Underdog was incredible. The whole process, from start to finish, felt incredibly considerate and…read morecaring. In our case, we have two kids, and really wanted to make sure the dog was a good match before we introduced them. That model isn't a great fit for shelters where they (understandably) want the whole family to meet the dog, and won't place a hold to let grownups prescreen first. Not so with Underdog! We completed our initial form, had an email exchange, and then a video call, just grownups. There was no rush, and absolutely no pressure - such a wonderful difference from what we'd experienced elsewhere. Once we felt like this was a good fit, we included the kids. Our foster was incredible. She was responsive, caring, kind, and compassionate, and it totally opened our eyes to how this process can go when it is handled so skillfully. Moreover, she gave us a fabulous download of information, all super actionable and helpful. We came home with healthy, realistic expectations, and tons of tools and resources to get us started. All this is to say, thanks to Underdog, we got connected with our pup - and our family is completely in love.

Underdog needs to improve with communication,follow through,they gave me a timeline on when they…read more would contact me about a pet I applied for and gave me no response on pet availability.I felt disappointed about not being able to adopt the pet I wanted.I applied fifteen days ago and heard nothing.This rescue is only about how much they can profit on their so called rescues,don't waste your time contacting them.

JOYBOUND'S DENTAL SERVICES I have nothing but praise for…read moreJoybound's new dental services.  The application process was easy and done entirely online.  My feline Buddy had one pre-surgery appointment for a checkup and blood work.  Surgery day (including extractions) went smoothly.  We were sent home with good instructions and pain medication; Dr. Bellmund checked in with me a few days later. Besides their expertise and efficiency, Dr. Bellmund and her team were kind and compassionate--just what I needed at a time when I was worried and concerned. All that and--the pricing is significantly lower than a recent estimate I received from a local private-practice veterinarian clinic. Buddy is now a happier cat.  I'm seeing a positive change in his personality.  Thank you, Joybound, for all you do for pets and pet parents.  I am grateful.

About a month ago, I went to Joybound People & Pets to adopt a kitten, and I had such a wonderful…read moreexperience. Everyone was so kind, welcoming, and helpful throughout the whole process. I was looking for a baby kitten, and thankfully I found exactly the little cat I was hoping for. The adoption process was easy and smooth, and you can really tell how much the staff cares about the animals. The cats are very well treated, and the conditions they are kept in are excellent. Everything was clean, organized, and the animals looked healthy, happy, and loved. Thank you to everyone at Joybound People & Pets for all the care and dedication you give to these animals. I truly recommend this adoption center!

Did it again. Got another rescue from Love and Second Chances and couldn't be happier. They…read morereally care about finding the right home for their doggos. Love them!

We had an amazing experience working with Love & Second Chances to adopt our Mei! Melody answered…read moreall our questions and our flight volunteer was so kind. We are so happy with Mei in our lives and I highly recommend this rescue.

I have been following Cal Paws Rescue on social media for quite sometime and I finally had the…read moreprivilege of adopting from this amazing organization. From the adoption event to pickup, the process and communication from this rescue was top tier. What I really appreciate is that Cal Paws does it's due diligence to make sure these dogs are placed in the best fit homes and that they are set up for success in the near future. It is evident that this rescue and their volunteers really care about making an impact in our local communities and educating the public on the importance and the role of animal rescues.

I really appreciated the organizations follow-up and the efficiency. Every interaction was…read moreprofessional and friendly. The puppy was healthy and happy. It was a wonderful experience.

They are doing a great job if trying to save all the critters and supplying the public with low…read morecost spay/neuter and vaccines.

I cannot believe it was just last month that I was on my way to meet my beautiful little Opal…read more My experience with this location was something to remember for all time. Not only was the staff incredible, they truly love what they do. Opal has a mild case of CH and I currently have a little with a severe case. And I have a soft spot for giving these beautiful souls a happy home. From the phone call to even just arriving to the parking lot for directions I was definitely delighted to see friendly faces from the staff. The volunteers were so incredible, they were nothing but transparent and loving to all the littles in the venue I felt bad that I wanted to adopt when they have such great people. I think whoever is looking for a new addition should really consider adopting here. Every little is treated so incredibly well.

I came to the Berkeley Humane Society after being told they were providing a free health clinic on…read moreSaturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7. This included free spay and neuter services with advanced sign-up. The staff and volunteers were absolutely amazing--so kind, organized, and genuinely helpful throughout the entire experience. One of the sponsors was Tony LaRussa and LaRussa Rescue, along with other rescue organizations. Tony and his wife were there during our visit, taking time to chat with people and personally thanking everyone for coming, which was incredibly touching. I've been wanting to visit this shelter for a long time, and I'm so glad I finally had the opportunity. The dedication and compassion of everyone here truly shows. An amazing place filled with amazing people.

Phenomenal Shelter!!!…read more My partner and I started off fostering dogs and ultimately foster failed. We worked closely with Ian who was phenomenal, supportive and so responsive. They gave us all the supplies (food, toys, advice, leashes, etc.) we needed to give our foster pooches what they needed. We fostered a sweet girl for nearly 4 months until she found her forever home, which was difficult for us but so rewarding to be a part of her journey to a home and family who could give her everything she needed. We fostered a bit more and ultimately foster-failed and have had our boy Rickey (formerly Kona) for nearly a year! Rickey has been the most perfect pooch we could've asked for. I am so appreciative of Berkeley Humane, Ian, and the whole team. Cannot recommend this shelter enough! Foster and/or adopt from Berkeley!!

Amazing service. Put in a request to remove a dead cat. A few hours later It was removed. Super!!!!read more

Don't forget to check out the animals in foster care. The foster parents are happy to share insight…read moreon the animals in their care, as well as set up an agreeable meeting time to meet their fosters. Animals in foster are so much more relaxed, they also have more of a routine. Check out the animal's diary to see photos and videos of them to glean more info on their unique personalities. Many dogs have been in play groups at the shelter, so they have information on their unique play style to better know if these dogs will be a good fit for your family

I recently started fostering a bunny for OAS and they are really wonderful. The folks working and…read morevolunteering there care so much about animals and put a lot of effort in to getting them in to foster homes and adopted. For example they have instagram pages for the senior dogs and the rabbits to help promote them more. Please consider fostering or adopting from OAS! And please know that the crisis of animals in needs is not the fault of rescues and shelters, it's the fault of breeders and buyers who keep exploiting animals for profit. As the saying goes "don't breed or buy, while shelter animals die" Separately from fostering, I do mutual aid with some unhoused folks and their dogs. One friends dog who I had gotten spayed ended up getting hit by a car and thankfully OAS received her body and was able to contact us so that her guardian could have closure and we could honor her life properly. It's not an easy job that OAS is doing, but they are saving lives in an ongoing crisis of abused and unwanted animals.

UPDATE as of 2/4/25…read more Keea's Test Results came back from the lab in New York. " Very Strong Positive " for Bartonella aka Cat Scratch Disease. Bartonella in Cats Transmission: Spread among cats primarily by the cat flea (Ctenocephalides Felis). Symptoms: Most infected cats show no signs of illness, acting as carriers. In rare cases, they may experience temporary fever, lethargy, or swollen lymph nodes, particularly if stressed or immunocompromised. It is CONTAGIOUS and they must be kept away from other animals and for humans you must not let them scratch you. Cat Scratch Fever (Disease) in Humans Symptoms: Develops 1-3 weeks after a scratch or bite, typically causing a small, red bump at the site, followed by swollen, tender lymph nodes, fever, headache, and fatigue. Severity: Usually mild and self-limiting in healthy people, though it can cause serious complications (heart or neurological issues) in those with weak immune systems. Bartonella can also cause severe, chronic inflammation in cats leading to eye issues and, in some cases, blindness, as well as neurological symptoms which would explain Keea's eye issues and the fact she has trouble using back legs. Hopefully whoever adopted Gramps (who was in the same room as her) will see this. TREATMENT - 5 weeks of Doxycycline. The cat must initially be treated for 4 weeks and if they test negative after 4 weeks be treated that extra 5th week as a safety precaution. Again if you have other pets, children etc PLEASE keep away. Protect yourself and wear gloves if the cat is a risk of scratching you when medicating. Also if you see the white third eyelid this means the cat is dehydrated and must be given IV Fluid's immediately.

We adopted a 2 year old kitty from Hopalong at Woodland Pet in Bon Air Center. We had just recently…read moresaid goodbye to our beloved cat who was 20 years old and had been the best companion for us. We weren't looking to get a new kitty so soon, but Dharma was in the back of the store and she was very sweet. They let us play with her and our dog was with us, so we took turns being near Dharma and allowing our dog (who loves our cats) to see her from a distance. All went well. We learned that she had been in the store for a while and had a rough life before she was taken to the shelter. Fast forward to today--she cuddles with my husband who has been very ill and she is his best friend. She learned how to win over the resident cat (with lots of time and some help), and she and our Husky and best friends. She's earned the nickname Drama because she's very good at getting into mischief. The support information from Hopalong was useful. We've had cats our entire lives and still each cat is unique. Having resources at hand is great! The people at Woodland Pet were very helpful in vetting us to make certain that we would be a good, safe home for Dharma and that she would be happy with us. They sent us home with supplies and toys. Because of their continued interest, our dog and I go back to show them photos of Drama earning her nickname.

What a great experience with Marin Humane + Hopalong. My partner and I lost our pug earlier this…read moreyear in January. We adopted her from the shelter when she was two and she lived all the way to fifteen. She was everything to us. After she passed, we waited a while before feeling ready to adopt again. In the meantime, I followed a ton of Bay Area rescue groups on Instagram and checked the Petfinder app regularly. We knew we were drawn to flat-faced breeds, but the most important thing was finding a dog that could get along with our two cats. We actually found a Frenchie through another rescue and even went to meet him at an adoption event. Unfortunately, his foster parent said he didn't do well with other dogs and probably not with cats either. That was a dealbreaker for us. About a month later, during the week of July 4, I came across Sally Sitwell (now renamed Winnie) on Petfinder. Her profile mentioned that she was good with cats, and she sounded perfect for us. I applied right away but didn't hear back for a few days, so I was worried she might have already been adopted. But I totally understood since it was a holiday week and I'm sure they received a ton of applications. Eventually, I got an email from Ruthie, a volunteer, to schedule a 1:1 phone interview. She was really warm and easy to talk to. She explained that she usually handles phone interviews for people interested in brachycephalic breeds since she has experience with them. I shared our story about our late pug and everything we went through with her including surgeries, seizures, and IVDD, and Ruthie could tell we were familiar with the breed's needs. She planned to coordinate a meeting with us, the dog, and the foster parent, but she was going to be out of town. So she looped in Alex from Hopalong and Francesca, the foster mom, so we could set something up directly. We coordinated a visit to meet Winnie at Hopalong in Oakland. I really appreciated how flexible and communicative everyone was. It felt like everyone genuinely wanted the best for this dog. When I first met Francesca and Winnie, I lit up. Winnie was even more adorable in person and so much smaller than I expected. Francesca was such a kind person. She already had a Frenchie and cats, so you could tell she really loves animals. She walked us through all of Winnie's little quirks and her daily routine. A few minutes later my partner arrived and I ran out to get him. I told him right away, "You're going to love her, she's so adorable." The moment he walked in and saw her, he was smiling ear to ear. We ended up spending about 30 minutes with Francesca, chatting and also sharing more about ourselves so she'd feel reassured that Winnie would be going to a loving home. Toward the end of our visit, Alex, the program manager, came out to meet us. She was super bubbly and also a Frenchie owner. We let her know we were all in and wanted to move forward with the adoption. We asked if we could pick Winnie up the next day since we had a bunch of supplies being delivered like her crate, food, and bowls. Francesca was so accommodating and let us come to her house the next day to get her. The whole experience was amazing. Everyone was so friendly and helpful. There were no awkward moments and we felt supported from start to finish. I would recommend this rescue to anyone. Now Winnie is completely spoiled. We originally planned to have her sleep in her crate but that lasted exactly one night. She's now in the bed with us. She's been to the dog park, joined us on restaurant patios, come to work with me, and even had a few spa days. After hearing about her rough start to life, being used for breeding and then dropped off at the Hayward animal shelter, we knew we wanted to give her the best life possible. She is truly the sweetest, most loving dog we could have asked for. We're so grateful to everyone at Marin Humane + Hopalong for bringing her into our lives.

15 years ago I adopted a black lab mix from Coppers Dream. She was so tiny then. Coppers Dream was…read morethere to help me find a wonderful dog. Over the years she and I went on many hikes together. She was always by my side. So very loyal. We added our Sons dog, a Shepsky, also adopted from Coppers Dream, to our family, as he was always traveling. Those two dogs spent many years together, always protective of me and of each other on our many hikes. I would periodically send in photos to CD, and always had a friendly reply. Almost like a family. One morning, up in ALanden Quicksilver Park, going up a steep narrow trail, they suddenly half turned and let rip with ferocious barks. A cougar came racing down the hill, I guess it wanted us for breakfast. Nope. Their utter ferocity in their barking and stance was one obstacle. The second was Bear Spray. That cougar decided quickly that this would not be a good way to start the day. Those two adopted dogs were Loyal, lovable, Protective, Goofy. Play ball? You bet. They loved swimming, exploring and making friends. My lab lived until she was 15. Our Shepsky passed a year or so before. Coppers Dream has always been professional, friendly and easy to approach. Now, I'm back looking for one more dog. Our young, female GSD is lonely without her big sister and big brother..

Untrustworthy rescue who do not prioritize the care for the dogs they rescue. Focused on getting…read more#s, not properly matching adopters to their best matched dog. Turn their back one you once you pay your adoption fee. No plan for what to do when a dog isn't perfect. Few internal guard rails to assure business runs appropriately. We had a 16 year fostering relationship and wouldn't recommend this rescue anymore. They have lost their way.