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    Friends For Life

    3.5 (93 reviews)
    Closed 11:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Services - Friends For Life

    Animal shelters

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    Reviews With Photos

    Adriana S.

    I want to start by saying THANK YOU!!! To FFL for helping me out with food for my dog. She had just had puppies and needed an unexpected C-section & spay. The expense putting me a little behind and FFL Really came through for my babies. Not only that I explained to them that I was having issues with the puppy bottles I bought online and they provided one with extra nipples to help me out. You guys are doing amazing work KEEP IT UP

    Little Ms.Croissant
    Julianne D.

    This animal shelter is amazing. Not only are they no-kill, but you can truly see how much they care about animals simply by interacting with them and visiting their location. I had originally just wanted to be a foster parent for cats and kittens, but ended up falling in love with our foster kitten. Needless to say, we ended up adopting her within two short weeks of having her. All throughout the process, the FFL staff was happy to assist us with any questions or concerns we had. I actively emailed Megan and Stephanie many times over the course of pending adoption and not once were they annoyed or frustrated with my questions. While their adoption fees are quite higher than other shelters, I honestly do not mind. Like I said, you can tell how much they care for animals. The adoption fees go towards all the animals they care for....whether it be food, medicine, or anything else they might need! If you do adopt a kitten/puppy that is under 4 months of age, you will be asked to put a $250 deposit down to make sure they are neutered/spayed. Upon showing FFL proof of this, your $250 will be refunded. Adopt, don't shop!

    Chrissy H.

    Love the volunteers and everything FFL. We appreciate the thorough adoption process because you know..there are just too many people who shouldn't have kids and pets and ended up with them. We adopted Chase (now Venchi Fudge) a few months ago and couldn't be happier about with the service. From the detailed explanation on puppy behaviors to be expected and training guidance, we found all to be very useful. The puppy kindergarten was extremely helpful and fun for both humans and pups- great way to socialize your pup! Seriously, if you are in the market for a furry friend, please stop by FFL and adopt. Thank you FFL for everything! #adoptdontshop

    Martha! Adopted July 2019
    Holland T.

    I adopted my sweet Martha from FFL in July. I have to point out how kind and thorough the employees and volunteers were with us. The facility is clean and great too!

    Our first foster dog, Hammy, who was going to be put down by BARC.

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    4 months ago

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    7 months ago

    You can't see any animals unless you make an appointment. You also have to fill out an application.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Friends For Life

    Can I see kittens on line for adoption?

    Yes! Visit the main website and look under 'Our animals' - you can then filter by cats. dogs, adults, kittens etc. and see who is available. Bottle baby kittens will only be posted once they are old enough to be adopted, so keep an eye for new… Read more

    I have some canned catfood that I'd like to donate. How would I do that?

    We'd love that! We are doing curbside drop-off right now at our shelter (there's a cart out front when we're open). Feel free to drop by any time when we're open (Tuesday-Sunday, 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm).… Read more

    I've been trying to connect to their 2020 gala for some reason I cannot connect to the website and on Facebook I cannot watch the event live or donate this is very sad for me since I am a big supporter?

    Hi, Shawn H.! Thank you for being a supporter! We had some technical difficulties (including our… Read more

    View All 4 Questions

    Review Highlights - Friends For Life

    Friends for life was able to find her a great forever home.

    Mentioned in 3 reviews

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    Pup Squad Animal Rescue - Can you take her?

    Pup Squad Animal Rescue

    (9 reviews)

    Fourth Ward, Downtown

    Odd...when searching for the business "Pup Squad" in the Yelp search box, the business Smashburger…read morekeeps coming up as a result! =/ *gulp* Visited the Pup Squad Animal Rescue location at Houston Pavilions Saturday morning to peep through available pups. The rented space is large, airy, and spacious enough for several kennels to line the walls without overcrowding. Due to the high ceiling, warehouse style accomodation, it smells fairly fresh & clean in here. It's also dark and cool, and most dogs were found napping their way through the morning...a stark difference from other adoption places I've been to. It was easy to move through the space, and foster parents sat next to their pups like proud parents, eager to do a show and tell if so requested. What I liked most about this place is that the dogs here seemed to be happy! I rarely saw nervous, jittery dogs. Most were in their kennel, eager to play with visitors; others in their foster parents' arms, and some napping, barely opening an eye to peer at us. Though I did not come away with a new child that day, I wouldn't hesitate adopting one from this group. I spent a good 20 minutes talking to a foster mom about this organization and I'm completely thankful and hopeful that there are still many altruistic people left in this world. If you're considering adding a member to your family, please put Pup Squad Animal Rescue on your list as a must-visit.

    This program is great when you think that most people want to get a puppy when they get a dog, but…read moreif you want to do your part and get a rescue dog, your chances of getting a small breed puppy decreases to about zero. They have dogs in all shapes sizes and colors and all (I'm pretty sure) in good health. Our first visit there we were just curious but pretty interested in getting another dog to play with our very energetic shih-tzu and one that was small enough to accommodate apartment living. We walked around a bit and they did have some really cute dogs, but it wasn't until we spotted this adorable pup that I had the "gotta have this puppy" feeling. They told us he was a puppy mill dog and that he was a Tibetan terrier and maybe about 3 months old. We personally didn't have all day to make a decision and were hesitant to commit on the spot, but they guaranteed that we could have a one week home visit to make sure that we wanted to keep him and that he was compatible with our dog. They would hold the $120 check and if we didn't come back, they'd cash it. So, for $120 you get a puppy in good health who's been socialized through the foster program with as many/all of the shots and exams needed for the applicable age an optional microchip to have put in later rabies and county tags You have to fill out an application form, but they review it on the spot and if you're a shoe-in (i.e. you have a dog or know the risks/responsibilities of having a dog) they let you adopt. It was a painless process and we are very happy with our puppy. These dogs are rescues so I'm attributing that to the fact that we weren't quite sure of the age, how big he'd get, and if he was really the breed they said he was (we thought he was a bit jack russell for a while, but now due to his size, we are back with the Tibetan terrier.) The other great perk to having a rescue is that I know at least the VCA will give you a free first exam for having just adopted a rescue. A great program and system for adopting puppies! Just a note, puppy mill dogs, as I later found out, can have a lot of health problems on their own due to poor/careless breeding. Do your research!

    Houston Pets Alive!

    Houston Pets Alive!

    (6 reviews)

    We adopted two brother kittens from HPA! in 2018. They were being fostered at the time, and HPA…read morestaff were so kind and helpful throughout the entire process. They also include spay/neuter and their first 8 weeks of shots in the adoption fee, plus our cats were on BOGO special. We donate as much as possible to help other animals but I have only great things to say about HPA. One thing I will say is to make sure you have any and all paperwork you need when you're there in person. They don't really answer the phone or their email, but I have gotten responses on Facebook messenger.

    On April 11, I adopted a very sweet brown tabby cat through the organization, PetsAlive. I named…read moremy new cat Theodore and was told that Theo had been found on the streets and had recently had scabies, eye surgery and skin issues - all of which seemed to be healing nicely. I was never told of his extensive dental disease or that he had feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV). I noticed that Theo's energy level seemed a little low, but he was eating very well and didn't display any signs of digestive issues. I DID notice that his breath was very smelly, so I took him to my veterinarian. The long story made short is that Theo will have to have several teeth extracted and his length and quality of life could be affected because bloodwork showed that he is positive for FIV. I have requested that PetsAlive take care of the dental issues Theo has since I can't afford thousands of dollars for teeth to be extracted. My concern of permanently returning Theo to PetsAlive is that his cycle of being an unwanted rescue cat will continue. His life could be one of going from adoption site to adoption site and never being adopted because of his bad teeth and FIV diagnosis. Please be aware that, according to my veterinarian, there are several no kill shelters that DON'T test animals for FIV or leukemia. Before you adopt an animal, please ask if the animal has been thoroughly tested for diseases that could affect the animal's health and wellbeing.

    Harris County Veterinary Public Health

    Harris County Veterinary Public Health

    (40 reviews)

    Northside/Northline

    Who would have thought that my daughter would find her new sidekick at the Harris County Shelter?…read more My family is a huge advocate of the "adopt, don't shop" way of thinking. We have consistently had rescue dogs living in our house for the last 25 years (although we have had dogs for the last 40 years). Previously, though, we had always worked with a rescue group. We've found, however, that certain breed rescue groups have become quite discriminating regarding their adopters. So, after attempting multiple times to go through multiple rescue groups without any luck, we turned to the Harris County animal shelter. We diligently searched the countypets.com website numerous times a day. My daughter set an alert on her phone to notify her of any dog resembling the kind she was looking for that was coming into or in their care. One day she received such an alert and we quickly made the first appointment for the following morning. When I called prior to our appointment regarding the health status of the dog, we were told that he hadn't even made it to the facility yet - he had literally just been picked up as a stray! So, TIP #1: if you're looking for a particular size or breed mix (since most are mixed breeds), set an alert on your phone to be notified and make the first available appointment to meet the dog. Adoption holds are on a first-come, first-served basis, and literally while we were there, at least 3 other potential adopters came to see this one particular dog. TIP #2: allow at least an hour (more like two) when you do go to visit. There is a wait time to be called back, and then you want to be able to meet and get to know the pet in a variety of situations. TIP #3: you're provided a slip lead during the visit. Use it. Walk around with the pet. See how they react to you, how they walk on lead, meet other dogs and other people. Simply observing that a dog is "real cute" may not cut it if they're reactive in any way to other dogs that will be walking around or to children they may encounter (particularly if you have other dogs or children in your home). Spend time assessing whether this dog is the right fit for you and you're the right fit for them. TIP #4: if this is the pet for you, place a hold on them immediately. A three-day waiting period from date of pick up is required if they're a stray; seven days are required if they have a collar or ID tags or a chip. Be patient. Call every day if you want to check up on them. People that answer the phone are very helpful. TIP #5: once the stray hold has expired and spay/neuter surgery has been scheduled, visit the pet and GIVE THEM A BATH. There is a complete bathing facility/room available for you - and you cannot give your dog a bath after surgery for 10 days! TIP #6: On your scheduled day of pick up, bring your own collar and leash with you. You're told that one is given to you, but it's actually a slip lead, which aren't always the most effective way to walk a new dog from the facility to your car. Also, ask LOTS of questions - mostly pertaining to the dog's medical records since being with the county. What inoculations have they received? Make sure you understand the medical report that's given to you. Also understand that while the dog may test negative for heartworm, this does not mean that the facility gives the dog any heartworm preventative while they're there. Which leads me to . . . TIP #7: Make an appointment at your regular vet for the dog to be examined either on the day you pick them up or the following day. Purchase heartworm and flea/tick preventatives and administer those immediately. Confirm that the county accurately estimated the dog's age. Bring the county medical records with you to your vet, along with the microchip number. Make an appointment for necessary booster shots. With every animal adopted through the Harris County animal shelter, the animal is given routine vaccines (but not all that your vet recommends) along with their rabies vaccine. They are registered with the county and you're provided the registration tag. They are microchipped, with the chip being registered in whomever's name is listed on the initial hold with their contact information. They are also spayed or neutered, with your pick-up date being the afternoon of that surgery. The staff here are very helpful and friendly. The facility is actually very clean, considering all of the animals in their care. We were very pleased with the whole experience, especially since my daughter found a little guy that is exactly what she was looking for. And - of all things - on the day we went to pick him up, they were offering a "free adoption" weekend, so he was completely free! Wherever you find your new best friend, remember that adopting is also saving a life. Don't forget to look here, do your research, exhibit patience and do not give up! Your perfect match could be waiting for you - and they could be waiting here!

    This is Houston's designated Animal control agency. I called two mo the ago about my neighbors…read moredangerous dogs breaking through my fence. Nothing was done. This week they broke completely through the fence, attacked my dog, then proceeded to pursue both me and my ten year old child. Nothing is still being done!!! They are allowing dangerous animals with known aggressive behaviors that are not able to be contained to stay in the community. Then used the excuse that a human HAS to be bitten before they do something!

    Friends For Life - animalshelters - Updated May 2026

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