This is a GREAT rescue. We didn't end up adopting from here, but we visited and looked at a pup,…read moreand went to one of their events. The dogs all seem happy and very well cared for. The staff is great, you can tell they love these dogs. The facility was pretty nice - like a real house, with a side yard that the pups can run around in. The pups were all on the large side - I saw a couple really great dogs. I LOVE the big dogs, but I was really looking for a smaller dog. Definitely recommended to find your furry best friend!

I have been fostering with them for 6 months now and I can't say enough good things about this…read moreorganization. The staff loves their job, are on it when your foster is sick and are pros at social media marketing to show off the fosters cuteness. What I love most about this organization is that most animals are in foster homes. It gives them time to decompress and allow them to show their true potential. Future adopters are able to really get to know their likes, dislike and quirks. Don't hesitate to volunteer, foster or adopt your newest cuddle buddy

We had a Wonderfull experience adopting from CCR in February 2021. We went on their website and…read moreidentified a few dogs we would like to meet, filled out the online paperwork and received confirmation within 24 hours and then set up a time to go to the shelter. The process is super easy. Gabrielle was our contact and she could not have been more helpful. When we met Gabrielle we first sat down and talked about our lifestyle and what would be a good fit. Gabrielle identified a couple of dogs and brought them to us to have an introduction. She gave us time to make a decision and we adopted a sweet wonderful boy.

It's been about nine years since you sold my dog to some other family without checking ownership…read more I loved her so much and she was microchipped in my name and no one ever bothered to check that. I'm talking about you, Janet and Amy. I hope this Weighs heavy upon your Mind and Heart, because it does to mine. And I know my furry friend Coy is probably close to the end of her life, and I will miss her forever and never forget the pain of you telling me there's nothing you can do to help us and you can't get her back. Thanks for destroying "Our Lives" Think about that for the rest of your lives, Janet & Amy.

I've worked with New Leash on Life - Chicago for a while - as both a volunteer and foster. I cannot…read moresay enough positive things about the organization. For starters, as an animal (specifically, dog) lover, I've always been drawn to spending my time volunteering for similar organization. However, as many animal lovers who have spent their time volunteering know, the majority of animal rescue groups seem to adopt an "exclusive" attitude and make it difficult for people to get involved. This couldn't be further from the philosophy at New Leash on Life (NLOL). If you want to volunteer, foster or help out in any way, the people are kind, welcoming and appreciative as the organization is completely volunteer run. They allow volunteers to be as active as they'd like to be and, if you want to become part of the "club," you can - it's as simple as that. Fostering with NLOL is easier than any other organization I'm familiar with. I love having a dog live with me (and, of course, the saving the lives of shelter dogs) but wasn't sure I was ready to have my own dog due to my work schedule and expenses. NLOL takes care of all foster dog expenses - from medical and food to transportation to the vet and events. Plus, they provide a dog walker daily, so I don't have to worry about the foster dog while I'm at work. NLOL is all foster-based, meaning that all dogs rescued are placed into foster homes, not a shelter environment. Fostering is so beneficial because it allows the organization to see a dog's true personality, as many are too frightened in shelter environments to shine. As a foster, I am able to report on the dog's demeanor, which helps NLOL match them with the best potential home. This helps with successful adoptions, since NLOL is able to recognize, through fostering, the type of environment best-suited to each dog and look for that environment in a potential adoption. While it is hard saying goodbye to my foster dogs, I know they're all going to a happy, loving home. I try to remember that, for every dog that lives with me and successfully gets adopted, another dog will be rescued from the kill shelter - in turn opening up space in the shelter for another dog. Plus, if the time comes that I cannot say goodbye to one, NLOL has a policy that allows fosters the first option to adopt. Honestly, I cannot imagine a more positive, rewarding experience. It's one of the best things I've ever done. People often say to me, "Wow - you foster dogs? That's so kind and you're giving them so much!" While that's appreciated, I often feel that the dogs give ME so much more than I ever imagined. Seeing the resilience and transformation of a scared dog learning to trust people again makes it so worthwhile and fulfilling - I will never get over how wonderful it makes me feel. With NLOL, I feel like I'm truly making a difference in the lives of dogs, which is exactly what a great dog rescue organization accomplishes.

I want to give more than 5 stars for NLOL. Our adoption counselor Jackie is just amazing in terms…read moreof support she provides! She checks in with me about the dog almost everyday provide appropriate support and guidance every time when I was faced with difficulties because the dog was not fully house trained. NLOL offers two week foster period before adoption, which is a wonderful mechanism to get to know the dog before the big commitment. I am still in the middle of the foster period but I am just beyond impressed by the support I was given. It has been an wonderful experience so far. I would recommend NLOL to everyone who is considering adopting a dog!

I volunteer with ARFhouse walking dogs and holding them at adoption events. This is a great…read moreorganization where the focus really is on rescuing pets and finding them permanent homes. The shelter rescues dogs and cats of all shapes and sizes from local kill shelters and also picks up strays. Many of the dogs ARFhouse takes are senior, have health problems or "their time is up" at their previous shelter. I love the fact that so many of the dogs are in foster homes or at doggie daycare. This makes them super social with both people and other dogs, and they learn good doggie manners. The adoption process is very thorough (no same-day adoptions) to make sure the dogs are going to good homes. At ARFhouse adoption events, the dogs are right out there on a leash, not in a cage or separate room. This makes it easy to meet a number of different dogs and instantly see what they're like around people and other dogs. I have to address some of the negative reviews of ARFhouse by pointing something out: Everyone who has bad things to say about the organization was trying to get rid of a dog or a cat. They already have a pet and are either sick of dealing with it or just don't want it any more. The shelter doesn't accept pets from people who are trying to dump them, and it says so on the website. ARFhouse fights for dogs who are totally alone with no family at all.

Like many of the other reviewers, I wish I could rate zero stars. I don't really need to explain,…read morejust read this chain of emails with this delightful organization: Dec 23, 2010: Hello, Who would I contact regarding a dog that we need to find a home for? Thank you, Jason Response: Is it a personal dog of yours or somebody you know or is it a stray somebody found? Dec 24, 2010: ME: The dog belongs to my Grandfather but he is unable to continue to care for her. I am trying to find a home for her otherwise my Aunt is going to have to put her down. Response: That's a shame a family member won't take a dog so she has to be put down. Dec 26, 2010 Me: Is it your policy to try to make people feel guilty when they come to you for help? This isn't an easy decision, its our only option. Thanks for nothing. Response: Yes, that is exactly our policy. Actually, it is our policy not to help animals who already have homes and take the guilt off people who shouldn't have it taken off them. We don't appreciate the "if you won't take it, it will get put down" speech. How many times a day do you think we hear that? It's not our responsibilty to help your family members. Me: To Whom it May Concern, I apologize. Perhaps, to avoid your judgmental statements, I should have provided some background. On December 11, 2010, my grandmother passed away at 83. While she was still alive, she cared for my grandfather of 87 who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. Because he has lost his caregiver and wife, my relatives have had to make the difficult decision of putting Grandpa in a nursing home to get the care that he needs. Also, because many of my relatives live in California, he is being moved to a home in that state. At this same time, a decision has to be made about what to do with his and my grandmother's beloved dog, Molly. An extremely difficult decision that has been made by my grandfather's children and that I do not chose to judge. We must find Molly a new loving home or put her to rest. I do not want to divulge further heartbreaking details as to spare the dignity of a sweet 87 (almost 88) year old man who has lost his wife of 65 years and now has to part with his dearest friend as well. If you, or your organization have policies that must be followed I understand. It's unacceptable for you to simply judge people who are reaching out to you and berate them, when you have no idea what their circumstances are. I do not expect any sort of resolution here as there really is no dispute. My purpose of this is to make people aware of the level of professionalism - or lack thereof- that exists at Arfhouse. It seems that you clearly do not care about helping a needy dog find a home. If you are curious as to how I am going to let people know...please visit Yelp.com and view the comments about your organization. This entire email thread will be posted for all to see, and I plan on making contact with your superiors. Thank you and Merry Christmas. End of thread. If anyone on Yelp has suggestions about how to find a home for Molly please contact me. I will be updating this review if I receive more responses from Arfhouse. UPDATE 12/27/2010 Here is the e-mail I received in response to the last one: This e-mail in no way changes our opinion of you or what you are doing to the memory of a "beloved" relative. To explain in such detail is just you trying to make yourself feel better for..what is it you said..."putting a dog to rest", which is killing the dog. Spreading the word on Yelp about what a horrible thing you are doing is only a reflection on you. We don't care. UPDATE 12/28/2010 This may or may not be related. Strange occurrence: at 4 am my relative received a text message from "Joe" stating "continue electronic harassment". We think they meant "discontinue".

I can't say enough about this wonderful animal rescue. Heartbroken after my previous dog died, I…read moreknew I wanted to adopt another. I found a 2 y.o. little black Chihuahua mix here that honestly resembled my late dog, but smaller. Such a cutie! The process went quickly, we were able to meet the pup soon after being approved. A week later, she was on her victory ride home! The facility is spotless. Brightly colored, cheerful and lots of light. We met another dog too - for a li'l playdate to see how my pup is with other dogs. The animals here are all clean and very well cared for. Sure, it's a shelter situation, but they do a really good job of keeping them happy. The staff is utterly great - true dog lovers. They were very detailed with all the info and background they had for my new pup - behavior, quirks, feeding - everything. They love this little dog! Answered all my questions, AND we have a group chat for questions that have come up after she's been home now. The women here were really fantastic, and you can tell they want the pup to go to a home that really works out. Price? Sure, there are adoption fees - this pays for their medical care, microchip, etc. It's a BARGAIN, since these little beasts are priceless for all the happiness they bring to their new owners. We were sent home with food, meds, a leash, tags - everything! Location is GREAT, right next to Sketchbook Brewery in Skokie. Highly recommended - they are just great, and we are so happy with this little pup. We are gonna be great together! She's decompressing nicely and exploring her new neighborhood and home.

Stellar experience at C.A.R.E. Catherine was wonderful to work with. The facility was clean and…read morewell-kept every time I visited. And the animals seemed healthy and well cared for. This is the first time I've brought a shelter animal home without major health issues. After a God-awful experience fostering for a cat shelter on the north side of the city -- which lied to me repeatedly about the foster cat's condition and then heartlessly euthanized her -- C.A.R.E. was 180 degrees different and a breath of fresh air. Often shelter cats are underweight and saddled with at least one type of parasite, despite the shelter's best efforts. That was not the case here; in fact, the cat got a clean bill of health on her first vet trip, which she handled like a pro, leaving a trail of admirers behind her. That said, extra credit to C.A.R.E. for treating the less robust kitties, with cancer and similar illnesses, that other shelters are too cheap to deal with. If you're thinking of adopting or fostering, come meet the animals here.

We take our golden retriever here for water treadmill sessions. Her strength has increased in all…read moreher legs, particularly her rear. Water treadmill sessions are 15 minutes. They take such good care of her: there are even mirrors for them to watch her gait! There is a pool for dogs to swim, we haven't taken Piper to a swim session ONLY for fear that we'd never get her back on the water treadmill. If you're in the Des Plaines area,seriously consider having your dog swim here. Cindy is the manager, and she has such a heart for dogs. Laura and all the people who work there do too. I recommend Splash Dog without hesitation.

Leo and I have been going to Splash Dog for the past 3 years and we absolutely love it! I was aware…read morethat German Shepherd Dogs can develop hip issues later in life so as a preemptive move I was looking for an activity Leo could do to help build up his leg muscles and this place turned out to be perfect. Leo enjoys spending his 30 minutes swimming laps in the pool and Cindy the manager is absolutely the friendliest person and has become one of Leo's best friends. She was wonderful getting Leo used to the pool as Leo can be nervous about new things. She had him swimming like a pro in less than a month. We are very grateful to have this place in our neighborhood and cannot recommend it enough!

Tails of Hope is a non profit organization that takes in the pets of individuals who pass away or…read moreare terminally/chronically I'll and can no longer care for their dog or cat. They do make exceptions and take in pets that would otherwise be put down at another location as well. To me that was an amazing mission statement. And they are a no kill shelter. Who could ask for a better shelter?! These ladies truly love the animals and provide them with the best care possible as they try and find the perfect families for these animals that have fallen on hard times. My coworkers and I took a group of students here to learn about the animals and the work that goes into running a shelter. Tails of Hope was super accommodating and helped us organize an engaging field trip!

As the other reviewer pointed out, Tails of Hope is a non profit organization that takes in the…read morepets of individuals who pass away or are terminally/chronically Ill. Kelly and the ladies and gentlemen take extreme care with the dogs and cats at Tails of Hope, and it costs a great deal of money to keep a no kill shelter running. Tails of Hope offer boarding to help offset their expenses, on the recommendation of a friend, I boarded my pup with Tails of Hope and my doggie was very happy with her stay, and met a few friends there waiting to be adopted. It was very clean, considerably cleaner than some other facilities I have been to. If you need to board your dog or cat, please give Tails of Hope a call, at least you'll know your money won't be going towards the owner's BMW lease payment, but helping find all these loving animals a new forever home.

I have known Howard, Marilyn and John for over 30 years! John is training my dachsund puppy "Otto"…read moreright now. This is the third dachsund he has trained for us. I mention dachshund because they are notoriously stubborn and can be very difficult to train. From the first day, all my dogs were magically somehow clued in and listening to John. He truly has an other worldly connection with dogs. I couldn't get my dog to do anything and John had them able to do "sit", "Stay", "come" and "heel" on the first day. He then taught me how to handle my dog and get them to pay attention. The best part is the dogs are so much happier. It's as if they feel someone is communicating with them, and they are not alone. It's incredible to watch and my dogs remembered everything they learned their whole lives. John is the nicest person. He deeply loves and respects dogs and has made his life in the service of training them. It's a worthwhile investment. I actually tried a less expensive option as I am retired now but it was nothing like "Good Dog" and my dog was fearful and cowering. I immediately realized that I was so lucky to know this team and how worthy the investment in my dog is.

Filled out the application for the breeder that was supplied to me, only to find the breeder has…read moreno pups or dogs available and does not plan to have any in the near future. Wasted a lot of time with Good Dog, very poor company!!!