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    CARE STL

    3.1 (14 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 6:00 pm
    Updated 3 weeks ago

    Services - CARE STL

    Animal shelters

    Pet adoption

    CARE STL Photos

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    Bob B.

    We've long been fans of adopting dogs, especially Pitties. When our beloved Romeo left us in late January of 2022 we took some time to regroup and then set about the process of looking for our new dog. CARE STL came on our radar-I forget exactly how but we were incredibly impressed with them for several reasons. -Their web presence, FB page etc. So easy to search, great stories and pics and they are UPDATED!! This is one of the most important things for a shelter-updating the page on a regular basis with dog info. -Their Fostering Program and the incredible team of Fosters that are part of CARE is just amazing. We wanted to select a dog that had been in a home environment, we were interested in info on how the dog did in a home etc. Care Fosters are incredibly nice, passionate, clear and honest about the dogs. They want the dog to find a home where it will stay-not simply looking to offload dogs or get them out of the shelter. -The staff team at CARE is great. We stopped in to visit some dogs after our application to adopt was approved and met with one of their staffers who took the time to ask questions about us, our home and the environment we would be making available for the dog. She gently guided us away from some dogs who were not a good fit and suggested others who could potentially be a better fit. We eventually adopted a puppy named Daisy, she's been a delight and a ton of fun. The Forever Families FB page has been a lot of fun for us to keep up with other families who have adopted through CARE and it's even more fun when the volunteers/fosters leave comments. We're searching for a second dog now and we're looking thru CARE, the volunteers and fosters have been equally as awesome the second time around. They provide great feedback, information and they truly want to see us matched with the right dog who will fit in with our Daisy. I can't recommend them enough to you, check them out and you'll be glad you did.

    Kiara
    Vivienne C.

    I love the work that CARE STL and as an active foster mom, I simply cannot recommend them more. CARE STL is a nonprofit organization that is chartered by the city of St. Louis to care for dogs and cats (sometimes other animals) that are found by Animal Control. From there they try to find homes for all of their animals. Just a quick plug, as of December 2022, my current foster dog KIARA (attached) is available for adoption! She is around 4 years old and was found under a porch with 8 puppies. All her puppies got adopted except for her, which is so heartbreaking. She is friendly and curious! She loves to snuggle and roll in the grass. She knows how to sit, raise a paw, and lay down and is very potty trained. If you are interested in adopting her, please go on to CARE STL's website and fill out the application form and we can be in touch! Oh and also her floppy ears are truly the cutest :) Here are some of my favorite parts about CARE STL from a foster parent perspective: - It is so evident that they care about all of their animals. Every time one of the employees or volunteers walks by a dog or cat, they always stop to pet and interact with them. They also take all their dogs out to walk 2x a day which is amazing for an animal shelter because they are so busy all the time. - It is so incredibly easy to foster. All you need to do is fill out an application form online and go into the shelter to pick up a dog or cat of your choice. When they pair you up, they really take into account all of your needs whether you want a puppy, friendliness with people, potty trained, etc. Although I will say that all their dogs are pretty big because that's the nature of dogs that end up in the animal shelter. - The flexibility they have for a foster is insanity. You can take one of their dogs home and take it right back the next day. Of course they would prefer you to take the dog until they get adopted, but any time outside the shelter and away from the cages will help the dog's mental health substantially. This flexibility is really nice if you're someone who travels a lot or is temporarily staying in St. Louis. Let's say you're a student going home for winter break, they can take care of your foster dog for you and you can pick them right back up after you come back to St. Louis. - As a foster parent, CARE STL provides literally everything you would ever need, you don't need to spend a single dollar to care for one of their animals. When I went to pick up our dogs, they gave us all the food, treats, toys, poop bags, shampoo, toothpaste, cage, blanket, etc. It was more things than I would ever need to make my foster dog feel comfortable in my home. - There's free vet services! We all know that that's the most expensive part of having a dog, so its nice that all their vet services are free of charge. - The adoption process is very fast too. If you meet someone who is interested in your foster dog or cat, you can just set up your own meeting with the prospective adopter and during that meeting if it seems like the right fit, they can take your fostered dog or cat home. There are so many benefits to fostering. Something I will say that its a little weird that they don't vet their foster parents or adopters for abuse, etc. but I guess they don't have enough personnel to do that, so that makes sense. I cannot urge people living in St. Louis more to foster or volunteer with CARE STL. Their mission and the things they are doing for the St. Louis community is amazing and there is so much heart in the things they do. If you have even 1 week in St. Louis and your residency allows for pets, please consider fostering. It is so easy and you can help a dog or cat relieve a little bit of stress from living in the animal shelter.

    Audrey B.

    Amazing shelter/animal rescue. It's incredibly clear how much people care about these animals. I've seen many shelters and this is definitely one of the better ones They are constantly sacrificing their own space and comfort for the animals they rescue. They are no-kill and accept not just cats and dogs but also other random animals even including an alligator once! I had the privilege of taking a tour here and getting a firsthand look at what volunteering is like. I plan to return. It's super organized which is RARE for shelters like this. You are trained to the specific animals you want to volunteer with and are given many options for volunteering from cleaning to enrichment (playing with kitties!) to walking and training and even tasks like laundry and dishes for those who don't necessarily want to be physically with the animals. They do their best to keep animals comfortable even when they have a billion of them at once. Staff makes sure that enclosures are big enough, have enough toys and comfort items, and that animals have the chance to get outside or spend time with other animals and other people. Just an all around awesome place. If you have time to volunteer or want a new fur-baby, definitely check them out!

    Rooster
    Devon B.

    I have been volunteering here since last year, when I came for a Yelp Elite event. CARE has many great staff members and volunteers who care for these animals. They keep the place clean, they bring in animal trainers, they keep the pets healthy, and they work to make sure each animal gets put in a home that will fit them! If you are looking to adopt from somewhere, there is no better place than here!

    Max R.

    This place is amazing. They're basically taking care of the city's underserved animal population. I love the way they say it, rescuing and enriching the lives of these animals in Saint Louis. They so obviously work hard at this, and when you come, you'll see, it is no easy task. The staff here and the volunteers pour a ton of empathy and care into what they do and obviously are passionate about providing better lives for these animals in Saint Louis. When I stopped in last week, I got to spend time with the cats and learned so much about the needs of kitties in our city! They have multiple rooms with cats in different situations. There is a room of feral cats, who they basically fix and then re-release, which helps the population issue were facing. They have another room for adoptive cats and also rooms for cats with needs for special care. They go to great lengths to support the community who support animals too and have various programs that give food and support to folks who adopt their animal. This place rocks and it will be somewhere I regularly volunteer moving forward.

    I'm a happy kitty!

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    Stray Paws Rescue - The dog these racist denied us!

    Stray Paws Rescue

    (9 reviews)

    Downtown

    Misleading, disorganized, and unprofessional. We provided every requested document, were repeatedly…read moreassured that all issues were resolved, and completed a home visit during which we were told we were approved to move forward with payment and a pickup date. Then, we were denied at the very last moment. Communication was nonexistent, expectations constantly changed, and the process was a total waste of our time. This felt less like an adoption process and more like being strung along.

    My husband & I had a very poor experience with Stray Paws the 1st time we used them. We were told…read morewe'd have a 2nd chance at a visit with the puppy named Echo we fell in love with, and it would be without the foster couple, whom the dog was extremely attached to after knowing only them her 3 months of life. A lady from Stray Paws was supposed to visit our home with the dog without the fosters, and we were told we had dibs & NO ONE would get a chance to adopt the puppy before we saw her again. I left a voicemail & 2 emails, but no one ever replied from Stray Paws. We were called by the foster family saying they didn't keep their word, that they let the sweet puppy visit with a lady without them & the puppy showed interest in her. Yes of course she did because the fosters weren't with her. That was supposed to be our experience; we were promised a "hold" would be put on the dog & no one would even see her profile as available until we saw her again. Plus, during our 1 visit, the puppy was completely comfortable when my husband & I held her in our arms for at least 40 mins away from the foster parents. She didn't act scared or freak out, but because she didn't come to us with her foster parents right there in the same room, they didn't let us keep her. We are wonderful dog loving people, and we took exceptional care of my sweet baby girl dog for 11.5 yrs until she died last March at 13.5 yrs old. We have a young son that cared for our dog, too. What kind of organization betrays their clients & doesn't even have the decency to reply or apologize for what happened? I hope this doesn't happen to other families. We got our hopes up; we even bought a dog bed, big bag of puppy dry food, puppy wet food, pee pads, a collar, leash, harness, name tag, dog toys, dog treats, doggy ice cream, a tracker to place inside her collar & more for this sweet girl. Only to be completely heartbroken at not even getting our chance at adopting her.

    Stray Rescue

    Stray Rescue

    (54 reviews)

    Downtown

    They turned me way when I found a big dog in the streets and I brought him there to be sheltered…read more They claimed it was my dog, because I brought him in. Secondly they claimed no room for him, and would not help any further. Staff was blunt and bordered on nasty and disinterested.

    I LOVE Stray Rescue!!!! I love all the wonderful things that they do to save the lives of ALL…read moreanimals throughout the city. I follow them on IG and love watching Donna go out and complete her rescue missions, love seeing the fur-babies take their freedom rides in the jeep. I love that they have a plethora of volunteers that the fur-babies are able to be walked twice a day and receive genuine love and affection without the fear of being abused. The volunteers are serious and take their jobs very seriously and ensure that they announce themselves when bringing a fur-baby outside and inside of the premise. They take the time to actually get to know each dog so they can inform potential adopters of the dogs needs, dis-likes and likes. The staff and volunteers are dedicated to the well being and livelihood of each animal in their care. The fosters do an amazing job as well getting the fur-babies acclimated to human interaction, peaceful interactions with other animals and training. I was able to walk around the shelter and I was amazed that the majority of the dogs are housed in their own rooms and blocked from looking at each other, unless you fall into the over-flow room. The rooms that house each of dogs are clean, with cots and blankets. The over-flow room is a spacious room that is open with crates and it's quiet. I love how neat and clean they maintain the shelter. My sister recently adopted a puppy at one of their adoption events, which was held outside on the sidewalk up and down the building as well as across the street to showcase the fur-babies. What a great way to conduct a meet-n-greet for these amazing fur-babies in need of adoption instead of walking throughout the shelter. Since she adopted a puppy, we attend the FREE puppy training classes each Saturday morning. When I t in the ell you that the trainers are phenomenal, that's an understatement. They are incredibly knowledgeable and there to assist you every step of the way in your journey. I highly recommend Stray Recue!!!

    Animal House Cat Rescue and Adoption Center

    Animal House Cat Rescue and Adoption Center

    (22 reviews)

    The Hill

    A wonderful place where cats can have a second chance…read more I've been coming here to volunteer here regularly and everyone working/volunteering here is great. While I think a shelter doesn't have to be non-kill to make a positive impact, I think it's important that places like this exist, especially for older cats who might have a harder time integrating into homes. If you're interest in adopting from this place, definitely come and check it out. If you're interested in volunteering, also definitely come take a look, as the place can always use more committed people that love cats.

    Several months after the unexpected and tragic loss of our first family cat, we visited many…read morerescues in St. Louis and the surrounding suburbs, searching for the right cat for our family. We went into the process with very tender hearts, and wanted to take our time finding the right organization and cat. As soon as I walked into Animal House Cat Rescue, I knew this was the place where we would find our new family member--if not that day, then eventually. The adoption coordinator greeted me at the door, explained the visit guidelines, and walked with me through the different areas. She knew the cats so well that she was able to direct me toward ones that might be a good fit. After I shared just a little context about our needs, she immediately took me to a little female cat named Amber Glen, whom she thought would be a great match. As soon as I opened the enclosure and made contact, I knew she was our cat. I continued meeting other cats just to be sure, but Kate had directed us perfectly. I even came back the next day, just to be sure I hadn't jumped to conclusions too quickly. Thanks to Kate's help, we had most definitely found our next family member. When I brought my kids to meet her, the volunteers were very accommodating and didn't seem frustrated by the sounds of children. Since we were in the middle of moving, we couldn't take her home that day, but we returned the following week to pick her up. They provided us with vet records, food, and her little stuffed toy (at the insistence of my children, who were certain she needed her favorite stuffed animal to sleep with at night). Now that she's home, she is adjusting well, and we are filled with deep gratitude. She was cared for so well, had appropriate space while at the rescue, and was clearly well known and loved by the employees and volunteers. I encourage anyone looking to adopt a cat to seriously consider Animal House Cat Rescue and Adoption Center!

    Center for Animal Rescue & Enrichment

    Center for Animal Rescue & Enrichment

    (3 reviews)

    Midtown

    I found the staff compassionate and efficient. My dog that I adopted, Angeline (now Angel), had…read morebeen well cared for in this shelter. Her known history and medical care was well-documented. I was very impressed!

    I have been volunteering here for 3-4 years…read more First off, the positives - which there are a lot. The CEO cares more about animals than anyone I've met. She is amazing and works tirelessly to make St. Louis a better place for animals and people. She's also very warm, empathetic and nonjudgmental toward anyone who needs to give up their pet or needs help. Staff is mostly the same way. The facility is awesome and constantly changing. I swear every time I go in, there's something new. It's definitely the cleanest shelter I've been in. There is a cat area and a dog area in a separate building. Sometimes the dogs overflow into the other building when they're crowded. The cat area has as many cats roaming freely as possible (ones that get along with one another and people). They do great with feral cats and socializing them. The dog building can be very overwhelming when all the dogs are riled up, but they do their best with calming music and sound dampening materials. The flexibility of volunteering is awesome. You do a training session for cats, dogs, or both then you can basically come anytime to walk dogs, clean enclosures, play with cats, do laundry or dishes, or really just sit in a room with a pup who needs some company. There are multiple volunteer programs too if you have more time to bond with an animal (fostering, staycation, 1:1 program, and more). Even if you only have 20 mins to run in and walk one dog, staff is so grateful. There is also a Facebook group where volunteers can post pics and talk about the animals! Adoption-wise: I adopted my cat, Bali, from CARE. She is absolutely amazing and I'm so grateful for her. I originally brought her home for a "straycation" (a short break from the shelter) because I wasn't sure if I was ready for a new cat after my previous one passed away. The straycation turned permanent after a week of seeing how perfect she was for my family. The adoption process was incredibly easy and I love how CARE makes sure to vet people before adopting and education people about declawing and letting their animals outside, etc. before allowing them to adopt. A few cons: As I mentioned a little, the dog area can be overwhelming. There are absolutely people who are happy to help you but sometimes everyone looks extremely busy. Policies change often which is difficult to keep up with - though they have been working hard on signage for this. Speaking of policies, it can be difficult to keep up with the protocol for volunteers/fosters at the adoption center. The feeling when you first walk in very much depends on who is working at the time. Sometimes, I arrive to welcoming staff and and can go right through to the cat area or the warehouse. Other times, I am looked at like I have 5 heads when I come to hangout with the cats or told I have to stay in the waiting area to receive foster supplies. It's a little odd to me that the front door is locked and requires you to ring the doorbell. I completely understand concern for safety but I don't know any other business that has a locked front door during regular hours and it feels less welcoming to be asked why I'm there before I'm allowed to come in. Finally, the veterinary care is sub-par. They recently built a vet area which is amazing, but I haven't had much luck with the actual vet and I know other volunteers with similar experience. Of course vet care is expensive and it's difficult to find vets who will volunteer their time or be paid minimally for a non-profit, but there is room for improvement nonetheless. The main vet is supposedly very experienced, but he has sent me home with numerous fosters who had issues after their alters or general medical issues. I have brought in cats for him to check out, told they were fine, but then they were very much not fine and had to be brought back in. He is completely unfazed by most things. I'm sure he has seen a lot of severe injuries in his career, but the cavalier attitude toward concerned foster parents is off-putting. My advice is to be very thorough and assertive with fosters - if you think something is wrong, don't give up just because they took a quick look and didn't notice anything obvious. Do some research in advance on how to recognize fleas, infections, etc. so that you can really examine the animal you're thinking about bringing home so that you don't inadvertently take on more than you can handle. Overall, I absolutely recommend CARE for both adoption and fostering/volunteering, just with those few caveats. Even with those concerns, CARE is the best shelter I've ever volunteered for and am proud to be a volunteer.

    APA - Brentwood - stray Boston terrier

    APA - Brentwood

    (44 reviews)

    I'm grateful they were able to take in the stray Boston Terrier we found. She had no microchip, and…read moreI'm relieved she's safe now. That said, our interaction with Lance was surprisingly rude and dismissive. When we told him we'd been calling her "Mama," he rolled his eyes and said, "We have so many Mamas," like it was an inconvenience. When my friend offered to foster, he brushed her off, saying the dog would "probably get adopted quickly anyway" and that she could "maybe go on the website." He also made the whole intake process uncomfortable. I was sitting with the dog in my lap when he sat at a desk far away, asked for my ID (which my friend had to bring to him), and then slapped it back on the counter without a word. The entire time he was typing things in, he didn't explain what he was doing, what the next steps were, or even why he needed my info. I'm thankful they took the dog in, but the lack of kindness or communication really soured the experience. It shouldn't feel like a burden to bring in an animal who needs help.

    I can not say enough good things about the caring staff and the APA Adoption Center itself. Those…read morewho work or volunteer there have a sincere commitment to the welfare of all the animals in their care. They do their best to ensure you and the animal you adopt are a good fit. I appreciate that they go the extra mile. A loving forever home is the goal with every adoption! My cat Picassa and I are the perfect match. She is my soul kitty, we are forever family!!!

    CARE STL - petadoption - Updated May 2026

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