Although the employees are very nice here I had been waiting for 3 weeks for a dog to be listed on the website to come down and adopt him. I called every week and each time they told me "when he's available he will be put on the website". He was never listed and when I just went to look I found him under the adopted section, meaning they didn't even listed him as available and adopted him out. Very disappointing to wait that long for a dog only to not even be given the chance to adopt him. Since they said he would be listed when available they should have kept their word so it would have been fair for everyone. Very disappointing and bad professionalism all around! read more

Great and affordable training classes! I don't have experience with their other services, but really appreciated several of Nancy's classes and recommend them to anyone looking for a good trainer. read more

I was very impressed with the variety of smaller dogs they had available. They staff were young and friendly. Many of the pets have their fees covered, so the adoption is free. The only requirement to adopt was an i.d. and form of payment. I spent 1.5 hours there on a Saturday afternoon and went home with the 7 lb chihuahua mix I had been looking for. read more

The people that make up Berkeley Humane are truly the most amazing, caring and dedicated people I've had the pleasure of meeting. We adopted our senior boxer, Etta, from them over 2 years ago. I can't say enough about the care that Etta had at Berkeley Humane. This organization is absolutely the #1 place for animals in need. The amount of work that goes into maintaining such an amazing organization is beyond my comprehension. And they do it with smiles and so much love for the animals! If you want to give to the best cause in the Bay Area, this is it. Will continue to donate and visit because they are the best! read more

In the past 9 years of living in the east bay, I have had 3 pets, all from the Berkeley Humane Society. In each experience, I have felt that the people that work there have been nothing short of extremely helpful, and really seem to be out for the best interests of the animals, which is the best anyone could ask for. That said, here's a list of the animals I have adopted, as well as funny stories about them: 1. Dinner. German Shepard mix. Dinner was a loyal, friendly, and extremely stupid dog. She was exactly what my roommates and I were looking for following our house being broken into. Here's a list of what Dinner accomplished without dying: was hit by a car, drank and quart of motor oil, was bitten by a rattlesnake, ate a 12 inch chocolate easter bunny, and assorted rats that were roaming the basement. This dog was indestructible. No, I'm not a bad owner for letting all this happen. She was stupid and so were my roommates. 2. Chomsky. Black/White cat. Chomsky's claim to fame was one time when I was gone for a couple days in Stockton, he shredded 36 rolls of toilet paper and piled them up in my living room. When I came home, he was sitting on the pile with a shit-eating grin, as though I should expect this behavior every time I am gone for more than a few hours. Yes, I did still use the shredded toilet paper. Waste not, want not. 3. Johnny Drama. Black cat. I've only had Drama for about a month, but that has been adequate time for him to display his awesomeness. His interests are: playing in his litter as I am changing it, watching me surf the internet, removing the sticky ducks from the shower (that help you grip) and putting them on the living room floor, sleeping on my lap while I play with the wii, and chasing lasers (although he seems to be burned out on the lasers of late). He's very friendly, and has a mouth like a sailor. Oddly, he doesn't like tuna, so its quite possible that he is, in fact, a robot. If he turns out to be a robot I will either dock Berkeley Humane 1 star or petition to add a star, for a total of 6, depending on my mood. The point I'm trying to make is: go get a dog or cat from Berkeley Humane. They are nice people, and pets are fun. They don't kill the animals here, so if that sort of thing makes you feel good inside, you're probably a wuss (like me). Get a pet from the best humane society in the east bay, then go get an enchilada across the street at Juan's. Actually, maybe get the enchilada first. Either way, its a winner. read more

As I needed community service hours to graduate from high school, I decided to volunteer here for a while about 4-5 years ago. Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society is a great shelter for animals! Whether you are a dog or cat person, they take lots of care for their animals here and they try their best to ensure they find homes. Its also one of the few shelters that does not euthanize animals just because they haven't been adopted. This makes it easier for people like my mom(major animal lover) to visit some of these guys without wanting to take most of them home with her! On a personal note, my family adopted our two feline companions here back in 2003(I think?). Ever since I was a little kid, I wanted my very own cat(a brown tabby boy to be precise). Just my luck we came across two kittens in a cage, one of whom was a brown tabby boy named "Giuseppe". Sure enough they won us over with their big eyes and playfulness so we took them home that same day. The boy would later be named "G" or "Joey" for short and he is still MY cat to this day. Never before have I had a cat that thinks he's a puppy but he fetches toys and follows me around the house! The other kitten was a girl named "Cuddles"(false advertising if you ask me) so we changed her name to "Gabby" and she has since become my mom's exclusive cat. I was sorry to hear that the fire that took the lives of some of the cats that were there in 2010. I know they are still struggling to rebuild and find homes for animals now more than ever. So on a final note, if you ever feel like your home could use a touch of fur please consider coming to Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society! read more

I just adopted Popeye, a dog today! The staff was so friendly and caring. They made the process easy, and made sure we knew everything they could about him, and it was obvious that they took great care of the animals they have. Thank You!!! read more

I love the helpful, caring staff as well as the low prices for vet services. We adopted a cat here and I really felt that the staff were so committed to a successful adoption, they even gave us a mini info. session and really made sure that we were able to take care of a cat and work with any bad behavior that could potentially come up. The vet services are great, and very affordable. We even had to come here once to put our kitty to sleep, the staff was so compassionate and sweet to us. They even sent us a card later, signed by the staff and vet, offering their condolences. So nice! read more

Berkeley Humane has an amazing staff providing quality animal care and welfare.

I now know why cat ladies exist- the adoption process was so incredibly smooth and easy. The only hard part is choosing a kitty out of all the wonderful ones they have! If you go to their adopt-a-thon, the adoption fee ($100) is waived. Get there early and be decisive as these cats get adopted quickly. They have kittens range from a few weeks to months and years of age. You can tell these folks really care about the animals, making the service wonderful. read more

I've become the accidental caretaker of a small group of feral cats. Being rather clueless of tips of the trade of catching and fixing feral cats, I simply caught them when I could and lugged them over to the B-EBHS to get them fixed for free. No appointment, I just showed up clueless and they always took care of the kitty. Later I discovered that there are specific days for the free fixing, and appointments are needed. Ooops. Yet, I was never chastised for my cluelessness nor did they ever turn me away. What a wonderful community service! read more

I brought my cat here after she came down with an upper respiratory infection after I had only had her for two days. Two Days! I was devastated to say the least. Well, they fit me in right away, and I got a free vet appointment, antibiotics and immune support powder. They were so loving with my cat and everyone I came in contact with were incredibly sweet. I will always bring her back here. read more

Went on ther to poss give a cat a forever home ! Asked about the cats told the wear gloves .no problem. After a bit in side one room. A gentleman with a full beard an ponytail came in and very loudly told us we ask you not pick up the cats. We told him No problem we were only told to where gloves. After we said that he continued very loudly and repeatedly told us the same thing. As if we're illiterate or didn't understand after we acknowledge him and his request the first time. Turned us completely of! On our way to the animal shelter now. Probably should have started off there! read more

I recently adopted a cat from BEBHS and my experience there was wonderful. First of all, the cat was clearly well cared for, as she is very well adjusted. The staff were extremely nice and helpful and clearly really care about the animals. They gave me a free visit to a local vet within the first 5 days. When I took her, the vet was very impressed with how much blood work, vaccines, and general care that BEBHS provides their animals. The facility was clean and bright and the animals had good sized rooms. There were constantly volunteers playing with the animals. If you're looking to adopt an animal, I strongly suggest you go to BEBHS! read more

I've adopted 3 kittens from here...and they are seriously the joys of my/my family's lives. This place is just fabulous; they clearly have awesome, loving foster families that raise their animals. The staff is always very friendly, and you can see that they truly enjoy their jobs and interacting with the animals. I've never had a bad experience here, and I would recommend coming to BEBHS first to anyone looking to adopt a pet. read more

walked in looking for a kitten to adopt, no one acknowledged us...the woman at reception was actively frowning and seemed put out when we asked a question. sorry to have bothered her! Everyone we met that wasn't a volunteer was unfriendly and unhelpful. ugh it was a horrible experience. so much smugness from a group that is supposed to want to help place animals in good homes. i will not be adopting from berkeley - i'll try oakland. read more

I brought a stray dog i found here and the staff could not have been more awesome. They were nothing but totally loving to all the animals there and really helpful to me when I expressed interest in adopting the puppers if it isn't claimed. Go volunteer there! Or at least adopt a doggy (but not the one I want)! read more

A+++ for the staff ,from an outsider looking in they have a well dialed system and care for the animals. Our adoption of jordan was an easy process and they covered all the basis and what to do or expect (within their knowledge of the animal) they of all the shelters/humane's I covered in our search for a pet have the best web page and pictures of the animals. this is our first rescue and so far so good! read more

How have I not written a review for this place yet?! Just about 6 months ago, my husband and I adopted Elba, a little spaniel-chihuahua mix (best guess) from here. It was the day before we were set to fly to Michigan for almost a week for the holidays, and we just happened to be in the neighborhood. I convinced my husband to stop by just to check the place out, as we had decided that we would adopt a dog upon our return. Elba wast literally the very first dog we saw. Once we met her we just couldn't let her go, and (I know this sounds bad...) couldn't risk letting someone else adopt her while we were out of town! This sent us scrambling to look for a dog sitter while filling out the paperwork. Seriously, if someone else told me that they had done this, I would so totally judge for being so impractical and not planning ahead...but the staff here was very non-judgemental and understanding of our predicament. When we brought Elba back over a month later to go to the obedience class (which they discount the fee for dogs adopted here), the volunteers still remembered her name! I know it's a small facility, but I was still really impressed. The staff and volunteers are so dedicated to their work. The basic dog obedience class was really helpful, since my husband and I had both never owned dogs before. Our dog definitely had issues from being so scared so much in her short life thus far - afraid of being handled, afraid of going outside, being in the car, afraid of her leash and harness...the list goes on. House breaking was, of course, no walk in the park. But, I'm so happy to say in the past 6 months, she's been slowly but surely making so much progress, and today she is a happy wagging little munchkin doggie that does great on leash and likes exploring new places. So, I say to anyone who has been thinking about getting a pet, PLEASE stop by this place and check out their cats and dogs! Or check out their updated website to see all the animals up for adoption. You will be doing a world of good for the animals, and they will bring so much cuddly love to your life! Just maybe time it better than we did ;) read more

People here were sooo nice! There was a little caged area outside and we got to walk in, play and give them treats. There was a tiny little chihuahua mix inside the office that didn't have shots yet so we went in and fell in love! The tiniest little thing and I couldn't believe someone gave her up. Alas, after much debate, we decided it wasn't time for us to adopt yet. Not many dogs to choose from but I guess that's a good thing. read more

I started out by fostering cats for them, and was so impressed with the facilities and staff that I started volunteering at the shelter as well. Here are a few of the things that impressed me: 1. They are essentially a "no-kill" facility. No animals are euthanized except in the case of dire and irreversible medical problems. They even have a special ward to treat animals with ringworm and other conditions that require isolation. The animals are cared for until they are cured. 2. Because of the large foster program, they are able to save a lot of animals who might otherwise be euthanized at city shelters. 3. The foster program is well-organized and provides regular check-ups as well as all necessary supplies. 4. There are a lot of volunteers who come in regularly to socialize the animals so that they are comfortable with a wide variety of people. 5. The facilities are kept very sanitary and has thorough procedures in place to keep the animals healthy. In case of medical issues, there is an in-house veterinary clinic to deal with them. 6. Only the cats with medical conditions are kept in cages. The ones who are up for adoption live in well-furnished "catopias" that are the next best thing to a home of their own. This place does great work for the community, and saves the lives of many dogs and cats who might otherwise have never been given a chance! read more

The people who complain about this place are people who have been refused dogs because they are not qualified (yes, you need to qualify- you don't get a dog or cat just because you want one, welcome to the adult world children). I had my ducks in a row, didn't act like a self entitled idiot and had a great experience. I learned something about dogs even though I had two for 16 years. Be humble, be grateful and don't act like a jerk. Rescue a dog. Mary was helpful, patient and very interested in the welfare of her wards. You 30 something, pierced/tatted whiners need to get a clue. The world doesn't revolve around you and your desire for a pet. The workers at BHS have the animal's welfare at heart. Park your ego at the door. read more

My partner and I had been looking off and on for a dog to bring into our home for awhile. After dog sitting for a friend, we were more motivated than ever to make it happen, so we went to a few shelters and also looked at pooches online. We are now the proud guardians of a wonderful 6 month old pup named Tiger Lily! (We decided to keep her name, though we just call her Lily) She's a handful, as dogs are at that age, but we are so happy she's part of our family. I can't say enough good things about Berkeley Humane. The entire process -- from initial visits, to adoption process, to post adoption advice (and even a puppy play date to help us in training her) -- has been excellent. The staff is incredibly helpful, knowledgeable and attentive. We really felt like they made everything clear for us, guided us through the process, and provided us with all the support we need as new dog adopters. And let me say in this modern world of increasingly frustrating customer service, Berkeley Humane's follow-up initiative has been great -- so refreshing. Another thing is that we both remarked how clean and well tended everything at the shelter is -- the best of any of the shelters we visited. But best of all, the dogs are extremely well cared for by a really compassionate, professional, and loving staff. We look forward to the training class we'll be taking as part of the adoption. Again -- great experience, all around. *6* stars!! read more

The Berkeley Humane Society has recently (aprox. 2 years) had a change in management, which unfortunately hasn't been as successful as the board of directors had foreseen. Since Jeffrey Zerwekh became the director of BHS, there has been a 99% staff turnover, including managers and veterinarians. All but one person I worked with as a volunteer has left or been fired. Also, the number of animals that have been adopted each year has not significantly changed either (check org. stats). The animals are not necessary in better hands, because the place runs like clock work. It means a potential adopter must decide if a dog is a good match under time pressure. There is another Yelp reviewer (P h. dated 12/4/15) here who has described the under the clock experience to find a forever companion. Why am I writing this? It's a long story. In short, my mom adopted a dog at Berkeley Humane that died from seizures within three weeks of taking her home. We paid $900 in hospital bills. The staff was kind to us, until I began showing up to find another companion for my mom who asked me to recommend another one for her. She would meet the dog and decide to adopt or not. It was a family bonding thing between her and I as she is growing older. A link between us. One weekend, I had narrowed down the list of small dogs to my favorite chihuahua, but I wanted to watch her with other dogs and people over the weekend. The second day I went in, I experienced resistance to letting me see the dog again. The third day, the staff told me I could not see the dog again unless my mom was going to adopt it. I wrote Jeffrey Zerwekh and asked for permission to be given more patience in finding a companion for my mother in her 70's. His reply gave me reason to make public what I already knew about the current BHS but wanted to overlook and give the benefit of the doubt. Basically in an astutely professional email, he wrote that I should go somewhere else to find a dog for my mom and have her choose it on her own. I was a cat foster parent and adopted my black cat there. I did loads of dirty cat laundry, bagged litter, and made over the cat closet. He wrote that he will "defer" to his staff about working with me. I actually like the staff enough to not use their names, knowing that they are just following the rules. Space and staff supervision is their reason. But when there are resources, BHS doesn't allow potential adopters all the time they need to make the right decision for a pet and a forever home. Sorry Jeffrey, but I know that there are dozens of people who this resonates with. read more

I volunteered there while I lived in Berkeley. They take GREAT care of the animals and always ensure they find the perfect forever home!

I was a volunteer at Berkeley Humane and it is full of absolutely caring people. The animals are well cared for and every person has a passion to bring out a better future for these animals. There are so many affordable and accessible services provided, including free pet food. The staff is skilled and empathetic and bring the best care for each pet, family, and adopter. When I was there, there was a litter of Husky puppies with Parvo and rather than turning away these highly infectious puppies and decreasing the risk for the rest of the pets, they took the necessary precautions to both care for their current pets and the sick puppies. I believe these puppies have since been adopted out so it shows the staff do all they can to help. There was also a highly aggressive cat Grigio which has since been friendlier (or at least appears to be based on their social media posts) most likely from the care, training, and affection of the staff. I felt appreciated for my time there before the Covid-19 pandemic and once the pandemic blows over, I hope to come back to volunteer again. Thank you Berkeley Humane for all you do! read more

I'm a volunteer here and as far as gigs go? Super organized. These guys really have a good philosophy when it comes to animal care, have one of the best staff and are really on top of things when it comes to keeping a large group of people organized. Not to mention: puppies and kitties!! I would say find your next best friend here, encourage people to volunteer here and check them out!! read more

I have only good things to say about the vets and the vet techs at the Humane Society. Both Dr. Gordon and Dr. Gurley are incredibly kind and caring and competent. They've done difficult surgeries on my two dogs and have done an outstanding job. The techs are the best I've seen anywhere, and I've gone to many much more expensive places. Yes, the waits are long. The place is funky. The front office is understaffed. Calling a veterinary office and getting an answering machine is incredibly annoying. But the trade off is that you can get top quality care for prices much lower than most other vets in the area charge. To me, it's worth it. If cost isn't an issue, there are many outstandingly good vets in the Oakland/Berkeley area. read more

Had a wonderful experience here adopting a cat, very helpful and kind staff/volunteers. Although a small selection of animals when I went (probably a good thing that so many are finding homes!), we were able to find the perfect cat for our needs. Berkeley Humane also offers to be there to support you throughout the lifespan of the animal should you ever need help. read more

I grew up a few blocks away from this place and like to think of it as my hometown veterinary place. Now that ti live in Oakland i still take my dogs back there. The desk staff and nurses are all very nice and very helpfull. Most of the practicing Veterinarians are also very nice and help full. although i have come across a few who have been pushy with me and tried to strong arm me in getting services I didn't think where necessary for my dog. The prices are the best i have ever seen for animal service without sacrificing service. Being that this place is a nonprofit it's a Little rundown looking than some other vet offices but is still very clean. They don;t have as many advance equipment or all the fancy extra service other places have but it's great for basic stuff. read more

Strong supporter for sure! Saw them at the Oakland farmers market and their own site in Berkeley. The volunteers are super friendly and the puppies and doggies are super cute! Since I adopted 2 already, I can't adopt another. If you are looking for a nice, LONG-TERM companion, be sure to check this place out! read more

The prices here are very inexpensive, but the expertise is questionable. I went here to get my puppy spayed, they took her into the examining room with out me! So weird! I have never had a vet take my animal into the room with out me! When the vet came out she told me my dog had behavioral problems and needed to be muzzled! I thought to myself, "that is strange because no one has ever said that about her before." I would not recommend any person to take their dog or any other animal to this place. read more

I wish they could restore vet services with all of the fundraising going on. I loved taking my cats here. I've been a foster mom for kittens here too. They're all very nice. Be sure to eat at Pasta Pomodoro this week and they will donate 20% of your bill to BEBHS. I'm sure they have a downloadable file at their web site. read more

I absolutely love the people that work here. I got the nicest 2 year old collie in the world. They actually cried when we adopted her because they were going to miss her and they thought she might not get adopted. She has the greatest calm demeanor. I attribute all her good and nice habits to the people that work at the East Bay Humane society. They really screened us. Other shelter would give us any dog and more, Here they met with me and my kids and made sure we were all compatible. It was a beautiful experience. We have had our dog now for 4 years and are so grateful to EBHS! read more

We just adopted a cat from Berkeley Humane (Mariposa) and they couldn't have been nicer! They have very kid friendly staff and are very thorough in their adoption process. Animals there are well cared for with volunteers helping out to walk the dogs and visit with the cats. It was a very pleasant experience all around. Now we are home hanging out in the bedroom getting acquainted. We are very happy! Please support them because they provide a very important to the community and to their animals. Thanks Berkeley Humane! Ned read more

Although I obtained one of my kitties from them some years back, in the last several (post-fire) years their operation seems to have gone to he** in a handbasket. Both my kitties passed a few years ago so I've been actively searching for a new kitty (or kitties). Late last year I went in and the staff's attitude was not pleasant at all, even a bit antagonistic. However I gave them the benefit of the doubt and thought that perhaps they just had an off-day. Since I'd been eyeing a very cute gray kitty named Thomas for a good part of a month and was in the area this past weekend, I stopped by. It was more of the same. Also, I went to the rooms with the cages and they had all of one - a single - cat available! After I inquired at the front desk, the (blonde) girl unceremoniously told me they were out (and/or some cats were physically out at other locations). She seemed uncaring. I asked her specifically about Thomas but was told he too was at a foster parent's (or similar) location. She seemed as if she couldn't be bothered to take my name or show interest that I had asked for this cat by name or was a very real prospective client in any fashion. I would have to think they're main mission is to pair up humans and animals so that both have a wonderful and enhanced home life; but now that appears not to be a priority. In a word or two, I just get a bad vibe from this place now. It's sad -- but especially for the animals not to have ambassadors working for their best interests and their very lives -- and as of this morning, Thomas remains unspoken for.... Accordingly and regrettably, I have taken the Berkeley EB Humane Society off of my list of facilities that I visit and no longer recommend them. read more

Only four stars because it's very difficult to get in here for an appointment when your pet is sick. It's a better place for a check up or a situation where you can wait a week or so to see the vet. They did provide us with surgery for our cat. (Dr. Amin was his name, I think? I think he might be gone now, however.) It was $800, while Berkeley Dog and Cat wanted to charge us over $2000. Thank you Berkeley-East Bay Humane Society! We're very grateful! But we wish we could come see you every time we need you... read more

I would give BEBHS ten stars if I could. I created a Yelp account specifically to be able to share our INCREDIBLE experience with BEBHS. We recently adopted a dog from BEBHS. Our dog arrived to BEBHS with ears that had been cut off with scissors and a leg that had been injured in that process. Our dog was at the shelter when they suffered the devastating fire in May. I heard about Oreo, our pup, from a friend, and I e-mailed BEBHS to see when we could set up a time to meet him. They responded via email and phone IMMEDIATELY and met that afternoon. We fell in love and scheduled a meeting with our then resident dog the next day. They had several staffers on hand (mind you, after business hours, 5pm, when they all would have been heading home to their families) to monitor the meeting and make sure it was the right fit. It was, and we decided to take him home to foster him to see how he would do in a home. They checked up on us, were available at all hours to answer my calls, emails, and texts with questions about the best way to do any number of things with Oreo. Oreo, who had spent a year in a shelter, had perfect manners, knew many tricks, and was completely well-adjusted. When we were in signing his adoption papers, I learned that this was because of the incredible amount of time that the staffers (Canine Team in particular, of course-- Mary, Chloe, Jess) had put into working with Oreo to help polish him to give him the best shot at finding a forever home that they could. BEBHS did not stop at giving a homeless and injured dog medical treatment and a roof over his head, they went WAY above and beyond to help him become a balanced dog that was able to meet his forever home. We love him to pieces and will be eternally grateful to the entire staff. If you are in the market for a dog, you would be doing yourself a disservice to not check out BEBHS first. They will be your friends in the process to help you learn more about the dogs you are interested in and do whats best to give both you and your pet the best start in your new lives. Thank you BEBHS for being the BEST! (: (: read more

The staff that works here are super attentive and responsive. From the first call to the send off of our spayed dog, the experience was first class. Everything went as planned and our dog is well on her way to a quick recovery. We couldnt have made a better choice bringing her to this location, and we appreciate everything that these folks do, and mostly as volunteers to help animals. read more

My experience at this shelter was very upsetting to our entire family. I chose a cute dog to adopt ; I brought my grandchildren with me to see if they would like each other and the counselor attending us was very sweet. I then went home to fetch my husband and another counselor took us into the greeting room to interact with the dog. We both thought he was adorable , friendly and liked all we heard about him. I asked a few serious questions : being housebroken, grooming , etc We said we were ready to adopt. We were told to think it over and come back next day. As soon as I walked in the next day , this same counselor told me , I was not a good match. She had had a meeting and from her description, every one agreed with her. To shorten this anecdote, my neighbor came back to vouch for me as I take care of her dog, but they were so rude to her when she came back ( with me ) . It's one thing to refuse me, but there is no reason to be nasty. We are two women in our 60's , both animal people. Happy ending : I was able to adopt a darling dog from Pets Unlimited in S.F. I underwent the same scrutiny as I did in Berkeley. The shelter in Marin also had a dog for us, but we fell in love with our present dog by then. I understand that these counselors are trained to pick out good matches, but in this case not only didn't they make a good guess but they were nasty as well. read more