We adopted 2 shame mix kittens Bozo & Gobi. We could not be happier. They are a wonderful addition to our family. once we filled out the paperwork the process was quick & easy. Mary & the other volunteers are so amazing. Debbie D read more

Our experience with Mary could not have been better. We adopted a beautiful boy named Zen, who has changed our lives. She made the process very easy for us and Zen. She is a special person who is genuine in her commitment. Highly recommend. I'll be back if my wife lets me LOL. read more

Pooses and Pups - Zen - Animal Shelters Near Me

Mary was very rude and angry when outside looking to foster and adopt out kittens. Yelled at us for saying we lived 30 minutes away. I understand her passion and mission but please find someone who is actually friendly otherwise more cats will go unadopted because dealing with her is a nightmare. read more

Mary is amazing. It's clear how devoted she is the the care and finding of homes for animals. She works a certain radius in the Santa Monica and LA areas to ensure she can do home checks to determine if the home is safe and suitable for these rescue animals. read more

Pooses and Pups - And to this Angel - Animal Shelters Near Me

See all

We fostered then adopted our sweet Marilyn from Mary. We can't sing Mary's praises enough - she truly has a heart of gold and is trying to make a difference. She has continued to help us with so many pet needs after the adoption process! read more

I adopted several of my cats from Mary. She works tirelessly to save them which includes the older, harder to place cats. She has a big heart and is a genuine advocate for animals read more

Mary is an amazing character, and we absolutely had a great experience with her. I contacted her through Petfinder on a Friday after viewing some of the cats she had. Spoke to her on the phone Saturday, showed up Sunday and took two cats home that day for a week of fostering. By the following Saturday, we met up again and signed adoption papers/handed of vet records. There needs to be more Marys in this world who truly care about finding animals a loving & safe home. read more

I adopted my cat Dallas from Mary. Mary was extremely helpful and generous with her time and money to rescue animals.. First, I fostered Dallas, and then I decided to adopt her. Mary really cares that you get the right pet for you. She truly loves animals and knows a great deal about how to take proper care of them. read more

Yet another overly stringent cat rescue that uses trick questions to filter out perfectly reasonable applicants who happen to let their cats out supervised on a patio or in a closed yard. She is a strictly indoor cat rescue non-profit. Which means she will deny you a cat if you prefer to let the cat outside, even if it is supervised. So just know the above information before going into the process, because she will talk you up and send you a whole bunch of really nice pictures of the cats that are up for adoption, get you all excited, have you fill out a really long application and take a whole bunch of your time before mentioning to you that she only allows cats to be adopted into indoor only situations. She also keeps the adoptable cats in small cages for long periods of time during adoption events. One elderly cat was seen crammed into a tiny kennel out of view of the younger, more "adoptable" cats during one of these events. Questionable business practices, exorbitant fees, and uncomfortable conditions for the animals lead me to question whether or not she is a cat hoarder under the guise of charity towards the cats in her possession. read more

I've fostered multiple cats for Mary and also adopted from her! I truly appreciate and respect how dedicated she is to rescuing these cats and placing them in permanent homes with the the right families. We adopted two cats who are the loves of my teenage daughter's life (mine too). She can't imagine our lives without them! Mary's always there to answer questions, even 4 years after our adoption. Recently I was told by a vet in SM that our cat has gingivitis and that it would cost over $1800 for teeth cleaning and extractions. When I reported this to Mary and asked for advice she quickly referred me to an honest, experienced vet and saved me $1700- no joke!! My daughter and I are grateful to Mary for all her hard work and the best cats anyone could ask for!! Thank you read more

Pooses and Pups - Animal Shelters Near Me

See all

The person in charge of answering inquiries seems very emotionally unbalanced. They became aggressive immediately when we asked about a cat, demanded information when we hadn't even met the cat yet and accused us of not responding to texts. Really really weird and clearly has some issues. I feel bad for the animals. read more

Pooses and Pups - Text exchange - Animal Shelters Near Me

I contacted Mary about a kitten only to find that she was really rude. She ignored every question I asked her. I told her where I was located which is still in LA county and yet she said you're too far from us we don't want to drive to you. She just told me to go to the local animal shelter which I have already checked. After going back and forth, I stopped replying then I got two more emails from her with the attached cat application. I then ask her for photos since the initial cat I was interested in was already adopted. Then she replied with "never to Latinos", excuse me? So being rude wasn't enough and she had to be racist? After that she backtracked and tried to say the email wasn't meant for me when I called her out on it. If she can't even treat humans equally, how is she going to treat the cats well? If she was really invested in saving the cats then she wouldn't be so belligerent in responding and traveling within LA. Avoid this lady. read more

Pooses and Pups - Animal Shelters Near Me

I fostered a kitty through this organization and Mairi has been so extremely helpful every step of the way. I ended up falling in love with the kitty so I kept her Mary helped with everything I needed including getting her spayed for free. Anytime I've had a question Mary is always so helpful and I couldn't recommend this organization more if you are looking to foster or adopt a pet :) read more

If I could rate this atrocity of a rescue it would be less than zero she was completely rude to me on the phone as soon as I told her that I couldn't foster her cats she said she had no use for me and then continue to harass me over text message like a 13-year-old child and I have the physical evidence to prove it so this is a terrible company do not support it find a better and more loving community who is more excepting and actually cares about their own animals instead of driving away people who are trying to help read more

Pooses and Pups - Animal Shelters Near Me

See all

I have fostered several times and also adopted my second cat from Mary. She is extremely involved and passionate about rescuing and helping cats. I've kept in touch with her over the years and she has always been there to answer any of my questions or help me with any health related issues my cats have had in any way she can. Mary is very thorough, asks a lot of questions, and does a home visit to ensure animals are placed in an environment that is a good fit for them and where they'll be well taken care of. I have personally seen her do SO much for community cats and know she spends much of her time and money on rescuing abandoned and neglected cats and kittens. Mary you're awesome and I adore Sophie so much! read more

Mary is very emotionally unstable. I am 30 mins away from the location, and this was her response. "So you don't understand we do home checks and I don't want to drive to you and there's a billion animals being killed today in the shelters between you and me so please consider that." I was only trying to rescue an animal in the first place. This lady is crazy, do not trust!!! read more

I adopted my cat from Mary a year ago, and I am so glad that I did. My kitty is so loving and affectionate and gets along wonderfully with my other cat. Mary was wonderful to work with, and her passion and huge heart for animals really shows. I still walk by the adoptions near Whole Foods on Montana Ave on the weekends, and I'm always sure to give a donation. What Mary does is remarkable! read more

Pooses and Pups - Animal Shelters Near Me

This review is all based on "Mary" who answered the email sent to her through Petfinder.com. She refused to answer any of my questions of the cat. All she did was reply to my first email on Petfinder was...."where do you live?" Not a hello, not an acknowledgement of my name or anything. Then I stated the city I lived in, no response for days. So emailed again and asked all my original questions. Still no response for days and finally it was just a "you live too far so go check shelters by your home". What????????? We both are in southern California and we are only about 40 miles from each other. So I emailed back and stated I thought her first goal was to adopt out the animals and that she was going to throw away a good home, experienced owner because they are not right next door??? Then she yelled at me through email stating "OMG I do not have a car or a job right now......." Exactly how is this MY problem and if you don't have a job then you should have plenty of time to help potential adopters. When she read how upset I was at her, then it was all of a sudden, "you can drive here and see the animal". Oooh ok now I can go there? How about you offered that at first when you felt I was too far, not when you read how angry I was. I am so disappointed in finding out that a shelter's representative is turning away people because she feels they are geographically undesirable. We are all in southern California lady and I look at all shelters and rescues to find an animal to adopt because I believe in rescuing only. Change your attitude and don't judge people on any criteria other than being an adopter! read more

Very quick to respond! The owner cares deeply for the animals that she rescues, we found our kitty cat through P&P and couldn't be happier!

For years I have seen Mary and her adoptable cats outside of Whole Foods on Montana and I always stop and coo over the sweet babies! Early last year I stopped by while getting coffee with a friend and Mary and I got to talking about my ideal cat. I told her that I wanted a black male cat, short hair, adult, a cat who was okay with being alone for long hours but was also very friendly and playful and hopefully a cat that was in need of some extra loving. Mary told me she had the cat for me, I told her I was excited to meet the kitty and we exchanged business cards and I went about my day. The following afternoon I got a phone call telling me that my foster cat was ready to be picked up, I was confused thinking there would be a meet and great before picking him up, but figured what the hell. I drove from my apartment in Los Feliz to Gardena and it wasn't until I heard the dogs barking as I pulled into the pound's parking lot that the weight of what I was doing hit me. I met up with my contact person and she walked me to the back where there the cat kennels were kept. I was introduced to a cat with the fattest cheeks I had ever see! At the time he was going by the name The Godfather due to the size of his enormous cheeks and boy was it was love at first sight!! Every single detail that I was described to Mary of my ideal feline was manifested into this glorious little furball! We were given a cat carrier, a bed, a litter box and some litter and sent on our merry way. The notion of changing his name came about a few days later and he was soon dubbed The Prince of Darkness, which is all too fitting for his royal fluffiness. After a few weeks the conversation between Mary and I began about what steps needed to be taken for him to become my forever furchild. Mary worked very closely with me to figure out the best time and way for me to be able to not only afford but feel comfortable in my decision to adopt. There were a series of surveys, a house inspection, and a visit to the vet clinic that Mary works closely with among a few other details before we were both satisfied in calling The Prince my own. I can say now, a year later, this was the BEST decision I have every made and I wouldn't and couldn't have done it without Mary's constant encouragement, involvement and care. We still keep in contact regularly reguarding his well being and his healthy. Mary has even introduced me to other former fosters turned adopters in my neighborhood and we now take care of each others pets when one of use is out of town! Mary is one of the most gentle souls and 100% of her life's focus and dedication is to and for the well being of all of the animals that grace her path! Thank you for everything Mary!! read more

See all

This is not a review. This is an open message to Loran, Mary, Ellen, and Kayleigh: This is Daniel and Brittany, Harry's family. We are heartbroken and still reeling from tonight's events. We never intended to cause any offense, or to imply that we weren't willing to pay to formally adopt him. In fact, we are more than happy to pay for him, and continue giving him a loving home. I think we can all agree, that our primary concern is what's best for Harry. Over the past three months, we have nursed Harry back to perfect health, and along the way, we absolutely fell in love with him. He is a part of our family. We always assumed that when the time came for formal adoption, we would be given first rights, considering not only the substantial financial investment we have made, but also the emotional investment, as well. Please talk with us. We just want Harry back home. Brittany & Daniel read more

Mary is so passionate about rescuing kittens! We had a great experience adopting Boba and Lynx, the two cutest roly-polies ever. She took the time to make sure they had all their vaccinations and chips--and clearly cares about finding the right home for each pair--she asks all the right questions. Plus, she follows up to ask about how the relationship is going. Now, that's love! Thanks, Mary! read more

Mary is dedicated to the pets you have discarded, you have adopted, or plan on adopting. It's a wretched world out there for cats and dogs on the streets and Mary is well versed in the hardships these pets endure and how to place them in deserving homes. She has a thorough interview and evaluation process to sort out the dum dums from the worthy. Her pricing for adoption is fair, as it includes first shots, spay/ neuter, micro chip, and her time. Mary is pragmatic, loving, professional, knowledgable, sharp witted, sensible, and a miracle. I am very grateful she is a steward for animal rights. Please take better care of your pets and stop abandoning them. Mary needs a vacation. Please drop by and donate pet food, bedding, carriers, litter, and $$ to Mary when ever possible. She is a rare breed and deserves all the support she can get. So... Get your life in order and adopt! read more

Do you want a best friend or two? I found mine right here. Two beautiful brothers. They are so sweet and so much company. You can tell these cats were taken care of while waiting to be adopted. They are are clean and healthy and they are house trained. I love them. Please adopted a cat or two they will make a great addition to your family . read more

Pooses and Pups - Animal Shelters Near Me

See all

I adopted a cat from Mary years ago and when my daughter decided to get a cat, she got one from Mary as well. Mary immediately impressed me because she asked about the personality of our other cat so both cats would be comfortable in our home. She is a wealth of good information and I think she does a great job. read more

Mary is a Saint. She truly cares about her cats and makes sure it's a good fit for the new owner. She is a great resource if you're looking to adopt a cat. read more

We adopted a cat from Mary after biking by her set up of cats on Montana. My son and my husband picked out one cat and he didn't get along with our dog so we went back. My son chose a sad, lonely cat. My husband was very afraid this cat wouldn't ever warm up to us. We brought her home on a test run and with in two day our cat had a totally different personality. She is loving and playful and involved in everything our family does. She is happy with all of my kids, and loves to play with our dog. Mary was super helpful in getting us set up as we had never had a cat before. Ellie, our cat, has been a total joy and we are lucky to have her. read more

This person is horrible...please beware! We have never met but he/she found the nerve to respond to an email in which he/she received from another party. Here is the exact email: From: "boolas Date: June 23, 2011 7:40:27 PM PDT To: Subject: Fw: Leo-beautiful white and orange tabby needs new home "why the f_ck is did you EVER GET INVOLVED WITH SOMEONE WHO CLAIMS TO BE ALLERGIC? you are so EVIL & stupid" Remember if you are seeking his/her assistance in finding a new home for a loved pet because you lost your job due to budget cuts and your boyfriend has asthma (tried claritin, zyrtec, etc)...this person will think you are "EVIL & stupid." read more

Ashy M has no idea what she is talking about. I am a huge pet lover and have always had animals in my life. However, I never adopted a pet until about a year ago. I very much wanted to have a cat (not kitten) to keep my dog company and to also enjoy myself and to provide a happy home to. I met Mary one afternoon when she was set up on the corner of Montana Avenue and immediately saw a beautiful orange and white cat which is exactly what I had wished for. I spent a lot of time talking to her and making sure that this cat would be compatible with my dog and she was extremely helpful. She let me take "Mao Mao" home with me for the afternoon to see how they adjusted. She planned on coming by later that afternoon to check on us and see if it was working out and if not there were no strings attached and she would take the cat back. She came over to my apartment and thought that it would be a lovely place for the cat. I filled out pretty standard paperwork and the questions she asked were extremely valid seeing as her job is to ensure that her rescue animals have the best living situation possible. I am grateful to people like Mary who spend their lives dedicated to such worthy causes. Needless to say Mao Mao is such an incredibly wonderful addition to my life and I truly feel that I have (with Mary's help) given him the best home he could have ever wished for. The only thing crazy is that someone would be so dead wrong about Pooses and Pups. I would be happy to say without any reservations that this woman and her cause are amazing and trustworthy and genuinely the real deal when it comes to saving the lives of animals who may not otherwise have a place to call home!! read more

In response to Ashy M. The questions you were asked are pretty standard questions that any good rescue organization is going to ask you. Sure it is a cat....but not just a cat....it is a living breathing feeling being. The reason there are so many homeless pets out there is because people do not think of the long term financial commitment and what it will mean if the family/couple breaks up. It is an adoption agency....and like an adoption agency for children....they are going to ask some personal questions. So if you are uncomfortable with this....and the adoption fee, you are always free to go to your local shelter. read more

This is a rescue that saves many many lives and pulls animals from the pound that would otherwise be euthanized. I have personal experience with them and have seen it first hand. All the questions she asks should be asked, they are earmarks of a responsible rescue. The fee is very reasonable considering the cat has been fixed, vaccinated, microchipped and brought back to health. The lifetime guarantee to take the cat back is priceless. The rescue has every right to screen carefully for people who are going to be good owners and aren't going to give up their pet for some lame reason like "moving". A person who says "I am not a huge pet person, but if this is what it takes to get a damn cat, I will pass" is exactly the kind of home they DON'T want for the animal. I wouldn't give her a cat either. read more

Mary is not a politician. She is a savior, a down-in-the-trenches warrior, for animals -- and particularly cats. People too often pick an animal like a pretty little plaything and then when it gets inconvenient for them they decide to dump it. Mary is all about the heart and not about excuses. Last year, we fostered a little black kitty from Mary and then adopted her. We've adopted two other cats from different agencies, and believe me, Mary makes very little money compared to all other animal rescuers. This is a commitment, and so many people nowadays have forgotten what that word means. read more

Mary is helping cats that would otherwise not get a chance. She does it all alone and has placed many cats and kittens that did not have a chance until Mary came along. She needs fosters too. read more

Mary is a very helpful person. She has gone way out of her way to help me to save animals with no reward to herself. She's allergic to bullshit but she's a gem of a human being. read more

9+ years ago.....we met Mary when I saw a dog for adoption on Pet Finders! Snow came with ISSUES! But Mary saw something in her....and helped us to adopt her and we put the time in and have a WONDERFUL family member for it! Snow got through her abandonment issues and found a loving FOREVER HOME! She would have been put down if Mary did not find her! ANd she has had a long wonderful life with us! Mary is a WONDERFUL and GIVING lady with a BIG HEART! You will be richer having met her! We HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend adopting with Mary! She TRULY cares about the animals and YOU! read more

Mary runs a great organization. We first started fostering and eventually fell in love with a couple of cats that are truly family. Mary not only helped me with their various ailments but became a good friend. She has passion about her cats/kittens and getting them into loving homes. I've known Mary thru some tough times in my life but she's always gotten a good laugh out of me. Shop local rescues friends and check Mary out! read more

We recently fostered and adopted an awesome cat from Mary, and she was super helpful and professional throughout the entire process. She kept in touch to see how things were progressing with the integration into our home. We appreciate her passion and commitment to saving cats, and thank her for saving our new love! If you can handle more love and joy in your life, I wholeheartedly recommend that everyone go visit Mary and foster/adopt from her. read more

I met Mary one day when I was going to Centinela Feed to go pick up some food and stuff for my cat. When I walked in I noticed there were adoptions and I saw cats so I ran right over to look. I grew up in Ohio with all kinds of pets and I had a couple of cats growing up and I can say I am cat crazy. I figured I would just go look since cats are soo cute and then I saw a black and white one which are my favorite. I have had a couple of them in Ohio. He was a beautiful long hair cat just my type. I then met with Mary and started to talk to her and she put Oreo in my lap while we talked. Once Oreo was in my lap I knew right then he was going home with me. Mary is truly an angel sent from god for the work she does to help rescue her cats. I filled out the application and Mary did read it all the way through. She also really talked with me to get to know me and make sure this was a good fit. I also really respect this about Mary since she does not just adopt to anyone if she feels it is not a good fit for her cats. That is amazing that she is selective since it truly shows her love for her cats and she wants to find them good forever homes. I made it clear that I would never, ever dump Oreo or any of my cats. The thought makes me so sick to my stomach since once you adopt a cat or any animal you have to be committed to giving the animal a forever home. You move so does the animal and it is up to you to take good care of them. Sadly after 9 short months I had to put Oreo down. Unfortunately when some animals are dumped it is because they are sick and most likely that was how my sweet Oreo ended up being dumped. I took Oreo to the vet at Rancho Park on Pico in West LA and they worked and worked to save him. Week after week he was at the vet almost every saturday and a few visits to the VCAA emergency during the night. I was beyond heartbroken that I had to put him down when his insides basically went into failure. I cried for days, weeks and still miss him. All my cats are my babies and it was the hardest thing I had to do. I told Mary what had happened and how heartbroken I was but it was not Mary's fault at all. She saved Oreo and I was able to give him 9 more months of life. Mary then contacted me when her friend Whitney found another black and white male in the Downey shelter and that is a nasty shelter. Once I saw the picture of Checkers which I have named Rajah I knew he had to be mine. I was so happy that Mary was looking out for me since Rajah was sent to me from god I believe. I also want to highly stress that cats that are 5 years or above are still great pets to adopt. Cats live a very long life and I have no problem adopting an older cat since I know I will have many years with them. Also know that when you adopt an animal it takes time for them to adjust. Rajah was a hider when I got him. Each day I would work with him for hours petting him and letting him know he was safe and he was never going back to the shelter ever!!!!!!! In a couple of weeks Rajah went from being a hider boy to my lover boy. He is the most faithful loving cat who follows me everywhere. When I come home you can hear him meowing since he knows the sound of my car alarm and is waits right by the door. He has so much personality and is very fun. He jumps up to help me cook and loves to sit on my bathroom counter and look in the mirror since he knows how handsome he is. He sleeps with me and when someone comes over to visit he is all over me letting me know I am his mom. I could go on and on for hours about how much I love Rajah. He is one big fluffball and has me wrapped around his tail. Mary has been rescuing cats for a long time and knows alot of people. I would recommend Mary to anyone who is looking for a cat. I can't thank Mary and her friend Whitney enough for bringing me Rajah. We need more people like Mary and Whitney in this world to help these animals. Too many people dump their animals and I just don't understand. If Rajah got out I would be frantic going crazy to find him. I have even just moved and believe me finding a place that was cat ok was a must since I will never give my cat up. He is my baby and the total love of my life. He is what I live for and I will do everything to make sure he is healthy and happy. Cats are the most loving pets and very, very loyal for anyone that does not think so they are. But remember it is a lifelong commitment when you adopt and animal. Mary is just a godsent and I love her to death. I hope I will soon be able to add another cat into my home since I love cats so much. If I could rate Mary I would give her a 100% since she truly has a heart of gold and will do anything to help you find the perfect cat. I feel so blessed to have met her the day I did and she has changed my life by giving me the perfect cat. Rajah thanks her and Whitney as well since he did not deserve to end up at a shelter but he now will always have a forever home with me. Mary you truly are an angel! read more

Mary Catalano is the best. We got 2 of the greatest kitties from her. Siblings. They are great cats. They were just wee little things when she brought them by. One is laying right here by my computer right now purring away. read more

I approached this woman recently and inquired about a cat who had neurological issues. I have fostered, volunteered and found profound fulfillment in caring for special needs animals. She appeared to encourage me then abruptly changed her mind; as upsetting as her repellent behavior was to me, I am writing this on behalf of the numerous animals who have most certainly not been adopted due to her hostility and ineptitude. I called my vet and described the cat's demeanor and she told me the woman's flippant description "he has issues, he's fine" was absolutely irresponsible. Years ago I approached this woman and offered to help and she was so repulsive I have avoided the location on Montana since, I only approached recently because a man was covering for her; when I saw she returned I decided to try to talk to her. We are struggling through such uncertain times, we need empathy and compassion, this woman has not a shred of either. I am praying for the cat, I would liked to have given him a loving home but this miserable excuse for a human being has too many issues to legitimately help animals. read more