I had seen at 1 time there was a 10 year old cat who was diabetic she was a beautiful cat if I was able to care for her I would have in a heartbeat.I was keeping tabs on her then all of a sudden her photo was gone I called & inquired about her but was told she got adopted no mention or photo of her on vao site there's been plenty of photos with people& pets that were adopted if the person who was adopting Snuggles didn't want their photo taken that's fine but not to show snuggles was rude in my opinion.Who's to say I was even told the truth I don't know if they would tell you if a pet has passed.I had put 1 post before & it was taken down. I just hope that if Snuggles is still with us that she is doing well. read more

Well, I am giving VAO 5-stars. These 1-star reviews are brutal. The staff goes above & beyond for their animals. Just because someone is denied on an application does not mean the shelter alone is not doing their job correctly. There are so many factors that need to be considered before handing over an animal to a complete stranger. Just because someone has past experience with animals or was first to hand in an application does not make them "fit" to a specific animal. I have adopted twice from VAO, I have a dog and most recently a cat. In the past I have been denied pets before based off of my application, whether it be this rescue or somewhere else, but that doesn't warrant a negative YELP review. Animal Orphanage has probably one of the highest adoptions turn-overs. You don't see many dogs or cats sitting here for very long. The Orphanage is clean and well maintained. You can tell the staff & volunteers take pride in their work. With that being said, I highly recommend VAO when looking to adopt a shelter animal and if you can't adopt, volunteer! And if you can't volunteer, donate! read more

Voorhees Animal Orphanage is an animal shelter with a great mission servicing 28 towns in South Jersey and they put on an annual Woofstock Festival fundraising event every September! We attended their 27th event (2023) and it was chock full of food, live music, vendors, pet contest, costume contest, pet parade, canine demonstrations, and a beer garden! On a weekend weather-wrecked by tropical storm Ophelia, the organizers were able to move mostly all attractions inside the building of Voorhees Town Center. There were over 100 vendors!!! Check their website to be kept up to date on upcoming dog friendly events and how to help their mission! read more

Voorhees Animal Orphanage - Animal Shelters Near Me - Voorhees, New Jersey

Very caring staff. You can see they really care about the animals. Adoption process was easy and they are having a sale right now.

We adopted our Teddy, a Bichon mix at Voorhees two years ago. They were super friendly and caring. the place was very clean and organized. One of the best choices we ever made! read more

Just like a previous review I read on here regarding Voorhees Animal Orphanage If I could rate zero stars I would I just regret i did not read it before I visited there I went in an asked to adopt a kitten and it was late Sunday I was advice that I needed to put a application and pay $5.00 which I did I then asked if their manager could review and let me know since I wanted to take the kitten home I was told that manager was to busy but would get back to me I never heard from anyone on Monday and decided to call on Tuesday to see if their manager had time to look at my application, I was put on hold for several minutes and one of their staff member advice me oh so sorry the kitten went to another home. I became upset because first and foremost they had little regard to contact to let me know I would not be able to adopt the kitten Second I truly believe that Voorhees Animal Orphanage delay the process to take in as many $5.00 application to profit from the adoption When i was told that they had given the kitten to another family I advice them that what they are doing is not right Since they let you to believe that the pet is available when is not I asked them to refund my $5.00 and the staff responded back to me Really you want your $5.00 back? I told her is not the $5.00 cost for the application is the principle, Imagine they take 10 application for one animal they just made $50.00 I thought that organization like this was to help animals find a good home as quickly as possible instead they keep animals cage in as long as they can so person like me go in on a daily basis an fill out application to then after they get what their animal price is right then they probably pick up a random family to adopt the animal Stay away from this place because most probably will find a pet you want and will most likely not be able to adopt and pay their useless application fee read more

Met my forever best friend here. The staff were so friendly and helpful when adopting Fae (Sweet Pea). read more

Voorhees Animal Orphanage - Animal Shelters Near Me - Voorhees, New Jersey

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Staff is rude and inattentive. It's like they don't want to find animals loving homes. Not at all family friendly. You ask about an animal and it's like you're bothering them. I felt more wanted at the PSPCA in Philly. That's how bad this place is. And the dogs seem like they came from Michael Vick's house, they're that vicious. Don't bring your children. It's downright traumatic. read more

great place would always go for a new pet and new family member. Great staff and cute pets

These people are so kind and so passionate about caring for their furry charges! The facility was clean and cheerful.

Has a strong odor hope the animals are getting the love and care they need did a walk through some of the animals look like they need help but could be that they just came in. read more

Don't go looking to get a dog to make a service Dog the staff is mean they yell at you and slam the cages with their hands to make the dogs stop Barking. Don't go there hate to say this but I really think they hate their jobs and would rather just put them all down. The state needs to get involved at this place. Zero stars all around if I could read more

Honestly this place is horrible,my family and I adopted a 3 month kitten from their Petco kennels. From night one the kitten had diarrhea, lethargic, poor appetite, and so many more symptoms. We took her to the vet a few days later to discover she had coccidia (intestinal parasite), upper respiratory infection, and we suspected tapeworms as well as we saw grains of rice around the litter box. Unfortunately, we didn't have all the resources to take care of this abundance of problems and a foster took her back promising to take care of her for her next adoption. A week later we discover the kitten was back at Petco and adopted out again. Just from the short time I had her, I learned with coccidia AT LEAST takes 2 weeks of medication plus a retest to assure it is all gone. They clearly do not care for the cats at all, and the fact my family was heartbroken over receiving a kitten with clear medical distress from multiple illnesses and being adopted out shortly after return is a very obvious sign. read more

Couple weeks ago I put up an application for this beautiful 8 month pup and let me tell you the managers have no judgement at all since my application was turned down even though I meet the requirements they had concern with, they make the application process so difficult that it's hard to adopt a pet from this place, had to email them a week later after my application just to check with them if they needed something else because they don't get in touch with you on they're own. I feel that the main job for them is to take care of the pets that they receive and try to find them a suitable family as soon as possible with good judgment which they don't have. Even after I clarify the two points that they brought up to me as for the reason they declined my application they still chose to deny it, very unprofessional from there part. There saying "We are never empty!" Which is very accurate from there part as they make it very difficult to give a pet.. read more

Voorhees Animal Orphanage - Email - Animal Shelters Near Me - Voorhees, New Jersey

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It's kind of disheartening to see such negative reviews about this great place.. I rescued my dog from here almost four years ago as an eight-week old puppy, born into the shelter. The adoption process went smoothly and we came to check on both he and his mother many times while waiting for him to grow to eight-weeks. A very cramped lobby/office area is the only thing I can think of as to why people may complain about this establishment. Otherwise, thumbs up! read more

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If I could give no stars I would. This place and the people that run it are unprofessional and lack the basic communication and courtesy needed to run a business dedicated to finding good homes for dogs. I wish they didn't exist and hope that anyone reading this avoids this place and goes elsewhere. read more

I did not adopt the sweet dog I met, Gertrude, a Bulldog. I'm so sorry I did not. I called to see if she was still available on Christmas Eve and she had found her "furever" home. I'm pleased a kind person saw her beauty. She had been abused, but she was incredibly loving. The worker/or volunteer who showed her to me was full of love as she showed her. The workers in the orphanage (love that) are so loving and kind to their furry friends. Although I did not adopt, I will support Voorhees Animal Orphanage. They need all pet lovers support. read more

Voorhees Animal Orphanage - Here's darling Gertrude. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Voorhees, New Jersey

The Voorhee's Animal Orphanage does not do any behavior/temperament testing on its dogs, will not allow potential adopters to bring in outside trainers or behaviorists to do any sort of observation or testing, and openly regards small dogs as easy 'flip' adoptions good for making money but not worth wasting time on. In 2017, my sister looked into adopting a small dog here. It was a very fearful dog that had come in as a stray, it and wanted nothing to do with anyone, staring and shaking if forced to be in contact with a person. They'd clearly realized there was a problem with the dog, as the kennel card for it read "feral." I was concerned, and asked them how they temperament/behavior tested the dogs. They acted baffled, then said they tested resource guarding and the dog had passed. I asked again about any other testing, especially how they tested if the dog was good with other dogs, and they looked baffled and said to bring our other dog in. I explained we didn't yet have another dog but planned to add one, and they repeated themselves. When I pointed out the logistical impossibility of bringing in a dog which we didn't have yet, they suggested we adopt this dog and a second dog from the shelter at the same time. When I declined, they said the small dog had seemed okay with the other dogs when he was groomed. I looked at the mud and feces encrusted in the dog's paws and fur, and wondered how they defined grooming, but let it go. At this point, the man we'd been speaking with sent a volunteer to fetch the manager (adoption manager?). She came out and I asked if we could speak to their trainer; she said no. I asked if we could bring in a trainer to asses the small dog's behavior, as it seemed unusually anxious. The manager said no, and then began complaining that she had no time for this. She stated they had a whole page full of people interested in this small dog and he could get adopted immediately if we weren't interested, and she needed to be doing a dog meet between a shelter pit and a potential adopter's pit. She left. This is the second bad experience I've had at this shelter. The last was in 2001 and involved an unusually violent dog they adopted out in the most reckless way possible, without having even vaccinated the dog against rabies. I was hoping they'd changed. They have not. They are still very irresponsible, and completely unhelpful in making a successful adoption. The adopter is expected to make a 15-year commitment to a dog based on virtually zero information, but the shelter manager can't be bothered to make a 15-minute commitment to talking over an issue with an adopter. read more

My wife and I had the pleasure of adopting our amazing do from the Animal Orphanage. The staff was incredible. The amount of people coming to look at animals was incredible. It was a great feeling to see so many willing to rescue these dogs and cats. The dogs were well taken care of and clean. The staff answered all of our questions in a timely manner and assisted in finding us the perfect match for us. We were not pressured at all to choose our dog. It was rather the dog choosing the owner. The staff has the choice of not choosing a family based on the answers to the questions they ask to ensure the home is suited for the animal. We even brought our other dog to have a meet and greet to ensure the 2 got along. We were provided plenty of alone time with or pup as well! read more

I adopted two dogs from the VAO. First was my Brody, shelter name Luxor, in 2003. My wonderful Brody passed away in 2015 and in 2016 I returned to the VAO. I ended up coming home with my big baby Blue Bear, shelter name Yukio. I've had wonderful luck with this shelter. I live across the bridge in PA but the 45min to an hour drive is well worth it. I frequently ship them pet food to say thanks for holding on to my babies until I could find them. read more

We adopted a cat from them in October. She was technically a foster to adopt. Was told they would call us in a week or two to schedule her spay and then finalize her adoption. Heard nothing from them until February. Scheduled her adoption. Was called 4 minutes before our scheduled time to finalize adoption and bring her home that she was being taken to a vet for becoming lethargic a day after spay, two hours later she was put to sleep without discussing it with us and we have no answers as to why or what happened. No matter how many times we call we get no response. She was only 2 years old and completely healthy. We didn't get to say goodbye. We have zero answers as to what happened. THEY decided to put her down and didn't call us until after it was already done. We would have hospitalized. We would have liked to been there. As of now we still can't reach them. The manager's number is a foreign number that can't be called back, and they refuse to ever answer their office phone. read more

Voorhees Animal Orphanage - Animal Shelters Near Me - Voorhees, New Jersey

Thank you again for having us adopt Jeremy and Piper! It was a pleasure to come around and see all of the animals. Very clean facility and great staff. read more

Stopped in here to see what type of dogs were available and I have to say that VAO has come far from how it used to be. It looks very different from the days when it basically looked like a temporary set up with the dog's mostly being outdoors. All the dogs looked well cared for and happy. They had an area of their own and were able to go both indoors and outdoors. It was great seeing all the people there looking to adopt. I gave VAO five stars because of how nice the facility is and for all the hard work they do in getting all the dogs a new home. I saw all kinds of dogs, both small and large. There were also dogs of all ages, ranging from puppies to seniors. read more

I went in to adopt a cat. I included only one cat on my application. Upon arrival I was directed into the "cat room" whatever you may call it. I specifically did not want a kitten. I did see one that I thought was cute and realized almost immediately again why I did not want one. For some reason they wouldn't take out any of the older cats so let me see. Toward the end of my visit the attendant/guy told me that he would add the kitten to my application. I said I'd rather not but he just continued the convo and did so. I figured I had the other cats that I was interested in on the application as well. They called me a couple of days later approving me for the kitten, specifically which I did not want. I called them back two days later TWICE and I never received a phone call back about any of the cats! This place obviously doesn't care for its animals very well or their welfare otherwise they wouldn't have approved me for an animal that I clearly was not interested in. My lifestyle and home are not suited for a kitten. Go somewhere else there are plenty of animals in need at plenty of other animal hospitals, go to one who cares!! read more

My husband and I have gone here multiple times to find a dog. When we find the dog that we like, we put in an application and it never gets approved. We have the right home and right finances. Our dog that we have now is good on shots and everything. We even talked to the manager and they called our apartment complex and Banfield Pet Hospital to verify to make sure we are good to go to adopt a dog and they said we were approved. We told them we need to go home to really think about giving another dog a home so we went home and discussed it. We gave the shelter a call the same day to let them know we decided we wanted to give the dog a home. They said they would have someone call us back to set up a time to pick up the dog but never called back. Then the next day we get an email saying the dog has already found a home. Like wtf. We gave them another chance and went there again like 2 weeks later and found another dog we liked. We told them that we liked that dog and they said okay we will put it in your application and change the name of the dog to the one you want. Thinking we might of had a chance to get this one since we told them we had already been approved and it showed on the application, we thought we were going to be able to get this dog. But, No. They find another home for it. Doesn't make any sense. It's ridiculous how they see that we were a good fit but then decide to go with someone else. Also they tell you they have other applications on the dog but normally if there was an application for a dog, on the website under the dogs name it would say pending application. This dog we wanted did not have pending application under his name. There is no point putting in applications if they are just going to pick the other people who put in an application before you. And it's funny how they have one dog that they had on the website and disappeared for a whole month and then shows up again today on their website. Lol seems like the homes they give the dogs are not the best fit because they end up getting returned. DON'T GO HERE. They seem to only care about the money for the application fees. They make people put in applications to get nothing out of it but for them to make money instead with these applications. They don't care about the dogs or cats in there. They will waste your time and money put on an application. If they were so worried about finding good homes for these amazing dogs then they would have approved us immediately or anyone that seemed to be a great fit for these dogs. Horrible management team. read more

I love this place! I adopted my first cat here and was looking for a playmate for my new kitten. As always, the staff were friendly and eager to aid me with finding my match. I held and interacted with a variety of kittens. The adoption process was easy and they contacted me the next day to tell me I was approved. The cats themselves were as healthy as could be expected for shelter life, although some of the medical procedures like a $25 fee to test for feline HIV or luekemia... Weren't not told to me as an option before adopting and it was not done until I took my new pet to my vet. So far my kitten is healthy and I am happy. They had specials going on like adopt one get the other free and spay and neutering was included in the adoption fee. This is a great place. I love their animals and the staff and volunteers truly care about the animal's well being. read more

Voorhees Animal Orphanage - Animal Shelters Near Me - Voorhees, New Jersey

The WORST place to adopt a dog. While they have great options and cute dogs, they make it so difficult to adopt. They make it like a "competition." I've been let down so many times there and I know countless others who have too. All they care about is getting multiple applications so that they make money from the applications. They don't truly care about you or the dog. Such a shame. So no matter how great of an owner you would be or how much effort you put into getting chosen, they won't choose you nor will they help you! read more

I recently adopted a cat who was named Marmalade. He is six years old and FIV+. I had vowed to not exceed two cats in my home (which I already had), but his picture struck me and I thought he might have difficulty finding a home. I filled out an application and was called 2 days later. We talked about the FIV diagnosis. I drove the nearly 2 hours from NYC to the shelter to meet Marmalade. The shelter was clean and they were well organized and pleasant. There were a number of people looking to adopt there. I took Marmalade home with his medical records.. He is now named Cricket due to his adorable chirping habit and he seems happy to have a home. read more

I found a dog on their website and adopted her. They said she was great with other dogs and we saw her in person and we thought she was the one. I took her for a walk and she became extremely aggressive with teeth showing and hair standing up. When I met her in person she wasn't like that. It's hasn't been 10 hours yet since I got her and now I have to return her. She also showed teeth towards other people and growling at them. read more

Great experience! Although the office is a bit cramped so our first impression wasn't stellar, the Animal Orphanage proved to be a top notch facility. They knew all of their animals by name and knew about their temperaments and needs. Each of the dogs we met clearly loved the staff as well, showering them with kisses and acting completely trusting. We adopted a very sweet and well-behaved year-old German Shepherd mix. From the beginning, it was clear the staff cared about their animals and the people who were adopting them. We absolutely could not be happier with our newest family member or our adoption experience. read more

Some of these reviews for this "animal shelter" are totally ridiculous. There is no "owner" as one review states and the shelter is currently in the process of building a new facility so cut some slack about the conditions there. Do YOU THINK they want to work in a run down building? When there is a popular dog for adoption this tiny shelter gets flooded with apps on one dog ,the dog gets adopted by ONE person and the rest go on google or yelp to complain. Instead of complaining about how the place is run ,offer to volunteer in the office or apply for a minimum wage job there. The shelter is in place to re home dogs and cats. Your negative reviews take away potential homes that these animals need. read more

Phenomenal facility. Everyone is so kind. The animals all seem so well cared for. We adopted Seamus, a 5 year old black lad/ greyhound mix. He is a sweet dog with very good manners. I would highly recommend this very professional and clean facility. They really care about what they are doing! read more

The manager and some if the staff us horrible i applied several times and they never approved me for a puppy. Very irresponsible and i think they are prejudice thats why i wasnt chosen read more

I've got my eye on you Animal Orphanage and I find it very odd that a dog who was 12 a few days ago is now about 6. How do you age backwards I wonder? This happened to a friend of mine where the shelter told her the dog was younger than she was, and within a very short time the dog died of heart failure. It can be very disheartening to adopt someone who you think you will have for a while only to lose them quickly due to false reporting from the shelter. I understand that it's possible to make an error, but this is a 6 year error! You really NEED to be more honest or at least diligent with your descriptions of your animals. I'm not seeing too many good things here about you! I wonder if maybe someone needs to look into your practices of adopting, reporting and ethical conduct! Hmmmm? read more

I have never written a Yelp review before, but I am so outraged by the way we were treated here that I don't ever want another family to have to deal with what we went through. My husband and I saw a dog we were interested in and after inquiring, I was told he was available and to put in my application- which I did the very next day. After waiting 4 days to hear about the status of the application, I finally reached out to them and was told that the dog was already meeting with another family, so we wouldn't be able to. Needless to say I was dumbstruck by the poor communication during this whole situation. Five days later I got a call saying the dog was still available and was asked if would we like to meet him. This was a Tuesday so I said yes, we could come in Friday (we are out of town so going to the shelter was an hour drive) and that was the earliest we could do because of my husband's work schedule. The presumed owner was clearly unhappy we couldn't come in sooner then asked me if we would be taking the dog home the day of the visit. I was again, dumbstruck at the urgency and when I said we'd need the weekend I was told multiple times that they need to move the dogs and we'd need to decide that day. At this point we were frustrated with the pressure being put on us but stuck it out for the sake of the dog. Two days after setting up this appointment, they called me to ask if I was still interested in meeting the dog... well yes, we have a meeting set up tomorrow I said. How can a company be this unprofessional I wondered? On the day of our meeting we were shocked to find no actual facility. The "office" was in a trailer, there were multiple dog filled cages outside, some in the shade, and some with only tarps covering them, and seemingly no one in charge. The "meeting" with the new dog and our current dog took place in a fenced in dirt yard, with no shade, in 95 degree heat. The dogs were so hot they could barely move. As this wasn't the most conducive environment to make a life changing decision, we told the manager we needed a little more time and she gave us 24 hours... thanks. My husband called the next morning (before the asking time) and since no one answered, he left a message saying we were very interested but wanted another meeting because 20 minutes in extreme heat cannot be the basis for this decision. When no one returned his call, he left another message 2 hours later. When no one returned that call, he left another message, again, 2 hours later. When they finally called back, they told my husband their "trainer" thought the meeting went well and that we would not be able to meet again. Are you kidding me? We're the ones possibly adopting the dog, how is he the one making that decision? So then, they tell him that they hadn't heard from us- WE LEFT THREE MESSAGES- and that we couldn't meet the dog again because they were setting him up with a family that had already met him "a few times." So this family can meet him numerous times, but we have to make our decision in 24 hours?? Where do I even begin? The way this organization conducts business is absolutely deplorable. They are disorganized, dishonest, and the "facility" is frankly disgusting. We tried very hard to overlook all of this so that a good dog may get a new home, yet we weren't even granted a second visit two days later. Adopting an animal is an important decision that you would hope someone wouldn't take lightly, and we personally are also dealing with the emotions of having one of our beloved dogs pass just a few months ago so this was a huge decision we spent countless hours trying to make. (Only for this organization to pretend they didn't get our messages. Did you not get them because you were already trying to push the dog onto someone else? Do you really need the $250 adoption fee that much??) This was a horrendous experience from start to finish and I pray that no other family gets put through the same agony we had to deal with. This organization should be ashamed of their disgusting way of treating people. read more

Do not put in an application to adopt here. They play games and it is a poor attempt to raise money. If you see an animal you want to adopt, they have you fill out an adoption form and pay $5 (which I was happy to pay). They take multiple applications per animal. They say 4 per animal but it seems like they wait for 4 and may take more than that on certain animals. The adoption is not based on first application but is completely subjective on their part. I have donated to this orphanage and tried to adopt but will NEVER deal with them again. Horribly run facility. If you are looking for a new member of your family, find another adoption program. read more

So grateful to Voorhees Animal Orphanage for finding our new furry family member. Adopting Pippa was a wonderful experience from start to finish. The staff was caring and knowledgeable. They really listened and helped match us with a dog that would best fit our lifestyle. They were very patient and introduced us to every dog in the kennel, explaining each dog's qualities, behavior & characteristics. They knew about all different breeds and the pros & cons of each. They were also very honest when they didn't know the history of a particular animal. Some shelters will try to talk you into getting an animal, just to get it adopted without really matching you with a compatible pet. That is not the case with the VAO. Pippa fits in perfectly with our family - her energy level, interaction with kids & other dogs - VAO was spot on in their evaluation of her and of us. We never felt rushed or pressured - they answered all of our questions (and we had a lot). The reception area is small & can be a little overwhelming when it's busy (& it's always busy - the staff don't sit for a minute) but that's not indicative of anything but a lack of space. Most of the space is devoted to animals & not people - which is how it should be. Go out in the yard to really get to know the dogs and the staff. It was clear to us that they really care about their animals and the people who want to adopt them. We can't say enough good things. read more

Voorhees Animal Orphanage - Pippa! We found our new furry family member with VAO's help. #grateful - Animal Shelters Near Me - Voorhees, New Jersey

I am puzzled by some of these reviews. We adopted Old Dog from here roughly ten years ago; the facility was concrete and block, suitably heated (it was December), and the staff were uniformly professional. We have just returned there and adopted a cat. Again a painless process facilitated by the knowledgeable and professional staff. I wonder whether Yelp has mixed reviews for at least two different operations. read more

Point blank period this one amd only 2 others are way better than Lindenwold Animal Shelter. Which a nuke should be dropped on that shelter. This place also houses very aggressive dogs.. but atleast stuff and volunteers are walking around if you need something.. they need to disclose the history of the dogs with the interested current party. Ive only been interested in two dogs one I didnt know had a biting issue until I did a meet with her and the other which was a husky mix had to much enegry and never stayed focused... read more

After requiring an application before they'll even allow you to make an appointment to meet a dog, AND charging $5 for the privilege, these people couldn't even be bothered to contact us via email & let us know our status. The dog is now off their site, presumably adopted. If they're this unkind & rude to sincere, qualified adopters who acted in good faith, how would they treat animals? We'll never consider dealing with them again. read more