It's incredibly disheartening when a nonprofit treats those trying to help with such disrespect…read more Our experience with Big Sky Ranch was deeply disappointing--from demanding money and fundraising support to refusing to return an animal because the donation amount wasn't deemed sufficient. At no point were we provided with documentation of care, or transparency about how the funds were used. If you're considering helping a pet in need, we strongly encourage you to explore other, more communicative and compassionate organizations.

As a cat lover and volunteer my opinion is quite possibly biased, but I think Big Sky Ranch/CATNIP…read morefoundation is simply awesome. They're one of the biggest rescues on the north shore, offering large, low-cost spay/neuter events and TNR for outdoor cars. They of course do adoption and fostering, as well as having programs to place senior cats and barn cats. They're also involved in disaster response/pet rescue, and have helped shuttle cats to other states' shelters where they'll have a better chance of getting adopted. If all that's not enough, there's the ranch aspect. There are a number of cats freely roaming the grounds, some of which are quite friendly and will come "investigate" visitors. They also have dogs, chickens, goats, horses, and more, all for adoption. And you can pet most of them too. They even have a little farming action going on. They're kid-friendly and offer camps, retreats, and a rustic event venue. They're not really on the way to anything, but that stands to reason because they need a decent chunk of property and run off donations. So if you have the time, make a point to visit. And if you have the ability, donate, foster, and/or adopt. They're a good organization with a pretty large impact in the local animal community, so they deserve your support.

Any shelter that rescues and does not kill them is plus. I would volunteer at this shelterread more

If you're looking to adopt a dog from Friends of the Animals, PLEASE READ!!! This past week, we…read morevisited this location to meet a dog we had seen online. When we met him, he was extremely well behaved and tame. After a second meeting, we filled out all applicable paperwork and brought him home. After getting him home, his behavior gradually became worse, and he began showing signs of aggression when around food, toys, etc. He would jump on tables and run off with entire plates of food, and then growl and snap when you try to get him away. The first evening, after this establishment had closed, we received a call from Adoption Coordinator Paula stating that while we had met him, he had been sedated with Trazodone. This is extremely manipulative and dangerous. The dog we had met eight hours prior was a completely different dog than the one that was wreaking havoc on my home and terrorizing my family. He bit my wife on the back of the arm, and tried biting me on the hand while trying to get things out of his mouth. Nothing was left out for him. He would climb chairs onto to tables, would grab decorations off of low-level shelves, and then would run around snapping at anyone who would try to take said objects. Turns out a human-sized dose of sleeping medication really tempers an aggressive dog. We were told he had been house trained and did great sleeping on his own. His actions show he does not know how to behave in a house, and as far as sleeping arrangements go, we couldn't sleep in our bedroom because he would just bark at the door all night. I brought all this up when we, unfortunately, had to bring him back. The response: "We're going to work on that." Honesty and transparency isn't something you work on, it's just something you do. As far as the fees go, we were inconvenienced with a check from a bank we don't use; I'm not sure why the original payment method couldn't be used. All in all, this has been a terrible experience. Above all else, I feel bad for the dogs. Kept in kennels, medicated, and then placed in homes whose owners are manipulated into believing they've gotten themselves a completely different pet. This is a true disgrace to animal rescues everywhere.

Loving people who truly care for their animals. Helpful when lookiing at animals. Would definitely…read morego back when seeking a new pet for a forever home.

Hooray for Theresa Shaw!!!!! Loving the animals brought into the shelter and trying to find them…read morehomes. PLEASE donate food, litter and money to the shelter as they are working so hard to rescue these animals no one wants or loves. God bless you for your help and thanks again to a very special Theresa Shaw and her staff..........................................

Me and my fiancé got a puppy from a Great Pyrenees mix litter, as our other large dog needed a…read morebuddy. Before knowing we already had a 2 year old large breed at home, They did a great job making sure we knew what came with owning such a large breed! Anyways he's probably the goofiest and sweetest dog I've ever met, he loves his big sister (who's now little in comparison) and he's made a perfect addition to our family!!

We adopted a dog from here a couple of months ago. This shelter cares so much about the animals in…read moretheir care and does everything they can to keep them healthy and help them find their forever homes. Staff are friendly and the volunteers here are hardwokring.

I have recently become familiar with the JPAS because one of my beloved cats went missing and I…read morehave been searching for him here (among other places). Although I have not yet located him, the staff here is extremely helpful and nice. They agreed to let me put up a flyer with his picture and my contact info and one of the women working here even agreed to be on the "lookout" for him. I'm basically writing this review in order to remind people who are looking to adopt to check the shelters first. At this shelter they have a TON of animals, especially kittens. Some of them are so teeny tiny they look as if they could fit in a pocket. They even have a room where kittens are free to walk around and you can go in and mingle with them, if you are looking to adopt. It was SO HARD for me to not leave there with a kitten. They are sooo cute. They also have puppies. They had one that looked like maybe a beagle mix and he was so small and shaky, I just wanted to pick him up and take him home. I'll admit it, I'm not exactly a tough sell. Whether you are searching for a lost pet, or you are hoping to add to your family, the JPAS is a good place to start. There are always a lot of animals who are looking for a home and would love to be a companion for years to come.

I called about stray cats on my property that were clearly in need of help especially a younger one…read morethat appeared to be a younger cat, but not necessarily a kitten. It was explained that they were starving and that we cats die on our lawn from starvation before. I was told that there was nothing they could do because the cat wasn't injured. But is a starving animal not an animal in need? What kind of shelter refuses to help a vulnerable animal simply because it isn't visibly hurt? I don't know if this is how shelters operate everywhere, but it doesn't feel right. I was also given suggestions to remove them from my property that could put them in more danger, including mint oil, which is toxic to cats. It's extremely frustrating to receive this kind of response from a place meant to protect animals.

We love our #CAAWS dog. I have read some reviews here that are negative. I will share my…read moreexperience. We have had our dog for about 5 years now. This dog , who CAAWS actually rescued from a kill shelter, was a shy, slightly reticent dog. Sabra ,who is a school teacher and a volunteer at CAAWS, helped me to choose " Austin" ( their name). During this same time, I was tending to my Mom( she has since passed on ) and was helping my family in Virginia. Keep in mind , CAAWS does have a screening process, and for a very good reason. These animals, at least many, have not had " happy" lives, and some are recovering from abuse or neglect . They want to make sure that you will be a loving and responsible pet owner. I am fortunate that our son helps to take care of our dog if and when we must leave town. Owning a pet is a responsibility, and a healthy dog needs more than food , water and trips to the vet ... they need love , tenderness, regular exercise and to insure that CAAWS dogs are matched to a suitable owner, yes, they are very careful with whom they place these deserving pets. Make room in your home and heart for a life time of unconditional love. I know that there are many people who love dogs as much as I do. Our dog did require some dental work , and because of this, we now are very careful about how we care for his remaining teeth . We have friends who have become volunteers there, and I know that the adoption process may seem " detailed"... but CAAWS loves to see their pets find a fur ever home. I highly recommend going to meet these deserving pets. Adoptions can be arranged to suit your schedule. In our case, we met our dog, filled out the necessary paperwork and had a two week trip. When we came home, we were able to adopt our dog... he is a very lovable canine, and having him in our life also enriched us in many ways. He was with us when we had to be rescued from the August 2016 flood... and has been a joy through the many storms since then. When we needed to move into an apartment in 2016, he was also a joy, and his personality is friendly and thankfully, he isn't into barking unnecessarily. I highly recommend CAAWS, their caring volunteers, their fees are kept low... and all of their animals ( dogs, cats) love being adopted. Sabra, and other volunteers, do a great job. We love " Chase", who used to be " Austin"... thank you to all #CAAWSvolunteers #CAAWS has a Facebook page... thank you!

Made a donation over 2 weeks ago and have not received a valid answer to why this donation has not…read morebeen accepted , you have until next Monday to accept the donation or never see another one again!!!!!! Your choice!

Lakeshore Vet has provided awesome veterinary services for our dog, Ralph, for 14 plus years. We…read morehad to say goodbye to Ralph last week and the entire staff were super kind, caring and supportiv. We appreciate all of their support during this difficult time. Thank you!!

Love these guys so much! We have used them for several years now. Great doc and staff and prompt…read moreservice.