We had an amazing experience with this rescue and I cannot thank them enough for all the amazing things they do! First off, they truly care about the pups. The owner, Jenny, is so passionate and all volunteers I have met were super sweet. When I first contacted them, I heard back within a few hours. I told them we were looking for a calm dog (our first dog is a high energy bouncy dog), and Jenny helped us find an amazing match. After meeting Eleanor at a meet and great at a pet store, we visited Eleanor at her foster together with our dog to see if they get along. They did, and Eleanor came home with us for a "test period". Jenny was so helpful and supportive when I had questions about Eleanor's behavior and even invited me to visit a training seminar. Eleanor is the best thing that happened to our lives recently and my husband and I love her dearly. read more

Dog Gone Seattle - Eleanor in the back left, our first dog Teddy in the front in my husband's birthday - Pet Adoption Near Me

I'm not going to address the negative reviews on here, because they were probably written by people who lean their seats back on planes, send food back a lot, and/or drive the exact speed limit in the left lane. Let me just say that this these folks are running a great organization and I had a very positive experience resulting in an amazing new family member! They are all about full disclosure and finding the right fit for both the dog and the people. That hasn't been my experience in previous adoptions. These folks KNOW the dogs they are tAking care of because they transition through fostering. Much better experience than seeing a dog in a loud, chaotic shelter with a rotating staff. My advice would be to be patient with their process, I think it's s solid model. Keep up the great work DGS! read more

Dog Gone Seattle - #riotherescuedog - Pet Adoption Near Me

BUYER BEWARE - THEY DO NOT TELL THE TRUTH We adopted a dog represented as 5 years old with reported resolved heartworm with no other issues other than a tooth extraction. Our vet examined her three days after we picked her up and (1) the dog is 9 years old, (2) is arthritic, (3) has cataracts, (4) has current heartworm and as well as other internal parasites and (5) has ongoing skin issues. It is obvious they give disinformation and misinformation about their animals. Any information they should give should be viewed as less than truthful and not the whole truth. Fortunately, we are able to absorb the cost of caring for this dog. But it is very sad that one has to pay $550 to get an animal they are not expecting. Had the dog not been bonding with our current dog, we would have returned her and requested a refund, read more

I was a foster and they did not disclose health issues to me. I have a dog that is highly allergic to flea bites. I received a dog with a very obvious flea infestation. I let them know and they acted like it was no big deal. I understand you can't know everything about a dog when you receive them from other places and don't spend much time with them. They didn't offer any kind of assistance. I had to give him a flea bath and comb him myself. My dogs and family members got several flea bites and we had to fumigate the house. The agency was very annoyed when I no longer wanted to foster for them. I have been fostering at several agencies for over 10 years and never had a negative experience like this one. I don't understand why this agency is so unprofessional and rude. Obviously I combed through him and I had a cup full of fleas so there wasn't an "obvious" flea infestation once you got him back. This is not how you treat people who volunteer for you. read more

Dog Gone Seattle is a wonderful organization, vetting homes and placing dogs, often from other areas of the country, in those well-researched situations. Everything they do is geared toward never seeing that dog in rescue again. They microchip dogs at intake, to be sure if they are lost they can be returned. They insist on being primary on the dog's microchip. Their contract explicitly states that if you can't keep the dog you are taking on, they get first rights back. They have an extensive and awe-inspiring application with lots and lots of information requested. During these COVID-burdened times, they have many more applications than they have dogs available, and that's a wonderful, wonderful thing. This shortage of placeable dogs, along with the fact that their folks are volunteers and have regular jobs, may cause some people to feel slighted. Why weren't they chosen? Who are these people to tell me that I'm not worthy of a rescue dog? Why do I have to wait so long to hear back? The thing to remember about a wonderful organization like Dog Gone Seattle is that its goal is to not be needed anymore. The way that happens is by placing dogs with responsible owners who will assure that those dogs have great lives, and never enter rescue again! We are thrilled with our little Sophie (FKA "Shasta") and we will support Dog Gone Seattle forever going forward. read more

Dog Gone Seattle - Sophie - Pet Adoption Near Me

We are Dog Gone adopters, that turned 20+ fosters. Every dog has the right person matched. We've had reactive dogs that needed experienced dog owners, puppies that needed high time commitment and elder dogs that needed lifestyle matches. Case managers found the right fit amongst the many applications. We love our adopted dog Casper read more

I've both applied to adopt a dog with DGS and acted as a foster home, and am so impressed with the love and care this organization puts into finding homes for their dogs. I am an experienced dog owner and had an application denied because of a mismatch in my living situation and the dog's needs. While I was disappointed, I deeply respect the decision making process and their commitment to finding the right fit for dogs and their families. I know that they truly had both the dog's and my best interest at heart. I've gone on to foster and stay involved in a small capacity and have seen firsthand the time, energy and effort the volunteers put into running this nonprofit rescue organization and saving the lives of so many dogs in need. When I'm ready to adopt again I'll undoubtedly start with DGS. read more

We have fostered for Dog Gone Seattle almost since inception. Unlike other rescues we don't just take palatable puppies and designer dogs. We have those dogs too, but we are so much more than a puppy placement service. That has its place and I'm not condemning it because puppy homes matter. We, a large core of volunteers that take dogs from tragic situations and that in some cases stay in our care for a very long time. In my case Maya a reactive and fearful German Shepherd was with me for 15months until we found our language and then went on to a beautiful home where she remains to this day. Like any volunteer organization we have lives. Shelby and I foster up to three dogs at any given time and have two foster fails that reside in our home. We endeavor to respond to people on a professional and timely basis while working full time jobs and having many animals to train and take care of. Dog Gone has the support and endorsement of a group of professional trainers that assist in completing the adoption experience in many cases and add value to the relationship and success with the dogs in our care. As an active volunteer foster and contributor I highly endorse our organization and our processes in finding homes for at risk dogs across the Pacific Northwest. We are always looking for new fosters and new adopters but we don't just place dogs we ensure as best is possible that we select the correct placement for the right dog. Sometimes that means based on science and experience applications are rejected. I believe in this process which limits returns years later from poor home choices. With millions of dogs euthanized every year we are a finger in the dyke but I'd rather be part of the solution than part of the problem. If you've been rejected by our organization we don't apologize for that. I've had to recommend people not be considered because of identified problems with resident dogs that only lead to returns. Dog Gone is a dog first organization which is why we take dogs back or provide ongoing training for dogs that were under served by their humans. I use the word "we" because I am passionate about the small role we play as a volunteer family for the organization, but "we" are neither employed by Dog Gone Seattle or hold any capacity in the organization other than devout volunteers. If you want to support a foster based organization that is dog first then Dog Gone Seattle is where you want to find your next rescue dog. We have fostered over thirty dogs over the years and seen many beautiful outcomes as a result. I'd like to think that is as a result of the leadership and strong commitment of the organization to the dogs that come into our care. read more

This is a reputable adoption organization. They have a dedicated collection of foster volunteers that help socialize and train the dogs they bring into their network. Be advised when adopting from here or any other rescue group, the process takes time. There is a small staff that carefully evaluates each application hoping to ensure a successful placement. Once the dog comes to your home it takes time for it to decompress, learn your routines, and feel at home. read more

Wonderful experience fostering for Dog Gone Seattle for two years and during the adoption process for my dog (FKA Denver, now Gibson). Fostering was an amazing opportunity for me. I learned about which type of dog would best fit into my life style, how to work with all different types of dogs, and GREATLY improve my training skills. All of my case managers were helpful with my questions and made sure I had everything I needed. Each foster was special in their own way, and there is no doubt some were more challenging than others, but regardless I knew I had a strong support system to help me and all of them are now in perfect forever homes. Everyone at DGS cares deeply about the dogs in the rescue and wants them to have the best possible life and are willing to put in a lot of work to help them get there. After fostering many dogs, I chose to adopt! I now also have a great community of DGS Adopters and have the perfect companion to help me continue volunteering and fostering with DGS. I have been involved with other rescue organizations, and no organization has been more supportive than DGS. I seriously cannot say enough good things. Highly highly recommend if you're looking to volunteer, foster, foster to adopt or adopt! read more

Dog Gone Seattle - Pet Adoption Near Me

tl;dr Adopted my dogs through DGS in 2017 and 2019. Started fostering in 2020; volunteer at events and activities. Case managers and fosters are VOLUNTEERS; not robots or money-makers. Compassionate CEO suffers no fools. I've had all and excessive support I've needed in rehabilitating and caring for all the dogs since 2017. ******* DGS has been an integral part of my life since 2017 when I randomly searched for a dog, just to see what was out there. I completed the extensive application, which prompted me to consider my capacity as a dog owner in ways ways I'd never thought. As a career educator, I was thoroughly impressed at the commitment to making a lasting, thriving match. A couple of hours later, to my surprise and pleasure, I was invited to meet the dog. We met a couple days later, and a home visit was completed. In hindsight, I was much less prepared than I realized to adopt this gorgeous king of a dog. Quite a dog dummy, I didn't follow protocol for crating or leashing (I lived with someone who thought they knew it all, so I trusted them) and nowadays regret it- anxiety is ongoing. A year or so in, from an animal control officer on a power trip, I got a citation for having him off-leash at an empty park and not having the dog licensed in the city, as stipulated in the contract. Jenny was kind enough to write me a very kind letter for the judge and the fine was reduced. I was connected to an effective trainer immediately upon request for support when Neo's anxiety and leash manners became an issue. 2019, I adopted Luke after meeting a few others. I was directed to him because they knew what we needed. After decompression (this time I followed protocol), he started acting up, required explicit training, and DGS came through strong, immediately. Luke is now the best, mellowest 100 lb dogo/gsd you could ever get after training. 2020, I started fostering. Every single foster has been meticulously considered for appropriate placement in our home of 3 large male dogs (roommate has a dog, too). Once, after the foster decompressed they were no longer an appropriate match with our family. DGS responded immediately to place the foster elsewhere and maintain the balance of our pack. I get responses within hours, if not minutes, to questions about fosters and my own DGS alum. Jenny suffers no fools. The communities she's a part of know who to call when they need a reliable, immediate, and compassionate rescue or rehome. I've been invited into her home multiple times to discuss the welfare of particularly challenging fosters or to celebrate successes. Her due diligence and patience with competent prospective adopters and fosters is inspiring and tireless. I don't know how she does it- and that's coming from a career early childhood educator. We're all lucky to have someone as competent and compassionate as she is ensuring that dogs are carefully rescued and placed in homes where they can thrive. By now there are many case managers, fosters, and other volunteers I consider friends. We all have rich, complex, and busy lives beyond DGS. Every foster wants the absolute best for the dog in their care and works within the DGS community to ensure it to the best of their ability. If you're the kind of person to commit to meeting a dog's needs (perhaps at the expense of your own ego), you'll find what you need with DGS. read more

Really poor communication at this rescue. I tried to adopt a dog, met the dog, said I wanted him, and another coordinator adopted him out to someone else while the coordinator I was working with was on vacation. There are LOTS of dog rescues in Seattle. Don't use this one. read more

We adopted our dog from Dog Gone Seattle and they were great! I foster dogs and am familiar with rescue groups procedures so when I had the phone interview inquiring about my dog, it went really well. Ryan explained as best she could Oscar's needs and I explained what I was looking for in a dog. For instance, I wanted a lower energy dog but still likes to go for walks. We go away allot of weekends so, I wanted a dog that was okay in the car. Nothing is guaranteed, of course, but working together with dog gone Seattle can help you be successful in finding the right fit for you and the dog I think many people take the interview as judgement against them, especially if they aren't a good fit for the dog. This is a two way street. Be honest about what type of dog you are looking for, then they can help you find the right dog and tell you if that dog is right for you or not. There are several steps they have you go through and you have to sleep on it after meeting the dog. This may be more than other rescues, but they are trying to ensure the dog is going to it's forever home rather than rushing the process to increase revenue for their non profit or boast the number of animals they have saved. The goal is to find the dog a forever home, and avoid any further rehoming. I was very pleased with Dog Gone Seattle's process, professionalism, and consideration for Oscar's needs as well as listening to what I was wanting from my future friend. read more

Dog Gone Seattle - Our buddy, Oscar! - Pet Adoption Near Me

I have never encountered a rescue organization more committed to finding the RIGHT home for the dogs they save than Dog Gone Seattle. Jenny met us with her newborn in tow to evaluate and potentially take on our beloved dog that NO other organization would take. We adopted a puppy from a rescue organization. Fast forward 1.5 years and we are hanging out on the couch watching the women's World Cup and he growled when my son fell on him. Growled again when he was bumped by my son scooting back. And then my daughter reached to pet him and he bit her face. We loved this dog and knew he was a sweet boy that gave fair warning, needed less stress than an environment with little kids presented, and didn't deserve to die for the bite he gave. We found one organization (that after evaluating him) was willing to take our beloved dog and rehome him. He deserved to live and find a home that calmed him. I'm so happy Dog Gone exists!!!! They are amazing humans helping troubled and disenfranchised pups. read more

This organization is incredible. The unwavering devotion to their dogs and finding the RIGHT human match is exactly why I wanted to adopt with them. My mom works at a pit bull rescue in California so I feel lucky to have grown up with this match making understand and respect for those who do this meaningful work! I adopted my pup Flint (formerly Schroeder) from DGS in Feb 2019. Like many of the reviewers, I was not able to adopt the first dog I had inquired about because he was given to another family. And that's ok, I trusted that they knew best for the dog. Justyna took her own time to point out 2-3 similar dogs, one being Flint. Justyna brought Flint to meet me in my neighborhood and was extremely communicative via email and text. I fell in love with Flint and picked him up from his foster the next day. Flint is the love of my life and my best friend. He comes with me anywhere he's allowed and we go for long walks every afternoon. I can't imagine my life without him. He was even present when my fiancé proposed to me because that's how close we are. This group is truly doing great work. Have patience and care when working with them because they are volunteers changing lives out of the kindness of their hearts. read more

To this day, no attempt from Jenny to contact me to discuss what happened when we tried to adopt Yuan. And to clarify, I have all the respect in the world for what her organization is doing. Sharing my experience with DGS doesn't take away from that and since then I have seen others who have been happy with DGS in other forums. If Jenny had bothered to get in touch with me, she would have found someone who would be willing to volunteer her time to help other deserving pets find a forever home. I still am. All we wanted from DGS was a willingness to work with us, that's not too much to ask. read more

UPDATE IN RESPONSE TO BUSINESS MANAGER: Jenny, I stand by what I wrote in my review. Based on what you wrote, you are clearly misinformed on some key points of my adoption process. While I could rebut you point by point, I will let your unnecessarily hostile response serve to demonstrate your lack of professionalism and act as a warning to future consumers. The one point I will make in this public forum is this: you accuse me of taking no responsibility in the matter. However, I am the one that returned her to your care. Dottie is an amazing, sweet dog and will do very well with full time training. I loved her and would have loved to be her forever home, but I recognized very quickly that I was not the right fit for her. I did the responsible thing and returned her to your care so she could find the right home. It is the job of your case managers and foster parents to make this determination prior to adoption. I provided all the pertinent information to your case manager and foster parent. It is not my fault that they did not listen. You failed me, my dog and Dottie by rushing through this adoption process. I have been looking for a second dog for months. I have turned down several dogs because I was looking for the right dog. I would have never adopted Dottie if your team had done their due diligence and determined I was not a good fit. It has been a traumatic experience for us all and not one that I will soon repeat. It is you who is failing to take responsibility. I would be happy to have a respectful, productive conversation with you outside of this forum. You have my contact information. Unfortunately, I do not have yours as your case manager has not responded to the email where I asked to speak with her supervisor. read more

I think this rescue has its heart in the right place, and I think they care deeply about the dogs in their care. That said, It might be fair to warn people that the paperwork shuffling here takes a very, very long time, even after your application is approved. We would see dogs on the site, we'd be told that our application had been shifted to that dog, we'd ask to set up a meet and greet and then wait for a response - only to discover that the dog had already been adopted. These are all volunteers and I get that, but if you're ready to find a dog it might prove a bit vexing to constantly miss out for undisclosed reasons. Now I feel that a long application process is fair. I like that the screening is so rigorous. I think it's in the best interest of the dogs. But some of this feels like a lack of coordination. They really are lovely people so maybe you'll have a different experience. Their dogs are CRAZY adorable and I'm sorry we didn't get the chance to adopt from them. read more

I adopted my Dunkel from DGS and Jenny helped me find the best addition to my growing of non-human babies. I'm also a volunteer foster and have worked with DGS for over a year. I'm sure a lot of you will ignore this post because of the second statement, but I urge you to continue reading because I'll give more context than a lot of the negative posts on here. There's a lot of interest for adopting dogs in the Seattle area and I usually have multiple applications for my fosters. I don't directly triage applications; we have a handful of dedicated case managers who spend many thankless hours pouring over applications so I don't have to. They ensure they connect fosters, like me, with potential adopters who will meet the need of the dogs I've opened my heart to. They are also the ones who get the brunt of the negative responses from interested families who, understandably, are frustrated when they can't adopt the dog that they want. While some may feel slighted when they don't get their preferred match, I hope everyone reading this understands that the organization genuinely puts our foster dogs first, and a majority of my foster matches are based on objective data about an applicant that align with the needs of the foster dog. As a foster mom, I will absolutely tell a case manager if I feel a dog will thrive with other dogs, if they require a quiet/mellow home, or if they need a human around most of the day. I am so thankful case managers prioritize my recommendations when identifying families. We want our fosters to live their best lives and with so many applications we thankfully get to identify the most appropriate forever homes for each respective dog. To address a majority of other issues in these reviews, I just want to remind everyone that this is a non-profit organization. Remember those handful of case managers? They manage a lot of dogs and if each dog gets 5-10 applications, you can imagine what kind of email hell they must be in. It's unfortunate and I'm sure more resources would make communication more efficient but DGS works with what it has because the organization is committed to saving lives. I like ending my reviews with a take home message so here it is: Finding the best fit takes patience. Jenny/DGS wants nothing more than to see every dog live their best life with the right forever family. If you save a dog with DGS or another rescue, mission accomplished. We all share in one goal so don't use this platform or any other platform to distract others from it. read more

We put in an application to adopt a dog with them and they responded immediately. The folks we worked with were extremely knowledgeable, professional, and helpful. Although we felt we weren't the right family for the dog we met, we are definitely going to continue the search for a our new family member through doggoneseattle. They're good people doing good work. read more

I would highly recommend you go to another agency if you're looking to adopt. They were rude and condescending. They wouldn't allow us to adopt a dog with out even taking the time to meet us, see where we live, let us meet the dog we were interested in, or even having a discussion with us. They denied a dog a chance at a wonderful home with a family who would have loved him more than anything. When they denied us the first dog we were interested in, we attempted to move our application to another dog, they never even bothered responding to us to even discuss her. They discriminated against us solely on the fact that we didn't already have dogs. They won't even consider you. We then went to another agency, who have placed a doggy with us who I can tell you is in absolute heaven with us. The love we show him is constant, he's never left at home alone, he goes on so many walks every day, and outings to parks and Petsmart. He's the biggest sweetheart and we love him more than words can say. Thank you to this other agency, a dog found a loving home, and we found our furry family member! I've attached a picture of our boy. Response to response: I knew that they would respond to my honest review and dispute it. There was absolutely NOTHING false in my review. And I would think if a dog has behavioral issues they would say that in his description online- not just say how trained he is and how good he is- that's misleading. I never said the dog would be a "surprise ", so I'm not sure where that came from. I also explained I do not have small children- I have a teenager who will be 15 in a few weeks. I also never said I was looking for same day adoption- I asked if they would meet with us, talk with us, allow us to meet the dog- making it clear I knew there would first be a meet and greet with the dog and the agency. It also was not 72 hours ago that I asked that if it just weren't possible to get him, if we could transfer our app to another dog and I never received any sort of response or acknowledgement of that. If a dog has special needs and/or behavioral issues it should be clearly laid out in his profile for transparency. I also explained that it was only myself who'd never owned my own dog, but that my husband had owned dogs and was quite experienced with training. The response only serves to prove the kind of attitude they have. So I'm glad it will be evident to anyone reading. How can you deny someone with out even meeting them or having a discussion?? Rush to judgement with out even knowing anything about a family. In the end it worked out the way it was supposed to and we ended up with the dog we were meant to be matched with. And to insult and insinuate that another agency just puts dogs with the first ppl who apply and pay is again- rude and condescending. The other agency has an extraordinary process of FIRST speaking with and meeting with potential adopters, and FIRST doing a foster period to make sure it's a good match. ONLY THEN do they adopt and collect fees for said adoption. The foster period is typically a week, but can vary and be shorter or longer depending on the success of the match. To attack anyone who writes an honest review based on their personal experience is exemplary of the attitude they have. read more

Dog Gone Seattle - In his new happy home - Pet Adoption Near Me

See all

I highly recommend DGS to everyone I know, and to the people that stop me to find out where I got my dog, when looking to adopt. The experience I've had with their staff, and volunteers, is incredible. The DGS foster, and her family, met us at a time that was convenient for us when meeting Joan for the first time. It was obvious how much they cared for our family member, Joan. We can't thank DGS enough for bringing Joan into our life. When ready, we will adopt from DGS again. read more

Dog Gone Seattle - Pet Adoption Near Me

I've looked at over 10 different shelters and foster care providers for dogs and I've had zero success in ethically getting a dog. You know what I've learned? All of these places (including this one) have to be filled with crazy dog zealots. I get an email back from "Margot" saying stuff like "we are looking for the best match for a dog," or "once you've submitted an application it could take months to find your match" I've filled out less applications when I bought my condo. Whatever system in which you match people with dogs is more difficult then we as a society place on foster care of human children. Seattle is expensive. Most people live in apartments. Those few who can afford a house with a yard aren't trying to adopt a dog. So why is it I get a rejection notice from this place being like "well this dog really needs a yard" REALLY!? Where!? Who has these yards? All the profiles on these dogs say "would really do best with a house that has a yard," well I hate to break it to you but the majority of Seattleites don't have a yard so I'm not sure who you're waiting for. I'm just going to buy a dog from a breeder. I don't want to. But what choice do I have. This place must be in league with puppy mills or dog breeders because it sure isn't a place that's trying to give them away to responsible pet owners. I suggest you not bother wasting your time filling out needless paperwork with these people like I did. I'll hop on to AKC and pick some random breeder from the registry and pay them some ridiculous amount of money for some mutant dog they've bred and I'll always think about how this place could have helped me avoid that - but they didn't. read more

My husband and I adopted a 2-yr-old loving and well-tempered Great Pyranees from DGS - we call her Samantha. Jenny was great, both leading up to the adoption and in the weeks that followed. She put us directly in touch with Sammy's local foster mama so we could get a good feel for the dog before we moved forward. She was SUPER responsive when we had issues with night barking over the initial transition, and equally helpful when Sammy had some unexpected health issues lately. I suspect we have been on the high-maintenance end of the spectrum but Jenny has remained so helpful and patient. Jenny clearly loves her animals and puts in the elbow grease to place pets appropriately for success. Her dedication to doing a great job is admirable. Samantha is an awesome friend. We are so grateful to Jenny for her making Sam part of our family!!! read more

Dog Gone Seattle - Adoptee Samantha the Great Pyrenees is my new bestie.(Thanks, Jenny/DGS!) - Pet Adoption Near Me

We ADORE our baby girl...however, she came with the baggage of having to deal with these folks. But her foster parents were awesome! this is what I dealt with for about 3 weeks... copy of my email to them sums up the entire situation!! please know, I have the utmost respect and admiration for rescue organizations and all individuals involved. but their lack of concern for my puppy's well being and threatening us with the legal proceedings of repossession is mindboggling to me. they wanted her spayed within the month. she came to us right around 8 weeks. it was only after I signed, I was advised by medical professionals to wait. I am grateful that M was placed with us through them but I would NEVER recommend anyone going through this rescue for adoption!!! ....................................... "Hi Toni, I forwarded all the emails to S to keep him in the loop. I understand the situation with the contract... however, we were advised by multiple medical professionals on holding off the procedure (spaying) for optimal long-term health for Mico. The only response/answer your team kept emphasizing was the terms of the contract to us. When we shared as to why we wanted to wait and give Mico time to develop, we were presented and were told to either comply or it'll be dealt with legally. We even left our phone number to seek a conversation instead of the back & forth emails. Rather than taking 5 mins to have a conversation and helping us understand your demands, your team escalated it by sticking a lawyer with threats of repossession of M. So now that we've verified the $500 adoption fee has been sent/received on June 13th & we have complied with contractual obligations... go fuck yourself!" **their email response "keeping it classy!" read more

Our whole experience dealing with this rescue is so unfortunate, and I truly hope it was an outlier among the many positive reviews. Jenny, the director, did refund the adoption fee (minus a rehoming fee). This is really wonderful and I'm thankful the rescue cares enough about the dogs to take them back if things don't work out. However, I am so disappointed by how everything was dealt with and how we were treated. We adopted a 6 month old "lab mix," who resembled a pitbull (and was 40% amstaff by a DNA test) on May 30. He is a sweet, lovable, obedient boy. After a week of owning the dog, we discovered that he had separation anxiety, and was barking the entire time we were gone. He also escaped from his crate several times, and jumped over baby gates to get to us. He also scratched up our front door, attempting to follow us when we left, even for a couple moments to grab the mail. This was in contrast with what the foster mom told us--barks for 20 min then fine! We sought help from a positive reinforcement trainer recommended by our vet, and also emailed Jenny asking for suggestions. Jenny told us how to crate train (which we were doing), and told us to use a bark collar so he would learn to be calm in the crate. Ask any behaviorist, and they will tell you that a bark collar is not an appropriate solution for anxiety. We decided to follow a desensitization protocol and get him on medication. The idea is to slowly build up the time you leave them alone. During that time, he was never left alone beyond his threshold, which was a logistical challenge since he did not qualify for doggy daycare. We spent thousands of dollars and many many hours trying to help this dog. We tried this for 8 weeks, and had a lot of success, but also a lot of regressions (which are normal for dogs with separation anxiety). We spent many hours per week on training, and it was very difficult to give up our social lives. Also, full disclosure, during this time, we contacted Jenny two more times. One of those times was a phone conversation, during which she and my boyfriend were yelling at each other, and Jenny was boasting how she had fixed many dogs with punishment methods. She also told us that it was more cruel to give up our dog than to use a bark collar. The other time, we told her we wanted to return him, but changed our minds and decided to keep going. The last contact was a month before we relinquished him to the rescue. Anyway, during 8 weeks of training, the dog went from immediate panic when we stepped toward the door, to being able to handle 2 hours alone. He was sleeping downstairs in the crate alone, and was fine in the other room while we were home. Then, we had another dog stay with us for 4 nights. Our dog did so much better with a companion, making us think that our single dog home wasn't right for him. The next day after the dog left, our dog regressed completely. He developed an aversion to his crate, and was barking in his crate for the first time since June. The next day, he escaped from the crate and jumped over a baby gate while we were in the house. We were done. We realized this wasn't a good match for our home and couldn't handle this dog anymore. It was an extremely difficult decision and we were (and still are) heartbroken. I honestly think about this situation everyday and feel guilty and terrible that I couldn't keep this dog. At the end of August, we contacted Jenny and asked if she could take the dog back, per the contract we signed. While we are grateful they took him back, her emails were mocking (see below). The way this whole thing was handled is so inappropriate. I'm also alarmed that someone who deals with rescue dogs thinks that a bark collar can be used to treat anxiety. I also posted a review previously, but decided to delete it when I was mocked by Jenny's fosters. The nasty, defensive responses to reviews are really telling... I wish our experience had been better and I wish we had never had to deal with Dog Gone Seattle. Edit: I see Jenny has responded in typical fashion to my review. Just wanted to clarify a couple of things. The dog was not "regularly vomiting" from his medication. The medication was for car sickness, the only time he vomited. Trazodone was prescribed by the vet but we never used it. I also want to note that the foster owned another dog. We did not have another animal except for the 4 days when we watched a friend's dog. The dog did a lot better when we left him in the company of the other dog. We always watched him on Google Hangouts during his training sessions. It's great the dog is adjusting well, but there's damage to our apartment, video recordings, and notes from neighbors that prove he was exhibiting symptoms. read more

I would never go through them. They don't understand what an ESA is and offer to rehome an ESA? Like, the heck? She is my emotional support animal, she is the reason why I am still here. She is the support that I need and you want to offer a permanent solution and you couldn't just say no and just send over resources? Like, that's kinda rude and you deserve this 1 star review. It's not cool to offer to permanently rehome a dog that is an Emotional Support Animal. Really think that they are trying to make the most money off of someone's family member. read more

Thrilled with my pup Henley adopted via the Dog Gone Seattle Rescue. They did a fantastic job matching us and educating me as a first-time dog owner. Thank you Dog Gone Seattle!! read more

Don't get your hopes up with this rescue, it's known they use a country wide organization to help drum business up like I got caught in, but they will only do business with folks close to them. It's selfish and after you go thru the find of a dog, fill out papers. So they can tell you sorry we have plenty of adoption customers to ell to close to us. So we won't be helping anyone that's out of town...don get your hopes up unless your their neighbors read more

Very frustrating experience with this organization. We initially applied for a dog online a month ago and received a prompt response from Leila saying the dog was pending adoption already but she would be happy to transfer our application to another dog. My boyfriend and I looked through the list of adoptable dogs and found Hank. We let Leila know that we were very interested in Hank and would like to have our app transferred to him for consideration, to which she said the case manager would be reaching out to us. After multiple follow up and check in emails to the case manager, Jenny, and Leila, we hadn't received any definitive report on Hank or our application status. Now a month since submitting our application, Hank is no longer listed on their website for Adoptable Dogs and we received an email today saying Hank was not available at the time our application was submitted. I understand this organization is volunteer based, but given that I consistently checked in every week, some kind of acknowledgement would have been appreciated. I personally was very excited to find this organization and believed in what they do, however I've become severely disappointed in their lack of communication. It is unkind to string hopeful dog owners along. As a side note, I have owned two dogs and one cat in my lifetime so I am not new to owning pets. My boyfriend and I have a large townhouse with a backyard, as well. We have offsetting work schedules during the day and one of us would be home most mornings and afternoons. Given these circumstances, I believe we are well-qualified to be pet owners. read more

Dog Gone Seattle - Pet Adoption Near Me

I have been foster for Dog Gone Seattle for a few years while we looked for a pup that fit perfectly in our home. Fostering was an amazing opportunity for us to learn about how to work with all different types of dogs and understanding their needs. Going through the "foster to adopt" process also really helped us figure out which type of dog worked best with our family that already had 1 dog and 2 cats. Our case managers were so supportive and helpful with all of our questions. Each foster dog was unique and some were easier than others but regardless the type of dog, I knew we had a huge support system who cared deeply about finding these dogs the right home. After fostering many amazing pups, we met a little lady who fit in absolutely perfectly with our family. She is such a joy and we continue to have support from the rescue. Whether it's bouncing ideas off of fellow adopters or receiving encouragement to keep up with training, I know this is a community that will always have the best interest of the pup in mind. We have 3 other rescue pets from other organizations and this experience has been so much more positive than our previous adoptions. I can't say enough good things and we can't wait to continue to support such an amazing organization. read more

Dog Gone Seattle - Pet Adoption Near Me

Jenny and the DGS team work tirelessly and passionately to rescue dogs and find the best possible matches for adoptions that will last. Their impact is personal to me, as I have three dogs, two of which are DGS dogs, and the third Jenny helped me with (inviting me to training sessions, meeting one on one), out of sheer goodwill and love of dogs. Adopting a dog is an emotionally charged thing - people get attached to dogs after seeing profile photos, and start imagining the dog as part of their life/family. It's a great thing, really, to be looking and excited to bring in a rescue dog - it can also be hard to detach that dynamic of immediate attachment from the workings and process of an organization looking to best fit the needs of the dog (taking into consideration things like breed experience, compatibility with kids and other dogs/pets, knowledge of a particular dog and an application from first time dog owners, etc.). I never felt that communication with DGS was lacking, or that they were short or judgmental. Jenny always struck me as more New York in communication style than Seattle, so it does not surprise me to see her responses to some of the reviews on here. That she takes the time to fully respond detail by detail to the most negative of reviews to me demonstrates how much she cares about the work, the absolute effort that is her life, and frustration at the few (by numbers of happily adopted dogs) who jump online to give the lowest possible rating to a volunteer-based nonprofit that has saved 500 plus dogs. The organization will no doubt keep doing so - dogs first in mind. read more

-SECOND RESPONSE TO ADOPTION AGENCY UPDATE **** My feedback to you from this experience **** I would recommend to humble yourself a bit more in these responses as your disrespectful responses are only showing your true colors as an agency on your own business Yelp page. Yes, you are doing great work to help dogs find homes, however your level of professionalism and resulting integrity could really use improvement. As I mentioned before, there are many adoption agencies out there, thus giving people many options to choose based on appropriate level of conduct and level of professionalism on the Internet. I don't need to find out how any adoption or foster process works since I've already completed the process with a more reputable adoption agency ALMOST 1 YEAR AGO without ANY communication issues. Very very Interesting. If my review is all lies, then why is it still being voted for?? The last vote was 10 days ago which means someone somewhere must agree with me. Don't bother responding to this as I'm sure you are so very busy with your satisfied adopters. If people are infact upset because they don't get the dog they want, that is their God given right. I don't know if you recall how the economy works, but people are paying MONEY to adopt a dog. People work hard for their money and therefore have the right to wait as they do please. You have no say in that. There are many adoption agencies out there as you know (Thank you Petfinder). There are also many dogs in the US alone that need homes, hence you are not the only one doing this type of work. Cheers! ORIGINAL POST I submitted 3 applications and followed up atleast twice for each. I got maybe 1 response telling me to check back in June when I can take a dog immediately. I understand that this is a volunteer organization, but there's really no excuse for not being able to answer applicant questions or even respond to e-mails. I was told that the 2 dogs I was interested would "probably" be gone by June. Well this is confusing since they are still posted for adoption on pet finder and Dog gone's website. After receiving minimal responses and interest from this organization, I moved on to BDRP who were very responsive and connected me with the foster mom for our newly adopted fur baby (excited to pick her up fridaDon't waste time filling out an application for dog gone Seattle as you may never even receive a response. It's clear in other reviews that the organization is very picky about who they choose to adopt their dogs (no children under 12, must have a fenced yard, prefers other dogs in the home, etc). - * FIRST Update: The disrespectful and unprofessional response I received from the rescue regarding my concerns 4 months later should tell you everything you need to know about how they do thwibusiness. Just because I filled an application out 1 month before I would be ready to take a dog in, does not mean I have other obligations, it means I am planning to take my time and wait for the right fit. This is exactly why so many people have reviewed this rescue as unsatisfactory. They just want to push the dog on you without you taking your time to decide if the dog will be a good fit for your lifestyle. Again, don't waste your time. I found a great rescue and now have had my rescue puppy for 3 wonderful months. read more

I had my first and only experience with DGS yesterday. I submitted an application on Jan 2nd and received a thoughtful and detailed response from Toni on Jan 3rd. I was connected with the foster & pup that same day. I'm sad to say that we were not a match for this particular dog (sweet, beautiful dog - just not a good fit) but my experience with the foster and Toni could not have been better. The details around introducing my dog to the fostered dog, introducing the humans to the dog while maintaining safe COVID precautions was perfect. There are a lot of emotions tied up in seeking a furry companion. It was a rough year for so many of us and dogs (and other fuzzy creatures) can bring so much love and light into our lives. Let's remember to shine that light on our fellow humans. I was appalled to read some of the negative reviews. This organization saves homeless/sick dogs from an uncertain fate... We all have our bad days but let's try to keep perspective. I know several people who've adopted from DGS and they were very happy. We'll keep searching ... until then, we're so grateful for the experience we had with Toni and the foster mum. read more

UPDATE: Just received an email from this shady business owner threatening me to share my personal application information publicly, which is a breach for customer privacy and rights. BEWARE your application data will be leaked I've been looking to add a puppy to our family when I came across this group via one of their meet and greet events. I started reaching out to foster, foster to adopt, or adopt but needless to say, all my applications got ignored - adopt: non of my applications got a response not even when a dog is no longer available - foster to adopt: also ignored and I have no idea why - foster: long process -they claim it takes long to onboard a foster!-. I get a last min email telling about a small dog -honestly looked very weak and I wasn't sure this dog is fully healthy to be around my kids- I ask instead to foster another 2 dogs but I'm told they've been fostered already. I ask to see the list of coming dogs to be able to request dogs I may potentially adopt -note I'm interested in BOTH adopting and fostering- . They come back saying that if I'm only interested in the looks they'll move my application to adopt, which they will ignore like my previous applications This place is shady and they're very hypocrite getting their picks on the new dogs to foster and adopt, and offering the leftovers to the foster families. Also a discriminating group of people running this site, I'm sure had I changed my name to a western name they wouldn't ave treated me this way. Such racism and disrespect They don't really care about the dogs, only whatever profit they're making. I feel sorry for those poor dogs that they handle. I DON'T recommend this group. Go find your furfriend somewhere else read more

DGS is amazing. They are more than simply placing dogs in homes, they evaluate every dog and each application thoroughly and make the best decision for both the adopter and the dog. The volunteers are tireless workers and some of the greatest people around. I've fostered dogs with several organizations in the Seattle area, Jenny and the DGS team are simply the best. (Fostered 5 with DGS specifically.) Most of the negative reviewers appear bitter because they were found unsuitable to adopt the dog they like in a picture. It's incredibly difficult to say no the way they do and look out for the interests of everyone, but they continue to do it well and succeed at saving dogs every day. My next rescue will be adopted through DGS; I encourage anyone who wants the perfect dog for them/their family to trust DGS with the adoption. They do amazing work. read more

Having recently moved to the area, my fiancé and I have talked about getting a dog for sometime. We could have bought a dog from a breeder but instead chose to rescue/adopt. Long story short, we didn't end up getting a dog from here. While I appreciate the mission, here's a few reasons why I can't recommend this place. 1) application for dog- kind of long. I understand wanting the animals to go to a loving family/home but it felt like I was applying to get into an Ivy League college or something (say the wrong thing and your application may get rejected). Also, they require an interview and home evaluation if your application is even considered. 2) emails not responded to in a prompt manner- there is no direct phone number that I could find on the website and when I requested via email to move my application to another dog no one responded to me for a few days (reason due to short staffing/volunteers). I can understand, but it's nerve wrecking if there's multiple applications submitted for the dog you want (your chances decrease I imagine if people submit before you) 3) adoption cost- more expensive than other shelters and the animals are fully vaccinated/spayed or neutered. 4) attended an event that had some dogs (and their fosters) there and one of the foster caregivers made snide comments about adopting a dog if we didn't have the time and patience to care/train it. My fiancé and I obviously work, and this foster person assumed that we didn't have the time or patience to adopt (as we mentioned crating during work hours). Nonetheless, we didn't want to deal with the stress of waiting to hear back and ended up going with another organization that did same day adoption. We adore our new sweet pup and although she has some dog aggression we have been proactively working with her and signed her up for classes! If you're really interested in adopting sooner than later take your time and money elsewhere 9-13-19: Business owner Jenny-- the review posted was never "deleted" as you report in your message, but it was edited on the original day posted to reflect my experience... I don't delete messages. There is absolutely no reason for you to be defensive. So folks- again, I would not recommend this organization, as staffing here are unprofessional when it comes to handling feedback. read more

Adopted my dog Gino from this organization and I have fostered once. Very supportive people that are doing amazing and hard work! Thank you!

Dog Gone Seattle is amazing, helping both animals and people during the current (2022) post-pandemic situation of pets who have not been prepared for their owners to go back to work and school. They know dogs so well, they have been preparing adopters and fosters for the current situation since the beginning of the pandemic. https://doggoneseattle.org/how-to-prevent-future-separation-anxiety-while-you-shelter-at-home-with-your-dog/ My personal experience is that they are amazing. Dog Gone Seattle not only saved a dog, they saved the part of our family that lives in Washington. The shelters and foster homes were full and they were desperate to find a new home for a dog that they could no longer care for. Of all the organizations they contacted, over months of trying, only Dog Gone Seattle was willing and able to help. Caring. Compassionate. Capable. Crazy busy. And yeah, candid, they tell it as they see it, but always with the best interests of the animals in mind. Which actually is the best for people, too, in the long run. With so much to do, we must all do our part. Be appreciative. Be patient. Do your part. Thank you, DGS! You go above and beyond. read more

Do you care more about dogs welfare or people's feelings? I care more about dogs. Dog Gone Seattle puts the needs and placement of dogs at the highest priority and they do this with integrity. I have fostered for this organization and also have an amazing pittie from them. Dogs come in from high kill shelters with such a variety of needs. Many of these needs are the result of humans being negligent in their care. DGS strives to match the dog to the best placement with their unique needs. This means success for the dog and family! Jenny the founder is the most passionate and pragmatic person I have met in rescue. She gets it right. My guess is complaints are from people not putting the dog's needs first. read more