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The Ontario Rescue

3.1 (272 reviews)
Closed 10:00 am - 6:00 pm

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Snuggling
Angelique M.

This place is top-notch! Very friendly staff and all the animals are very well taking care of. The place is clean and well maintained. The adoption process went seamless. The staff absolutely makes sure that these animals get the best home possible. We are so happy with our cats. We adopted 3 from the same litter and named them: Mike, Benjamin, and Lilly. They even get along with our dog Marley. Their personalities are so sweet and playful. We have the time of our lives with them and we think they feel the same way about us ;-) They love snuggling and their purrs are loud :-) Cheers to a wonderful future with our fur babies. The Myricks

Since I've left a review stating my opinion with the Better Business Bureau about your shelter, you have posted some false and misleading information. I won't waste too much time with this because once I've shown clear proof that what you are saying is a lie there will be no need to say more. Lie 1: We talked to you on the phone and said we'd take her back if her behavior didn't improve at the shelter. You kept reassuring us that this reaction is normal for a protective new mom. We also had this conversation with you via text (screenshot proof). Your response to us is that she needs time to adjust and we need to consider whether it is best for us and Bailey to bring her hom. However, we also knew that a mother shouldn't be removed from her less than a week old puppies, especially considering that despite our efforts to keep them alive, one of them had passed away. Lie 2: I left Bailey in an empty house unattended. This is the boldest lie yet because I've lived at the same home for almost two years with my dogs. Proof in the picture (background, area, etc.).. the same for the entire time). My pets are well taken care of. no one takes their pets with them to work in which I do work a lot but that doesn't equal pets left in a vacant house. Way to stretch details. When I come home, my dogs are indoors then let out during the day. Lie 3: I'm too busy to care about my dog. I only stopped coming to the shelter because you told me too. You said it may be better if she didn't see me anymore after you started expressing your frustration with her behavior and my work schedule. My partner offered to come by but our schedules did not align with your and you weren't willing to make other arrangements with us. Proof in screenshot Button line We chose you because you are a No Kill Refuge But you got us thinking you're thinking about putting down Bailey after a short period of time. You said she'd be protective because she just had puppies and rehomed less than five days after birth. We relied on your word as the rescue. We went by what you said that this is normal behavior for some new mother dogs. We have personally never seen her behave aggressive. The evidence is in the screenshot. We have since consulted with other vets and rescue and they have said this is normal behavior for some dogs after giving birth and being relocated abruptly. We were also told that not every can handle Huskies this is why it is important to screen fosters, adoptions home etc.. It appears that you just wanted the puppies. I could be wrong, but that is how you came off to us. We are glad that no one was hurt, but this doesn't justify you making up lies. I had a bad feeling when I was pressed for a donation and the condition of the shelter. At home, Bailey had a big backyard to play on during the day and was indoors at night. (Proof provide with photos) The energy wasn't right but that was my mistake by allowing the stress to impair my judgment. One thing you are right about, Bailey should not have gotten pregnant, but we were unawares that her The brother at the time could get her pregnant at 9 months. When I first contacted a vet about this, they said they were too young. It is recommended to wait until 11 months or 1 year old. Considering what happened, he is now spayed and he's old enough. Again, proof is all in the photos and screenshots of everything I've said. I do hope Bailey is alive but we have no way of knowing because you never gave us updates after you told us whatbyou were considering. You cut off communication and we have tried to get in touch with you. if you want to keep this up we can but I think we both know what really happened. Public: please do your research on rescues.

May B.

I adopted Emily from them about 3 years ago. I saw her on a Facebook post and the story was just so sad. What was even more sad was that no one had placed an application for her. I did my research and filled out an application for her. They want the people who adopt their animals to treat them like children and part of the family BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE! If you can't see them as such they have the right to not let you adopt and I applaud them for that. I went to meet Emily 2 days later after I was told I was approved to adopt. I spent some time with Emily and it was love at first paw grip. Lol. I didn't think twice. The adoption fee is not a lot considering they vaccinate, spay/neuter, and chip them. I love what they do for their animals. I highly recommend this place. For the negative reviews; if you don't consider pets as children maybe you shouldn't get one.

Estelle V.

We had such a wonderful experience with the Ontario Rescue! The two ladies working there at the time were friendly, honest and informative. You can tell that they love their little furry friends! We fell in love with our dog, Boo Radley (formerly known as Dash) after seeing his profile online, sent an email to the rescue with the adoption application that night, dropped by the next day to meet him, and came home with him shortly after! Just in time for him to spend Christmas with his new family.

Left pic, Choco just got rescued and right pic is look how Handsome he is now.
Jenny L.

I totally recommend The Ontario Rescue, they are the one who works hard on rescue many animal they can. My favorite part is they are the one who taken rescue life seriously and also prevent these rescue animal from going to wrong hands of people. If you are a true animal lover and cares for your pets this is the place to go. I also like their adoption process, make sure people who adopt can truly afford and understand the commitment to having a pet as a new family members. We need more of the rescue group like this in our world. If it wasn't them I will never get to have a joy with my black cat Choco. He was born on someone's backyard and somehow stuck on a tree alone. If it wasn't their rescuer found it he will be left alone without mama cat and his siblings. Thank you guys so much for doing all these hard works that not everyone can do.

They keep the puppies in the back room... it's so gross and dirty inside this place.
Amanda M.

DO NOT COME HERE! I walked into this place today and it is DISGUSTING inside. Then they keep talking about "washing hands" because they have a flu and wing worm going around. Gross! Then the lady with the glasses said we can interact with the puppy if we fill out an app. So we did. An older Asian woman reviewed the app right away and said "so we'll call you when we approve the app." I said "umm I drove an hour to get here. I'm not going to keep driving back and forth just for an app." This lady just shrugged her shoulders. First of all crazy lady, you're LUCKY I walked into that dirty place! You should be kissing my feet to stay and adopt. These people are weird, weird, weird!!! I bet they live there too. And I bet they sleep next to their 50 cats that roam around the store. Ugh.

Brutus 2017
Zane H.

We adopted Brutus on Christmas eve 2017, We had a great experience, the staff was very compassionate and knowledgeable. The facility was very well kept and we will be recommending them to our friends and family.

New crate

Stay as far away as possible. This is a toxic, sick, manipulative organization. We saw a puppy on their website and filled out an application. The response from the "rescue" was immediate. We spent a very long week retro-fitting our house as the 'rescue' demanded. We purchased 5 different safety gates, a crate, a playpen, two different beds, two carriers, training pads, many toys and a plethora of other paraphernalia for the puppy. (Below are only a few of the many pictures we sent to this rescue to show our dedication and enthusiasm for adopting this puppy.) We cancelled our vacation (non-refundable) because we were told our application was accepted. We rented a car, reserved a hotel room (non-refundable) b/c we were driving from NoCal and we had to be absolutely sure we were on time for a 12:00pm pick-up time on Friday, b/c we were told that is the only time the 'rescue' had available. We jumped through every hoop this place asked --and more. WAIT FOR IT!  We were in our rental car at 6:00pm on our way to SoCal on Thursday night when we received an 3-sentence email saying that the "Board" really loves heir animals and "we're not feeling at ease and and can not move forward." SHE CANCELLED THE ADOPTION LESS THAN 18 HOURS PRIOR TO OUR APPOINTMENT. The woman who runs this so-called rescue is dead wrong!  We are the BEST dog guardians on this planet! Did this woman who was "not feeling at ease" talk to our allopathic vet?  Did she talk to our homeopathic vet?  Did she speak to our trainer?  Did she speak to our dog-sitter? Did she ask to speak to our references? No, No, No, No and again No!  Instead she applied her own jaded feelings about people, generalized those dark feelings and projected that dim view of humanity onto us. And she did all of this based on less than 20 minutes on the phone with me. The truth is that the woman running this place blatantly manipulates emotionally and psychologically. Every email was an attempt to create an imbalance of power, and take advantage of us, to get power and control. She is a small-minded, insecure person who should hang her head in shame at the condescending, disingenuous, unscrupulous way she treats good people. Every negative word written on Yelp about this "rescue" is sadly true.  RUN--do not walk--away from the emotionally abusive nature that permeates this horrendous place. We are heartbroken, and the

My new babies!

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9 months ago

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1 year ago

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1 year ago

They don't answer the phone and they don't check their messages. None of these rescues help

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5 years ago

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2 years ago

Nice staff!, everyone was professional and the place seemed clean. Hoping to work with them in the future

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7 years ago

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6 years ago

We brought home Milo, and so far he fits right in. We are so happy that he chose us to be his family.

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Review Highlights - The Ontario Rescue

Odelkis and the staff have always gone above and beyond, for every rescued angel and overwhelmed new pet parent.

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Hair Of The Dog - Clean and Fresh after Grooming

Hair Of The Dog

(170 reviews)

Genuinely could not recommend this place enough for dog owners! The level and quality of care is…read moreoutstanding. Every time I bring my dog in for a groom they exceed expectations. They look out for my dog and ask each time what I'd like done from anal glands to length trimmed off. I have a nervous dog who has been traumatized by other groomers, and this place has definitely helped my pup feel more comfortable. So glad to support a local business in Claremont!

Horrible Horrible Horrible!!!!! Avoid this place at all costs!!! I have wanted to write this review…read morefor months because every time I look at the pictures from this grooming appointment, I get angry all over again. I brought my dog Bentley to Hair of the Dog after being referred by a friend when my regular groomer was temporarily unavailable. Bentley has been professionally groomed his entire life and never had to be shaved. He has been groomed consistently since he was 8 weeks old and, in the year and a half I've had him, he has never once been shaved down. From the moment I walked in, the experience felt off. The staff was rude and dismissive, and after I arrived, I was informed that Bentley had to be picked up by 1:00 p.m. because they were closing early that day. This was never disclosed when I booked the appointment. I specifically told them I was driving to Irvine and would have difficulty getting back that quickly. Frankly, if they had special hours that day, that should have been communicated before the appointment was accepted, not after I had already dropped my dog off. The groomer then told me Bentley was matted and needed to be shaved. We actually argued about. I explained that he had been groomed regularly his entire life and had never needed that before. Even so, I tried to compromise and told her that if some shaving was necessary, I absolutely did not want him shaved all the way down to the skin. About 20-30 minutes after I left, they called and said he was ready. Think about that. After insisting my dog was so matted that he needed to be shaved down, they somehow completed the entire groom in roughly 20-30 minutes. Because of the surprise pickup requirement they imposed, I wasn't even able to pick him up myself. I had to arrange for someone else to leave what they were doing and go get him because I was still in Irvine exactly where I told them I would be. When I finally saw Bentley, I was shocked and upset as was he for months. It definitely affected his demeanor he walked around depressed and seemed like a completely different dog. They had shaved him almost completely to the skin. It was nothing close to what I requested, nothing close to what I expected, and completely ignored the concerns I expressed beforehand. To make matters worse, his nails were not properly addressed, and within a couple of weeks I had to take him to the vet because of issues with his anal glands which they never even asked me about . Whether those issues should have been identified during grooming or not, it only added to my frustration with the overall quality of care. The worst part was feeling like no one listened. I trusted them with a dog that is a member of my family. Instead, I felt rushed, dismissed, pressured into a decision I wasn't comfortable with, and then ignored when I specifically asked them not to shave him down. Months later, his coat is still growing back but no where near what his beautiful coat was he has been growing since a baby I will never bring Bentley back, and I absolutely cannot recommend Hair of the Dog based on my experience. Steer clear of these mean people!!!!!

The Good Dog - We offer a variety of stylish accessories to keep your pup looking their best!

The Good Dog

(705 reviews)

We've been going to that other "smart" store for over five years to have our dog's nails trimmed…read more Ever since, they've told us that we can just walk in and they will do the trim. The most we've ever had to wait is about 15 to 20 minutes. Today, was no different, walked in at 10:15a, let them know that we needed a nail trim, the associate said that the earliest they can get us in was not till 12 PM without an appointment. An appointment? I explained to them that in the five years we've been going to them for nail grinds (which is pretty frequent) we've never had to make an appointment. That's when she said that making appointment has always been in place. So, I walked out, came over to The Good Dog. The General Manager greeted us, even while working with another customer. Listening how he handled the other two customers in front of us (who appeared to be regulars) set the tone that this is a friendly place that we want to be a part of. You know, it's like "Cheers," you wanna go where everyone knows your name! Well, they were able to get us in right away. They advised we typically do not need to make an appointment for nail grind, but to simply call up to make sure they are not busy at the moment, otherwise can get in quickly. I think that's reasonable, fair enough AND smart! "Thanks, Good Dog!"

Edit 7/2/2026: The owner reached out to me and was very apologetic and sincere in his replies. I've…read moredecided to improve my review for that reason. They offered medical wipes for my dog's injury and a complete re-grooming with a different groomer. I chose not to continue patronage, but the offer and continued open communication was very appreciated. Original Review: This is the first time I've been to this location and decided to go here due to the large number of good reviews. They were able to fit my appointment in very last minute, less than 24hrs notice, super friendly staff, and lots of merchandise. Also great cut options avaliable for someone new, trying to figure out what a new groomer can do with a new client. Asked them to brush his teeth and grind his nails, to which they accomplished (at least his breath smells better). With that said, I was told they would contact me 20 minutes before he's ready for pickup, they did not. They messaged me when he was done. No big deal. When I picked him up, immediately noticed the uneven cut job. As we're driving home, noticed A BUNCH of dirt left in his coat. Makes me question if they bathed him, and if they did, they didnt do a good thorough job. Also started to notice the uneven cut throughout his body, from his stomach where they left bunches of fur, to his back, which seemed as though they used two sizes for razors. They cut him (most likely by accident) but just reinforces my suspicion that they rushed through his entire "grooming". For the $100 package, counting $15 for dental/nail grinding, I can't say I'm not disappointed. Unfortunately, will not be coming back. Sincerely disappointed :( I will have to bathe him again, give him a complete haircut, and finish areas they didnt even attempt too, such as the hair under his nose going into his mouth.

That's So Fetch

That's So Fetch

(100 reviews)

That's So Fetch Dog Grooming has always done an exceptional job on our Shih Tzu Vegeta. They have…read morealways been customer focus and flexible with making an appointment! Our dog Vegeta has been coming here for years and always comes out looking so beautiful, smelling clean, fresh and happy! We/ I recommend this place!!!

Exceptional groomers, but the owner is incredibly unprofessional and rude.The actual grooming staff…read morehere is fantastic, but I will never return due to the owner's appalling customer service. This business has a severe scheduling and management problem.On one of my first visits, the owner immediately accused my dog of peeing on the floor the second we walked in. To be helpful because she seemed stressed, I politely offered to clean it up myself and told her I just walked in and saw the pee on the floor. She then suddenly remembered she had just finished with a dog who pees frequently, and admitted it wasn't even my dog. No real apology was given for the instant accusation. Since then, scheduling has been a disaster. My second to last appointment wasn't booked completely, so nobody was there to take my dog. I already had drove all the way home before I got a call back with no explanation or anything just saying that the groomer was at the salon now and waiting for me to come back. Today was the final straw. I booked a 9:00 AM appointment yesterday, showed up on time, and the doors were locked. I called multiple times with no answer and finally had to leave to wait. When the owner finally answered after I called 4 times, at 9:30 AM she was completely dismissive and gave me a rude "OK, and?" attitude. I had to ask, since this was a second time I was inconvenienced what can she do? She still was speaking in the in genuine tone and said umm well I can give you the that's so fetch package for free. I told her I was already getting that package and how the person (I think her) who booked my appointment yesterday was giving me an upgraded shampoo for free as it was. So no comp for multiple unprofessional incidents. When I finally dropped my dog off, the actual groomer apologized profusely--unlike the owner--and revealed management hadn't even put me on the schedule today. The groomers do great work, but the owner's toxic attitude, lack of accountability, and scheduling incompetence make it not worth the headache. Owner/manager giving Regina George is crazy...

The Ontario Rescue - petadoption - Updated July 2026

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