"The colors of your first impression paint the canvas others hold."…read more I've been aware of NAWS for years, but I've never had the privilege of visiting the shelter. I recently took in a stray cat and her three kittens. After keeping them for a month, I surrendered the adult cat (Willow, aka Mama) to NAWS. Regrettably, her babies went to Catnap From the Heart in LaGrange. IF I knew then what I know now, I would have taken the kittens to NAWS as well. I had a contact who knew Delonda (NAWS board member), so she arranged for Willow to be taken in by NAWS. Anyway, I dropped Willow (aka Mama) off on Sunday afternoon. There was a moderate wait, but Franny was gracious and friendly with all of us. She took the time to take my information and ask about Willow's preferences and personality. She also asked what type of home I thought might be suitable for Willow. (Catnap didn't do that, nor did they even seem interested in what might be best for the kittens I surrendered.) She also inquired about her medical history and her backstory. Having just come from Catnap, I was surprised (and happy) that the staff at NAWS took the time to note so many details. Franny asked us to wait around while Willow's cage was cleaned, so we took that time to calm her and try to make her more comfortable. Someone standing at the counter also asked why Catnap didn't take Willow since they took her kittens, and we said it was due to her having a history of biting. This person rolled their eyes and kinda smirked, which confirmed all the uneasy feelings I had when I visited there. Finally, it was time for them to take Willow to the back, and we said our goodbyes. My sister and I were in tears... we've never fostered before (this was on our dime, not through any organization), so the entire experience was new to us. We've had cats all our lives, but we had them from kittenhood through adulthood. We were raised that pets are a lifetime commitment, so we keep our pets for their entire lives. Giving up Willow (and the kittens) was heartbreaking. When Franny took Willow to the back, we couldn't hold back our tears. Kim was standing near the counter, and I asked her what would happen to Willow. She said Willow would undergo a medical assessment before being put on the adoption floor. If she was stressed at the shelter, then they would look for a foster for her. Kim was so sweet... She tried to console us by saying she knew how hard surrendering Willow must have been and that she would be okay. She said that we could call to check on Willow or come visit her anytime. Kim and Franny were wonderful. They were both friendly, helpful, and compassionate. The entire experience was positive and reassuring. I could sense that I was leaving Willow in good hands. That's not at all what I felt when I left Willow's litter at Catnap from the Heart. A few days later, I stopped by the shelter to pay Willow's adoption fee for her future owner whenever she's lucky enough to find her forever family. She's really a sweet and loving cat once she warms up to a person, so I'm hopeful that someone will see past her somewhat gruff exterior and give her a loving home. I also donated some paper towels and trash bags. The staff and volunteers were gracious and wonderful once again. They allowed me to visit Willow, and she stopped hissing long enough to allow me to pet her briefly. I believe she recognized my scent because she sniffed me and then laid down so I could touch her. They told me she'd be moved to the "angry bird" section of the shelter, where a group of dedicated volunteers would work with her before she's put on the adoption floor. I honestly can't say enough about the staff and volunteers at NAWS. It truly pains me that Willow's kittens didn't go with their mom because I genuinely feel as though they are suffering because of it. Catnap From the Heart pales in comparison to NAWS, and it's painfully obvious if you visit both shelters. Mokena/Frankfort residents are lucky to have such dedicated people looking after the homeless animals in the area.

I've been interacting with NAWS for about 4 months. What a great organization. The people involved…read moreabsolutely love animals and want the want the best for every one of them. I've seen them find fosters from out of the blue. I have seen them rearrange schedules to get a kitten taken care of. I have seen them making sure that it is a proper fit between animals and adopter. what's even better is that they have their own vets on staff and those vets are open to the public often at reasonable rates. I also know that they are very, very cautious with the donations that are desperately needed from the general public.

After reading the reviews online for P.A.W.S., we were very hesitant and waiting to experience some…read moreof the same negative feedback. Especially around customer service, the amount of time it takes to adopt a pet and if the pet was still adoptable once we got through the process. Well, we DIDN'T have ANY of the bad experiences others reported. The customer service upon entry from START to FINISH was OUTSTANDING. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the front desk with excellent customer service. The 'cat' coordinator who took us to the cat section was VERY knowledgeable about the cats and spent an incredible amount of time with us. We didn't feel rushed at all. P.A.W.S followed through with everything they said they would do. The whole process from seeing our little Whisper to picking her up and taking her to her new home was six days (and that's because two of the days we weren't available). The process went very smoothly. They answered our questions in person and returned our phone calls and emails timely. They are very concerned about their pets and the homes their animals are placed in. We feel really honored to house one of the pets from their facility. Thank you P.A.W.S for everything you do for animals!

I'd give it 0 stars if I could. They judge you as soon as you go in. They discriminate on the…read morebasis of how old you look. They wouldn't answer any of my questions about some cats that were up for adoption, but ignored me because they already knew they wouldn't let me adopt. I went to a Humane Society Shelter and didn't judge me because I have grey hair. PAWS has a bad reputation for the way they treat people. I would never tell somebody to go to PAWS because there are many friendly shelters that really care!

I recently stopped here to shop around for a few things while I was in the area. The store had a…read moreplethora of used items though it was lacking in coats that I was really trying to find. They had all the Christmas decor of and they already sent all their Halloween stuff to the landfill. Prices here were above average, they had a fair amount of dressing rooms. Store was moderately clean. The store was pretty packed too with people looking for a head start on Christmas decorations. Overall, I thought it was an okay store but was not surprised with the lack of selection.

Poor management. In…read moreaddition workers should be wearing gloves while sorting donations. That should be an OHSA issue.

0/10 - Bingo is rigged…read more We played probably over five rounds of bingo and I didn't win once Would not recommend bingo it's very hard

LOVE having this place in the community. State of the art…read morefacility, amazing programs, and stellar staff. I get to volunteer here sometimes and it's a great place to serve the community in a really tangible way. Highly recommend if you have a student in the eligible age range or if you're looking to volunteer somewhere meaningful.

Would hire again for sure. Prompt response, easy to schedule, on time and tech Colton was super…read morefriendly and very thorough. High recommend.

I called to get information and a quote but was turned off by the non-professional person answering…read morethe phones. I thought I woke the person! Initially, I could not hear or understand her. When I indicated that I could not hear her, she seemed to sit up and place the phone closer to her mouth. Then when I indicated I could not understand her, she seemed to wake up and began to clearly enounceate her words. The quote given was surprisingly the highest of the five companies I had already contacted. I was unimpressed and turned off.