to say then volunteer or donate - these people work their asses off to save and protect these animals. read more

A truly great place for adopting a pet! The workers and volunteers are incredibly helpful and friendly and knowledgeable. They'll let you spend a bunch of time (alone) with a prospective pet so you can get a good feel about whether you've found the right match. My experience adopting from the Marin Humane Society was easy and joyous--they clapped and congratulated me at the end of the adoption process--such a contrast with the SF SPCA where the people are crabby and incompetent, and their weird, over-the-top paranoia unfortunately thwarts any desire to adopt one of their animals. read more

Warning: this is a KILL shelter. We adopted our dog here a few years ago, was a good experience. Unfortunately we had to surrender same dog because of complex family dynamics a few years and many life changes later. We thought they would put her up for adoption but instead they simply put her down immediately after we left. We did not get any sort of indication that was their protocol until we called to ask why her picture didn't show up on the adoption page. Humane to her that she didn't wait long to die, but she didn't deserve to die and we deserved to know that that was the plan. If you need to surrender your animal, think twice about bringing it here and ask lots and lots and lots of very specific questions. read more

I have lived in Marin most of my life and can assure you that they are a kill shelter. They do it under the guise that the animals they kill are unadoptable for "behavioral reasons" . My friends volunteered there for a long time and could no longer handle seeing all the animals they euthanized and then disposed of in plastic bags at the end of a preplanned week day. Also, I lost my job and had no choice but to take my dog to to their discounted outdoor vaccination day held on their grass (not inside the fancy clinic two inches away!) whereby one the volunteer Vets (i think he was a vet?) accidently injected my dog through the skin with what should have been given orally. My dog got very ill a couple of hours after the injection so I called them about it and they apologized and quickly offered to have me bring him in for a free checkup. I knew something was suspicious because that organization doesn't offer free anything. Then I realized that they were attempting to avoid a law suit. Later only to find out they were hiding their grave mistake and recalling other pets who were also vaccinated incorrectly. My dog suffered unnecessarily because its all about the money at that place. Too cheap to hire a vet for vaccinations? I love MILO but I do have a problem with their exorbitant adoption fees. Last I checked it was $300+ per dog...Other than that, I like them very much. read more

I went to a Family Dog One class this morning. The instructor spoke (for too long), answered questions (that could have been answered after class as it pertained to next set of classes, I assume Family Dog Two) and gave us dog owners who paid for this class, very little time actual for dog practice through the obstacle course set up today. This our third dog, the other two averaged 15 years before they passed. We could have been given a video to watch before class and then would have had MUCH more time for actual practice with our dog. Poor implementation of class with dogs as students. Paul Candia Novato, California read more

What a gem. The volunteers here are always willing to talk with children about proper pet care. I've had a few of my students call in the past to find out if a bunny or hamster would be a suitable pet, and the volunteers took the time to discuss proper and realistic care. They are patient, so kind, and very honest when describing a suitable home. They also do a wonderful job of caring for, and getting to know the pets that have lost their homes. When I adopted my kitty, they showed me at least 30 to 40 notes (paragraph long descriptive notes) from every day the cat I adopted had been cuddled and handled by staff. These notes gave me a very good sense about the personality of the cat I was about to take home, the care she had already received, and would require in the future. She is exactly as the staff described, and she is exactly the perfect match for my household. While at the shelter, animals are kept in large comfortable enclosures, and they are clearly cared for by staff until they are adopted to a forever home. You're the best! Thanks for doing such a great service for animals and our community! read more

We had a delightful experience adopting our dog at MHS. They were very polite. They had a play area where we could take our perspective puppy so that we could see if we were all getting along. They gave us some toys to toss to her. They checked in on us to see how it was going. The adoption was smooth and quick. They also have an on-site pet store so that you can pick up some necessities. We've since taken some classes there and have had a very nice experience. read more

If you are looking for an animal, this is a great place to go. They have a large selection and do a decent job caring for them. Fortunately for us the dog we chose was a bit misunderstood and didn't have great reviews for adoption. We got ourselves a gem, a bit of work, but if you ware willing to put in the work, there's a lot of great rough material there. read more

The peopel here are so friendly. We came on saturday , when it was really crowded, but they took the time to explain how the dog adoption process works, and which dog would best be suitable for me. They answred all my questions, and even let me take out the dog i wanted for a walk. ALl i need to do is bring my family here (because they like to meet all your family members) and the adoption process can begin=) read more

A really nice place to look for a new cat. We recently came to them after losing our beloved cat of 14 years. They were kind and compassionate and helped us find the right friend for us . They were understanding of our feelings and I cannot tell you how kind and patient they are. This was a big step for us and was not taken lightly. I shall always appreciate their kindness. We rescued a cat of 3 plus years who's owner was put in a nursing home. She is a delight, thanks MHS for finding our Chloe!! read more

Cari, The truth will set you free! Please re-read the part of my letter you are referring to dated 9/24/14. I copied the part that "clearly states" the following: Nancy k , please respectfully refund my $200.00. This is a "complaint" and request for a refund, not a threat. See below: I feel the Marin Humane Society owes me my $200.00 refunded plus an additional $200.00, totaling $400.00, for all of my wasted business time and stress related to this matter, yet at this time, I am willing to accept to just get my $200.00 back, not just $100.00 back. Nancy Mc Kenny, please respectfully refund my $200.00. The $200.00 was taken out of our grocery budget which affects my house hold. Please reply preferably today. read more

My beloved woke up one day violently allergic to my cat. Just to be sure he went and got allergy tested and when they put the dander on him his arm swelled up like a walnut. We tried for months (while he wheezed) to find her a home with someone we knew and as a heartbreaking last resort took her to the MHS on Saturday to surrender her to their efforts. 1.) The volunteer at the door was incredibly patient when I walked in the door with my kitty and immediately broke down in tears before I could even get a word out. 2.) They took me to a quiet little room to say my goodbyes and do the paperwork and they were very compassionate about the situation. I've never had to give an animal up before and it was crushing and painful and they were incredibly kind. 3.) The facility is clean, bright, the staff clearly devoted and if there was any measure of comfort to come out of the whole miserable situation it was knowing that she was in caring hands. 4.) Please go to MHS and adopt a fat, sassy black butterball of a cat named Ivy. She has a gray undercoat and bright gold eyes. She loves men and will roll all over any male in the house - regardless of age. She will prostitute herself for catnip, head-butts for pats, swats for head scratches and though she's not much of a lap cat she is definitely affectionate and demonstrative. She was a rescue and has always been indoors; she's clean, healthy and well behaved. She's a little slow to adapt and is at her best in a household where she is the only cat - but if you are patient with her getting acquainted you'll be paid off with a wonderful companion. I can't believe how much it hurt to give her up...beloved tried to live with the allergy but it just became progressively worse and the worsening of his condition is the only thing that could have made us part with her. Thank you, MHS for your compassion during such an awful experience. read more

Iif they had 10 stars Marine Humane Society would get the them all! I have adopted 4 animal so far and have been so impressed! All my rescues were happy and healthy. 3 kitties and 1 dog, Molly, Roo, Lulu and Jack the dog have lived long happy lives. What I appreciated the most the knowledge each volunteer has about the animals. They really do take their time to make sure it is a good fit. I would highly recommend the MHS to anyone wanting to rescue a sweet homeless 4 legged baby...why spend thousands of dollars when for so little you can do so much good! They are the best!! read more

Bad experience! I was visiting a friend in the area. While shopping we rescued a young sweet, timid pit/mix dog from a parking lot. I was told the poor dog was abandoned by a homeless man. After we surrendered the dog to the Marin Humane Shelter, I was so disappointed. The atmosphere was ciaos, the staff were cold and they don't seem to be on the same page. I kept track of the rescue pit. Like I have done with my other rescues. When I checked back on the rescue pit, they said he was doing good. The second week the manager told me he was aggressive and they were going to euthanize him. I was shocked!! What happened! How did this sweet pit go from good to euthanize? It's obvious they did not give him a chance. The manager did say, "they pinned him down to cut his nails". She made it clear that she did not like dealing with pit bulls. I drove far to pick him up, to rescue him again. My friend adopted him. It's unfortunate there's people in the wrong business. The animals need a second chance at a better life. read more

The dog we adopted has a full on gum infection, when I asked to have a briefing on her before we took her home, they just noted she would need to have her teeth cleaned within a year. Her breath was so terrible I decided to take her int see our friends Vet the first week we had her, only to learn she had a full on gum infection, and possibly ring worm. She needs to be on antibiotics immediately and then have her teeth cleaned once the infection went away to prevent it from coming back, needless to say we are left with almost $900 in medical bills and only had our dog for a week. We are waiting to see if Novato HS will cover it or not... I suggest you do a full exam with the Dr. on staff there before you leave with your pet and ask lots of questions and get everything in writing. Other than that, this place was very clean and everyone very nice. read more

My husband and I have had great experiences with everyone at MHS. Our dog has some very challenging issues. Being able to reserve the dog park has been extremely helpful as one of our dogs' issues is reactivity to other dogs. The staff is always friendly and extremely helpful. We would especially recommend Kathleen Call as a trainer. She really seems to 'get it' when we talk thru our dogs issues with her and is able to suggest approaches and work with us on concrete steps to get us all to a saner place. She is a really good listener and is very attentive to signals that our dog is sending. Very thankful to have hooked up with her and can't recommend highly enough! read more

the staff working there play games, they give friends and relatives preferential treatment for selection of dogs especially puppies. i had a hold on one puppy from a littler there on a wednesday. they claim the puppies going to be needed for a fashion show for that saturday. staff told me to come back that sunday and i could adopt one. i was there before the doors open and then learned that they adopted out all the puppies to someone from nevada city and they were already on the way there. if you cant take the dog home that day and you put a hold on them i suggest to all is to take a photo of the dog and its id number and name of staff members that fill out the hold. they have a history of not honoring holds, so beware especially if a child has picked out a certain dog read more

I've had good and bad with them. One October evening I had called them as there was a huge snake in the yard. It must have been some body's pet. As I described it you could hear them turning pages in a book. I was told it was just an over sized gardner or gopher. If I wanted to I could take it down the Wild Center. Someone else at home put it up on the hill. The next day I went to a pet store and saw a very much smaller snake just like it - it turned out to be a BALL PYTHON. Needless to say because the MHS wouldn't come to check or remove it I believe it had passed away as this happened late October where the weather at night gets cold. I have had good luck in getting a dog from MHS which the sure wasn't what they had claimed him to be at the time. The tag on the kennel for him stated he is a BASSET HOUND, I knew way more than they at the time and this was MY very 1st dog. He was Whippet and Beagle. Very much a different from a Basset Hound in so many ways. Wendy S read more

We love visiting this place when we're in town. Super clean, well-run with lots of staff. You can tell they are all animals lovers. Better than visiting a pet store! If we lived in the area, would definitely adopt from here. Sad that we're all allergic to animals :(. Great place to visit, even better place to adopt an animal (cats, dogs, birds, rabbits, etc). Super impressed with the detailed evaluations they do on each animal for their assessment. Loads of info. Amazing place. read more

Excellent service . Very friendly atmosphere. Staff are incredible and helpful. The whole area is very clean. Adoption process and application is well organized. The bathroom is huge and clean. The Pet Store which is on site is very convenient to purchase items and other stuff especially for the first time adoptive parents or guardians. They even gave us a free coupon to start food for our kitten. Love this place!! read more

I wish I could give negative stars! I am writing this review in the hope that another family will not have to go through what our family had go through with one of the trainers. We have a 7 month old boxer, Max. He is a wonderful dog, but is very high energy and just needed some basic obedience training. So we arranged for a training session with the elderly trainer who describes herself as an expert with bully dogs. The session was mainly for myself and my 7 year old son. My husband came along to observe and pick up some tips. Spoiler alert: the session ended in disaster. The first five minutes went kind of OK, except the trainer could not remember any of our names for longer than 30 seconds or so, so we kept having to repeat our names. Also, we were having are usual issue with having to calm Max down, so we could get in some actual training. Well, this started to seriously disturb the trainer, and she became increasingly flustered by Max's energy level. I found this sort of odd - she is a trainer, after all, and should be used to this. Well the trainer became angry and started shouting at my son and I to "get your dog under control." Which, of course, is what we were there to learn. I asked the trainer if she had any tips on how to calm him down, but, at this point, she just started to lose it. And I mean really, really lose it. My son, husband and myself were stunned by the verbally abusive behavior of this trainer. Before we knew it, she screaming profanity strewed commands at us: "Just get your f****** dog under control!" We were totally shocked - it was like this woman was turning into an insane person right before our eyes. I looked at my son, and he had a completely stunned look on his face. My husband tried to calm the woman down, but it was just getting worse. In a panic, I grabbed my son, my husband picked Max and we bolted for the exit and our car. On the way home my husband, who is a doctor, said the woman was exhibiting all the signs of dementia: memory loss, abusive behavior, etc. While I can empathize with an obviously mentally/emotionally troubled person, my family was very upset for days after this happened. And, not to mention, my husband and I had a lot of explaining to do to my son about why a supposed professional animal trainer would treat people like this. This woman has absolutely right to pass herself off as a supposed expert animal trainer - she may have been earlier in her life, but certainly not now that the dementia was so obviously taking over her behavior. Please be forewarned .... read more

We've had way too much trouble with this place. We adopted two little feline brothers, about 6 weeks old, back in 1994. I'm happy to say that they are now old man brothers, still healthy and happy, NO THANKS TO THE HUMANE SOCIETY. Our kittens were - and remain - very spooked and wary of strangers...my guess is that is due to them being traumatized by the HUMANE Society, who had them caged together in the dog section. That's where we found them. They were about insane with fear. My sons and I spent the better part of the afternoon being grilled with Nazi-like zest by our 'adoption specialist' or whatever they're called. These people are anti-social at best. The adoption was expensive, and we were held by many binding documents to standards of care and legal ramifications (such as neutering the kittens when they were old enough, which we were happy to do) and keeping them registered each year, which is just a cash shake-down. In about 2000, we found a dead bat or two near our house, and good citizen that I am, reported it to the HUMANE Society. Never again. They sent out a nasty, suspicious, shaming officer who treated us as if we had killed the bats. Worse of all, suspecting rabies, (although we had immunization documentation that our cats were inoculated), she insisted that we quarantine our cats for 6 weeks, even sending out officers to do random spot-checks to see if we were in compliance...as if we were criminals! What, no urinalysis? Now, I'm thrilled that this is a no-kill shelter, and perhaps they've improved lately, but I'll be staying under their radar for good. If you want a rescue pet, my advice is: go anywhere but here! read more