Wow! What amazing people! Caring, informative and professional. I didn't know where to go or what to do about the cutes kittens we found. Not only did they have answers- they had immediate solutions. TNR the mother and the litter was living the life of Riley before their forever homes in pairs. I cannot speak highly enough about them. read more

A Pawsitive Approach - The litter of kittens we found. - Animal Shelters Near Me

We wanted to adopt a young cat from them and we believed we meet all of the requirements. I have lived with cats my entire life and I treat my current cat like an absolute princess. We filled out the application (which took about half an hour) and after a few days got a generic rejection email. Quite frankly I find it extremely rude to not be given ANY sort of reason in the rejection and not even get a chance to speak to a real person to make your case. After looking though some of these reviews it seems that it may have been a "difference of philosophy" due to us letting our cat out into our fenced in backyard entirely supervised. If that's the reason just please say it so people don't have to speculate, and incredibly rude. You didn't even ask to see the setup we have and are just assuming we are irresponsible. I am well aware of how cats can go missing for being outside and I have neighbors who let their cats free roam which I am strongly against. Maybe try talking to the potential adoptee before rejecting an application. Yet again maybe that isn't even the reason our application is rejected. Too bad they don't tell you anything... To whoever rejected our application, we will be adopting another cat. So whatever you think you're doing by rejecting our application is just making it harder for that specific cat to find a home. You will find that the horrible fate that you thought would befall the cat we wanted to adopt from you will not be happening to our new cat. Considering that there are so many displaced pets due to the fires by LA, it seems pretty wasteful to be quite so picky with adopters. I would consider donating to other organizations such as your local humane society over these guys, since they don't seem very keen on actually placing pets in homes. read more

It has been three months since we adopted Annabelle and we couldn't be happier! She is shy but an exceptional darling who is kind and friendly once she warms up to you. I was asked to fill out a lengthy questionnaire and take a video of my apartment, including pushing on window screens to make sure they're secure, but I totally understand and it's a small price to pay for 15 or more years of companionship and unconditional love. My only concern was that Annabelle seemed very bonded to her sister, Nellie. Annabelle and our incumbent cat are getting along really well, but would love to see Nellie meet her forever family! As of a few weeks ago, she was still available for adoption! read more

A Pawsitive Approach - Lacey in front. Annabelle in back. - Animal Shelters Near Me

Thanks to pawsitive approach i managed to adopt my baby Maeve(formerly swirly)! They made the process quick and easy. Provided me with all her necessary paperwork! read more

Adopted my new son from them and I couldn't be more happy. He's getting along great with other kitty and he's just the sweetest boy and so cuddly I love him! The ladies running the adoption are super nice and helpful when it came to giving us tips for introducing our new cat with our other cat and turning them into great siblings! I'm so glad to welcome a new member to our family and definitely would recommend friends who are looking for a cat to check them out! read more

A Pawsitive Approach - Animal Shelters Near Me

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I met a bunch of kittens from A Pawsitive Approach during an adoption event at my awesome vet's office this past Saturday. All the kittens looked healthy, well cared for, and happy. I spoke with the head of the rescue as well as a really kind person named Teresa who had a few kittens she had fostered at the event. It was great to learn that most of the animals from this rescue are fostered in volunteers' homes which means not only are they well socialized (and NOT feral like one ridiculous reviewer here claims), but the animals are also likely healthier than if you were to adopt one directly from a shelter. After adopting two kittens last year from a local shelter and dealing with their respective health issues (dead fleas, tapeworms, upset stomachs, etc.) along with teaching them how to live in a home (they were both found on the street), I would highly recommend to anyone looking to adopt to check out a home-based rescue first. Each animal simply has more resources devoted to them, and the foster parents can tell you a ton about the animal's personality, too. Teresa had me hold one of her fosters named Midnight, and she was the cutest, sweetest little kitten. If we didn't have three cats already, I would have been tempted. Please think about all the resources -- time, money, effort, love -- devoted to each and every animal that this rescue takes in (and all rescues for that matter) and understand that you aren't being asked all these questions because they don't want to adopt to you. They simply want to find the best homes for their animals -- forever homes where their animals are treated with kindness and love. read more

A Pawsitive Approach - Adorable Midnight is available for adoption right now. She was so sweet, mellow, and snuggly! - Animal Shelters Near Me

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I love my Natty and have had her for a few years, but I wish "A Pawsitive Approach" was more forthcoming with health information. Nat has feline herpes and is relatively healthy, but we will always have to keep an eye out for flare ups. I'm grateful we have the resources to care for my wonderful kitty, whom I would never give up (obvious considering I moved from CA to MD with her), but I wish we had been notified of her feline herpes (she had visible eye discharge when I picked her up and was diagnosed days later when I took her to my personal vet). Overall a positive experience considering I adore my kitty, but I agree with other reviews that ask for more transparency about the health of the cats in the rescues care. read more

I'm shocked at the negative reviews for A Pawsitive Approach. I adopted two male brother kittens in April of 2020 and Melody couldn't have been nicer. She invited us over to meet kittens and figure out which ones we bonded with. I found the areas clean, and I have to tell you that both the older cats and the kittens were so lovable! Kisses galore. Seriously, I just can't believe the negative reviews that I'm reading. I've kept in contact with Melody through this last year and I appreciate the fact that she followed up with us to make sure that it was a fit. When you have people that work so hard to save animals lives you can't complain if they are direct. Let's face it - for a lot of these cats this is the last stop, I appreciate that they save these animals and I also appreciated the fact that they really didn't want to have the adoption fail so yes maybe they ask alot of questions and have to be direct, but I'd rather have that then someone who just gives these babies to anyone. And another thing that I think you should know. When Jammer needed emergency vet services a couple weeks ago because he had lots of blood in urine and in bad pain - and I could not get into a vet ANYWHERE, I called a pawsitive approach and Melody set me up within an hour with a vet to take care of my baby and get him meds. And when he was put on a special diet while working through this illness, she gave me 4 different prescription foods to try before I went and spent a bunch of money. I give them a huge thumbs up. They have continued to have my back and I really appreciated that. Don't believe all this negativity. Go see their babies for yourself. You won't be disappointed. I have nothing but respect for them and I hope you do too. read more

A Pawsitive Approach - I adopted Shadow from A Pawsitive Approach in April of 2020 at 15 weeks old. He's a big beautiful boy! - Animal Shelters Near Me

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I give melody and team 5-stars, simply because it was clear to me they give a shit and try hard. 1. are rescues a pain in the ass: sometimes, yes 2. can the people they deal with be even bigger assholes: ...yes 3. do rescues have strong opinions that can be polarizing: ...see 1 4. do i think their adoption contract is kind of shady: also yes but since the priority is on...adopting a cat...i'm willing to look past all that. read more

My wife and I adopted our boy Blue today and the whole experience has been awesome! Lisa was responsive, helpful, and flexible in letting us meet with cats from two different stores. They had a ton of beautiful cats that are well taken care of and ready to find their perfect home! They have detailed medical records for all their cats and you can tell Lisa knows her cats very well and cares about finding the right home for your family and the cats. We're both grateful to Lisa for all her hard work and selflessness. Welcome home, Blue! read more

A Pawsitive Approach - Animal Shelters Near Me

I have a big house and tried to adopt an older cat from Petco in Costa Mesa and was denied for no reason and I have a feeling they would rather pocket the donations and let the cat be adopted shame on these people read more

We adopted two cars from A Pawsitive Approach in 2021, and it was a fantastic experience. We were first-time cat owners and Melody and everyone we interacted with were super patient and answered all of our questions. Then, when one of our cats got sick (almost a year after we adoptedMelody truly went above and beyond to help connect us to find the right care for our cat and guided us through the process of helping her get better. It's clear that Melody and all of the APA volunteers really care for the cats in their care even after they're adopted. We've already recommended APA to several people in our lives looking to adopt a cat, and we'll continue to do so. read more

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I had an amazing experience with Melody, Lisa, and Debbie (the President) from A Pawsitive Approach. They are all incredible, and tireless in their dedication to help animals. I have a lot of respect for what they do and I feel as though people should be respectful. I think some of the negative reviews should be taken with a grain of salt, given the age of the reviews. I have personally met with the women who work tirelessly day and night to rescue kittens and cats from bad situations. Every call for help they receive is met with open arms. They rarely say they can't help. Last month alone they rescued over 70 cats and kittens from bad situations (it's kitten season) and adopted out just as many. This is their life and they work so hard to help these animals. People should be sensitive that it takes a saint to do what they do. For my own experience, I saw a cat on Instagram named Sweet Pea. She was precious and I obsessed about her for weeks. I completed the application and the first thing I noticed was how comprehensive and thorough it was. I was very impressed by this, given other adoption/rescue apps I've seen in the past. They heavily screen their adopters. In fact, I have started volunteering to help with that effort now that I'm aligned as a volunteer. A lot of research is done to ensure the kitten or cat is a good match and the adopter is qualified. This just goes to show how much they genuinely want to ensure the cats/kittens go to good reputable qualified, long-term homes! Our kitten Sweet Pea has been nothing by pure joy since we adopted her. She fits right in, came with all of her shots, and was spayed already, which was great! She is super-healthy, vibrant, purrs all the time, and has been a wonderful addition to our tribe. A Pawsitive Approach works with many foster families. I had an opportunity to meet our kitten's foster and she was obviously attached to her, and cared a lot. Overall the experience was a success and I will continue to support this organization and do whatever I can to ease their daily burden for the tireless and dedicated work they do! read more

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I recently adopted two kittens from A Pawsitive Approach. The babies are healthy and sweet, and while the adoption process is a bit long (I think partially due to the fact that this is all run by volunteers), it's comforting to know that the rescue is just trying to do what they feel is best for the cats. I got to meet Melody at Petsmart when we finalized the adoption and she was very friendly. It's clear that she cares so, so much about the cats! read more

I happened to come across A Pawsitive Approach at one of their adoption events. I talked with Melody and another volunteer and I got to meet one of the kittens. I am not looking to adopt now, but if I had, I would have been really tempted! APA fosters dozens of adorable pets that you can find on Petfinder. You can meet many of the them at the adoption events that they sponsor. One great thing about them is that you can often talk to the foster parent who knows the individual personalities of the different animals. If you are ready to welcome a cat or dog into your family, check out APA's website. You can view pictures and descriptions of their adoptable pets and contact them about particular animals, or you can just tell them that you are interested in adoption in general. APA is a great organization that is quite worthy of donations and volunteer help, too. Adopt, don't shop, and please support your local animal rescue group! read more

I hate to leave a negative review, as I value any organization that is dedicated to helping animals, however, the approach that this specific rescue, specifically Melody, took with us was not clear cut, and truthfully was a bit inappropriate and rude. Additionally, they were very slow with responses, but we looked past that because we understand it can be busy dealing with so many applications and pets. My family and I filled out an application and provided her with the requested pictures and videos. We allow our cats supervised outdoor play time, only, and only, with a harness and leash. Now, we understand that some people do not share this same viewpoint on giving cats any outdoor time, whether they're on leashes or not. Melody did not agree with it, and we genuinely understood her concerns, and we picked up early on she was not comfortable with us adopting the cat we applied for. We even told her we understand if we are not a good fit, hoping she would be able to give us a clear cut answer. However, rather than being upfront with us and telling us no, she began telling us several stories of cats who were killed because owners let them out. She did not seem genuine about it either, it felt like she told the stories to make us feel guilty. Keep in mind, we only take our cats out, in our backyard, leashed! She even went onto say, "you had to learn that the hard way because your cat Rocky was killed that way." That is a terrible way to convey a message, especially if you claim to love animals. You would think she could be kinder. I for one think that is so rude and disrespectful to say, as we are still grieving the loss of our pet. And it is extremely inconsiderate. Not to mention, she emphasized several times in different ways that Rocky died because we let him think going outside was ok by taking him in our backyard with a leash. She continued aggressively pushing her viewpoints on how to be a pet owner, almost scaring us to not get a cat. If she didn't want to accept our application a simple no would have been better than everything she did. We have no problem seeing things from her perspective and we have no problem accepting that the rescue is not comfortable allowing us to adopt, but that does not give her the right to be rude. She was extremely unprofessional and condescending. There is a certain way to go about denying an application and this place does not know how to do it. I am extremely disappointed. If you are a professional business, act professionally. Teach your employees better communication skills, because despite her disrespect and passive aggressive behavior, my sister and I stayed absolutely polite on the phone. read more

Okay so all these ONE star reviews are so accurate. If you don't let your cats outside then this post isn't for you. If you do? Make sure you lie about it on the application. Melody and Lisa didn't even give us a phone call, didn't ask for a home video, didn't even see us or speak to us AT ALL. Yet somehow they came to the decision to deny us? Interesting. Seems like it's because of one question on that application -- "do you let your cats outside supervised?" How sad that people who are in charge of making sure a kitten or a cat goes to a safe loving home are being bias because of what THEY believe. How sad that they're both so close minded to believe a cat should be trapped indoors all day with no natural sunlight and vitamin D?! I'm actually mind blown. How can you come to a decision to deny someone when you don't know what kind of home they have, who they are as people, how they care for there already owned cats? Just what you see on a piece of paper. Melody and Lisa, I hope you see this review and I hope you one day come to realize how truly WRONG this is what you both are doing. You have a responsibility TO THE CATS and whether you think you're genuinely doing it for a good reason I'm here to tell you, you're not. I will be sure to let everyone I can know, that this is not the organization you want to go through. No fairness, no communication, no proper procedures to actually make the decision. Just two sad lady's who like to have power lol. read more

Anyone even considering adopting a kitty from A Pawsitive Approach in Cerritos/Tustin is most certainly in for a very rude awakening. Read their reviews. Research this horrible organization. They should not be allowed to rescue or foster pets of any kind. I was interested in adopting a beautiful little kitty that A Pawsitive Approach had named Orange (I found the listing on Petfinder). I submitted an application and video of my home, per Melody's request. Melody finally, after many days, responded to my request to meet this little guy so my daughter and I drove to Melody's home in Tustin to meet Orange, who had evidently been fostered by a gal named Nancy. First off, Melody has an unbelievable number of kittens and adult cats in her home (at least 30+). Things were very cluttered and parts of the home (where she kept a number of small kittens in an enclosed glass structure) smelled awful. We saw no food or water and the litter boxes badly needed to be cleaned. We met little Orange, a beautiful little guy who appeared ok but was quite small for his age of one year. I fell in love with him and wanted to adopt him. I thought I could fatten him right up and, in fact, when I finally got him home to eat, it seemed he'd not had a full meal in ages. He ate voraciously. I paid Melody $175 (which was pretty high for a rescue, but I did really want Orange) and my daughter and I left. My daughter thought he looked ill; I thought he was just small. Ultimately, the next day I took him to my vet for a well cat check up. I received shocking news. Orange had flea nests embedded under his chin, ear mites in both ears, was very underweight and had four areas in his mouth of bruising, redness and inflammation. I was shocked but thought he'd eventually be ok. Still hoping. The next morning my vet called me to say that Orange had tested positive for FIP/coronavirus and said if I had any other pets in my home that they'd been exposed. My vet advised that I remove Orange from my home immediately. It is worth noting that medical records of Orange provided to me by Melody indicated a negative result for FIP. I contacted Melody and told her what was going on. I then heard from several people in the organization, some quite rude and aggressive. My vet tried to get Orange placed with FIP Warriors in my area but they were full. I was told that A Pawsitive Approach had extensive ties to FIP Warriors in their area and even had antiviral medication to begin Orange on immediately. As much as I did not want Orange going back to this organization, I was assured by a lady named Debbie that he would never go back with foster Nancy. Debbie subsequently picked up Orange exactly seven days after I adopted him. She gave my daughter and me a very hard time about refunding the $175 I had initially Venmo'd Melody. I knew I'd never see my money from them if I didn't get it before turning Orange over to her. By this time, I'd spent $600 on vet care and lab work on Orange and my kitty that had been exposed to this gravely sick cat. My vet feels that Orange has a very poor prognosis as a result of the positive FIP/coronavirus. This poor sweet little guy deserved better. He was clearly not cared for at all in the foster home and Melody and others in this organization very clearly did not follow his care or health at the foster's home. In 40+ years of adopting rescue cats, I have never, not even once, encountered an organization as disreputable as A Pawsitive Approach. Run, don't walk, away from this place as fast as you can. If I could give zero stars for this review, I would. They are only in it for the money. Absolute worst rescue EVER. read more

When I first heard about this organization, I thought I would like to try fostering for the first time. I have now been a foster for 4 months and i have loved being a part of this organization every day i've been with them. Not only are the organization leaders extremely knowledgeable, they are such caring people, who dedicate their own time and money to save thousands of abandoned, sick, feral, and old cats. I ended up foster-failing two of my kitties, and when one got sick, APA was the only organization to correctly determine what was making my cat sick. I had been to 3 different vets, and if it wasn't for APA, my cat would be dead right now. To all of the people who got denied on their applications, learn from that. They have seen it all, and if they denied you, it was for a reason. I have grown SO attached to all of my fosters, so when a person gets approved, I know I can feel comfortable letting my foster go. If you want to adopt a cat, I highly recommend adopting from them. We have owner-surrender cats, FIP survivors, and some cats who would be dead without APA's medical interventions. By adopting a cat from them, you have made a connection to all kinds of different resources for life. If you can't adopt right now but want to help out, please consider donating to them so that these wonderful people can keep saving cat's lives. They are a nonprofit and can't do it without you! read more

I adopted a sweet kitten from Pawsitive Approach Rescue 8 MONTHS back in May of 2020. Everything was great with the adoption and everyone was VERY NICE and accommodating. I truly have NO PROBLEMS with how they ran the adoption, they were great! My issue took place yesterday when I woke up to find an alert from my bank that I was overdrawn from a check that was cashed for $175. I was very confused as I haven't written any checks lately and was even more confused to see the check was the one I wrote out 8 MONTHS AGO for pawsitive approach. First I was shocked that they hadn't cashed the check seeing as it's Jan 22, 2021 and I wrote the check in May 2020. So 8 long months go by and no one cashed the check?!?! Second I was extremely disappointed that no one reached out to me prior to make sure it was ok to still cash the check, to make sure I had the funds available seeing as we are in a pandemic and many of us including myself are unemployed and living off a tight budget. I reached out to pawsitive approach to try and make this better as I was now -$94 in my account with an overdraft fee and two pending transactions that would have also been charged an overdraft fee of $36 each. This check that was $175 quickly turned into $211 and was about to turn into $247 - $283! When I reached out I said "the issue isn't about paying the adoption fee, I assumed I already paid for this months ago so of course I am more than happy to pay but if someone reached out and said "heads up, we are now (8 MONTHS LATER) going to finally cash your check, is that ok?" I would have asked them to wait until I got my next unemployment check on the first" I spoke with Melody and she was nice but seemed confused as she doesn't handle the finances and she assured me someone would get back to be that day. Again, this was urgent as my pending transactions were going to go thru any time. Well I NEVER HEARD BACK of course and was forced to burrow money from family to cover the negative balance and fee. I'm so disappointed in the carelessness for this situation. I think it's extremely unprofessional to cash someone's check that they wrote 8 months ago during a pandemic where people need every dollar to get by. Note to organization, please make sure to cash people's checks in a timely manner and if you can't, have a heart and mind and TELL THEM FIRST! read more

This is a wonderful rescue. We got our latest rescue kitty from them and he is an angel. They take good care to match the right kitty with the right home. read more

A Pawsitive Approach - Denzel in New home. - Animal Shelters Near Me

My son and I adopted two sweet, well adjusted littermates from Melody. Melody was responsive and kind throughout the process. She sent the medical records for both kittens upon request for my veterinarian to review. She also allowed my veterinarian to come to the meet-and-greet to ensure the kitties were healthy. The kitties had clearly been very well taken care of by Melody and her family. A Pawsitive Approach clearly cares about finding safe and devoted homes for the animals in their care. That certainly seems like the best things for the animals and the families taking them home. The kittens have already brought joy to our home. Our experience with Melody and A Pawsitive Approach could not have been better. Five stars. read more

A Pawsitive Approach - Animal Shelters Near Me

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I adopted two cats from A Pawsitive Approach a few years ago. I can't thank them enough for the two cats the let me adopt. They have brought me so much happiness over the years. A Pawsitive Approach follows a strict adoption process and lots of questions on their application. I absolutely applaud them for this because it shows how serious they are in finding the correct home for these cats. The people who are turned off by the thorough process, are most likely not in it for the best possible outcome for the cats. I have recommended two friends to adopt cats here, and they are 100% happy with the entire process, and the cats they adopted. Highly recommend inquiring if you are looking to adopt a cat! read more

A Pawsitive Approach - Animal Shelters Near Me

The best organization ever! I came across two one month old baby boy kittens that needed homes (I contacted all the shelters in my area but they were saying that they would have to be euthanized because they were too young) and they went out of their way to help me out Thank you to Lisa, Melody, and Debbie for helping me! If you can, donate and adopt from them! They are truly amazing! read more

A Pawsitive Approach - The two baby boys - Animal Shelters Near Me

Recently adopted two adorable kitties from A Pawsitive Approach, and it was a wonderful experience. It is apparent that this rescue has the best interest of the pets as its primary concern. The adoption process required a few steps but those were simple enough and it is comforting to know that this rescue wants to make sure that the adoption is a good fit. I could not be happier with the kitties I brought home! read more

I just adopted a beautiful kitten from A Pawsitive Approach and it was a very good experience. They responded quickly to my request and I am thrilled with my new kitten! read more

A Pawsitive Approach - She's sweet, a love bug and also full of personality! - Animal Shelters Near Me

I was honestly surprised to see any negative reviews on here at all. Our experience with adopting our Bella was flawless. Melody is great to work with, professional, and friendly. You can tell from start to finish that this organization is passionate about what they do and that they really care about finding a good home for their animals. We have a big dog (Great Dane) at home and a younger kitten that needed a playmate. I was pleasantly surprised that they recommended adopting bonded pairs or adopting into a home that already has a cat - a lot of other organizations seem to be more concerned with just getting rid of what they have. This was the first point that made us move forward with A Pawsitive Approach because it proves that they really care about the animals they find a home for. They understand that a cat needs a cat playmate and that even if a dog can make a great companion, cats will be happiest having another cat to play with. The visit to the foster home was also a great experience for us. Diana was very friendly and very knowledgable of all the cats' personalities and quirks and we left feeling very confident on how to properly acclimate our Bella to the new home. As a lifelong animal lover, dog person, and cat person I would highly recommend A Pawsitive Approach if you are looking for a new furry friend to bring home! read more

My wife and I are first time cat adopters. I'm surprised by all of the negative reviews.  I want to vouch for this rescue. Over the course of months, they worked tirelessly with me to find the perfect male orange cat for me and my wife. We had lost a cat about a year ago, and it was tough for us to consider adopting. I contacted Melody and she was immediately receptive to our needs.  I know for a fact this rescue has over 150 cats they've taken in, because every day (literally) we'd look online in petfinder to see what new cats were available.  I was hunting for a specific color/and a male.  I finally found our precious Marmaduke.  He's the bomb, and I am so grateful for the collaboration I received throughout my journey. It was a great experience for me and my wife overall.  I am so thankful for the community and bond I've formed with this rescue over the past several months. read more

My husband and I had been discussing adopting a cat, our first pet together, for about a year. I follow A Pawsitive Approach on Facebook and kept checking their listings on the website to see all the available cats or kittens. Two weeks ago, I sent an inquiry e-mail regarding two cats whose personalities might mesh with ours. Melody wrote back that evening to provide more information about them and the upcoming adoption events on Saturday. We drove out to the pet shop (about 25-30 miles from our home) to see everyone in person. Well! It would've been impossible to have a better meet/greet with these kind, friendly, enthusiastic people. We saw a dozen cats in various cages waiting for fur-ever homes. The little guy we saw on the site sat in his litterbox, just watching the goings-on. I'd say we spent half an hour looking at all the cats, talking with their foster humans, and asking questions. Afterward we were allowed to spend some face time with the kitten to see whether he felt comfortable with us and vice-versa. Pft! He was a total lovebug ham and a show-off. Mutual admiration society. Suzanne explained everything about the situation, including their fees, the cat's medical history, food, personality, how to snap together a carrier, the whole nine yards. We were allowed to adopt our wiggly ball of fuzz on the spot (excellent surprise - I had anticipated a home visit or a longer process over weeks first, but no). Two hours later we drove home, a happy family of three. Since adoption day, life with Little Goose (nickname) has been a mostly positive rollercoaster. At times he needs a stern reminder about what's acceptable and what is not, but we love his head butts, face licks, kooky antics, and sweet self. He's a Good Cat and the perfect one for us. We highly recommend this rescue to anyone looking to expand their family. read more

A Pawsitive Approach - I told him not to stand on the AC/heater unit. This was his response. Literal cat! (Unit was not turned on.) - Animal Shelters Near Me

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For those who had a good experience with this organization, I'm glad for you and the cat(s) you adopted. But I wouldn't be so fast in casting doubt on the negative reviews. I had a horrible experience with these people. I've dealt with other cat rescue organizations over the years and always had good experiences. I've been a responsible cat owner all of my life. I found the people running Pawsitive Approach to be highly judgmental, quick to make (false) assumptions (and sticking to those false assumptions regardless of evidence to the contrary.) They were rude and sorely lacking in communication skills. It's well known that the older cats get, the harder it is to adopt them out. So to leave them sitting in foster homes when they could have a good permanent home is so sad for the cats. I submitted an application for a 7 month old cat my son and I bonded with. I sent a home video. It required several additional emails to get a response. Finally got a cold generic response, no name attached, that my application was denied. No explanation. No follow up questions. No questions for clarification purposes. I was pretty shocked and disappointed. We went back again to Petsmart and talked to Lisa. As I suspected, after later reading the other Yelp reviews and confirming with Lisa, the reason for the denial was because I noted that I allow my cat out on the patio, which has a very high fence and only occasionally and ONLY with supervision. We've lived here 4 years, not once has our cat even come close to getting out- she can't jump the fence and has never tried. She goes outside for fresh air and sunshine a few times a week with my son or me. Lisa brought up coyotes. I said that's why she only goes on the patio with us and in broad daylight. She mentioned a catio. I promised I wouldn't let the new cat out without one. She said she'd talk to the Board and could we come back later. We came back. No answer from the Board. She promised to call me that week. She didn't. Meanwhile, I picked out an enclosure from Amazon, emailed the link, and asked if it was suitable. No response. The last time we stopped at Petsmart, (our third time), Melody (the head honcho) was there. (the poor cat was STILL in foster care.) I asked to talk and offered more references. My brother runs a cat rescue in another state so those saying that the people who write negative reviews don't understand how hard it is, that's simply not true. I've seen first hand how much work it is, however there's a way to work with people that benefits all, including the animals. Melody was understandably busy at the event so she kept putting us off. We waited for an hour and 1/2 to speak with her. (She kept saying to wait.) She finally said she'd have Lisa call later that day. I said that Lisa had promised to call the week prior and never did. I said, "I don't want to waste my time anymore, just let us know if there's hope for us to adopt this cat." She said, "Yes, there's hope." The next day we had an appt with another agency that we were approved with. Needless to say, Lisa never called. Not surprising, just so disrespectful. In the evening, there was another generic email stating "After much discussion, we have decided to decline the adoption." Knowing how much we wanted the cat, knowing I had excellent references, knowing I was willing to purchase a safe enclosure if the cat was ever to go on the patio, and even after Melody saying there was hope... what kind of people do this?? It's not about the cats, it's power. So ignorant and over the top. There was literally nothing I could do to prove to them that the cat would be safe and that I'm a responsible cat owner, once they had made their incorrect assumption. And they were so cruel to give my son and I hope and waste our time. It's ironic since I'm the one who preaches to the neighbors not to let their cats run freely outside because it's not safe. I feel sorry for the cats who sit unnecessarily in foster homes when they could be in their forever homes. We ended up adopting a cat through another agency. Other agencies care deeply about their animals too and want to find safe homes for them. They were nice people and such a pleasure to work with compared to this one; they acted like human beings with hearts. They do what's in the best interest of the cat, unlike Melody and "The Board." With another negative review, they will likely just continue to be defensive rather than actually take a look at themselves and their poor communication, quick and wrong assumptions, and unwillingness to listen and work with people who also love animals. I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that the cat we wanted would have had a wonderful and safe home with us. They got this one dead wrong as I am sure they got countless others wrong. We ended up adopting a cute little fellow from another agency that we are enjoying spoiling. Good riddance, "Pawsitive Approach." The name is ironic, nothing "Pawsitive" about them! read more

A Pawsitive Approach - Our newly adopted kitten from another wonderful cat rescue organization. (Not Pawsitive Approach!) - Animal Shelters Near Me

Submitted the application and multiple follow ups were required over several days which eventually they came back and told me I wasn't an ideal candidate for cat adoption. Needless to say I was pretty shocked. I understand the need to protect animals from bad situations but this felt more like they just didn't want to deal with me. I eventually adopted two kittens in November from a different rescue and they are thriving. For anyone else that gets a denied application for no good reason, don't be hard on yourself and go with a different rescue. read more

This organization unfortunately does not do a good job in the adoption process for animals. This organization leads with a extensive questionnaire that is far beyond what is needed. Further they don't give you an opportunity to even meet the animal to see if it is a match. Animals should choose their new family not paper pushers. I have volunteered hundreds of hours at humane societies in the past and have never gone through a process like this before, more less being rejected. I hope this organization looks at their process and makes adjustments. read more

Update: The rescue added me to a group chat and after some back and forth with them insisting that ringworm, tapeworm, and fleas were all normal for cats (this is probably true for strays, but not for rescue cats), they asked for the cats back and gave me a refund. My vet let me know they both had stomatitis and according to their records that A Pawsitive Approach was not upfront about, both of my cats had active cases of ringworm that were never resolved. DO NOT ADOPT FROM THEM. They intentionally gave me two very sick cats and whenever I raised any concerns about their behavior or appearance, I was dismissed. This is very cruel. read more

A Pawsitive Approach - Their "customer service skills" - Animal Shelters Near Me

The foster woman I spoke to had zero communication skills and turned me off from adopting a cat here. It was too hard to get her to understand anything or any question. read more

We were very fortunate to meet Big Boy. Before we made any decision, we had a lot of questions and Melody answered them promptly with precise answer. When going thru the application process, she had us do quick video showing our home environment to ensure it is a good environment for them. I first was kind of annoying by this but I thought, if I have to give away someone I really care, I would want to make sure he/she would go to a good and safe family. I adopted an older cat, wanting to give him a 2nd chance. I don't have a big heart like this and many animal rescue centers have and wish I can rescue all those poor animals needing a good home. Thank god we have good people like Melody and great organizations around. If one cannot adopt due to many circumstances, please consider donate. I am very fortunate and at ease with my life right now with Big Boy by my side every day. Thank you for all of your work and many wonderful people! read more

As a recent first time foster for this rescue I can tell you most of what you read is true. They do have cats in foster homes but they DO NOT have a vetting process for fosters. The fosters provide the shelter, food and love for these cats and receive no support from the rescue. There seems to be a complete disregard for the volunteers. They do provide vaccinations for the cats at Melody's house, which has about 30+ cats of all ages. They work with several vets for the spay and neutering but procedure dates change often as do vets they work with. The adoption application process is non existing - I had several potential adopters email applications and never received a response. When they do respond their vetting process is cumbersome but when a potential adopter is at one of their adoption events they can walk away with a cat within an hour. Completely inconsistent. The negative interactions I had with Melody, Debbie and Lisa over their policies were the reason I decided to not continue fostering with them. Although I would never want to see anyone not adopt a cat from this rescue because of some rude individuals just use caution and ask a lot of questions. These cats deserve to find a forever home. read more

Melody and Lisa are the absolute worst of people and should not be in charge of cat adoptions!! I was mainly in communication with melody and submitted my application back in April. I constantly texted/called her and she never tried to reach out. When she would answer my call she would say "I'll call you back inna sec". I'm convinced it's because I'm Latina and young that she didn't want to move forward. For two months I tried with her, hoping to rescue those poor kitties who were miserable in their cage. If she didn't like me she could have denied my application or something... but no she left me in limbo. I constantly called Petco to see if they were still available, but this last time I called they said they had been adopted. I'm happy the cats found a good home and are out of their cage but sad it couldn't be with me. Don't adopt here unless you want a huge headache and want to be profiled!!!! read more

A Pawsitive Approach - Animal Shelters Near Me

Felt completely disregarded, disrespected, and looked down upon my entire foster experience with A Pawsitive Approach. First incident- after deciding to foster 2 cats from them, I decided to text Melody that I was interested in adopting them. She left both of my interested in adoption text on read and it wasn't until I met her in person that she explained to me they don't adopt to college students. Completely understandable; but no need to just leave me on read. You're a grown adult, have some communication skills. Second incident- after telling Melody I have another cat in my house. She immediately began questioning me with questions regarding the health of the other cat and assumed the other cat was "unhealthy" and could potentially "infect" my foster kittens. She didn't once ask me if they had been tested for X Y Z but went on to assume and I had to prove to her that the other kitten in fact was healthy. Third & final incident- after being asked to bring my foster cats to her house for a potential adopters, she asked me to bring the cats early to help them distress but did not tell me the adapters were running late until I got there, so I had to just go to nearby stores to kill time. She had told me she would let me know when the adopters came back so I would let the adopters know about the foster kittens. An hour and half passed by and no text. After going back to her house, she proceeds to tell me my foster cats were too aggressive and almost in way blamed me for not allowing adopters at my house. She insisted she put the cats in habitats to help them socialize with humans, although I have told her the cats have no issues with humans. She completely disregarded my comment and continued on with her wishes. This has not been my only negative experience with Melody. Throughout my 5 months of fostering, she has always gave me a condensing & negative attitude, maybe because I was a college student. She would make me drop off the kittens at her house with little warning, one time it was even during NYE, when I had plans with my family. Melody also never wore her mask when I stop by her house to drop off the kittens. As someone who is so "knowledge" about cats, I am disappointed to see some of her actions and thoughts. This agency simply just to adopt out their kittens and have no regards to the health of the cats. Maybe you if aren't a college student - they would treat you better. Still to this day, I have no received one apology but only them confirming that putting the cat in the habitat was the right choice. Never in my life have I ever felt so disrespected due to my age. @ Melody- I hope you take this as a learning experience and that not all college students are immature and irresponsible. And not all cats are cuddly at first sight. Stop using your own judgments and schemas towards others, it's unfair to me and the cats. read more

I have adopted two cats from these people. They seemed nice and caring. No complaints. It's nice they followed up to see how the cats doing and we exchanged photos. I would recommend APA read more

Melody should not be working for a foster agency. She makes decisions based on her own beliefs rather than those of her agency and goes against the mission statement, "We will be a voice for the animals". She gives no voice to the animals at all. I understand that the agency wants to get their pets adopted, but her methods of "behavior correction" are unfounded and inhumane. She wants to put pets in a habitat (the glass corners at the pet store) to make them "better socialized and more cuddly" after they've built trust with humans and experienced loving foster homes-- this will break their trust with humans. Do not foster for or adopt from this agency. Go to your local shelter instead. Update: Spoke with Debbie-- founder of the agency. She was just as unprofessional. I sent an email to the agency demanding an issue to be resolved. I was met with disrespect and a condescending attitude. She claimed she wanted to resolve an issue but represented her agency as even more unprofessional than I thought possible. She spoke over me and patronized me perhaps because I'm young. read more