I've adopted two dogs from PAR -- both were older, retired puppy mill moms. Both dogs are/were incredibly sweet and exactly as described. I'll likely adopt from them in the future. This rescue does so much to help mill dogs and harder-to-place breeds. After reading other reviews, I think people expect too much of dogs coming from a rescue. Many dogs are nervous in a shelter environment and may exhibit other behaviors once in a home. Many adopters don't go by the 3-3-3 rule. Dogs need time to decompress. They are not perfect and adopters shouldn't expect them to be. I also volunteer in rescue as an adoption coordinator. I see many people expressing frustration for not getting a response. What people don't understand is that many people in rescue are volunteers. We cannot always respond to every single application, though we try. Additionally, many dogs receive numerous applications. Sometimes, apps are not a good fit for the dog. All I can say is to keep reaching out. read more

I adopted a dog from Phoenix Animal Rescue in September 2022. They were thorough checking my references and vet, and worked with us to make sure we were a good match. This dog, Patches, is happy and healthy and hopefully living his best life. It would not have been possible without the dedication and commitment to animals that Phoenix Animal Rescue maintains. The dogs are their main priority and that is clear, they just want them to find their forever home and be safe and happy. read more

Phoenix Animal Rescue - Patches and his other Mom. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Uwchland, Pennsylvania

Phoenix Animal Rescue is amazing. Their process is pretty quick compared to other shelters. The staff is very responsive and knowledgeable that makes the adoption process seamless. I really like the recommendation to bring my current pet to meet the new one. You can ensure that they get along before bringing the new one home. read more

Phoenix Animal Rescue - My new adopted dog, Kenjiro. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Uwchland, Pennsylvania

After losing our dog to old age in November, we were ready adopt again. We researched rescues, and applied to a few. Phoenix was the only one to get back to us. They contacted our references, and then contacted us that we were approved to adopt. We drove out to meet the dog the following weekend. The meet went well and he came home with us that day :) The rescue even followed up with us a few weeks later to make sure he was settling in well. I love that they have a Facebook group for adopters to chat with each other. read more

Phoenix Animal Rescue - Our new member of the family decided to ride to his new home on our teen son's lap. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Uwchland, Pennsylvania

We adopted two dogs from this rescue and they have been amazing companions for us. Bruno, Marta, and the many volunteers do a terrific job with the many dogs that they rescue. Both of our dogs were from puppy mills in Lancaster. Without a doubt, we would adopt from Phoenix animal rescue again if we were in the market for a new dog. read more

Phoenix Animal Rescue - Ladybird and Lucy. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Uwchland, Pennsylvania

We are absolutely indebted to Phoenix Animal Rescue for introducing us to the previously unknown missing piece to our family. About 9 years ago we stopped by an adoption event and absolutely fell in love with a 1yr old chihuahua mix. She has been a wonderful addition to our family. Bruno and the staff at PAR went above and beyond with us . I can't recommend them enough. They care about b saving animals & never turn any away. They make this world a better place for this abandoned or discarded animals. read more

Phoenix Animal Rescue - Animal Shelters Near Me - Uwchland, Pennsylvania

We just got our rescue boy, Roy Kent, from the shelter last week. It has been a joy. Roy (fka Sam) is adjusting nicely to our home, living among humans, and learning from his four-legged sister. When we had questions, the rescue called us right back and helped us through the challenge. He has really taken to my sons and husband and follows us wherever we go. He is great in the crate at night. We are thrilled with our boy and can't wait for more years with this wiggly-butt! Updated to add: he had a visit with our vet. He is in great health. And, Phoenix helped us AGAIN when we had some adjustment/eating issues with our dog. They are both doing so well just a few short weeks into being with us. read more

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Highly recommend PAR! We adopted our wonderful sweet husky puppy Milo 1 year ago! All the staff at the rescue were friendly, our application was processed quickly and everything with the adoption was smooth. We are so thankful to have him in our family, The best rescue around! read more

Phoenix Animal Rescue - Animal Shelters Near Me - Uwchland, Pennsylvania

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We had the best experience rescuing our buddy, Murphy Brown (fka Charger) from this rescue. They were helpful, kind and supportive throughout the entire process. It's clear that they care about every dog and rescuer that comes in through their doors and we couldn't be more grateful! read more

Phoenix Animal Rescue - Murphy Brown living the good life! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Uwchland, Pennsylvania

I have known these people for years, adopted several dogs from them, recommended them to others often. I have had wonderful experiences with them and their care for animals. We also repeatedly donate to them financially. read more

Phoenix Animal Rescue - Rosie (in front) and Abby are both alumna. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Uwchland, Pennsylvania

We first adopted our Bernese Mountain dog from PAR in April 2023, within 6 months we went back and adopted our silver lab. We had a great experience with PAR and would highly recommend them! their communication was great and their love for the animals too. We would absolutely go back again for adopting!! read more

We adopted our sweet dog Juniper from Phoenix a month ago and we are smitten! The staff at Phoenix allowed us ample time to visit with Juniper prior to adopting her. Tracy was super helpful and answered all our questions and addressed our concerns during the adoption process. Juniper has a few minor issues as we expected when adopting a rescue but we are thankful that Phoenix saw the potential in her and saved her from a possible tragic life. read more

Great rescue my shepherd otto has been a awesome addition to the family. We checked out a couple shepherds till they found us the perfect fit. Easy to work with staff. read more

Adopted my dog from PAR and they were great throughout the process. Timely responses on applications and super knowledgeable about helping dogs acclimate to new environments. I was able to communicate with the person who fostered my dog to learn about her before I adopted and they also checked in with me a few times afterwards to make sure things were going well. My family has also adopted two dogs from the rescue and had great experiences as well. read more

PAR is the best!! Everyone was so nice and helpful with our adoption of our sweet Lily. They are dedicated to the work they do and want only the best for all the animals they save. read more

Phoenix Animal Rescue is a full time rescue going above and beyond to help dogs 365 days a year. i have personally seen the true sacrifice and endless hard work to ensure every pup can find safety and their forever family. i have not only fostered dogs from PAR but adopted 2 english bulldogs from them as well. Both dogs were saved from Puppymills and the rescue gave them wonderful vet care to ensure their health going forward . Rescuing from Phoenix Animal Rescue has been a wonderful experience and I highly recommend them! read more

Adopted my rescue dog from Phoenix Animal Rescue about 1.5 years ago. What a wonderful experience. Everyone was so kind there and they treat the animals so well. Flawless process. My sweet Daisy is wonderful. Two of my friends have since adopted from there based on my recommendation. Their dogs are gems too and they had a wonderful experience. read more

DO NOT USE THIS RESCUE. We adopted a dog from this shelter a few weeks ago. The description said the dog was "perfect", great on the leash, friendly with kids, friendly with strangers. NONE of this was true. She constantly jumped and nipped us. My kids were terrified because she is a big German shepherd and the nips hurt. She pulled so hard on the leash that neither my husband or I could walk her. She dug up my lawn and flowers, ate our rug and went berserk with other dogs and people passing by. They also told us she had a paw injury that was fully healed. We took her to the vet who said the injury was not healed and was actually concerning. We engaged a top notch trainer who said there were A LOT of issues with this dog. We had to return her to the shelter even though we were all heartbroken. We gave Tracy at the shelter specific feedback about our experience so the dog could be placed in an appropriate setting and instead the shelter re-posted the exact same outright lie of a profile calling the dog perfect, etc etc. When I reached out with my concerns to Tracy she gaslighted me and told me "they have it from here". PLEASE SAVE YOURSELF THE HEARTBREAK AND MONEY AND DO NOT TRUST THIS DISHONEST SHELTER. read more

I adopted my first two PAR pups in 2010. Rufus and Jonesy were the best dogs, and PAR knew exactly the type of fit we needed with 4 little kids at home. In fact, I also fostered 2 pups while having Ru and J. the last of my pups passed at the end of 2024. I waited a little before going back to PAR. My kids are now 19-23, so the vibe is different. Bruno listened to what we were looking for, and we walked out with 2 new pups. They are such great additions. In fact, they are so easy and perfect that we are now looking for (maybe) one more. PAR knows this and is not pressuring, but is also very attentive to the new type of pup we need to add to our family. read more

I'm still dealing with the aftermath of a dog adopted from Phoenix. They weren't honest in their description and it's caused my family long term damage. We had to return it after 2 days. :( read more

A few months ago, we lost our 14-year-old dog to cancer. Wishing to open our home to another dog, we decided to try to adopt from Phoenix Animal Rescue. We were new to the rescues adoption process, but we eagerly applied for a Bernadoodle, also expressing our willingness to adopt other dogs that might be a good fit for us. A week passed with no communication from the rescue, so we decided to follow up on Facebook. We were informed that the Bernadoodles we applied for had been adopted, which was understandable. We then requested that our application be kept on file for potential future dogs, and they assured us they'd look into it as it was on their "to do list" to check on our app. However, two weeks later, we noticed a dog we had applied for previously had been adopted, despite still being listed on Petfinder. We messaged again for clarification but received an a similar reply and again no follow-up. We've attempted to contact them multiple times since then, but we have only received automated responses. It's baffling because we have excellent vet and personal references, our existing cats are well-cared for, up-to-date on vaccinations and spayed/neutered. We even spent $15k on our late dog's cancer treatment, showcasing our commitment to our pets' health. Additionally, we have a large house with a two-acre yard, ideal for a dog. Simultaneously, we watch Phoenix Animal Rescue's continuous posts on Facebook about their urgent need for adopters and begging for donations due to full capacity. This contradicts our experience of them seemingly ignoring potential adopters. Although we've begun to look into reputable breeders due to these difficulties, our primary preference was always a rescue. Breeders also often have very long wait lists. The hurdles in dealing with rescues likely drives well-meaning individuals towards less reputable sources like puppy mills that they supposedly stand so firmly against. It's concerning if a rescue seems to prioritize control over animals instead of their wellbeing and finding them suitable homes. We are going to be looking elsewhere. read more

I adopted a German Shepherd from this rescue, one week ago. I did have to follow up on my application, and it was worth it! My new Shepherd is everything the rescue said, and more. Compare this to the rescues I went to before Phoenix. I adopted a Shepherd from a rescue who only had her for one day, and they said she was very friendly with people. I got sucked into, "She might be gone by tomorrow," and I took her home. Well, she was friendly... until she wasn't. Another rescue kept contacting me about any Shepherd they were caring for, even though none of the dogs fit any of the things I asked for. Just because the dog is a German Shepherd, doesn't mean the dog is the right fit. And the dog has to like the people who adopt him/her. So those of you who whine about dogs being at this rescue for a long time, let me tell you what you get in return. You get a rescue where they know the dogs well. My new Shepherd is very people friendly, comfortable walking in the city, as well as at the park. He is soft and gentle when pet. He knows all of the things we might ask a dog, like sit, down, come, stay, and he is agreeable and tolerant. If you have to follow up regarding your application, so what. It shouldn't be easy to adopt a dog. If you want to just walk in and take a dog, fill out an application for some of the other rescues, and then hope it works out. This is the only rescue I recommend. read more

Phoenix Animal Rescue - Animal Shelters Near Me - Uwchland, Pennsylvania

I am leaving 0 stars. Adopted a dog there that they said was in perfect health and included paperwork and within 3 weeks of having her, was so severely diabetic, she lost 12 lbs ( she was a small dog and was only 19lbs when we got her). We spent close to $1500 on the adoption fee plus all the vet bills to check her out and purchase diabetic food and all the tests to find out what was wrong with her. So angry that they MUST HAVE known this before we got her! All my elderly mother wanted was a companion and this is what she got. There is no way they don't know about this. She could not have gotten this bad in just a few weeks. We have had dogs all our lives and we know how to properly take care of them so it's nothing we did ( or didn't do). DO NOT GO HERE! read more

Adopted Scooby 11 years ago and recently Nala (Ava). Bruno and his team are so compassionate and do everything to place their dogs in safe homes. read more

Phoenix Animal Rescue - Scooby - Animal Shelters Near Me - Uwchland, Pennsylvania

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we love our rescue dog, however she came with a leg injury that they claimed they never noticed and it's impossible not to. she has a pronounced limp and yelps when picked up or touched on that leg. they also don't let you in where they keep the dogs, they just bring them out to a little office area and when we got her she was sick with what seems to be kennel cough. they are quick to get the dogs in and out without proper training or vetting like most shelters do. they also don't foster which means animals needs are not well known before adopting out. At $500 adoption fees, they should spend more time and effort on vetting and placing appropriately. read more

We are absolutely impressed with the love and care that Bruno and his team have for the animals in their care! We just adopted "Toby" (however changed his name to Otto) and we are so happy with him! The entire experience was pleasant; the entire staff is very easy to work with. We will refer anyone we know looking for a dog to PAR! read more

Phoenix Animal Rescue - Animal Shelters Near Me - Uwchland, Pennsylvania

We adopted a Boston terrier from this rescue in August. I submitted an application on a Friday morning and received an approval email in an hour! They had already called our vet in that time (we have two other dogs) to confirm our other dogs were up to date on their shots/care. We went to the rescue the following morning and adopted Rose, (who we since named Penny), and she's been a wonderful addition to our family. She was very scared and skittish at the shelter, but she opened up quickly, not just to our family, but to all people. They said she was 2 years old, but she's definitely more puppy than we bargained for, so I'm not sure the breeding farm that surrendered her to Phoenix gave them her real age. Either way, we are overjoyed with our adoption and are so glad she is thriving in our home and with our other two dogs! read more

I put in an application for a special needs dog. The application goes to the rescue's email. I emailed them to make sure the application went through. No response. A few days pass and I had already commented on the post of the dog that we were very interested in her. No response. I have 15+ Years of experience with special needs dog. They had someone experienced and interested in adopting and completely ignored them. I messaged the rescue on Facebook messenger, and the person flew through my application, stated that the adopter needs experience with special needs. I stated that I put all of that in my application. Then they realized my application did in deed say did have experience with special needs animals. The person kept referring to the female puppy as a male. Do these people not know anything about the dog they are adopting out or what dog they are talking about? My application was to be forwarded. It's 2.5 weeks later and I have not heard a thing. Ive expressed my interest in the pup a few times. Asked questions. No one got back to me. I'm more upset that no one had the decency to respond when I reached out. I would have liked to know before I start searching for other dogs so I'm not waiting around for the rescue to respond. They got a bunch of new dogs last week that were adopted out already, so they can't say they have been busy as an excuse. I have never seen a rescue so unprofessional and disorganized. We figured the pup would be a great addition to our family. But we never heard back. Such a shame that the rescue is ran like this. Extremely disappointed and that's an understatement. read more

I have read the reviews below and have not had the same experience at this shelter. My experience with this shelter has been very positive. Marta responded within a week of our application for one of their senior dogs. We arranged a meet with the Bruno and the dog. Bruno informed us about the dog's history and his care at the rescue. He even left us a lone to get to know the dog. Even though the dog was well cared for, he turned out to be too strong for me as I am recovering from open heart surgery. That is why I emailed Marta afterward to see when and if they received a smaller dog, I would be interested. A week later, I received an email letting me know they did receive one that came in from another shelter. We are going today to meet this little fella. We appreciate Marta and Bruno's kindness on our behalf. I would recommend this rescue. read more

We are in the process of adopting a bonded pair and can't say enough good things about this rescue. They have been in constant communication from our initial interest. read more

This place seems terrible. They were so unresponsive and mean when they did dare to answer an email. We were incredibly interested in this adorable pup they had, and they wouldn't even give us the time of day because we're on the younger side I guess. We work from home, so ample time for training a pup/giving it attention and have a yard and dog park downt he street. No reason why they couldn't even answer us. I had asked if we could meet the dog we were interested in after work hours and the only response we got from them was "no, you can't meet the dog after 6 and no you don't have an approved application". It was really rude. The dogs I've seen listed under them a month or more ago (including the one we want) are still un-adopted too. I dont understand what their criteria is but they are clearly not concerned with getting these dogs a good home. I'm afraid to think they never give these pups a home to willing adopters and they just end up in terrible conditions. We read on their site later they "check all the applicants vet records and to not bother them with emails because they don't want their inbox getting filled." It's a shame this place is responsible for an animal's well-being because they are not in good hands at all. I don't see how a shelter could be so cold-hearted about their dogs. I really don't want to know what they do with all these unadopted dogs, that people were trying to give good homes. read more

I think all of the negative reviewers should know that this rescue is a 'Not for Profit', the adoption fee goes right back to the dogs they rescue. As for the time it takes for them to reply to emails, well it's just the family working the rescue and kennel with maybe a couple of volunteers. The kennel is their business for income so I'm sure trying to run a rescue and kennel can be very time consuming. Please be patient, they are kind people and loving to the dogs they rescue. What they are doing for the dogs they rescue few others would do. Thank you Phoenix Animal Rescue!! read more

I spoke by text to a man who just made$400 off a beagle named Cooper from animal shelter in Birdsboro. My kids were to have met cooper wed. Unfortunately mtg was cancelled dog was given to someone else and Phoenix animal rescue made a nice profit and broke a family's heart!! read more

I hope they treat the animals well. That is what matters most. They are uncommunicative and non responsive to prospective adopters. Here is a quick tip Phoenix: email auto responders. Minimal/no volunteer time and improved communication. And to avoid any more reviews like this (well deserved) one, improved reputation, too. read more

I was interested in adopting a dog and submitted my application. I never heard a word from this rescue organization. One would think that a response would be provided, one way or another. I guess it was not meant to be and found another wonderful dog to adopt instead. Be wary! read more

I've already tried for an animal from here before, and never heard back. Going to give it a second try as there is a dog I have my eye on. I get the impression the people that run this shelter are very judgemental of potential adopters. Some of the questions on the form are too personal for my taste. I understand they want to get animals into a permanent home, but it absolutely reeks of entitlement. Its like writing an employment application, and then waiting only to find out you didn't get the job. On top of that I've emailed them on 3 separate occasions and never heard back. Its very frustrating. My parents have had the same problem. Sent emails, but no reply. read more

Bruno is very conscientious concerning where his rescues go. We adopted a sweet adorable cavapoo and had a positive experience. I would highly recommend Phoenix Animal Rescue. read more

Our family has always used Pheonix Animal Rescue and have had an incredible experience every time! Bruno and his team are very thorough and truly care about where their rescues will spend their "furever". I believe this team will only place a rescue in the perfect home for that animal, and it seems the negative reviews on this page come from adopters who weren't the right fit for a rescue they never met, meanwhile this team spent time and understood the animals needs. This team is very knowledgable and dedicated to their work, all around an amazing rescue!! HIGHLY recommend! read more

Let me start by saying I think adopting a pet is a pretty involved process that shouldn't be taken lightly. I had heard good things about this rescue from neighbors and after working with them I felt this animal rescue was doing a great job and committed to finding good homes for the pets. I had been interested in adopting a doberman for YEARS, although I never quite felt the time was right for me. When I saw a doberman for adoption I submitted an application, and although I didn't hear back the first week (And thought I was not approved) I was contacted after references were checked etc. Long story short I was able to adopt the dog and although long term the adoption didn't work out I feel I learned so much from the process and the hard work that goes into caring for these dogs. I was put on a path to volunteer with a doberman rescue and I feel very grateful for the experience of working with Phoenix Animal Rescue. Bruno was also very helpful in answering all of the questions my mom and I had along the way. Would definitely recommend this rescue to anyone considering adopting. read more

I applied for a dog 3 weeks ago. I also emailed to ask a couple of questions about the dog I was interested in and received no response to my emails or app. After 2 weeks when I didn't hear from them I sent another email with pictures of my rescue dog (before and after) since she had head to toe mange and pneumonia when I adopted her. My vet said they called and gave them a wonderful reference. Since then I heard nothing and frankly I am pissed. I am a huge animal lover, vegetarian and animal advocate. I take my dog daily to the dog park for several hours and go hiking weekly where my dog can swim and run freely. There is ABSOLUTELY no reason why my app should have been rejected and I am pissed because this type of situation could lead people to buy animals and go to breeders (which I would never do). They never even called my personal references. Would it be so difficult to communicate with your applicants plus, if they rejected me then for sure they rejected other families who can offer a rescue dog a wonderful home. Shame on you Phoenix Animal Rescue. read more