I want to give more than 5 stars for NLOL. Our adoption counselor Jackie is just amazing in terms…read moreof support she provides! She checks in with me about the dog almost everyday provide appropriate support and guidance every time when I was faced with difficulties because the dog was not fully house trained. NLOL offers two week foster period before adoption, which is a wonderful mechanism to get to know the dog before the big commitment. I am still in the middle of the foster period but I am just beyond impressed by the support I was given. It has been an wonderful experience so far. I would recommend NLOL to everyone who is considering adopting a dog!

If you read nothing else - fostering with New Leash on Life is the best, no-regrets decision I ever…read moremade. If you want more details about how and why I reached this conclusion, read on. I wanted to volunteer with animals, and I was frustrated by the larger organizations extremely limited opportunities and complicated process to volunteer. No, I didn't want to read a 50 page manual and take a test just to clean cages. I wanted to make a big difference in the lives of dogs and help Chicago become a no-kill city. Surely, it couldn't be that hard to find an organization with no red tape and an easy process to volunteer. Enter: New Leash on Life. I found them about 2.5 years ago on this Yelp page with their address listed downtown. I later realized this downtown address was only a PO Box which means NLOL does not have a physical location/adoption center. The implication of this is that all dogs go straight from rescue into foster homes until they find their forever families. This process can take weeks or sometimes months - depending on the dog. Don't let the uncertainty of a timeline deter you - fostering for New Leash is an absolute dream and here are my top three reasons why: 1. Unparalleled people - the nicest and most sincere adoption counselors. They constantly check up on the pups, their progress, and making sure you as a foster have everything you need. Not just via email- typically by text messages which means a quick response time. 2. Super flexible - a. Vacation or trip? No problem! New Leash will work with you and your schedule b. Work long hours? No problem! New Leash can schedule a walker to come during the day 3. And last but not least, THE DOGS. They really know how to pick them. Every dog that I've fostered has been kind hearted, adorable, and an A++ cuddler. Every dog deserves the right to a loving, safe home. Yes fostering is a short term arrangement, but it's a critical piece to helping these pups find their long term forever. Nothing makes me happier than seeing every dog I've fostered thriving in their forever homes. If you're on the fence about fostering, just try it. Anyone who loves dogs can do it and do it successfully. It is an extremely rewarding process and this organization makes it SO easy.

I have been fostering with them for 6 months now and I can't say enough good things about this…read moreorganization. The staff loves their job, are on it when your foster is sick and are pros at social media marketing to show off the fosters cuteness. What I love most about this organization is that most animals are in foster homes. It gives them time to decompress and allow them to show their true potential. Future adopters are able to really get to know their likes, dislike and quirks. Don't hesitate to volunteer, foster or adopt your newest cuddle buddy

Staff members at OTAT were very helpful and informative, their dogs are clearly loved and well…read morecared for. They gave us great tips and resources after we adopted Fitz! The process was easy and affordable. Thorough medical record keeping. The only bad thing I could say is the facility does feel a bit under-resourced for a rescue group that has been around for 3 decades. Feels like walking into a rental home, but I assure you this group and their team were highly professional and high quality! Will certainly be recommending OTAT to others. :-)

Very compassionate staff. The go above and beyond to care for all the precious animals in their careread more

After my dog's passing.... I had alot of food, treats and other care products left over…read more So, I went to this shelter location and dropped off the food/treats there. This facility (62 S Wabash) is an intake location. If have questions about animals they are willing to help. So, if you find a lost animal or you can't simply take care of your pet due to a variety of reasons.... You can simply drop the animal to this location and they will try to reunite the lost animal; network with the various animal organizations and/or contact the veterinarian for it's well being.. The staff are very nice, friendly to me and the animals inside. This location has a unique history dealing with a variety of animals. Since this location looks old from the outside, however it's what goes on in the inside that counts. If I had extra money on the side, I would love to give the building a face lift (rehab) because it really needs it. The animals will be temporarily given shelter, food, water, treats, walks, etc. Until the next step (reuniting with their owners, being transferred to an animal location and/or shelter). It smells a little bit and I don't think the smell will ever go away due to it's long-life-legacy of giving care for the animals. Chicago Animal Adoptions and Pet Adoptions, Chicago Vet Clinic, Lost Dog | Animal Welfare League http://www.animalwelfareleague.com/

Great staff. I had researched cats on line and knew the one I wanted to meet. The staff were great,…read moremeet went well and the adoption process was easy. The huge problem was my cat was starving. When I looked at the records this small cat lost 20% of her body weight in about 3 months. When I got her home and fed her the same food she couldn't keep it down. If I continued with feeding her that food, and I added a good quality canned food, same issue, she wouldn't have last 6 weeks. Luckily a friend gave me a bag of food which I tried. 3 months later she is healthy, great weight and happy. I know they are a huge number of animals to watch but even their vets commented on how skinny she was and how she was losing weight. There is some lack.

Have been trying to adopt a surrender. We've talked to several people about this and each one…read morepromised to call back. We know the person that surrendered him and this is where he took him. First we were told he had been neutered and it would be a couple of days. They knew we were going to take the dog! Called today, got the run-around, put in hold and then disconnected. Called back and was told the dog was "transferred" but they would not divulge where he was taken. We were told a manager would call back ... didn't happen. Sent an e-mail to Darlene, the president, again no response. How sad. I used to donate a lot of money to this shelter, but stopped because of poor practices. I'll send my money to Felines and Canines. They genuinely care about the animals. Please don't take your dogs there!

This is a tough place to review since it's not a "typical" service, but I really admire the work…read moreCACC does despite being overcrowded and stretched thin. They're doing their best for the animals, and I hope sharing my experience helps anyone considering adopting. We ended up with the sweetest little cat that we absolutely love! We first visited on a Thursday around 4 pm. After waiting about 10 minutes, we filled out a form about what kind of pet we were looking for. About 25 minutes later, a volunteer walked us through the facility. It's clear they're over capacity, there were animals even in the hallways and in the cat rooms the cats are kept in wall cages. You don't get much time to interact, so it's tricky to gauge temperament. We chose a cat we thought seemed sweet. She still needed to be spayed and microchipped, so we couldn't take her home that day. They couldn't give a clear timeline, but by Monday we got the call that her surgery was done. We picked her up Tuesday, which took about an hour of waiting. Adoption fees were completely waived (normally $65, which is already very reasonable), and the cost of her surgery and microchip were covered. Once home, she did come down with a URI, so we had to visit the vet and get her some meds, but she's doing well now. Overall, CACC is a great place to adopt from if you're patient and want to give an animal a second chance. The process isn't super streamlined, but the staff and volunteers clearly care, and you'll be helping an animal in need

While staying with a relative on the south side, my daughter and I encountered a very friendly,…read moreferal cat, who we fed regularly. Whenever we opened the back door to let our dog out, she would run in to the enclosed porch to look for a dark place to chill. We would escort her out and she would always come back. The next week we noticed whenever we let our dog out, she would always run under the house. One morning when my daughter was out back with our dog, she excitedly came back in and said there were 6 kittens under the house. Ahhhhh!!!! We took care of them for a couple of weeks but knew we couldn't keep them. I found a PAWS location but was referred to animal care and control. When I got there, there were a few people in line. A very brusque and unfriendly security guard immediately took my id and handed me a form to fill out. The wait was long and people had questions for the guard who was behind a locked door, but she quickly and rudely blew them off . This made everyone very angry and uncomfortable. I was told it was a "no kill" facility, but once I got inside, I became uncomfortable. Staff was very no-nonsense and there was a dude in a hazmat suit walking around pushing what looked like a laundry cart. What did that mean? I really don't know. They took the cats, gave them a couple of shots and put them in a cardboard box and sent me on my way. I left feeling kind of sad. And when I talked to a friend later, she informed me they were a "high kill" shelter and when I told her one of the staff members said it was "no kill" she laughed at me. I don't know.

I am a crazy cat lady. With that said, I always look for excuses to pat more cats I can find. On…read moreone October off-work day, I made a reservation for the "Tree House Humane Society" cafe to see some cats in West Rogers Park. Reservation was done online and no deposit was needed. I paid $10 onsite which included a drink or pastry of my choice and 30 min play time with these feline beauties. When I arrived at the cafe at the scheduled time, the young lady at the cafe informed me there was only one cat in the cafe area but offered me to see some more cats upstairs. Honestly, that was a great trade-off even though she kept apologizing to me for the inconvenience. I was able to enjoy my iced chai and visited some kittens and adult cats in different colonies. Toys and hand sanitizers were provided as we entered and exited each colony. The barista lady introduced me to the cats that were awake for some playtime. Too bad 30 minutes went by way to fast and it was time for me to leave. "Tree House Humane Society" is near the 49B (Western) bus stop. I personally had to take 3 busses from my house to get there, so I do recommend driving since parking should not be too hard to find. There are spots by the building for the patrons I assume.

What an impressive rescue shelter. It was the first stop on our journey to find a new cat. The Tree…read moreHouse staff was extremely friendly and helpful. After reviewing all of the adoptable felines, we fell in love with a small 1 year old cat that they called Toaster. She is perfect. Because of Bissell's Clear Out The Shelters" special (May 1- May 17) adoption fees were reduced from $115 to $70.

They treat the animals so well here. It's great! A huge selection of kittens and cats of all types…read more They give them shots and fix them. Great place to support!

Felines and Canines is the most wonderful shelter! I had to put down one of my cats recently and…read morewhen I began looking to adopt a new friend, I stumbled upon Felines and Canines. They were so helpful from the start and made the adoption process so easy. After filling out the application, they were very prompt with responses (even during a holiday week!), I was able to schedule an appointment to meet the available cats. I absolutely loved that they are a "cage less" shelter and I was able to really see all the different personalities of the cats. I met this sweet little Tuxedo cat and knew he had to come home with me! The staff were so helpful in answering all my questions and made the paperwork process very smooth and easy. I've now had Joey (formerly Darth Vader) for two weeks and couldn't be happier!!

I LOVE U.S. Bones! They have been around since '05, and they are dedicated in raising money for…read moreanimal welfare groups (shelters and rescue)! They offer a variety of pet products, such as bones, rawhide, chews, pet food/supplements, treats, and cleaning products. I love that their prices are deeply-discounted and/or highly-competitive with other pet supply stores. Their warehouse is based out of Chicago, so if you're a local resident and want to save on shipping, you have the option to pick-up your orders there! :D Don't forget to sign up for their Customer Loyal Rewards program (free), as you can rack up points for further discounts! The staff here are very pleasant and offers a high level of customer service. +fundraises $ for animal shelters & rescue groups (!!!) :D +based out of Chicago +local warehouse pick-up available (free shipping)

Just wanted to come back and say it's now been 8 months since Charlie has joined our family and he…read moreis doing so well!! I'll add a few updated pics of him looking so healthy now.

My kitten was brought here to get spayed, her incision didn't seem fully closed, but over the…read morecourse of a few days she reopened it. The main part as to why they don't get 5 stars is because they do not answer the phone. You can call and call but they refer you to a voicemail even if you select that your animal is currently in their care or has recently been there for service. It's very inconvenient to not be able to contact them, and in my opinion unsafe if my animal were to be in their care at the time. I went up to the clinic without an appointment and let them know the issue, and they fixed it right away. I waited no more like 5-10 minutes for my kitty to be brought to the back to have her incision stapled, with new medication, a cone, and instructions to bring her back in the following week with no ifs ands or buts. I was appreciative that they fixed the problem so seemlessly, but wish I could've had the comfort of knowing before I got there that it wouldn't have been a problem! All in all I've brought every single one of my pets here for a neuter/spay and will continue doing so

We adopted Mulder (FKA "Cider") shortly before Christmas. Even though we were running late to the…read moreadoption event, MARS representatives stayed late and made sure we had a connection with the dog that we only originally knew from pictures. Their care and concern for the puppies was evident. They also helped us select the right dog food and essential accessories, which helped us immensely. They were honest about his lack of housebreaking and leash training, and directed us to sources for assistance in those areas. Since we got Mulder just before he was scheduled to be neutered, MARS provided a $75 rebate with proof that the dog was fixed (required with the adoption contract), which was sent to my PayPal account. He was also up-to-date on his puppy series shots and very healthy. Although we never needed it (yea!) also knowing that I had a month of free health insurance for Mulder was also very comforting, as was his microchipping. Throughout the process MARS representatives have been very responsive and communicative, answering even the "tough questions" and concerns. I'm sorry for the experiences that people had 2 years ago, a sick puppy is no fun. Thankfully, our experience with MARS has been excellent in every way, and I would definitely adopt from this no-kill rescue again.

Working with MARS has been a great experience for us! My husband and I searched online for…read moreadoptable puppies, and that's when we found MARS. We found the most adorable puppy, Hannah (now Bailey!), and filled out an application, which was reviewed and approved in a very timely fashion. We were even able to reserve Bailey in advance, which meant we didn't have to worry about missing out on her or something going wrong. Shortly after we were approved, Alex got into contact with me via email (which is great for me!). I asked TONS of questions and wrote a few lengthy emails- All of which Alex responded to usually within a few hours and took the time to go over everything I wanted to know in detail. We weren't getting this kind of attention with other rescues, so it was a great feeling to see how much they care about their animals and finding them good homes! When we went to our adoption event, they offered to stay a day late since we couldn't make it for their original time due to a family wedding. They gave us all of Bailey's medical records and explained everything on there. They made some great recommendations for food, treats, toys, and keeping her healthy. We took Bailey home that day, and couldn't be happier! She's a wonderful pup, and has been a wonderful addition to our family!