My experience with Help Save One was wonderful, and I simply could not be happier! Within one week of submitting my application (and the required $25 deposit which goes toward your total adoption fee if you are approved), I picked up my black lab/collie mix, Mazie! Although communication was slow at first, with a little persistence and patience I was able to get all of the information I needed from Pam and Marissa and overall it was a great experience. It also seems that Mazie was fostered in a really great home. Although only 8 weeks, she sleeps through the night and is completely comfortable in her kennel. She has an absolutely wonderful temperament and is a great addition to our family! I was a little worried about the lack of communication in the beginning, especially after doing a little research and reading a few Yelp reviews, but in the end I was very pleasantly surprised and would highly recommend Help Save One. Like a few others have said, these women work very hard to save and protect these dogs...hang in there and they will get you a great pup! read more

Boy, I don't even know where to begin, with this group. Like R.G. said, if I could give them less than 1 star, I would. I, too, was a foster for Help Save One. I, too, was promised paperwork to show to the vet when she needed to go for her checkups. I, too, never saw any such paperwork even though I'd written several times and was promised they'd be emailed. I'd offered to foster because I used to be an animal control offer and missed it terribly. I wanted to help animals, in some way, and thought this would be perfect. I should have done my homework. ALL the complaints on ALL the sites are completely true, in my experience. Marissa doesn't care what animal she places, with who, as long as she gets her money and has a home she can put them in. It's appalling, really. All you have to do is say the right things on your application. They meet you somewhere in their transit, to pick up the dogs. They never actually see where the dogs are going. I met them, at 4am, on a Friday night about 45 minutes from my house because they'd called to tell me a transit was coming around 10pm. Okay, that was fine. I'd been warning it might be spur of the moment. The transit was late, but they kept in touch over the phone. When they finally showed, they had crates of dogs stacked into a U-Haul van and dragged this scared, feces and urine covered puppy out and handed her, to me, then left before I could even ask about paper work. My husband and I got the terrified puppy home, bathed and sleeping in my lap after 5am. I forgot to mention...I was told I'd be getting a 10 week old pug mix. I got a 16 week old Shepard/Rotti mix. No huge deal, for me, but I can see how it would be fore someone who wasn't keen on either of those breeds. I waited a week without hearing one word as to how the puppy was, so I called my local contact. I asked, what now? She asked, what do you mean? I mean, what now? What do I do? Take her to the vet? I'll need paperwork. The woman had no clue. She said she'd get back to me. A few more weeks past with no word, even though I'd been sending email updates along with pictures. This went on from June until August. My puppy was still not posted to the site, so I called to inquire as to why. I was told that transit was a fiasco and they had no clue which puppy went to whom. I gave her the collar ID number of mine. She seemed so surprised I'd kept it. I managed an entire shelter, so 1 collar was no big deal. Now, they knew which dog it was, or so I thought. I again, sent updates, with pics and again, nothing on the site. One day, I was looking around and I saw, my puppy, listed as an entirely different dog! My update with some small breeds picture. Right then, I knew. These people just send out dogs. Now, I was mad, so I made some phone calls to see about the legalities of what they were doing. What I found curled my hair. They are NOT allowed to transport out of state without paperwork, in hand, and transfer that paperwork to the foster. I called the county in North Carolina where they say they get the dogs, on their site. I spoke to a lovely woman for about an hour, about them. She has a stack of complaints. They are trying to get them shut down but they stay just outside of radar to really do anything that can be proven. She said that they have several friends working in the 2 shelters that pluck dogs off the gassing line and fill out the paper work that they have been gassed. These dogs are then housed in several places until the transit picks them up. THAT'S what they're calling the dog's quarantine period. They've had no vet care, or shots, because they're not technically alive. NONE of the dogs are temperament tested before they get placed in homes. How can they be? They go from one kennel to another cage then thrown in another cage, to a truck, then driven for hundreds of miles and dumped off for someone else to worry about. I could go on and on and none positive. No, I lied. One thing positive did come out of this. I am now the proud owner of a beautiful dog. She's probably the most well mannered dog I've ever owned. But, I think, she and I were very lucky I had the background to handle her. These people are very good in throwing up contracts when WE complain about something to do with the dogs, but try to turn the tables and you'll be blatantly ignore, or screamed to, in email. All animals are in shelters for a reason. Yes, it could simply be the previous owner wasn't aware of the responsibility, but it can also be because the animal has some underlying agression issues. Do we really want to find out at our family's safety? If you'd like to file a complaint with North Carolina please feel free to message me, and I will give you the email address of the woman I spoke to. Every complaint helps. Yes, it's wonderful to save an animals life. It is NOT okay to put human safety about that. read more

I adopted three dogs from marissa when I lived in RI. Lucky, an elderly shitzu (13) who somehow ended up down south. I had him for 6 years and when he passed, I found out via microchip (which I didn't know he had) that he was originally from Maine. I then adopted Otis, a 16 year old blind dog, who I had for 4 years who was an absolute sweetheart. The entire transport time I was texted and emailed photos of him and at a halfway location before I picked up him in CT. Same place I picked up lucky. I later adopted Ren, a chihuahua puppy who I've had for 8 years now, when the caravan went to stop and shop in providence ri. He's sitting on my bed in Hollywood right now. I don't really understand the hate. You have to make a profit but if you have been to these states and shelters, it's the end for these dogs. Senior dogs are a death wish. I paid a small fee for each, maybe $200? But that's besides the point. Going into this you should know the dogs need to go into the vet right away. I supported these people because I know I paid for them to drive up two deaf blind and elderly dogs that I wanted to save and a puppy that's still here with me today. I will say though, when I got my puppy I was expecting a totally different, senior dog. I can totally understand people's frustrations and that wasn't right. As an animal lover I just accepted and moved on. read more

Help Save One is a super-dedicated group of volunteers who go all out to help dogs (and some cats) in deep distress in kill-shelters, mainly in Southern states. I took one of their dogs and the experience couldn't have been more fulfilling. Marissa is terrific and Pam Halvorsen, a foster mom, is the best of the best. These women work literally night and day to rescue, foster and adopt out dogs who would otherwise be put to sleep though they are all eminently adoptable. I have considerable experience with rescues and put Help Save One right up there with the best. Elizabeth Abbott www.elizabethabbott.ca read more

I obviously encourage people to adopt dogs, but think twice before doing so with this organization. Like previous reviewers, last summer I got a complete run around when adopting a dog through them.... same story of no papers, no medical history. Basically, a no questions asked adoption. The out of state foster mom was helpful though clueless as well, as she had as much trouble getting ahold of them as I did. She left the spaying stitches in her, because she wasn't given any information about a follow-up visit. Naturally, they had no problem accepting our money, but as soon as that was done, they could not produce any paperwork or proof of tests or transfer papers on her. I emailed multiple people at LEAST 15 times, and each time received a response, 'they're on their way', sorry, we're busy... This is a big deal especially when you're trying to vet a dog without affecting them by doing it twice in such a short period with no medical history. I had to track down the previous vets (I was told she was from GA, but really was from FL), and get my own whopping 2 pages of vet 'tests'... one was simply a spay certificate, the other was an email from the foster mom whose 'heartworm test' was to give the dog a strong de-wormer. Disappointed with the organization, happy with the dog. Will not be doing business with this organization again, nor recommending them. read more

CAUTION: i fostered several times with this 'rescue' -- they are NOT reliable. they are ruthless, pretending to care while trying to bleed you to spend all your money on the sick dogs they bring here. yes, i was a part of helping the dogs get better- but it was no thanks to HELP SAVE ONE. they only put money into it if you BEG them to pay their own vet bills. UNRELIABLE, NOT TRUSTWORTHY!! read more

A year ago I adopted a puppy off this group and tried to get ahold of Marissa a trillion time, she finally responded after I sent her a nasty email. She then asked me to send the vet receipts so she could send me a check. I sent her the bills and never heard back from her, again my emails went unanswered and ignored. VERY POOR organization. go to the shelters and adopt. Don't give this organization a penny!The truth is they are more interested in making money then the safety of the dogs! read more

I applied for a dog on HSO's website, I paid the $50 application deposit, emailed the confirmation to HSO and recieved an email from Marissa almost instantly. I spoke to a volunteer on the phone the next day. The dog said adoption pending for two days, then that was it, never heard anything back from either Marissa or the woman I spoke to. I sent several email inquiries about the status of my application with no response at all. HSO's website states that if an application is denied the deposit will be returned via PayPal within 48 hours. Guess if they don't let you know you are denied they don't have to return the money. I finally received a response from Marissa after I sent a very nasty, threatening email. My application was denied (go figure)and they would refund my money. That was over two weeks ago. Still nothing to my PayPal account and the dog applied for is still on HSO's website. So are all of the other dogs that I originally looked at for that matter (over a 1 1/2 months later). I was scammed by this organization, I am writing this in the hopes that a potential adopter will see this and choose to adopt from a more deserving group. HELP SAVE ONE IS A RIP OFF. read more

I would NOT recommend this organization....they make many promises and string people along. After many broken promises and lies money was finally refunded only after legal action was mentioned. Two puppies where promised and where never delivered. I doubt there where ever any puppies to begin with...I believe it was all a scam... After many days of lost wages trying to meet up with people who where supposedly delivering puppies...only to have them cancel at the last minute time and time again....not to mention all the heartache this caused. These people should be very ashamed of themselves for doing this to a family who where only trying to help... read more

I too have been scammed by Help Save One. They took my money and I have no dog. I offered multiple times to drive up to get him & they would never give me a location. This is how they get you. They make false promises, tell you what you want to hear & never show up with the dog. This was to be my 5th rescue dog & none of my other adoptions have been as painful as this. There are over 300,000 homelss animals on petfinder.com, please find a reputable rescue who will talk to you & not require money before you ever see your dog. read more

i adopted my bff from help save one 5 years ago now, and i am truly so grateful. communication was definitely slow and sporadic, but these women have jobs besides this and work very selflessly to get these dogs safe. i started thinking i would foster, but like so many others that didn't last. i knew from day one that my little Georgia peach wasn't going anywhere. Dealing with the small inconveniences were worth it in the end! read more