I had adopted a young black lab puppy at Sugar Land Tx animal shelter who was barely weaned but…read moremean as a little rattle snake when I got him home and introduced him to my other dog who is as docile. The little fart was even mean to me and wouldn't even let my other dog move in the house or in back porch. I returned the mean little rascal to shelter and they noted should not be adopted with other dogs. I checked back and found out Scout's Honor had rescued the ornery cuss and he became one of their pups who represented them at events in full regalia of a beautiful vest of his own. He was some sort of a little mascot and lived being the center of the universe at events. So glad they lovingly found a great role and obvious personalized care for that little stinker. If they can find the right training and life for that little demon, they can be trusted with any breed to try to save him. I now greatly admire this organization!!!

My daughter has friends that work there. She says they are very kind…read more Do do a great job placing the people pets that go thru through their group.

I have worked with the staff at FFL to help foster a sweet older lady cat. They have been nothing…read morebut courteous throughout the process. From what I've seen, they care a lot about the animals they're saving and do a job in the community that many of us do not want or are even able to do. I cannot vouch for the adoption program since I have not adopted an animal through the shelter.

I am a vet tech of about 24 years so I have seen every type of client, good and bad, from my time…read morein the vet field. Now, I am a school teacher but I still foster dogs for animal control and currently have 9 spoiled mutts at our ranch who are loved dearly, whether my own personal pets or one of my fosters. I feel like I am very knowledgable with regard to animal care and now as a teacher, spend my days reflecting on systems that work and ones that really need improvement. I am sure that Friends For Life has good intentions for placing these animals in perfect homes but the narrow minded approach they have to the adoption process and line of questioning is an absolute detriment to the pets waiting for their forever homes. A family member of mine began the application process to adopt a sweet young dog and I can vouge that she would be considered a TOP NOTCH loving, caring, responsible pet owner/client in the eyes of any vet because she has no kids and treats her dogs like the kings and queens that they feel like living in her home under her care. During the interview with her, Friends For Life asked her how she felt about the use of shock collars and she was honest and told them that under the direction of a dog trainer when one of her dogs was a puppy, she used one for the timeframe of about a month (and later, I found out it was only on the vibrate setting and was activated probably 3-4 times during the training sessions). They immediately sent her an email telling her that they could never consider her as a potential adopter because she believes in her trainer's methods and trains dogs by using fear as motivation. They told her that they were sure she could find a dog somewhere else to adopt, but just not from them. Any dog could only be so lucky to be adopted by her, as I have joked for years that she runs to the vet if her dog looks at her funny. She videos and keeps a log of their every move to give the vet a minute by minute calendar of what is going on when something isn't right. She will spend whatever it takes to help them, buying only a high quality diet, the veterinary recommended preventative medicines, and the best of the best in every aspect of quality care. I truly can't say enough good things. That month of using a vibrating collar with one dog in her 63 years on this earth was enough to stop the application process in its tracks. No further questioning, no checking references, no calling the vet for a recommendation, no nothing. Hands down... she is out and the dog is still homeless. The real victim here is a dog that could have landed the most loving home ever for it's entire life, with NO worries that it would ever be given away, given up on, or put in a bad situation. It could have had a stable, mature, active home that catered to it's every desire that a sweet, spoiled dog deserves. A 6am walk every single day, runs at the park, golf cart rides, car rides, regular medical care and more. I called this adoption facility, as a loyal and caring family member, and told them that I was NOT begging them to reconsider because the hurt that their assumptions caused had already settled in. Instead, since their own description of their animal adoption facility suggested that they were "innovating, improving and tracking results to find the most effective ways to save lives," I suggested that they consider and collaborate on a more extensive vetting of adopters by looking at the bigger picture of what the potential home can offer and calling various credible references, rather than placing judgment on a more-than-great family and negating the whole process based on a single application question that required further interpretation than an email or a text could offer. Anyone can lie on an application and let them hear what they want to hear, but she didn't... and further conversation could have probably clarified things to the point where this dog could have already started living it's best life. She had even cooked bland chicken and rice in preparation for bringing the new dog home and acclimating it to a new food. Prayers that every dog in this facility gets a great new home and a fresh start, but more... prayers that Friends For Life revisit their adoption process so they don't continue to run off any more perfect homes for these very deserving animals. Again, I am sure their intentions are good but... what an unfortunate loss to the animals for a possible forever home at the same time!

Very clean lobby - professional, friendly staff. They get right down to business, they get you in…read moreand out quickly. We paid $45 per pet on an emergency sick visit plus medications.

Found a baby opossum, kept it warm and fed it, but next day we noticed worms around it's bum, so…read morecalled Houston SPCA, they said to take it in right away or else it might not make it thru the night. Took it to the Houston SPCA wildlife rescue. Staff were friendly and kind enough to let us know the status of the opossum, apparently it had prolapsed anus with maggots :( but they did tell us with meds the prognosis was good! The transition was seamless and all we did was fill out a brief form. We also got to see a cool one eyed owl and a hawk in the window while in the lobby

I adopted my amazing baby boy from Pup Squad on October 15th; my boyfriend and I had frequented Pup…read moreSquad over the past 5-6 months looking for our furry companion and finally found the most amazing puppy to take home. Like the other reviewers said, the building itself is very accomodating, clean, and airy. The pups are mostly in crates, but some are in pigpen-type play areas where you can pet and pick up the dogs. For the most part, the dogs are all well behaved and you can tell they live with foster families. The day we got Bentley, we kept trying to decide on the big commitment, and the volunteers were more than helpful and friendly in assisting us to make a decision. They by no way forced us or tried to talk us into adopting one way or the other. B's foster mother wasn't at the event when we were there, but another volunteer called her on her own cell and let us talk to her about him before we decided (see, friendly!). When we decided to go for it, we sat down and filled out an application, which is quite lengthy and asks a lot of questions that ensures you are really ready for the commitment. When completed, you then sit down with a volunteer that goes over your application with you and answers any questions you may have. They are also very good about screening to make sure you will be able to take care of the dog in an appropriate manner (people who work 14 hours a day, don't bother...and you shouldn't have a dog anyway!) After all the logistics were done, we paid the $150 (could even use our card on their laptops), and they gave us our little man. The volunteer even took us to the back area and clipped his nails for us and gave us a collar and leash for free! Since our pup was only 2 months old, he hadn't had his rabies shot, neuter, or microchip yet, so they set us up with a vet close to home that will do it all for us and he is going next week! They emailed with me back and forth a week or so after we got him and coordinated all of it around our schedule...and we won't have to pay for anything. All in all, an amazing agency and they do amazing work. I would adopt from them again in a second if I had room for another puppy! Oh and the best part, was at 2 months old my little B was already paper trained! It made transitioning to outdoors a lot easier on us, and our rugs =) LOVE Pup Squad!

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.

I have fostered and adopted from shaggy dog rescue, they are simply the best. Kathy goes above and…read morebeyond for her dogs, that includes exceptional vet care for them (included all vetting even if they need specialists) She filters adopters because she wants her dogs to end up in good homes. I have never seen someone work as hard and diligent for their dogs' health and well being, she is an angel on this earth. Houston is lucky to have her! All the bad reviews must be from denied applications. To those people: -Make sure you are ready for a dog, they are lifetime commitments. -Make sure you can afford vet care. Vet care is expensive. If you complain about an adoption fee then clearly you are not informed on vet costs. -Make sure you can dedicate quality time ( walks , training spoiling) to your dog.Again.. they are lifetime commitments. I get it.. rescues can be tough and strict, they just want the best for the dogs. These dogs have already been through enough, they do not need more let downs. But if you are committed to adopting visit a local shelter! That is were the majority of the dogs in rescues come from. Lastly, the internet is a sad place where bullies can say whatever they want. Instead of bashing a person that clearly does great things for the rescue community in Houston, go do something positive. Volunteer or foster, its rewarding and you will learn rescue is not easy! If you read this review and you are in TX please visit the shelters ( always full of dogs) and volunteer, foster and adopt.

The woman that runs this rescue clearly doesn't want her dogs being rescued. She is rude, abrupt,…read moreand doesn't answer questions, she just forwards an auto-response. Don't get your hopes up like we did about getting a dog through her. You simply won't hear back. And don't even think about emailing her to ask, she'll immediately shut you down.

I've known Brenda and Mitchell for years, and know how dedicated they, and their wonderful…read morevolunteers, are to cats. The volunteers also foster many of these cats and the rescue goes the extra mile to be sure that the most suitable adopter gets each kitty. Wouldn't you want to be absolutely sure no horrific outcome happens to a kitten or cat you may have fostered and grown to love, maybe for months or even years? I've noticed that many of the one-star reviewers took issue with the length of the adoption application, and the requirements for adopting, such as keeping the cats indoors, harnesses, and other ordinary parameters that any reputable rescue includes. If you research any well-known cat organizations--ASPCA, Best Friends, Alley Cat Allies, etc.--you'll find that they promote all of the stipulations that Save A Purrfect Cat Rescue requires for the best outcome for their cats. The adopter who let a friend/neighbor/family member "cradle their new kitten lovingly in their arms" outside, already broke the contract. Indoor means indoor. Period. Why couldn't the loving person have come inside to pet the new kitty? Any unforeseen disaster could happen when an animal is outside--no matter how slim the chance is, it still exists. When adopting a kitten, it actually IS better for the kitten to have a playmate, as kittens can play for hours, and children do not have the same stamina as kittens. Kittens, and cats, like to curl up with each other to sleep, as well as with the kids, but people who don't understand cats well don't understand this. In addition, many kittens and cats are bonded, just one more reason that a responsible rescue refuses to separate them. That is actually the mark of a great rescue, not a shady one. If having more than one cat is an issue because of finances, I'd be leery of adopting to that family also. The family may be the most wonderful, caring people in the world, but if an extra kitty mouth to feed and provide litter for could break the bank, maybe waiting until you're more financially stable is the best option for both your family and the cats. No judgment, just being real. And buying the smaller cans of food for just one cat is actually more expensive that buying the larger cans to split between two. I have both fostered for and had kittens and cats adopted through this rescue. Save A Purrfect Cat Rescue sent me pics of the babies in their new home, kept a bonded pair of kittens together, and is making sure that a young cat I found goes to the perfect home, as she is not really fond of other kitties but loves people. All the information they require of potential adopters truly is necessary to make the best match for both cat AND adopter. I have volunteered and fostered for several cat rescues in this city, and I have to say that, hands down, this rescue goes further to vet their potential adopters than anyone else. They take into account the cat's temperament, and the family situation and environment, including other animals and children, for the best of reasons. They are not in it for profit or they'd adopt to anyone and everyone. Anyone this stringent is so because they truly care.

I was judged the minute I walked in! They acted as if I was barely good enough to care for cats. As…read moreif I found my way to the pearly gates of the kitty heaven when I arrived from a couple of the volunteers. Finally after being berated and barely passing that test I was able to adopt! I own my home, no debt, have a very stable job, I do not travel, I have no other hobbies other than to care for my cats, I have over 50 years of experience with cats that lived as long or longer than the average life of a cat. I went there to find a companion because I lost my cat and Spooky Doo should have some kittens to help him too. On the first weekend after I pre-adopted, I was asked to stay for after 5:00 because Brenda wants to offer me something that I would like! She offered to let me become a foster parent and take all four kittens because they felt the place here, they were at wasn't the best place for the foster who had a stroke and couldn't care for them as well. I mentioned later that I should have taken them up on the offer just so I can have my babies and bond with them. Brenda said oh, that was never said, and we wouldn't do that, and they are safe! I spent 4 weekends going up to visit and was told the wait process and because of the 4th of July it would be prolonged. I didn't care much about that, but I understood thinking the process would be just a few days longer than expected. They are NOT proactive, and you will have to reach out constantly for updates on the next steps and when I would be able to get the babies. I was told they didn't schedule the kittens to be fixed until the 18th of July and sometime a week after that would be available. That's 8 weeks of waiting to adopt kittens that were already almost 3 lbs. and, in this case, they would be almost 6 months old before I was able to get them! Not only was it exhausting dealing with this organization and being policed and not able to talk while other adopters are there and told to move and wait for the other adopters while you are having a play dates with your kittens for 4 weekends. I spent a lot of time with the kittens and I fell in love with them but after this experience, I will not be getting now. I was devastated and couldn't believe Brenda the founder's commits on how everything is my fault as in something is wrong with me. All the instructions from the volunteers and her were turned around and told that's not what was said. Brenda constantly said that's not what we said, and her volunteers shouldn't have said that because they don't know....blah, blah. By the way Brenda, you should also hear how your own volunteers speak about you when you're not there or roll their eyes and sigh behind your back when you are there. She proceeded to tell me that they did a background check on me and said that they ALL felt that I was a lonely drunk! If they did their background well enough, I have NEVER committed any crime whatsoever! Who does this to people and blames all the adopters for their shortcomings, and she has sooo much to do besides this and then deflects to make me feel bad for their ill behavior and unprofessionalism. Unfortunately, someone else close to Brenda passed away which is very sad but take a break or have someone else take over for a while or shut down until you can get back on track. How are we supposed to know this and then... deflecting from the conversation again, she told me she lost her only daughter which is again truly very sad. Why are the adopters to be the ones that are always WRONG and made felt subhuman and out of their mind. We don't wish you, Brenda, to suffer all the losses of life! This is a horrible process to go through in life. Don't punish others because of your pain. Thank you for giving me my money back and I wish the best for all the kittens to find a lovely home like I have to offer and provide company to all of us pet humans even the lonely drunks!

I've been adopting from here since 2014. I have had 3 dogs from there, all age ranges. These dogs…read morechanged my life and I was impressed by this shelter. I don't have to worry about vet costs , spaying or neutering. This is already done a d included in the initial fee of 20.00-60.00. They have many breeds. The senior dogs are the best behavior wise, if you don't want to go through puppy training. Highly recommended

I got a puppy there on Sep 9. Initially they marked him as a German shepherd even though he…read moreobviously looks like a lab. Ever since I brought him home I have gone bankrupt with him. The dog has 3 types of worms, severe cough that shortly developed. I thought I was bringing home a healthy puppy, instead he is very sick, has fleas as well. I don't know how the shelter could let a dog be with worms and fleas and respiratory infection and not notice .

This rescue wants to be sure all of their cats go to the best home for them. As I read the negative…read morereview of the person who was "just browsing" to maybe replace a kitty who had just passed, I had a huge red flag when I saw that she didn't think it was the rescue's business to ask how the kitty died. Why would you be anything other than transparent about that? Old age, or illness, whether the kitty is old or young, is nothing to want to hide. Did the kitty get out and get mauled to death? The rescue wants to make sure that ALL of their animals go to a home where the kitty will be viewed as family. And it is a responsible rescue's job to ask questions of potential adopters, especially on the subject of safety. Personally, the more stringent a rescue is, the better I feel about it. I can say that this rescue does their due diligence in choosing the best home for their kitties. Of course, in the case of those who fell in love with a particular cat that others also wanted, I get that there will be hurt feelings. I do know that this rescue develops a connection with every one of the furbabies they have for adoption; I feel better about this rescue than any other one in town. There are so many that will adopt to just anyone, and care only about the money they make from each adoption. As someone who fosters cats and kittens, I have a huge emotional investment in making sure they're adopted by someone who will love them like children. SaveAPurrfectCat Rescue wants that too, and goes the extra mile to accomplish that.

This is everything that a rescue should not be. The director asked me to adopt multiple cats, when…read morei was only prepared to adopt one. That one cat is being held by the director to entice other people (the cat is exotic). It was a grave, heartbreaking process as I waited days, then weeks for her to return my calls and emails. When we met initially, she made me stay all day at her rescue while she tended to other people/animals. My time was completely devalued. The next day, when I gratefully asked to rescue Olivia, with whom I truly felt a connection, she never returned my calls. She also continues to field requests for people who want Olivia, but has never released her. (I know this because she accidentally sends strange emails that are directed to other recipients. I'm not sure she understands how email works.) I doubt seriously that much re-homing happens with this rescue. Certainly it's subject to many factors that are irrelevant to provision for a homeless cat. The description for "Olivia" and her asking to be loved in a Forever Home was just this rescue owner's way of attracting people who found Olivia beautiful/charming. She herself admitted she's had hundreds of people interested, but "none of them were good for Olivia." This is why people go to animal shops/pet stores/breeders instead of trying to help rescues. I would have done anything necessary to provide a loving, safe, permanent home for Olivia, and she completely blocked that opportunity and unprofessionally at that.