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    The Animal Pad

    4.8 (225 reviews)

    Services - The Animal Pad

    Pet adoption

    Community Service/Non-Profit

    The Animal Pad Photos

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    Reviews With Photos

    Kenna K.

    The adoption process was 10/10! I would work with TAP for any animal I'd want to rescue. They are so thorough and care so much about their animals.

    Emilia N.

    Helen, TAP Adoption Director, listened to my feedback and gifted a puppy to me for no adoption fee, which was kind and appreciated. Although, I insisted on it. Nevertheless, I went to a vetting appointment this morning for two of the pups and it was continued madness. I am pretty sure I made a mistake administering the preventative medication for the litter and was essentially told they were not addressing the clinical issue, so now the litter of pups is going untreated for giardia. I even offered to pay for the medication for the entire litter. Also, my SUV was full of brand new unused supplies from fostering the litter that I intended to donate but they directed me to put the materials on the ground outside of the building. I donated the supplies to the SD Humane Society instead. I also spoke with the Executive Director who generally lacked accountability and seemingly made excuses for TAP. Honestly, this could have been a better experience with one platform for communication, regularly scheduled supply drop-offs, transportation provided for pups, more than a few days advance notice for promotional/advertising events and other expectations for the puppies to be present, and a more efficient system/timeframe for the adoption process (e.g., they contact references, gather vet records for applicants wanting to adopt, and schedule meet-and-greets in a stepwise process instead of simultaneously which is timely and thus unnecessarily burdensome for fosters). It might be less hectic to foster a dog from TAP, but honestly I would not consider fostering a litter with them. I would also be cautious fostering with them as a "first time" experience. I have heard that there are more supportive rescues for fosters out there. At least I got these cuties!

    @RealSlimSadieDog is a pawroud TAP alumni!
    Felicitas L.

    I am one of those people who had no dogs in pre-covid & now I am a happy dog mom to 2 lil rescue pups! In my hunt for the perfect rescue pup for our lifestyle, I contacted several local dog rescues. The Animal Pad was BY FAR the most responsive, organized, & professional! Real Slim Sadie (formerly known as Buttons) came to me as a foster pup that TAP rescued after being abandoned at a hostel. This was around April of 2020. We worked with Joelle (Foster Coordinator) who was responsive via text and helped me find a pup that would fit our needs. We got 1 pic of Sadie & thought she looked really goofy & happy, so we decided to foster her! Foster parents get "first dibs" aka first right of refusal for adoption, so it's a great way to get your feet wet, help a dog, & also see if that dog is the right fit for you! Highly recommend! Plus, TAP gives you EVERYTHING YOU NEED in order to take care of the doggo: food, toys, crate, pee pads, leash, harness, poop bags, etc etc. Not every dog rescue does that. (For example, I know for a fact that Labs & More does not because I contacted them to foster.) Within a few short weeks, we FELL IN LOVE with Sadie, and now she's part of our family. TAP was so supportive of us on the way, and always answered our questions. Every volunteer we've met has been fantastic, and we love going to support their fundraising events. RUMOR: "But don't rescue pups have issues?" FALSE!!!! Sure, some can have behavioral issues since they've been living on the streets, but that doesn't mean they should be treated "lesser than" breeder dogs. There are many many misconceptions & stereotypes about "rescue pups." I can tell you that Sadie didn't fit the "dog with baggage"/"bad dog"/"dog with issues"/ "aggressive dog" stereotype that so many think of when it comes to rescue dogs. Sadie is an angel & shows us how grateful she is to be in our home every day. She has a really sweet disposition. My sister fostered and then adopted a 5 week old pitbull mix, and she is the SWEETEST & GENTLEST dog I've ever met. I'm saying this to dispel this kind of biased thinking & to persuade you to consider rescuing a pup from TAP or another local rescue!!! Fostering SAVES lives. TAP is an AMAZING dog rescue. Please check out TAP's Instagram if you need any validation or confirmation that TAP is nothing short of an AMAZING dog rescue. They go the distance to save dogs in need. Truly.

    My son adopted a dog from TAP. It was the best decision! She had a hard life before joining our family; one ear had a small tear, missing fur on her back and she was very shy. A few months of eating Healthy food, love and affection/play time made a huge difference in her appearance and personality When we come home now she always brings us one of her toys and cuddles with us on the couch. It was such a success we got a second dog from TAP!! The second dog is about 1 years old. We thought they'd be about the same size. She surprised us. She is a BIG lovable girl. Hah. Our whole family loves Wriggs and Tiggs

    Montgomery TAP alum -- TVT survivor. @monty_themixedmutt on Insta!
    Ida B.

    I genuinely could not praise The Animal Pad (TAP) enough. They have been the most amazing, inspirational, and caring organization I have had the pleasure to work with. When I moved to San Diego, one of my goals was so start fostering dogs with eventually the idea to adopt when it felt right. TAP allows fosters to have "first dibs" on the dog(s) they foster and you can say whether you want to keep them within 2 weeks of them being under your foster care. In my case, I quickly realized I was going to be a "foster fail" and I ended up keeping the first dog I fostered. **TAP offers a Temporary Foster opportunity where a person can "foster" for a foster while the original foster is away for a few days, a long weekend, a few weeks, etc. instead of having to commit to a 2-3 month commitment. This is great for those who want to foster but aren't sure about the potential long fostering timeframe. I don't know if this is unique to TAP but many of my friends had never heard of an opportunity like that. I had been eyeing TAP's instagram the months leading up to my move after I heard amazing things from a friend. Their social media presence is unmatched and they are always posting new fosterable/adoptable dogs, events they are holding, fundraisers, and updates to their heartwarming stories. One day they posted about Montgomery (Monty) who was a recent addition to the TAP Tribe. Monty had TVT which is a type of cancer that TAP specializes in. I fell in love immediately and messaged them on Instagram asking if I could foster/adopt him. They responded immediately and let me know that due to his condition, Monty for the foreseeable future was going to need to be in foster care, and that I could apply to foster him on the website. The process to foster was quick and seamless -- I had a quick phone interview and then a video call which I walked some of the team through my housing arrangements to make sure that my apartment was suitable for a foster. 3 days after my initial reach out, I had Monty under my care and we began ~4 months of chemo/cancer treatments. The most amazing part was that TAP provided all the supplies for a successful foster. Beds, crate, leash, food, poop bags, even a few toys sprinkled in. Whenever I ran out of food, etc. I would just reach out to them and get more for pick up. I appreciated the love and care TAP showed my baby through his toughest times. They paid for all of his chemo and medical treatments while he was a foster. Once Montgomery was cleared from cancer I was able to officially adopt him. TAP even paid for his oral surgery on a hole in his gums he got from TVT after I had already adopted him by putting a clause in his adoption papers they would cover it. (The reason for this was because the oral surgeon was booked about 4 months out and he was no longer needed to be seen under shelter care). TAP truly puts the effort into it's volunteers and supports like no other shelter or organization I have seen. Very quickly the TAP tribe became my friends and people who I could turn to for advise and help. I LOVE YOU TAP!! I cannot thank you enough for everything you do and for giving me the opportunity to give Monty all the love and care in the world. I also recently started volunteering for TAP events and will be joining their care team! they have a ton of ways to get involved if you're looking to volunteer! Check out their website.

    Vanya, The Animal Pad rescue dog
    Ariel B.

    Like many people, lockdown really opened up space and time to feel like my partner and I could get a dog. Our friends had adopted through TAP so we went ahead and applied to adopt a dog from here. We didn't get the first dog that we applied to adopt but went ahead to foster and let me tell ya... Fostering to adopt is the way to go if you're wanting a adopt a dog. We filled out an application and had a phone call and virtual home visit before receiving a text with a few photos of potential fosters! We picked Vanya, renamed her Hazy, and we love her so much! Hazy is the perfect size and temperament for our home and lifestyle. We love snuggling her, taking her to the dog park and going on lots of walks. Also, if you are looking to foster dogs until they get adopted, TAP takes care of everything - crate, food, toys, etc. I highly recommend fostering and/or adopting through TAP!

    Sheree M.

    We adopted an adorable 9 week old pup from TAP and the entire process and experience was a dream! Helen and Keren made the adoption, shots and neutering appts so seamless! And the foster who cared for our pup was amazing (thank you, Jill!) We are beyond grateful for TAP's support and guidance during this exciting time. Ravioli loves his new home and we are so in love with him!

    We loved adopting through The Animal Pad; they had incredibly friendly and helpful staff who made the adoption process easy for us. They take animal safety very seriously and do thorough vetting to ensure all pets go to a good home, whether fosters or adoption. They were very honest to work with and helped us find a dog that was not only a great fit for us, but also we were a good home for her. The adoption fee is an insanely good deal for the amount of care they provide before and after adoption, and we still feel supported by them.

    First outing to the park!
    Stephanie L.

    So thankful to the entire TAP team I worked with to rescue and adopt my pup! This was my first time adopting/getting a new puppy and as a first-timer I had a ton of questions- all of which the TAP team answered. I submitted my application and received an e-mail back within a week. Keep in mind- they're a non-profit and their volunteers assist with the rescues aside from their real jobs, so give them time to respond. The next step was meeting with the pup and his foster, which went great! She was super friendly and helpful. They have a select number of applicants meet with the dog and its foster to find the best match. I was ecstatic to hear I'd been chosen to move forward and adopt! Finishing the process did take some time with the reference check and virtual home walk through, but I'm glad TAP is thorough with who adopts with them. They genuinely care about the dogs they rescue and it's evident through the process and their check ins. Highly recommend TAP for anyone looking to adopt! Check out their Instagram, they post amazing and heart warming stories of the dogs they rescue and rehabilitate. Thank you TAP for rescuing my pup .

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    These people are definitely heroes. They help animals that really need it. Thanks guys.

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    Wonderful caring people 100% focused on the well being of the animals. Wish they existed in state!

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    Ask the Community - The Animal Pad

    Hi there, I've been trying for two months sending emails and requesting to be contacted to adopt a dog. Maybe you guys could get a Google voice number so that you can except phone calls if someone is not monitoring your email?

    Hi Allison I have a perfect puppy that you can have she is up to date with her shots, potty trained, very friendly and playful, plays well with other dogs and children of all ages. I have everything you need for her bed, clothes, cage, etc... Please… 

    Hi Everyone! Does anybody know if there is a phone number for The Animal Pad? My wife & I are interested in adopting a dog but cant get a hold of them via email.…

    Hi there! We do not have a phone number but you can reach us at info@theanimalpad.com!

    View All 3 Questions

    Review Highlights - The Animal Pad

    TAP, including their vets and foster, took great care of her and prepared her and her puppies for adoption.

    Mentioned in 52 reviews

    Read more highlights

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