This place is not what it seems. We filled out all required paperwork. Up front about our schedule and home. It took awhile to hear back from them. But then we got an email that we could schedule an appointment to meet two puppies from the same litter. We emailed back when we were available from the days and times they indicated. That was on Thursday evening and we responded that same evening. We got an email Sunday morning that we were scheduled to meet them in a few hours. When we showed up we were only greeted with one of the two we were told about. Nonetheless we fell in love with the one we did meet. We hung out with her for quiet sometime. We paid our adoption fee of $550.00, received the puppy's paperwork and a gift bag. We spoke to one of the volunteers who told us we could pick up our puppy that following Tuesday after being spayed. She said everything looked perfect. Then she asked if we had our home visit, which we hadn't. That was scheduled for Tuesday morning on the Monday before. We went out the next few days and prepped for her arrival, about $500.00+. I did the home visit, answered all the same questions again and before I hung up with the volunteer she was congratulating us on our adoption. My boyfriend made sure to take time off work so we could pick her up. (Losing 2 hours of pay in the process.) We received a congratulations email and them shortly thereafter another email that said they were NOT going to allow us to adopt. They indicated it was because of our schedules. Which had not been an issue in the process at anytime. We were advised that we could still adopt but they would only allow us to adopt a puppy 6 months or older. There was no discussion and trying to reach ANYONE proves very difficult. When we finally heard from the owner she was very patronizing. Essentially they pulled a "bait and switch". We were there for a cute puppy we instantly bonded with, only to be told we couldn't have that one but they'd give us an older one. DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS PLACE!!!! There are plenty of other places that need adoptees. read more

The Barking Lot - Our adoption picture that THEY took of us! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

What a wonderful nonprofit! We adopted our pup through The Barking Lot and have only good things to say about the experience. Like most shelters, The Barking Lot requires a detailed adoption application, which I was happy to spend some quality time filling out. A detailed and specific application, to my mind, is evidence of a shelter's focus on finding great homes for their dogs. Unlike most shelters, The Barking Lot responded to my application within a day. I appreciate this SO much, since all the other applications I'd sent to other shelters went unacknowledged, along with unanswered phone calls. We were immediately matched with an adoption counselor, had a virtual home visit and interview, and were approved for a future adoption. The first dog we were interested in proved to be not a good match in our virtual meet 'n greet (she clearly thrived in the company of other dogs and we are a solo dog household), and The Barking Lot understood entirely. The next pup we were interested in we met in person, and it was love at first sight, so we took him home then and there. I can't say enough about the professionalism, honesty, and intense hard work of all the staff members/volunteers at the Barking Lot. Every step of the way we were cc'd on our email thread, responded to very quickly, and were treated with kindness and understanding and honesty on all fronts. The dogs in the shelter are clearly cherished, with the sole goal of finding each one the right home. The focus is 100% dog. I recommend the Barking Lot with all my heart! read more

The Barking Lot - Our sweet new family member! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

Incredibly lengthy adoption application process, only to find out at the end that I was denied without any rhyme or reason. Watch out for the woman named Shannon. For the record I own a home with a giant front and backyard and have had previously been a dog owner so I am not new to having a dog. If you scroll through their 'adoptable dogs' page, you will see a ridiculously long list of dogs that need to be adopted, yet they hoard onto pups and will not release it to a fur-ever home unless you are middle aged/stay-at-home/retiree living in a McMansion and never leave your home. read more

Love at first bark! Want to add a family member and save a life? The Barking Lot has so many wonderful pets waiting for you! Be aware, there were several checks in place. It was about 7-10 days from beginning to end. The director, Stacy thoroghly answered all of our questions and the process went as expected. Kelly was wonderful in following through with any questions before and after the adoption process. We came upon them through a petfinder service. We, like so many at first, were a bit put off by the many questions. But quickly realized the process was to benefit everyone involved. We had no problem answering the questions as the questionnaire's purpose is to make sure of the right fit. The dogs are kept at a facility that allows them to get lots of social interaction, love and attention. This was a HUGE plus as we were trying to find a pet who could join our pack. Thanks to The Barking Lot, "Lucy" is home and our pack is complete. read more

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Look, I think people need to manage their expectations here a bit. Before you criticize this place or the people that VOLUNTEER here, please keep in mind that every dog in here would be dead if not for them. Every dog. The Barking Lot and the volunteers are doing the best they can with EXTREMELY limited resources to save as many puppers as possible. Yup, it's a little dirty back there. Yup, the staff is all overworked and the process can take a bit longer. And most importantly: yup, each dog here deserves a loving family, and the Barking Lot is working hard to make that happen. We adopted our pupper March 1st from TBL. We waiting to meet a variety of dogs before finding Cody (formerly Acton). Like many homeless and recently sheltered dogs he had some issues (medical and personality) and we've worked through them with him, and our family is stronger for it. Now he's happy, healthy, and totally freaking adorable. If you want a guarantee with your dog, go be part of the problem and buy from a breeder. If you want to be part of the solution, TBL is a great place to help save a wonderful dog's life. read more

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We adopted a dog on 11-15-20 from the Barking Lot! They were great! The application process was easy and the home inspection was on Zoom and quick! We had a play date with 2 dogs and picked right away! We love our new dog MoMo! The Barking Lot is a wonderful place to adopt a fine furry friend. They are very helpful and friendly! They have checked in with us 10 days later even after we adopted MoMo. I highly recommend them! Thank you to the staff! Our dog was very healthy per our vet! We love our new family pet! The Barking Lot has a great variety of pets. You will love them! Help a pet find a home adopt from the Barking Lot! Thanks! read more

We would highly recommend the Barking lot and already have to many people. The process for us was long like adopting a child since we fell in love with a puppy when she was still very little. Everything was virtual (first meet and greet, home inspection) and trying to coordinate in their schedule was a little hard but in the end it was all worth it since we got our fur baby. They do a wonderful job with the dogs, most are fostered and you can tell they are very loved, healthy, and happy. read more

The Barking Lot - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

I'm giving this place 2 starts instead of 1 because of Elise Capron, the volunteer that did our virtual home check. She was fantastic, super nice, and flexible, which is the only reason they get the extra star. Everything else was bad. When I responded to the email your adoption coordinator sends after they receive your application to set up the appointment, I got no response. When she did reply (Shannon) she said there were no appointments available for the weekend between the times she originally listed. Fine. But I really pushed to get an appointment that weekend and emphasized it was because we were really interested in a dog and didn't want her to get adopted before we drove all the way down there. We drove from Glendora, so 130 miles each way. I finally got an appointment scheduled, but it wasn't without a few emails and nudging along. I continued to check the website to make sure the dog we were interested in was available, because they claim they update them daily. When the day came to drive down there, it was beyond disappointing. The place we drove up to looked run down in an industrial area, and they were late at starting our appointment. We were scheduled for 11:30 and they got to us at 12pm. When she finally came up up us and asked the dog we were interested in, she told us she was adopted the day before. WHAT!?! We literally drove all the way down for this and I expressed that to her. I'm sure she could tell that my fiancé and I were extremely annoyed because she said to us "let it go". Lady please, if you just drove 2 hours to get down to this crappy place just to be told the one dog you were interested in got adopted, you wouldn't just "let it go". She told us to try out a different dog since we were already there. Fine. The one she brought out to us was not at all how she had described personality wise, and clearly was in poor health condition (she pooped blood on the walk & when I told the woman she didn't even care). The "introduction" they do between dogs is complete bull, and then they just hand you a dog to walk!!!! The one she gave us pulled constantly and weighed a lot, so I can't imagine someone who has never had, or has had very little, dog experience just being handed a dog to walk without any guidance what so ever. At this point I was so put off I wanted to just leave. But it took the woman almost 20 minutes to come back and take the dog from us, so I was just standing there with her by their front door. When she finally took her back, I told her the issues I had noticed on the "walk" and she just said ok thanks with the least bit of concern expressed. After that I was so frustrated and turned off I just wanted to get out of there as quick as I could. I felt so bad for the dog I just walked and was so angry at the experience and the lack of concern this woman had for the dog and us driving all the way down for absolutely nothing. Also they ask $500-600 for the dog you adopt. That is just absolutely insane and no other rescue I have come across asks those prices. And the "store" they claim to have is just plastic bins full of used crap. DO NOT WASTE YOUR TIME COMING HERE!!!! Take the bad reviews to heart because it is truly awful. read more

I don't understand how a company who wants to find a good home for such sweet dogs can be so rude and uncommunicative. Today started off on a positive note. I was extremely excited to meet with the dog I had seen online. A nice gentleman came to my house to do an inspection. I have a big yard around my entire house that is completely fenced. The inspection went smoothly and my next step was to go to my appointment to meet the pup. This company does require anyone in your household as well as any dogs in your household to go with you to meet your prospective new pet. Which is understandable. My roommate and my schedules are a little off set and she had to go to work today so when I brought that up, I was told that I can try and see if I can go early. I sent an e-mail and as I got ready to go I did not get a response. I don't live far from the location so I didn't see any harm in stopping by. If I got sent away I would just come back at my scheduled time. I obviously was completely wrong. When we walked up, the door was locked with a big sign that says appointment only. I looked through the glass door and I see a lady at a counter so I knock on the door. The lady sitting there, I am assuming her name is Lara, acted like I was invisible. I waited a minute thinking she would eventually acknowledge our presence. Nope. She didn't even flinch. So I knocked again hoping she would at the very least acknowledge us. She acknowledged us by yelling at us to STOP KNOCKING. Wow! What a great impression to have on some potential adopters. A few moments after some other ladies walked out. The first young lady was super sweet and told us someone would be right with us. The other blonde lady had a complete attitude and barked at us do you have an appointment. I explained yes I have an appointment but I know my roommate needed to go to work so I was hoping we could get in early so she will not be late. The nicer lady was like someone is in the back feeding the dogs so they should be right with you. So we sit down out front and wait. As we are sitting there, a lady who said she is fostering a dog for them, was greeted and allowed into the front door by the lady who yelled at us earlier. Mind you, she didn't even acknowledge us sitting right there.. AGAIN! She goes inside for another 10 minutes at least and finally comes out and asks if we have an appointment. I explained to her the situation and she immediately got upset and stormed back in and said let me see. Well let me see made me think she will be back with an answer. Nope she did not come back after sitting for at least another 15 minutes. We sat there for an hour without anyone saying we will not be able to fit you in early, please come back at your scheduled time. This easy response would have given us the answer we needed to decide our next steps instead of leaving us open ended. Some really easy communication would have really changed our experience. I really hope they are not as bad with the dogs as they are with people. I am not sure why no one was able to simply say there is no way to fit you in early. I do not understand why when we walked up it was so difficult to greet us. The lady that sits at the front of your office should not be so bad with people interactions. I may have come back to my appointment without my roommate, at the correct time had I not been treated so terribly. And just to put some icing on the cake. The blonde lady walked out as we were walking away, and another couple was walking up told the couple that she was sorry about us and that we didn't have an appointment so they had to send us away! I can't believe how these people act. It is sad because so many good homes are being lost because the people at this rescue center have no people skills. read more

We had a good experience with The Barkin Lot Staff, they help us to find a new member of our family, Fizzle is a great companion we are in love with the sweet and loving little boy! Thanks to the Barking Lot Steven & Elizabeth. read more

The Barking Lot - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

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The process: I'd filled out applications with 2 other rescues in San Diego and this was the lengthiest and most thorough. They estimate it will take about 10 minutes, but if you're truly considering the life impact adopting a dog into your family will make it will take you longer. Compared to the other rescues, The Barking Lot gets 5 stars for email communication. They respond rather quickly, considering they're mostly volunteers. I think the longest we waited to hear from someone was a day, whereas another rescue hadn't even notified us that a dog we were interested in was already adopted (we found out via instagram). They also sent reminder emails for our appointment and asked if there were any other dogs we wanted to meet because they wanted to reach out to fosters to make sure they were there. They even sent an email a week after adopting our boy to check in and see how he was doing. The appointment: Stacy was the only one manning the front and helping families that had appointments, so it was understandable there will be a bit of a wait.They guesstimate the appointment will take 1-1.5 hours and we were there for a little over 2 hours. You can tell she is really passionate about helping the dogs find the right home. The volunteers that work here really care about the dogs at The Barking Lot. They knew them all by name and every volunteer that was working that day seemed to know a little something about each dog. They were walking so many dogs and giving them cuddles in the grass. My dog's foster mom also stayed during our visit and it was so helpful to be able to ask her questions in person. I'd definitely recommend The Barking Lot to those looking to adopt. I'm so happy they were the ones who took care of my boy before we got him. read more

The application for adoption is extensive, but I appreciated that they want to make sure the pups are going to good homes. Our home visit was speedy and easy. The women we worked with during our play date were super friendly and really good at matching pups that we met to our needs in a dog. We fell in love with Franklin (then named Figueroa) from the moment he walked out. The location of the play date is a little odd (outside on the street) and several of the dogs smelled like urine. We would have loved to be able to play with Franklin off a leash. We really saw his personality come out once he was home and in the backyard! I asked several questions about Franklin's health and history, but was told that the vet they had said he was perfectly healthy. They also shared that there is no health guarantee. We brought him home and three days later had to make an emergency vet appointment because he was whimpering in pain so badly and wouldn't stop messing with his ears. Franklin had two VERY bad ear infections. The doctor couldn't understand how this had been missed at the vet visit TBL performed. The vet had to sedate him to get them fully cleaned out and sent us home with a very sleepy dog, antibiotics, and pain medication. $450 later (on top of the $400 adoption fee), we took him home. Hopefully he starts feeling better and we don't find any other hidden health issues! read more

The Barking Lot - Franklin (then Figueroa) - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

found my perfect fit! thank you so much for giving me my new best friend! she's so sweet and well behaved! the team was amazing and im so glad there's people like them. ADOPT DONT SHOP read more

I've been meaning to write a review of The Barking Lot for a little while now since I've adopted my dog Sunny. The Barking Lot rescue does wonderful work with their dogs and they want to make sure that the dog and the adopter are the best fit. They have a semi-lengthy application process, but once you get into it truly helps them make sure that the dog or dogs that you are interested in will be the perfect match for you. The application process was extremely easy in filling it out and I was quickly put in touch with my adoption volunteer who asked a few more questions about what what I was looking for and what dogs I was interested in doing a meet and great if/when my application was fully finalized. My adoption volunteer was wonderful to communicate over email and quick to response to our emails back and forth and answer the couple questions that I had regarding the process and about The Barking Lot itself. The next part was the home inspection, with Covid-19 still going on they followed Covid rules (masks/social distancing/etc) very well. I opted to allow a volunteer local to my area to come visit my house and inspect my yard to make sure it was dog safe and met their requirements and that is matched what I said in my application of what my yard was like. It was a super easy process and the volunteer that came was wonderful to talk to and also gave me suggested for local Vets as I was looking for a new Vet for when I adopted my new dog, great experience! They did also offer the option of doing a virtual home inspect if I wasn't comfortable with someone coming to my house so that option was available. Going onto the property was easy, they provided instructions of where to park and where to go. You can miss the dirt road even following Google Maps so when you get close I recommend to slow down so you don't miss the entrance. A volunteer that was on-site at the facility pointed us to the location where we could sit and wait and let us know she would get the head person and let her know she was her. Now keep in mind this process is a rather lengthy so plan to bring something to drink and possibly eat before as you can easily spend 3 hours on-site depending on how many dogs you might doing a meet and greet with. I was on-site about a little over 2+ hours during the whole process which included meeting the dog, taking her for a walk around the property, returning to the waiting area and then filling out paperwork and acceptable of the adoption and finalize donation. I had 3 dogs in mind that I wanted to do a meet and greet with, but two of the dogs Stacy who was the person coordinating the dog meet and greet and adoption process explained there were some behavioral items that they were still working with the dogs and that she didn't feel they would be a great fit for me which I understood. I've grown up with dogs and had a dog previously, but I'm glad that they are honest about whether you are a good fit for the dog and any behavior or issues the dog might have that you'll need to work on. I did get to do my meet and great with my dog that I adopted (Sunny) and while she was at first a little scared to me around me and my mom she quickly warmed up and was beyond excited to go explore the property on leash. After a nice long walk around the property area we returned the waiting area which we had to wait a little bit of for Stacy to return at which point I confirmed I would like to adopt the dog and she went to get all the paperwork to finalize the adoption. The adoption process was painless, The Barking Lot does have some rules when adopting their dogs so keep that in mind and be willing to agree to them, they are pretty simple and honestly people looking to adopt dogs are going to keep the dog for their whole life. Outside of that once the paperwork was done I did by the slip-lead leash and the collar from The Barking Lot as the one I had brought was too big for the dog, they were reasonable priced and also an item of the donation for adopting the dog so that was cool. My dog that I adopted is named Sunny (Sundra was her official name from The Barking Lot). We've been together for about 2 months now and she is such an awesome dog. She is a Dutch/Australian shepherd who has such a unique personality. One of the great things about The Barking Lot is that they socialize all the dogs with humans and other dogs. Sunny does fantastic at the dog park and has made lots of friends with other dogs and owners when we go. Thank you for such an amazing dog and great friend in my life! read more

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Although it was originally a little difficult to get an appointment for a play date, the rest of the process went really well. For context, I spent about a month actively searching different rescues and the humane society for a new pup. The humane society, although a wonderful organization, was a bit of a difficult process, and some of the other rescues held it against me that I work full time. My other dog is 13 and I raised him from 8 weeks, so it's never been a problem before, so that helped to make for an incredibly frustrating process. Then I reached out to the Barking Lot. Shannon worked hard to get me into a cancellation for a play date, and Cathy was very flexible and able to fit me in for a home inspection before the appointment. When I got to my appointment Sunday morning, the doors were closed and I thought I was at the wrong place. Luckily, I wasn't! I was the only one there, which was nice, but people started showing up for their appointments shortly after. It's important to remember that this is mostly run by volunteers, so try to have a little patience. I spent almost 3 hours working through the process. They started by asking me questions about what I was looking for and then brought out one dog at a time to see if there were any connections. You're able to take the pup for a walk and spend time with them outside of the kennel, which is a really nice experience. Lucky for me, the 2nd dog they brought out was perfect. He's been with me for about a week and is just the best little pup I could have imagined. He did have what the vet thinks were some tick bites, but other than that he seemed well taken care of while he was at The Barking Lot. The team has also followed up to see how everything is going since I took Ranger (formerly Bender) home, which is nice. I would definitely recommend The Barking Lot to anyone looking to rescue a good pup! read more

I filled out several applications throughout San Diego County. The Barking Lot was the only shelter that kept in communication with us while trying to adopt. They were consistent and did what they said they were going to do, which I appreciate. I realize there are a lot of changes that everyone is trying to adapt to and they were really good at rolling with the punches. The process is a bit slower but well worth the wait. We finally got to adopt our perfect doggo! read more

The Barking Lot - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

Great staff. Thorough application process. They truly care about these dogs and where they end up! read more

The Barking Lot - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

I'll have to admit- reading the reviews made us skeptical of this place, BUT the negative reviews could not be farther from the truth! Our experience with the Barking Lot was perfect. If you are dedicated to the adoption process, you will have no issues. This is not a one stop one day shop to get a dog quick. That being said, the adoption process also took less than a week for us between the application, follow up questions, the home visit, and the meet and greet with our new puppy. This is clearly a non profit run by volunteers. They are not a full blown shelter with multiple payroll employees there 24/7 to tend to "customers". They are there to find homes for precious fur babies. If you call and don't get a response- email them! They are very clear about the best way to contact them. Upset that you can't just stop by during "business hours" to play with puppies and take one home? Again, THEY ARE A NON PROFIT AND CLEARLY STATE THAT YOU NEED AN APPOINTMENT TO VISIT WITH THE DOGS. Adoption fee too expensive? Our puppy was already spayed, vaccinated, treated for parasites and worms (the poor girl was found as a stray), and microchipped. It's obvious the adoption fee covers all of these things- and if you don't believe that then go get an estimate of doing all of those things individually. Even after we've adopted our baby, they are still responsive and have answered all of our questions we've had a week later. HIGHLY recommend you go here and support this local group. Best decision we have made. read more

The Barking Lot - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

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I did not read the reviews prior to and im glad I didnt, as far as I can tell a lot of folks didnt read the contract and rules TBL puts up prior to you adopting a doggo. We had zero problems adopting, we checked out dogs that needed a home online, came with a list and instantly fell in love with the first dog we saw "Janquito" which we shortened to just "Hank". Stacey clearly explained the expectations and requirements to take Hank home with us and we knew going in that there was a $500 fee, which after all, feeding and keeping a roof over all those dogs head isnt free. Stacey was also very clear that because Hank has been in a car accident that he had a limp in his walk, that was a feature not a problem to us. TBL also provided his x-rays that were done in Mexico to us which we copied and shared with our vet. All in all it was a great experience and when we move into a house instead of an apartment we will be coming back. Thank you TBL for my late night comedy show tv watching buddy! read more

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My husband and I adopted our sweet new family member Xena. It was love at first sight. We have an 8 month old very hyper lab whippet mix that desperately needed a buddy and there she was, match made in heaven. I really enjoyed meeting and working with all of the staff. I was able to walk several dogs and take my time on the right puppy for us. Our home inspection was great. I would and will recommend The Barking Lot. Thanks guys for all you do for all of the sweet fur babies out there read more

The Barking Lot - Xena's first night. Stealing every toy! True warrior princess! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

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I read the mixed reviews online prior to my application. I really wanted to give this place the benefit of the doubt. After all, it is an adoption center. In reality it is just a hipster version of a shelter. I applied for Venus. I followed all directions and completed the lengthy application followed by follow up questions and home visit. The application process was great. I had all of my questions answered. They do not specify the adoption fee for each dog-there is only a range. When I asked directly for three specific dogs' adoption fee, the response was, "The adoption fees for the pups you are interested in are in the $400 range. This includes the cost of the pups' spay/neuter vaccinations, and microchip. We accept cash, check, or credit card. If you choose to use a credit card there is an additional $10 processing fee." On their website, it says, "The range is $250 - $500." Okay...I decided to proceed with the meeting. I arrived 5 minutes early to my appointment. I wasn't helped until 30 minutes after waiting. This is no big deal since there was another family and it seemed like there was only one volunteer at the time. The first volunteer was great. She was patient and kind. The first thing the volunteer tells me that the pups that I listed were more on the shy timid type and she she brings out dogs that she thinks is better suited for me. I go with this- thinking that they must the experts. I did start to like the first dog. However, I read Venus's biography again. It did not make sense to me. On Venus's page, it stated that she "was the perfect pup." "Venus has got it all! She is ridiculously adorable, and she is very well-behaved. Venus is a great pup...She is intelligent, fun-loving, very playful with other dogs, is housebroken, rarely barks, loves to give soft kisses, is non-destructive, and rides in the car like a champ. " During my visit, I asked many times about Venus. They DID NOT bring Venus out for me to meet. Apparently, she was too timid and shy and not ready for adoption yet. Venus needed to be under foster care to be rehabilitated. There is ABSOLUTELY NO indication of venus being too shy and timid and not ready for adoption. So why didn't anyone mention this during my lengthy application process? This was a complete BAIT AND SWITCH!!! I expect rescue dogs to have some sort of ptsd but to completely paint a 180 picture is called LYING!! There was one other dog that I was seriously considering. I explained that I am seriously considering bringing a dog home with me. I wanted some time to take a break to rehydrate and come back to adopt a dog. I was told that I had to make a decision now and I could not come back later since there will be only one volunteer. Which I completely understand but they don't have bathrooms or you can't even go inside. You are left out in the hot sun the entire time with no access to water or bathroom, so go figure. Fine so I decided to stay longer to spend more time with a potential dog. At the end of my visit, there was another "volunteer" that did not say anything to me at all during my entire visit. This other "volunteer" asked me if I was ready to adopt, I said I needed more time to think about it. She pressed on asking if I had any concerns or questions. But I said I just need more time to make a big decision. Her demeanor showed that she took my response very personally. She immediately took away the dog's leash and dog treats, and she became very dismissive and uninterested in talking to me. I'm sure they are trying to do right by trying to save these dogs but their methods are not ethical. The dogs are not the problem. Also, they do not have a clear adoption fee method. What is their "variable adoption fee" based on??? Also, how could you completely lie about a dog on their online description? So potential adopters, make sure to ask a lot of questions. Pay attention and be very cautious before adopting from this place. read more

A long overdue review. I made an appointment to meet some dogs at The Barking Lot in March 2019, so unfortunately the names of the volunteers there escape me by now. The folks at this rescue prioritize the dog's well-being over just simply trying to get them adopted, and I can't thank them enough for doing their due diligence, because I am 200% happier and in love with Missy (formerly Packenham) than I thought possible. They were very prompt in responding to the appointment request, setting up a home inspection (took about 15mins, the person they sent was very personable and professional), and ultimately asking for a list of dogs I was interested in meeting. While at The Barking Lot for my appointment, it took a little while to get started, but that was because there seemed to be just one person handling the appointments (there were 3 other GROUPS of people besides my roommate and I), and one handling the office area and processing all the paperwork for adoptions happening. I've noticed that this is a common trait among any sort of non-profit, so I wasn't surprised or annoyed. I would HIGHLY recommend that anyone trying to work with The Barking Lot or any other non-profit be cognizant of this, and be patient when going through the process. The biggest reason I am giving The Barking Lot 5 stars is because the woman who help bring dogs out for me to meet (again, so sorry I forgot her name) was incredibly open and honest about what dogs would and would not be a good match for me. She was also a great listener - the first dog seemed too high energy for me, the second dog was far too timid and shy for me, and the third dog (that I hadn't even considered) was absolutely perfect!!! read more

We had an awesome experience at The Barking Lot when we adopted our new family member. Our new puppy has adjusted well to our home and absolutely adores our older dog. The staff at The Barking Lot was very helpful and thorough in their application process. I appreciate that they take the time to get to know you as a pet parent and make sure the dog you adopt is a perfect match. I would absolutely recommend this adoption organization to anyone who is looking to adopt a pet. read more

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This is an awesome shelter doing wonderful work. We adopted a puppy who's rescued from a kill shelter on Thanksgiving. The adoption coordinator, Stephaine, was extremely helpful and timely (even throughout the holidays.) The home inspection volunteer, Elise, was very thorough. We really appreciate the steps that The Barking Lot takes to ensure the dogs find the right home. The entire staff members were so nice during our play date visit. We admire and appreciate all you do for our little friends. I would highly recommend this place to anyone who's thinking to get a pet. read more

I have both fostered for and adopted from The Barking Lot, and I frequently attend their K9ers hiking events. I have had a wonderful experience with them. Fostering for The Barking Lot was incredibly rewarding. Over the period of about a month, I watched a frightened dog with a traumatic past come out of her shell as she learned what it's like to be loved and cared for in a home environment. Before living in a foster home, this pup could not even meet potential adopters because she was so afraid to be near new people. Seeing her then be adopted into her forever home with an awesome family, knowing that this would have been much less likely without my help, made me so happy. Throughout the whole process, the Barking Lot volunteers were there to help showcase how great the dog was on social media as well as provide for any vet visits she needed. To anyone who is able, I would highly, highly recommend fostering for this rescue! As an adopter, I also had a smooth and positive experience. Their application and home check process is absolutely what I would expect from a reputable rescue that wants to ensure their dogs are going to responsible homes. Plus, when I returned to the rescue 2 months after adopting my dog to return her GPS tracker, Stacy (the director) spent a full 45 minutes with me showing me training techniques for loose leash walking with my new family member! Everyone here not only cares about finding these dogs great homes, they also truly care about the dogs and making sure they have happy home lives. By fostering/adopting at The Barking Lot, I feel like I have joined a dog-loving community. If you're looking for a furry addition to your family, start here! read more

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This is an amazing organization! This is a long review, but I wanted to share my experiences with them. I highly suggest rescuing a dog from The Barking Lot. We were interested in a adopting a corgi mix as a friend for our Siberian Husky, Jax. I saw a picture of Lola (TBL Osha) a corgi/rottweiler on The Barking Lot's website and instantly fell in love. I filled out the lengthy application and my fingers were crossed that we would be able to meet her. The application was detailed and long, but I believe it shows the dedication that this organization goes to finding their dog's forever homes. A volunteer, Kelly, reached out to me via email within 24 hours after I filled out the application. She was very responsive and answered all my questions. I wanted to meet Lola that weekend, but my husband was out of town working, so we made an appointment to visit her first thing the next weekend. They insist that the entire family is available to meet the dog before it is adopted. Again, I think that this is because they want to make sure that their dog is comfortable and welcomed by all members of the household into their forever home. While we were waiting to meet her, Kelly did a detailed home check via Skype. This was so convenient and easy. She was also in contact through out the week and asked if there were any other dogs we were interested in meeting while we were there. There were not, but I appreciated it. When we arrived at The Barking Lot it did smell a little, but not nearly as terrible as all these reviews are making it out to be. It is a shelter with dogs that are not potty trained... I don't know how else they expect it to smell.. We were the first appointment of the day and were greeted by Stacy, the owner. She was friendly and helpful. She met our current dog, Jax, and watched how him and Lola interacted. After the initial meeting, we took Lola on a quick walk around the neighborhood. We wanted to adopt Lola. When we got back, I asked Stacy a few more questions such as Lola's temperament- she said she got a long great with all dogs. This has been true. She is a great playmate for Jax, gets along great with our friends/family and even their dogs. I also asked if she was potty trained. She explained that in their environment there is no way for them to know if a dog is truly potty trained. They are in crates/kennels a lot of the time. She did say that she did keep her kennel extremely neat. Lola has had some adjusting with potty training but is quickly getting the hang of it. Lola was found in a field in Riverside and The Barking Lot rescued her from a Riverside pound. She had a rough life. I did not expect her to be potty trained - a few previous reviews seem to be disappointed that the dogs they adopted were not. This is ridiculous to me. The adoption process was quick. They require general things that you should do when getting a dog - take it to the vet for a check up and license the dog. The adoption fee was a little steep compared to some places, but it is worth it for the care this organization takes in their dogs. If the dog does not work out for whatever reason, you sign a paper that you will return it to them. I took comfort in this that all the dogs that go through The Barking Lot's doors are a member of their family and always have a home there. Lola has quickly become a member of our family. We named her Lola Ryder (Low Rider) because she is so short and close to the ground! She really is the cutest! She loves to play with all toys (especially tennis balls), walks, the dog park, and treats! She is such a great cuddler and really loves attention. She steals people's hearts whenever they meet her! At her vet check up, we learned that someone had cropped her tail and that she had recently (within 6 months) had a litter. It breaks my heart to think someone abandoned this adorable dog. Thank you so much to this organization for finding Lola and bringing her into our lives. You guys do great things. read more

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We were expecting a dog that, according to his bio, was an "outgoing & happy little fluff ball" with the only mention of his behavior being that "he likes to rule the house".... Upon meeting him the only verbal discussion of his behavior was that he will guard and needs structure. Come to find out, Rocket is prone to fits of unprovoked aggression and will attack and bite (breaking the skin). He is sweet and nice at times, but will also snap into a vicious attack mode against humans and other dogs. It wasn't until we did our research to get his rabies cert (that wasn't provided by The Barking Lot) did anyone from his past mention the history of such behavior, as his antics were well known. After speaking with numerous trainers we found ourselves unable to be liable for Rocket's behavior. We brought him back to Barking Lot for surrender, only to be patronized by the owner Stacy, first saying that "She's not responsible for the bios that are posted online" (Wow, are you serious?) and then saying that "She informed us of his behavior, informed us that he bit people previously, and that he was dangerous". None of this was disclosed, either verbally or on any paperwork. This then escalated to her tone changing to outright condescending and then to yelling at us. She then tried to prove that she mentioned that he bit previously, providing the surrender paperwork from the previous owner. Not surprisingly, the form didn't mention that he was a biter either. Thankfully we recorded the encounter once she became hostile. Never did she try to see what help Rocket needed or what his well-being was before or when we brought him back. She was simply concerned with this petty ego trip and seemed to be put off that we would return him after allowing him to be adopted under false pretenses. Stacy should not adopt dogs out if she's not willing to be honest and vet the dogs appropriately. Our fear is that this poor animal will be put down unnecessarily for biting someone else or God forbid a child, because she will release him to another home without disclosing his true issues just to get him off of her hands like she did with us because lo and behold, unsurprisingly, he's back up for adoption again only a few days after his return, with no editing done to his bio to reflect his true behavior. There are so many other more reputable rescues that you should adopt from. read more

I adopted my beautiful Papillon/rat terrier Named Reef at the Barking lot 11-08-18. The staff were so helpful when I arrived after my application was excepted. I had three dogs in mind. I'm so happy with my boy Named Leaf now who has grown through some insecurities. He was the perfect dog for my home . Love you Leaf and everyone st The Barking Lot . Thank you Eddie read more

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An amazing rescue/shelter for dogs. Barking Lot was referred to us by a good friend who also adopted his pup from here. We appreciated how extensive their application process was; it showed they really care about where/who these pups end up with. Did a virtual home tour since we live farther from their home base, and was in constant contact with a volunteer to set up a play date. They not only interview the potential adopter but anyone who lives in the home as well as other pets the owners have to ensure all animals get along. Again an amazing program. Expect to be there for a couple of hours, not only do you want to have a connection with the dog but the volunteers I could tell want to see the connection too. You are also asked to have a few potential dogs picked out from their website prior to the play date. Unfortunately none of the dogs we picked suited us well. Before we were about to leave to schedule another appt for a play date our volunteer asked us to meet one more pup that she thought would be a good fit. This was what really proved to us how invested this place was, the dog she picked for us was the perfect fit and the one we adopted! They know what they're doing there and clearly know they're pups. They genuinely care. Would absolutely recommend them to anyone looking for a reputable trustworthy place. Thank you so much barking lot! read more

The Barking Lot - Our boy - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

First of all let me say that Zeke (aka Maxie) is a perfect fit for my husband and I. We have been looking for a small healthy chihuahua to rescue for years. I have had an alert on Oodle and Petfinder for at least 4 years. My husband originally found Bandit on Petfinder and we fell in love with his picture and knew we would love him. We scheduled a home visit and discovered that Bandit was 2x the size that the description had stated (important to us. we have limited space), and he has diabetes. We canceled our appointment and stated why. The Barking Lot gave us a list of several dogs that fit our requirements and we went to meet one of them and we are really glad we did. Zeke has adjusted to life with us very quickly. We are so happy we gave it another go. read more

The Barking Lot - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

We had such a great experience at The Barking Lot! We adopted Bluto, now named Duke, from them and WOW, what an awesome dog! We really lucked out! Kathy, Kelly, Theresa, and Stacy were all involved in the adoption at one point or another, and they were all very helpful. Kathy especially deserves five shining stars, as she went out of her way to help with a question after the adoption, and was very patient with my grocery list of questions before and during the adoption. I see not everyone on Yelp is as pleased as we are with The Barking Lot, but I think TBL genuinely has the dog's best interests in mind, which is really what being a rescue is all about. Thank you TBL for bringing this 85 pound furry baby into our lives! read more

The Barking Lot - our family photo :) - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

Great experience, first time dog owners and we have been happy with the dog (Bella) we chose from the Barking Lot. Would adopt from here again and recommend to others. There was a short process of paperwork, skype consultation, and quick back and forth emails to ensure that we were a great fit for an adoption. Once we were approved we made an easy appointment to visit the dog we chose online and Bella was exactly how they describe her. read more

The Barking Lot - Bella on her way home from TBL - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

We adopted Boris about two months ago and could not be happier! When we were considering adopting, we contacted multiple organizations and The Barking Lot was by far the most responsive. Kelly contacted us within a day and the home inspection occurred just a few days following. The "meet and greet" was only suppose to be an hour, but they let us stay well past our hour to make sure we were adopting the perfect dog for us. What people need to understand is that The Barking Lot has tons of volunteers who dedicate their time to these dogs. Without The Barking Lot, many dogs would not be here today. While it may not be 100% perfectly organized or look like a 5 star hotel, Stacy and all her workers genuinely care and want the best for their dogs. I think The Barking Lot is a wonderful organization! read more

The Barking Lot - Thank you TBL for Boris! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

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We had an excellent experience rescuing Our Choo Choo:) The adoption was pretty straight forward:) 1. Filled out an application online 2. A volunteer ( Elise, who was extremely kind ) comes to your house for a home check. This was extremely quick, they just want to weed out the weirdos and make sure you are who you say you are. 3. Shannon emailed me a time for a play date to finalize the adoption. The day of the adoption Kendra helped us out:) She was great:) Overall I would recommend this place to any friend:) Choo Choo had all her shots and it felt so great to take her home with us. read more

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The Barking Lot is a wonderful group that really cares about the pups they rehome. My sweet German Shepard was cared for by The Barking Lot. It was really apparent that she was not treated well before she was rescued by The Barking Lot, but I saw how they took special care of her and other special case pups. A great organization doing great work. read more

We had a wonderful experience with The Barking Lot. Everyone we worked with was so kind, responsive, and helpful. The application and home check process only took a few days and we had such a great time meeting some of their dogs during our scheduled appointment. They were also really accommodating with helping us introduce the new pups to our dog. They really took the time to get to know us in the application, the home check, and the scheduled appointment at their location. They clearly want to place theirs pups with the right family. And now because of The Barking Lot we are adding one more to our wolf pack! We are so in love with the newest addition to our family! Thank you Kelly, Sarah, Stacy, and The Barking Lot! read more

The Barking Lot - Timber's loved her Adoption Package. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

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I had a wonderful experience with TBL crew. Lara was super informative from our first emails back and forth. We had a quick and easy home visit and were able to set up our appointment right away to go meet doggies. Upon arriving at the barking lot Stacy and Jeanine selected dogs based on our lifestyle and needs and they couldn't have picked a more perfect dog for us! I absolutely love my new fur baby and I recommend everyone looking for a furry friend to rescue from TBL. They really care about what is best for the dogs and owners. If I could give more stars I would! read more

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We did it! We found the pet friend of our lives and are so thankful to TBL! I have wanted a dog for....forever. I started the search at SD Animal Services and Humane Society and found a lot of little dogs or BIG pitbull type dogs, which made me worried. We had gone through a little heartache when we found a dog we liked and got our expectations up to meet her and the night of our home check found out that she was adopted. I was ready to possibly write off TBL (communication was a little back and forth sometimes, but we loved Elisa who came to do our home check! We definitely suggest following up instead of waiting for information on questions you may have along the way). I took one final peek at their facebook page and saw Fila, and her little eyes caught me right away! We made an appointment to meet her as soon as we could and were trying our best to curb our enthusiasm, but when they brought her out, she hopped right on my boyfriend's lap with a "okay! ready to go home!" face. They were so patient as we took Fila and the original dog we looked at for a trial spin. Fila (now Willow!) was so excited and really made it easy to say "YES!" to the dog. There was another cute couple there getting their dog friend as well, so checkout was a little slow (we were likely just so enthusiastic and ready to go but from appointment time to finish was about 3.25 hours). You do have to wait outside (bring a sweater after sundown!) with your new buddy. Stacey was pretty awesome and even gave us a hug on our way out. Really happy for this pup! We can't wait for more adventures! read more

The Barking Lot - Willow (formally Fila) is ready to go home! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

AMAZING I'm so lucky to have found this organization. I cannot get over how helpful everyone was. You can tell they genuinely really care. Everyone at the shelter was super friendly. I'm impressed with how quickly my application and emails were responded to. Even the home check part was a breeze. When I went to meet my dog, the volunteers all knew so much about him. I could tell they must have spent a lot of one-on-one time with him. They answered all my questions and gave me a packet with his full medical history including his info from the two shelters he was at prior. It was all amazingly organized and easy. I'm extremely happy with my experience and even happier with my new dog. Thank you so much :) read more

The Barking Lot - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

I just adopted two wonderful dogs from the Barking Lot. I could not be happier with my two pups! Truman (Mosaic) and Lucy (Allspice) are exactly what I was hoping to find! The staff at the Barking Lot are extremely helpful and dedicated. They only want THE BEST for their animals. While there are several hoops to jump through, application and home-screening, it is for the good of the dogs...to keep them in healthy, forever homes. EVERYONE at the Barking Lot was extremely pleasant and eager to help us find the perfect dog for us. They were thorough and patient. Thank you Barking Lot! I hope more people adopt from your rescue and less and less buy from breeders and pet stores! :) read more

The Barking Lot - Animal Shelters Near Me - Ramona, California

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