In May of 2010, a vet in a RI animal hospital convinced the owner of a very pregnant (read: IN…read moreLABOR) pug that surrendering the dog was a better option than putting her to sleep. Soon after the puppies were born, Just A Touch Rescue swooped in and took the mama and her puppies into their care. A few months later, we were fortunate enough to welcome one of these puppies into our home. The people of JATR know what they're doing when it comes to adopting out their dogs. While the website says the process can take up to four weeks, we brought Josie home 8 days after submitting the application. They have a very thorough screening process that involves a home visit, calls to two personal references and a vet reference. They're pretty serious about the vet reference and won't adopt animals to any first time pet owners. We were able to meet Josie before the adoption and get all of our questions answered by her foster mother. This was extremely helpful because it allowed us to keep her routine as familiar as possible and also allowed us to anticipate certain behaviors. Even after the adoption, we received follow up emails checking in on Josie to make sure everyone was settling in nicely. Just A Touch is truly a great organization run by hard working and caring individuals. When we decide it's time for Josie to get a brother or sister, Just A Touch will definitely be our first stop.

We had a terrible experience with JATR... We lost our beloved Pit Bull Sasha on February 6th 2012…read moreto leukemia. When we decided to adopt again, we were excited to find a little Boston Terrier mix @ JATR; she had previously been hit by a car and lost her right front leg, we felt she would be a perfect fit to our family. We sent our application in on a Saturday. We began looking into what it would take to adopt a 3 legged dog~ we would have to be careful about her jumping off of furniture and we considered purchasing a doggie wheelchair to allow her to have a normal gait if our vet felt she should have one. I volunteer for an all cat rescue and I understand what the adoption process is like. By Wednesday I started to realize that nobody was going to get back to us. I emailed JATR and also contacted them via facebook~ no response. I noticed they removed the little dog from Petfnder. The lack of a response is what upset me the most. I can understand if the dog had already been adopted; just let us know. I understand that rescue organizations are overworked and sometimes things fall through the cracks, but I contacted them 3 times. We hope to someday find another dog, but I won't apply for another dog from JATR. UPDATE: We adopted a wonderful little dog from Friends of Homeless Animals~ not only did we receive a reply to our inquiry immediately, we were approved for adoption the next day!! We brought her home on 30 May 2012~ a great experience! Much better than Just a Touch Rescue.

I was introduced to the Mansfield Animal Shelter back in 2012 when I discovered that they produce a…read moreprogram on the local community cable channel, where they show all the animals available for adoption. A fantastic idea that I wish more shelters took advantage of. After a few weeks of insufferably cute faces and accompanying sad stories, I ventured over. Be sure to check the hours on their website, because they're only open a couple of hours some days, and longer hours others, due to it being staffed almost entirely by volunteers. It turns out that they are affiliated with the town animal control department and many of their rescues have been picked up as strays, or left behind after a move. They also accept dropped off pets, though preferably not the 'basket left on the doorstep' kind, which sadly was part of some of the cats' histories. I found a clean, organized place with cats at one end of the building and dogs at the other. Lots of helpful staff cleaning cages, socializing animals and carrying out the administrative side of the shelter. I was able to walk through the cat room, interacting with the cats in cages (roomy, scratching posts and individual litter-boxes), and with some that are allowed to roam freely while volunteers are there. They also have a couple of communal cat rooms with several cats living happily together. The volunteers answered questions, and I was able to use a visiting room to see a couple of cats 1 on 1. On my second visit I met Jack-O. He was a fixed, 6 year old male tuxedo cat. He was terrified of having gone from owner, to shelter, to quarantine, to the vet and finally to a room full of cats in cages. I could see in his eyes that he had just disconnected and gone to a happy place in his head. He didn't respond to verbal or food-based cues, just stayed curled up with that 'thousand yard stare'. I knew he was the one for me. The adoption process was pretty simple; Application, references checked (previous pets and the vets that cared for them) and a reasonable fee for the process (includes fixing, if necessary). I found everyone that I dealt with pleasant, professional and above all devoted to placing all those animals in good homes. Four years later Merlin (formerly Jack-O) is a happy, healthy, furry, non-rent paying roommate with a passion for chirping at birds and knocking over priceless knick-knacks. He contributes only to my sanity, refusing to deal with ground level threats like ants and spiders. I'm still a sucker for the cable show highlighting their adoptables, and often watch with Merlin directly in front of the television occasionally reaching out to see who these intruders in our living room are.

clean , caring , great shelter- definitely one of the best that I've been to. You can tell they…read morereally take pride in what they do here

My 87 year old dad adopted a dog from the shelter, we were not informed that the dog has issues…read more The dog bit my dad several times, the lady at the shelter was no help, the dog is not our problem. the dog has to be quarantined for 10 day of course not by this shelter, then we have to pick up the dog and bring it to a vet to be euthanize. The so called lady at the shelter said she has no culpability in this mess. I have a heart broken 87 year old dad, who has to wait 10 day and then euthanize his dog. Shame on your disgusting customer service. Rating deserves no star, but I have to put 1 to post. Surprenant Family

I went and volunteered with a couple of co-workers at The Hotel for Homeless Dogs and had such a…read morelovely experience. We were able to play 1-on-1 with several great dogs available to be adopted or fostered, even taking them on walks on the nearby bike path. The space is extremely nice and set-up to be very comfortable for the dogs. You can volunteer to walk the dogs and foster them if capable. If you're looking to give back to the community and love animals, this is a great place to do so!

Easy process i didnt feel like I had to sell a kidney to prove I would be a great dog owner. The…read morekennels where the dogs are is quite luxurious for what ive seen at other shelters

A few years ago, we adopted our pup through this organization. We were first-time adopters,…read morealthough we had both had dogs growing up. My husband wanted to get a puppy, and I insisted on a shelter dog. The spay and neuter programs in MA are so effective, it's difficult to find a puppy in a local shelter. Therefore, we started looking at pups from the South through some local shelters. Several rescue organizations we applied to made it extremely difficult to adopt a pup. Do we have a fenced-in yard? Nope. That excluded us from several off the bat. Another one wanted us to agree to take the puppy sight unseen. When I asked what we would be able to do if the puppy, for some reason, was not a good fit, I was told we would have to surrender the dog to a local shelter; once we adopted the dog, the rescue organization was not responsible. This also did not seem like a good system to me. Then we came across Forever Home Rescue. Their website had lots of great info, and they had a wide array of sizes and ages of pups available for adoption. We also liked that this rescue has a 2 week trial period for each dog; if you, for any reason, find the dog you have adopted does not fit your family or lifestyle, the rescue will take the dog back into their care. While we did not plan on needing this, it's nice to know that someone who already knows the dog is available for a Plan B. We quickly found a puppy who seemed like he would be a good match for us, and inquired about him. We received prompt correspondence via email, and shortly after that a phone interview with one of the volunteers. They asked about our jobs, work schedule, lifestyle, availability of sidewalks and parks, and experience with dogs. They then asked to schedule a home visit. This seemed strange, but we agreed. I was afraid they'd see we didn't have a fenced-in yard and that would be the end of it, but the volunteer came by with her own 2 dogs and walked around our house, looked at our yard, chatted with us, and was in and out in 10 minutes. No big deal. After we got approved to adopt our little guy, he arrived from Mississippi and had to remain in quarantine for 2 days before we picked him up (this is a MA state law). We paid a $450 adoption fee, but he came neutered, microchipped, and fully vaccinated. This fee also covered his transportation fee from Miss. My husband and I thought this fee was more than fair. He was full of energy and super friendly. The rescue gave us all his paperwork for his medical care he received while in his foster home and we took him home. Since his adoption 3 years ago, we continue to receive emails from this rescue with tips about dog ownership and contact info should we need help with anything pertaining to our dog's care. They really seem to be there to support you throughout your rescue dog's lifespan, not just in the immediate post-adoption period. We can't say enough about this organization. They are wonderful people to work with, and I am so grateful to them for hooking me up with my best friend!

Excellent experience from start to finish adopting our new puppy! Wonderful experience!!read more

I spoke to Wendy on the phone she was on her way to to Arizona to pick up an animal, she was very…read moreinformative and helpful looking to adopt a lil doggie girl. Small breed Joe Riley

What an incredible person! When one of Wendy's longtime clients lost a dog, Wendy put an…read moreincredible amount of time & effort into the dog's safe recovery, even though it was the client who had lost the dog. Wendy drove a long distance to oversee the search personally, taking along the client's other dogs to saturate the area with familiar scent. When she had to leave the area, she contacted me (LostPetTracker.net) about the advisability of utilizing Search K9s and hired a local to oversee a successful humane trapping. Happy Ending! Wendy's compassion seems to be surpassed only by her dedication & determination!

I just visited with west Warwick animal shelter with a friend who has Down syndrome. We were…read morelooking for a cat for his family. We didn't have an appointment but when we arrived the girl working the desk (Abby) said there were no bookings so we could come in. She showed us the animals and explained the details of each one, age, temperament, cost etc, and answered some of my friends additional questions which had nothing to do with the animals. We got an application and Abby went over all the costs with us so we could write them down. She couldn't have been friendlier or more helpful. As sad of a place as an animal shelter can be, she brightened it up and made our visit enjoyable and informative. Hopefully my fiends family will adopt a cat from this location and I know when I'm looking for a an animal this will be one of my first stops. Thanks Abby and all the cats and dogs in west Warwick.

I give West Warwick animal shelter a five star review. My little Shih Tzu named Penny got out of…read moreour fenced in yard this morning, and I was an absolute wreck trying to find her. I saw a police officer on E. Greenwich Ave. and stop to ask if he had seen a white dog in the area. The police officer was extremely kind and caring. He informed me that she had already been picked up and was at West Warwick animal shelter. I immediately drove over there and when I walked in, I met a young man named Paul. Paul was absolutely AMAZING! I can't thank him enough for the concern and kindness he showed me. The shelter was clean and the few fur babies that were under their care looked comfortable and well taken care of. I gladly give this 5 STARS!!!!!!!!! Thank you for taking such good care of my baby. I am very grateful and especially, to Paul.

We know have Holden/Spike Dudley…read more It all happened with looking for a kitten on FOHA's website. A cute kitten caught out eye. We reached out with questions all answered in great detail. We completed an application online and left a payment. One of our close friends was then contacted as a reference. Next thing I knew we had a home visit scheduled which turned into Spike's first night at our home and a member of our family. It was an easy process and we have a kitten that is very easy going and great with our kids (but not so great with our shower curtain but that's just catnanigans!) Note: The adoption fee cost covered chipping the cat and neutering through a local Providence shelter

Had to deal with a situation where we got a runaround on a cat that was being rescued from a sick…read moreowner. Took our deposit, they were careless about fully vetting the situation. Although we appreciate the notion these a volunteers trying to do the right thing but no common sense was used.

Formerly known as "Corndog" by the Animal Rescue League of Boston (ARL), we adopted Arthur…read moreCornelius on June 29th, 2024. Arthur was surrendered to the ARL with two of his family members at the end of April. Arthur tried to wait patiently for his turn to find his furever home, but it was tough because he loves being with his people. When we met Arthur, it was obvious he was well cared for and how much the ARL staff and volunteers loved him. Despite being in the shelter for about two months, Arthur was friendly and trusting. Today, Arthur is living his best life with his new parents going on lots of adventures. The ARL staff and volunteers are kind, compassionate, and dedicated. In 2023, they facilitated 3,173 adoptions including cats, dogs, small animals like bunnies, and even some livestock! And overall, they helped around 21,000 animals in lots of other ways. Thank you for giving Arthur a second chance to live his best life. I highly recommend the ARL!

so yesterday me and my friend are running around looking for cats and head to the dedham location…read moreof the animal rescue league and we get there and there is this nasty man who wouldn't let us even see the cats that were in there so meanwhile we look on the ARL website for Boston and we see a kitten that my friend wants to adopt so we leave dedham and head to Boston arl meanwhile I try calling the ARL in Boston nothing . so we find parking walk to the ARL in Boston and the person says at the front desk oh that kitten was adopted an hour ago. and we looked at website days before we went and he wasn't on the website. so overall ARL needs to have an active website our update it often so people are not wasting there time to look for animal that already be adopted.