Heartbreaking Lack of Transparency: My wife and I found a gentle, adoptable young German Shepherd during a storm in the Berkeley Hills. We brought him to the shelter to be scanned for a chip, told them multiple times we cared about him, and even emailed to say we would foster him so he wouldn't be euthanized. For several days, he appeared only on the "lost dog" page, then suddenly disappeared. He was never listed for adoption. When we called, we were told he was "being evaluated." Only after pushing did it become clear euthanasia was on the table. The next day, with a confirmed foster ready to pick him up immediately, we called again -- and learned he was already being euthanized at that very moment. We begged them to stop, but it was too late. This was a healthy, loving, adoptable dog with people ready to help. What was missing was clear communication, transparency, and a chance to intervene. The staff I spoke to were polite, but the system urgently needs: - Clear timelines and notice before euthanasia - Public listing of adoptable and at-risk dogs - A functioning foster program I hope no one else goes through this. Berkeley can and should do better. PS: Attaching the picture of Max. We loved him dearly. read more

Berkeley Animal Care Services - Max, the GSD. We miss him. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Berkeley, California

I'm pretty sure this local spot is doing Great work for animals, however each time I come in here, it's disorganized and chaotic. Today, I learned that the donation set up is just that, people can walk in and just grab whatever they need, and you can drop off things too, without screening. however if you need to interact with staff or have a question, be sure to bring your patience because there's no quick solution. you just have to get in line! read more

I will never be able to shower enough PRAISE on the staff and volunteers of the Friends of Berkeley Animal Care Services (FoBACS) for bringing Aspen (~2yo 56lb shepherd mix) into my life! They literally saved hers. The knowledge of the staff and volunteers and how much they TRULY LOVE all of the animals is readily apparent. And the facility is spotless yet very welcoming. Aspen was in the shelter system for nearly 1 year (which is unheard of). However, a couple weeks ago, someone had to make the exceedingly difficult decision for Aspen to be EUTHANIZED in 3 days (for simply being extremely CAUTIOUS with strangers) . . . but with the help of the Friends of Berkeley Animal Care Services, Stitch In Time Animal Rescue, and her amazing foster, Aspen (photos below) became a permanent and TOTALLY LOVED member of my home on Friday. Although Aspen had briefly touched me only 3 times over the 2 weeks of my visiting her (at shelter & on some of her foster's pack walks), . . . in just 3 days at home, Aspen is eating and eliminating regularly and has even started to bond with me. Although she still flinches at many noises outside, Aspen now feels so comfortable at home that she will open her eyes but not lift her head to strange noises. Last night, Aspen reached out for an Eskimo kiss and bowed her head so that I could massage her neck (my heart melted). To anyone considering adopting a pet, please be PATIENT in getting to know your fur-ever friend as you do not know what they experienced in life previously that may have (rightfully) terrified them, and made them less social than you might initially expect/want. Just like wounded humans, animals that endure abuse and/or hardship often do things they would not otherwise do. They need time to build trust in you ... but when they do, you have a true friend forever. Fortunately, FoBACS and her foster recognized how special Aspen is and were extremely knowledgeable, loving and patient with her since meeting her in November of 2023. I hope Aspen's adoption story serves to help many more pets find permanent homes filled with patience, understanding, fun and love. If your pet is not doing what you ask, look at the situation from their perspective ... and you may learn something. I am ETERNALLY GRATEFUL that this wonderful canine creature was spared ... and now walks beside me in life. Bravo FoBACS and Junko! read more

Berkeley Animal Care Services - The photo that stole my heart (thanks photographer)! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Service was quick and easy. We got our lovely kid of ours named Teddy. Love him, adore him, and care for him.

Animal shelters often get a bad reputation, especially city animal shelters. This one is very clean, and the people who work here really care about the animals and their well-being. I've been volunteering here for almost 2 years, and I have found the experience to be incredibly fulfilling. The new management has been excellent, both for morale, and for the happiness of the animals. If you are in the market for a new cuddly family member, this is an excellent place to go! read more

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Had two stray cats neutered here. The black and white cat is mine. Born in my yard. The mom was also neutered after having 2 litters in 7-8 months. I borrowed a trap from the Berkeley Animal Care Services. The procedure is short. The vet was available Tuesday and Thursday. Picked the cats by up by 4:30. Let the cats remain enclosed for a couple of hours after the surgery. Both cats are healthy. No issues with the procedure. Help the neighborhood and future homeless cats by trapping and having them neutered. Post-neutering, the mom now hangs out with her kitten. She use to rarely acknowledge him. Shows up to eat and moves on. I am completely new to cat ownership. I have no idea what happened to my cats siblings. Disappeared gradually. Shocked how often a cat can become pregnant. My cat is happy. Picture from today. The behavior of the stray mom completely changed after the surgery. I am surprised read more

Berkeley Animal Care Services - Stray cats neutered at the Berkeley Animal Shelter - Animal Shelters Near Me - Berkeley, California

This review is overdue because I adopted my cat about two years ago from Berkeley animal care services. They have a wonderful staff there, very helpful. They made the adoption a breeze. read more

Wonderful shelter. Too bad it is hidden so no one really knows about it. I wish they had more publicity. Maybe a giant sign too since I would never found this place if I did not find it on Yelp. They provide painless walk-ins to see the animals. I love Cari, a brown sweet pit bull. I hope she finds a forever home. The staff were nice and accommodating as well. Thanks Berkeley Animal Care Services. read more

Berkeley Animal Care Services - Animal Shelters Near Me - Berkeley, California

I first came to BACS as a Dog and Cat Volunteer in Spring 2019. It's a nice program that trains you on how to walk/play/interact with the shelter dogs/cats (and sometimes other animals like bunnies) so that they receive some exercise and attention as they wait to be adopted. You have to first attend a general orientation followed by specialized training sessions to interact with both cats and dogs. They're separate sessions, so all together you'll need to attend three training sessions minimum before you can walk dogs *and* play with the cats on the second floor. The training programs for Dog and Cat volunteers are very nice. I've learned how to harness a dog, maintain control of its leash while walking, and other positive lessons that will help me if I ever become a dog owner in the future. The same goes with interacting with cats. After the training sessions, you have a lot of leeway with coming and going into BACS to interact with the shelter animals. There's a dedicated volunteer room on the first floor where you sign in on a computer, lock you valuables in a public locker, read the bulletins on the whiteboard, and get your name badge from the cubbies. After you get a key from the front desk, you can interact with most animals on both the first and second floors. BACS uses a dot color system to categorize the general amicability of dogs and cats. Green dots are those animals that are sociable and friendly with humans. Yellow dots are somewhat shy and timid animals that may need some warming up to. Red dots are tougher to interact with and you will not be able to interact with them unless you have taken an advanced training course on how to deal with these animals. Besides that, volunteering at BACS is a great experience! Not only do you get to relieve some stress and pet some furry animals, but you're also doing a great service for the shelter animals who are usually pent up all day. It was through volunteering at BACS that my girlfriend and I found our brown tabby named Ichi. We saw Ichi while we were volunteering, promised each other we'd adopt him if he was still unadopted the next time we came back, and adopted him the following week when we returned and he was still there. The process of adopting him involved filling out an adoption form asking for our information, experience with pets, and reason on wanting a cat (among other things). We also provided our apartment's lease agreement indicating that we are allowed to have a cat. And that was all! Ichi, being a kitten, had to be neutered. BACS only neuters on two days of the week so we were instructed to come back the next week. But BACS was able to have him neutered and ready for pickup by that week's Friday so it all turned out for the best. When we picked up Ichi, I was about ready to hand over my card to pay for the adoption fee but I was told that was unnecessary because it was apparently free adoption month at the time. All the adoption fees for that month (October 2019) were already paid for, and that just made the adoption process all that more enjoyable! BACS vaccinated, micro-chipped, and neutered him for us so that was very convenient! All in all, BACS is a great service for the Berkeley community. It provides a respite for animals in need of a temporary home, gives people who are unable to have pets (e.g. kids, students, certain apartment-dwellers) an opportunity to engage with pets through volunteering, and facilitates adoptions of the animals to forever homes. Come by to volunteer or adopt! read more

Berkeley Animal Care Services - After a cat has been adopted, a sheet of paper like this is affixed to the room the cat was in on the second floor of BACS. Here was Ichi's. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Berkeley, California

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Really helpful staff, wonderful volunteer corps, great facility. Incredible care for our foster-adopt who ended up needing a leg amputation and we've appreciated the support they've provided us as new parents to a tri-pawd. read more

Berkeley Animal Care Services - Dobalina (shout out to Vet Tech Jane and obscure 90's East Bay Rapper references), now Luna, at home in the backyard before her amputation. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Berkeley, California

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BACS is absolutely wonderful! The staff is all extremely friendly and the adoption process was smooth and easy. When we realized the dog we adopted might night be a great fit for us, they went above and beyond to help us figure everything out and were so diligent in making sure that we felt comfortable and in-the-loop about everything going on. Even though the adoption didn't pan out, I can not say enough great things about them! They really made the entire process, though not easy, a pleasant one and even offered to keep me in the know if any new animals became available that they thought would be a great fit for us! Just absolutely amazing all the way around! read more

The enclosures for the cats are quite nice and quiet from past experience with other shelters. However, there's a huge list of volunteers and no coordinator so even experienced cat comforters like myself can't help socialize these cats. They're getting only 15-30 minutes of interaction a day, they're all alone. It's better than most shelters for sure but it's sad to see a place that says it desperately needs volunteers while not letting any in / having a literal wait list read more

One year ago I found the one. Thank you so much! Berkeley Animal Care Services! Is great! A+++++++ read more

They were very helpful in taking in a:sick bird I found in my yard. They came out to meet me in the driveway and quickly took the bird to the vet. They were extremely friendly and courteous. This make me glad I brought the bird to them. I left a donation and plan to donate more in the future. This facility is so deserving of community support and financial assistance. I don't own any animal; and wish I could but my current schedule won't allow it. I feel so proud of what these people do. They are unsong heroes. God bless them for the work they do for the animals they care for and for the service they provide to our community read more

There's a running joke at our House about me being blackballed at the Animal Rescue Foundation in Walnut Creek. Several years ago, my Son and I adopted an Orange Tabby named Leo and promised on Tony LaRussa's Bible that he would be an indoor cat. Leo was a great cat, but alas the the cat door became a regular part of his routine at our Albany Home. He liked to hang out on the driveway and got along really well with our Dog Yogi and any other creature that happened to stop by. He also loved to wander off, and the first time led me to St. Mary's High School where he had already been "adopted" by the Student Body. Unfortunately, the second time he disappeared was for good. I suspect that he prowled over to the next street and got run over, which corresponded to a second hand report I received a few days later. As Leo was chipped, I went down to Berkeley Animal Care Services to try to find him. They had received the same report I did, but they were told that the "owner" buried the body separately. They were very sympathetic and helped in every way that they could. I wandered the cages on successive days and investigated various Leo sightings in the neighbourhood, but to no avail. So Long Leo and I hope that you're alive and doing well with a family that loves you as much as we still do. read more

I am so very happy today! About a month ago I found a tiny puppy running around on the street. For about a week my friend & I were trying to find his owners or a new home but were not successful. With a very heavy heart we took him to the Berkeley Animal Shelter. We were quite impressed with friendly personnel & how efficient the "intake" process was. We were not very optimistic about his prospects though considering how many dogs are in need of homes. Today I called the Shelter to check up on him & found out that he got adopted! yeyyyyyyyyyyy read more

Berkeley Animal Care Services - Animal Shelters Near Me - Berkeley, California

Maybelline got a free Dog License since she is "altered." I wonder if I get a free Driver's License since I'm "altered?"

God, I love this place. Because this is a city run shelter (not a humane society or private organization), every animal that is from the streets goes there. Then, the most adoptable animals will be taken by the private organizations or rescues. Essentially, Berkeley Animal Care Services takes care of every single animal despite its ugliness, temperament issues, inability to be adopted etc. The staff and volunteers work really hard to get animals matched up with their prospective owners; many volunteers also take time from their weekends to train pitbulls from the shelter during weekly BAD RAP classes, which is wonderful. Best of luck to everyone out there who wants to adopt an animal and be sure that the people at BACS with do their best to help you find your new best friend. read more

I adopted my first cat from here in June of 2012. At the time, I had visited a number of shelters and B.A.C.S. is my favorite in terms of helpfulness and knowledge from the staff. Their selection is smaller than SPCA or other animal shelters; that means that the staff really get to know the cats' personalities...as well as administer BETTER care, handling and socialization. The older woman, Bridgette? aka Cat Goddess, helped me pick out my cat. The volunteers are very sweet and of all ages. It is also a low kill shelter - Fantastic! I came back 3 times to visit my cat before adopting him and they made sure, each time, that I got to interact with him. I came by today to scout for a second cat and I am very glad to see that they have moved into a bigger, sleeker and cleaner facility. They work so hard here and the staff really does care about animals! I experienced jadedness and a reluctance, borderline resentment, to do one's job while at other shelters (ugh.), but never here. As for my cat, Ketto...He is a sweet, intelligent, talkative, funny goofball and I am so grateful to have him. He has even learned some tricks like sit, shake and high-five. Yes, I had to throw that into my review. It IS possible - you can teach cats tricks! Update: He has become quite the snuggler too! Thank you, BACS! read more

Berkeley Animal Care Services - Ketto, my cat, adopted from Berkeley Animal Care! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Berkeley, California

incredibly rude and insensitive staff who answered the phone... called to inquire about a tough situation with my kitty and they were extremely short and curt with me. read more

Went to drop off Monday at 12:30 noon a beautiful Husky and the lady was beyond rude sending us away saying it wasn't her jurisdiction. We found the pet on Sunday morning who wouldn't leave our porch. Fed/watered and took to a local vet who was open in El Sobrante they were kind enough to scan the husky to find no chip :( so we walked the dog twice Sunday all around our neighborhood to see if the dog would direct us back to the area he lives but no luck :(. we have a cat & dog who's both 4 1/2 lbs. a full bread Pomeranian & tabby who are both fixed, chipped, vaccinated & de-flead plus a 10yr. old and I'm pregnant with a lil one on the way so we were not trying to keep this husky not knowing any background although he's domesticated he needs to be reunited with his person. So we gave the husky a bath and let him sleep in the house because he whined being outside :( Monday and it's our first baby appt. exciting , after our last and final walk around the neighborhood no luck :( we decided to head early to the Pinole shelter to find out it's was closed Mondays :( We cannot leave the dog with our two little pets, he barks and tries to attack them and it's their house and we are out for the day running errands it's too hot to leave a Husky in the car going to San Ramon on an 83 degree day. So, we headed to the Berkeley shelter since I've had many great encounters there with my Pom being picked up a few times from getting out of the backyard. Plus the dog needs to be reunited or found a great home and I'm sure the Berkeley community would provide that. So please head down and check this Husky out he would make a great companion during Covid19. Even though the lady there Saturday morning didn't want to intake the dog she did however find time to take down our license plate and threaten to call the cops all because a great & honest family who could not take this pet in was trying to do what was best for the dog. wish everyone had a kinder heart. Worst experience ever! Its an animal shelter and someone's domesticated pet is lost and needs to be found by their person or a new home so it's a service that you provide. So do the JOB the animal shelter provides no matter what jurisdiction!! BTW the dog is awesome just doesn't fit with our growing unit. we left him by the door so she was forced to intake him but worst experience ever doing the right thing :( read more

Berkeley Animal Care Services - Animal Shelters Near Me - Berkeley, California

We adopted a pit mix here and we love all the support that comes after. Here is what I like about BACS. The facility is clean and organized! My partner and I visited multiple shelters which often smelled terrible (which is understandable). We made multiple visits to BACS and every time it was an enjoyable visit. The staff and volunteers are friendly and cautious. I got really nervous when I asked to adopt a sweet pitty when the front desk attendant questioned my credentials. How long would the dog stay alone? Did I know pitties are high energy? I knew all the answers but I felt under pressure and my nervousness did not help. I came back the next day more confident and time to think the adoption through. They are a little defensive at first, but that is because they want to make sure the dogs are placed into a good home. We played with our pittie there and spoke to a volunteer to ensure she was medium energy, cuddly, and friendly. She's napping next to me now as I write this. For a fee of $125 she was spayed, vaccinated, microchipped, mostly trained and house trained, and support for future training!!! SAY WHAAT?! Pittie adoptions receive free training at BadRAP. We can't wait until Boba and my family learn how to walk in peace without sharking the neighborhood dogs. Thank you BACS. WE LOVE BOBA! read more

this place is pretty cool. I've been to a few animal care services but this one is the cleanest and coolest. Staff are always friendly and helpful. Place is clean and well organized. It needed more parking space but that's not much of a problem really. read more

My son Smokey (XL Bully) was unfortunately impounded with his sitter. When I found out I immediately reached out to this facility. I was told that I needed to prove my son was mine with paperwork because the sitter (my nephew) was calling to claim & obtain him as well. Well after going to storage to obtain his paperwork, they never asked me to show it, not once. Only thing I gave was my ID.... Next thing I was told, is that they had to clip my son to give him back. Or I could appeal in a hearing. Of course I opted for the hearing because why should my son be altered? He's done nothing wrong to anyone and yes, he's apart of a strategic breeding program. (Don't tell them this if you have a hearing, they will still try to play God and cut off your dogs body parts) And that's exactly what happened to me. Claiming euthanizing of other animals gives them this right to mutilate mine.... My husband was not going to allow our family to keep smoke with his parts gone which made the rest of the family extremely sad. And as the kids were up saying goodbye to smoke the real God had other plans. Someone in the shelter dropped the ball, and left smoke's cell unlocked! He walked out the shelter with the kids UNSCATHED!! Someone from the shelter called and told me they were giving our info to Berkeley PD. But I am confident tax payer dollars won't be wasted on removing a family gem from a loving home. Smokey is free AND extremely happy. We still have not bread him here in the Bay Area. He came to us from Miami Florida and travels back to fulfill his contract. However, this entire experience was traumatizing and it took him a week to get back to normal. read more

This place was surprisingly clean. Each dog had their own den and a soft bed they can sleep on. I love the notes they take regarding each dog's personality in case you are looking to adopt them. They allow you to go in each of their many big rooms and see the dogs through their glass window. Of course, the best part are the dogs! They have a lot of pitbulls, chihuahuas, and shih-tzu terrier mixes. Definitely go check it out if you want to pick from a great variety of dogs. Plus they offer great vouchers for the low-income population if you'd like to get your pet neutered/spayed. You only have to: 1. Make a spay/neuter appointment at the 4 clinics that supports SNYP (Spay and Neuter Your Pet Program): University Vet Hospital, Campus Vet Hospital, East Bay Humane Society, and Fix Our Ferals 2. Go to Berkeley Animal Care Services and present proof of Berkeley Residency and low income, pay $25, and get the voucher 3. Present it to your veterinarian clinic The minus one was due to one slightly irritated receptionist. But no biggie! Everyone else were more than accommodating! read more

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Long story short, my 7 month old puppy ended up in home-quarantine because of she was accused of "biting" a 4th grader who came over to play with my dog without being invited. It wasn't a bite, the child was running around with a stick, for nearly an hour, making my dog jump for it and a tooth eventually collided with his hand, barely breaking the skin. The mom freaked out and here we are. I paid the $75 fee in person and scheduled the appointment to have an officer come do the final inspection and release my puppy from quarantine. They gave me a 1-hour window when they would come by. I waited. No one showed up. I called to inquire, was met with incompetence, given another number to call to speak with a manager who then told me I had the wrong department, and was eventually hung up on. Great service they are providing. I'm doing my best to follow the law after being wrongly accused and persecuted, and no one even had the decency to call me to let me know they'd be late. To her credit, the officer was very nice and quick when she arrived. read more

I've only had one experience with this shelter, so that's what my review is based on. I found a rooster by a busy street and several people said to bring it here. I called BACS and they agreed - they said that owners would look there first. I asked if I should bring the rooster to an avian vet before taking him in, because he clearly had leg mites, and BACS assured me that they had their own vet staff that would do the same thing. I had about 5 potential adopters contact me about the bird, and I sent them all to BACS. Today, one of them told me that the rooster had been euthanized the same day I dropped him off. However, I had called them the next day and they didn't say anything about it. They only confirmed it after I called them again today. I know that this shelter has limited resources and doesn't actively try to kill animals, so I don't want to give them a 1-star review. I know of people who have had positive experiences here. In my situation, I feel that they advised me poorly and that the bird could've been saved if they hadn't insisted that I bring him in. To any other people who find non-traditional pets: please take it to a specialized rescue center or to an avian vet. BACS is not the place for them. read more

The staff here was great - very helpful and patient as I went through the process of adopting my first rescue dog. They helped me choose one that would fit well in my home and to my level of training skill (not much, but I have help from a pro). Here's a picture of my new companion...!!! read more

Berkeley Animal Care Services - Animal Shelters Near Me - Berkeley, California

Stumbling around this weird thing called life, on my way to a white picket fence and eternal happiness (what else?), the notion of a pet came in. Something to lavish adoration upon that would be playful and loyal, something that couldn't live without me. Sometimes we need to be a hero. You know how that feels, right? I'll admit it, before this I'd never been to a shelter. Our various pets over the years had come by way of the neighbors or streets. I liked the idea of having some choice about my future life partner. So off to an industrial area of Berkeley we went. The acrid smell of urine met us at the entry, along with a few uniformed men. Before we could say anything, they asked if we were here to see the animals. Straight to business, I can hang with that! As we walked down the rows (40+ dogs in all), they greeted us, some running to meet our outstretched hands, others lazing on their blanketed beds. The breed, year, arrival time and boarding circumstances were clipped to the chain link. Performance on all walks were noted, as well as any general reservations or behavior issues. Pits were in great supply, as were chihuahuas. To be expected, there were more larger breeds and less yappy toy dogs. It was so organized, fairly clean and easy. We passed a few floppy eared rabbits on our way to the cat house. Most of the felines were teenager or older, dozing happily in their cages. They had a nice little system to keep track of which cats had recently been played with and a play room in the back. There were actually several folks that came by just to visit. The volunteers were helpful and didn't pressure. We were assured that although the shelter was not no-kill, most of the animals did find happy homes. If you're considering adopting, make sure you know what's coming along with the price. If you're considering volunteering, this would be an enjoyable, rewarding and impactful place to do so. And if the going gets tough, they've got nighttime lock boxes to drop off pets that can no longer be cared for. Though a little grey kitten buried her way into the cockles of my heart, my rescue time has yet to come... read more

PROS: - Great customer service here. You can really tell that the staff here really enjoy enjoy their job. - Located in the city of Berkeley right off the freeway. - Great selection of dogs and cats here. - They provide great care for animals here - Open during the weekend CONS: - Small parking lot - Higher adopting fees than other places read more

Hands down, the best city run animal shelter in the country. I've probably visited an animal shelter in most states in this country and I have to say, Berkeley's put everyone else to shame. Berkeley is probably the only city that can boast a city run shelter that is more effective than their humane society or SPCA. People don't often think to give the shelter donations because they usually donate to the humane society or SPCA but this shelter is so effective with their donations, I cannot encourage you enough to give to them. check out their animals up for adoption here: http://virtualpetadoptions.com/shelter_detail.asp?gateway=shelter VOLUNTEER, DONATE, ADOPT! SUPPORT THE BERKELEY SHELTER! read more

Horrible experience. We came here to visit several times with a puppy that we adored. Talked with several of the staff that we met on multiple occasions about our excitement. We have a niece who stays with us part time and they encouraged us to bring her by for a visit. We did and while waiting for another couple to finish seeing the puppy we wanted, we told a new person at the front desk that we brought paperwork and were ready to bring him home. She clearly had an opinion about how "fit" a home we could offer the dog. We sat there waiting to take our puppy home, while she intentionally offered the dog to another family. When I asked why she said she felt they were a better family (without kids). Chalk it up to classism, racism, homophobia...she made all kinds of assumptions about our family in that moment without asking anything about us. It's clear that the staff here has work to do on themselves. We left heart broken and gutted, I was insulted and shocked that something like this would happen in Berkeley. I got my very first dog here when I was a kid and came back after our dog of 10 years passed away to find a pet, what a disappointment. read more

Any shelter should get 5 stars for the work they do. I adopted my pup from here and the process was quick and simple. Great service and dogs seemed to be in clean kennels and well taken care of. read more

My cat "Smokey Bombay" was missing since April 17th of 2010. i moved my cat from San Francisco to Oakland, only to have him run away in the first week of him being in Oakland. He was not micro-chipped and living in an urban neighborhood the search for this cat seemed nearly impossible. I did all the missing animal protocol; post posters, visit shelters, canvas the neighborhood. I registered Smokey with both the Berkeley Shelter and the Oakland Animal Control Shelters. On June 2nd, 2010 ( 3 months later ) Smokey was found and sheltered in the Berkeley Animal Shelter. Smokey made his way out something like 30 blocks from where he now lives. Animal Control picked him up and I got a "breed request" email from the pet harbor letting me know a cat with his description had been found. Along the way and many visits to these Shelters I met many wonderful and knowledgeable volunteers that care for these sheltered animals on a daily basis. I also met dozens of beautiful sweet cats that were adopted within a reasonable amount of sheltered time. If your Pet is missing in the Tri-City area of Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland there is a high chance that your pet will be found and rescued. If you ever wanted a charity to donate to, this Shelter would be a great cause to support. The animal shelters are always in need of more pet food, clean animal beds, blankets, and toys. Thank You to everyone that helped to rescue our Cat Smokey. Smokey was returned home healthy and even better trained and adjusted than before he ran away. The shelter staff named him "Jack" and his new name is now "Smokey-Jack", works for me. case closed. I'm impressed ~ Good Work Berkeley Animal Care Services! read more

What a major disappointment! A building constructed for the convenience of the human staff rather than the animals. I visited this week with my daughter to search for a new furry family member. Our method is to visit shelters and adoption days at pet stores before we make a major decision. The new shelter is on Bolivar Street. near the pedestrian bridge on University Avenue. You can see the building when you are driving on the I-80 freeway at the University exit. A big beautiful building from the outside. Inside, this building was made for the convenience of the human staff. Visiting Cats: The old location was visitor friendly. You could go to the little building where the cats and kittens were housed and spend time viewing the beautiful feline and a volunteer was available to allow a visitor to hold a cat. Now, three cats were in large size rooms. The multiple cats in cages were located in one room which was difficult to visit due to overcrowding from other visitors. And we were told we could only hold a cat if we were serious about adopting that day. Visiting Dogs: In the new location, the dogs are better off because they are located within the building. However, less dogs are available for viewing and all the dogs were pit bull mixes. It is confusing to go to the viewing rooms. Again, I will repeat that this building was constructed for the convenience of the human staff. Better Shelters 1. East Bay SPCA 8323 Baldwin Street nr Hegenberger road on the same side as the arena. It is visitor friendly and the staff and volunteers are available to answer any question. 2. San Francisco SPCA read more

Coming to the pound and playing with the dogs and kitties is supposed to be a great way to beat the rainy day blues, but not here. The building is brand spankin new, so I had visions of innovation and thoughtful design to facilitate happy families being formed. It's sleek and hip, cold and sterile, there's not a damn place to sit, not even in front of the jail cells. You have the pleasure to enter a solid glass room with all of the dogs barking at you through more solid glass with no real way to interact, ie, let them sniff your hand. Nor can you sit in the middle to observe their behavior, which is very important if you actually want to adopt a dog. The weren't any employees paying attention to answer questions about how the process works. I felt such a level of detachment and despair. The dogs looked so sad. read more

I've been on the hunt for a new little furry friend looking for a forever home. I've responded to ads, looked on craigslist, asked friends if they were having puppies. It's quite frustrating - since there are so many illegitimate ads out there asking for me to send $200-600 dollars to Florida or somewhere in Europe = SHADY. ASSUMPTIONS: Honestly, I've never been to an "animal shelter". My honest-to-God assumption of an animal shelter is that there are animals that are untended, have behavioral issues and that are unwanted. Boy was I wrong wrong wrong! THANKFULLY, a few of my close friends strongly encouraged me to check out organizations like Rocket Dog and SPCA. I visited a few and all of them had such caring teams and sweet animals. I must say that B.A.C.S is ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL! Not only did they squash every absurd assumption that I had about animal "shelters" and the animals who temporarily reside there, but I know I am going to get my new friend here!!! The dogs have wonderful temperments and are well cared for. Why would I buy private - when there are so many furry friends looking for homes?!!! The STAFF are beyond friendly, knowledgable and truly encourage a good "fit" for you and for the animal. I spent a good amount of time with Tony and Tim who work the grounds and truly gave me insight on the animals that I was interested in. They are two of the main reasons I will adopt at B.A.C.S. Additionally, the desk staff allowed me to go on an evaluation with one dog and really explained the best situation for the dog (i.e. family, kids since the dog was very active, 5k runs, alot of attention so good for a stay at home mom). It was invaluable. Again, it was my first time going through this process so hearing about the breed and that particular dog's tendencies was a blessing. The ANIMALS are all cared for, see a vet and have their shots. There are countless volunteers that come (bless their hearts) to walk the dogs on a daily basis. I visited B.A.C.S 4 times in one week and there was a constant stream of people visiting and playing with the dogs. The grounds are clean. FOR FIRST-TIMERS (like me): I'm a sap and I cried because the animals are all so sweet and you can see in their eyes that they want to come home with you. I honestly wanted to take 2-3 animals home with me because they were all so sweet. There are individual charts outside the cage. I found this very helpful. Its a log of people who walk and play with each dog over time - and it logs if they are a good walker, about how long they walk/run for, personality characteristics, tendencies (i.e. wanders, sleeps all day, barks at cars, etc). IMPORTANT ADOPTION NOTES: You will need (1) ID; (2) Homeownership or Lease docs; and (3) Written documentation that pets are acceptable at your location. If you do not have this, you will not be able to adopt. The adoption fee is $100 and this includes vaccinations, neutering/spay, microchip, collar, and a leash if you don't have one. You will have to fill a 1 page/double sided application out too. If you fall in love with a pup, I recommend that you come with your paper work and money ready. I fell in love with a 1 year pup but didn't have my paperwork ready. I came back the next morning and someone had already adopted him. B.A.C.S approves adoptions to the first person who has their application and the necessary backup doc. Of course, they do not "hold" animals because the first available home that is a good fit --- is the best opportunity to give these beautiful animals to loving homes. read more

I would give this place a 0 if Yelp would let me. I rescued my sisters two dogs who had been left to starve for 11 days by an evil person. The next day's the dogs got into a fight over a scrap of food and my nephew and I got bit trying to break up the fight. These poor dogs. Their owner, my sister's husband had passed away the day they were left and my sister was in the hospital. Someone called Berkeley Animal Control because they could hear us trying g to break up the fight. No matter how many times I explained to them at that time and subsequently, they keep saying we were bit. The dogs were quarantined. I and my friends tried valiantly to have these dogs rescued, especially the youngest dog Leila. Animal control has fought us all the way. They said Leila was hostile and did not pass some aggression test. They refused to hear or understand that she had been a family dog for her entire 9 months of life and was most likely just scared and starved. Bye she is a lab mix. She was always very loving to me, my sister's family and the children. I don't know why they didn't seem to want to help. Seems like they were/are hell bent on destroying her. I am sick, sad and angry. read more

We went to 3 other shelters before adopting our dog from Berkeley Animal Care Services. The staff and volunteers were very helpful here. They were eager to offer us assistance and kept to their word. (We had a horrible experience with another east bay shelter we had visited. They said we could bring our dog back for a meet-and-greet, but when we returned within a couple of hours with our dog, the dog we were interested in was adopted to someone else WHILE the dog was with us in the yard meeting our dog - even though we had already been approved for adoption and had our application on file for this particular dog). The Berkley shelter was like night and day between that other shelter we had tried to adopt at. We even got free training classes for life, because we adopted a pit bull through their partnership with BADRAP.org. And now our girl (a year later) is going to be testing for her Canine Good Citizen certificate through the AKC. She is a great dog! read more

Wonderful animal shelter. The volunteers and people who work here are really great. My boyfriend and I adopted two cats from here, and one of the people who work here even followed up by calling me a few days later to see how they're doing. They really care about the well-being of their animals. read more