I have donated consistently to cat groups in the past ten years (Spay and Neuter, MEOW, Cat Alley, Humane Society, King County Animal Shelter, etc.). When I could no longer care for my cat, surprisingly, it was SAS that came through and helped me. I had been told on forums that a group like SAS would in all likelihood euthanize my cat. My memory of SAS from ten years ago was a section devoted to cats in small cages down the hall from a room where dogs were howling as if all Hell had broken out. I was distressed that the cats, all of whom were quietly sitting in their small cages, would have to endure dog mayhem at its most repellent. But a week ago, I visited SAS and surrendered my beloved cat. The room had changed: it was soundproofed, so that cats--still in small cages, could at least not be subject to the internal dog howling. The volunteers were all pleasant and empathetic. I stayed for an hour, enough time to say good-bye to my cat. They have a foster program for cats that have been surrendered. It is not exactly clear, from the website, how they operate, though. Are most of the cats surrenders or feral, for instance? What is the chance of a cat being euthanized because of age, behavior issues, or chronic health problems? I know the Humane Society has much nicer "digs" for their cats, which is why I hoped against all hope that I could surrender him there, which is where I adopted him as a kitten 8-9 years ago. They never got back to me. I can, in good conscience, sing the praises of SAS. They came through for both me and my cat when least expected ("kitty season"). He has a chance for a new and better life. For that, I am eternally grateful. Unlike other non-profits, of course, they do receive government funding. It does seem odd, though, that people who donate to the non-profits often are ignored by the very same non-profits in time of need. read more

We found this sweet and friendly female pitbull on a stormy night in Seattle. We wanted to ensure that she would be able to find a home, since she has been wondering around for 2 days (based on lost dogs of king county) with no claim from her owner. They offer free microchip check services here and their machine is fast on checking. Unfortunately, she was not microchipped and we hope that she gets reunited with her owner soon. In 3 days, she will be put up for adoption if there is no claim and we just want her to find a loving family that will give her all the love and care she deserves. We asked if we can get an update on her status, but SAS is understaffed so they told us they don't have a system to help update. There is plenty of parking here in the lot, but it is pretty tight. Came here on a Sunday and just had to enter our name and reason on their iPad to be added on the waitlist. Staff here are nice and provided water for her while we waited. read more

I was going to a period of homelessness and G.G., my dog became aggressive and trying to protect me, she started nipping and biting people to be protective of me. So in me doing the right thing I called animal control to surrender my animal. Who that way they wouldn't kill my dog and I wouldn't get criminal charges. I was there to believe that I would get my dog back along with behavioral training as long as I was committed to my dog which I had rescued my dog from a horrible situation and I loved her. 2 minute 2 months later when I got rehoused and went to claim my dog they told me she had been adopted out. I was cool with that at least she was in a good home. Then she showed up on animals website again so I went to inquire about getting my dog back. They would not give me my dog man. After they let me to believe that I'd be able to do so. They are horrible horrible horrible people for doing this. Looking out for the save to you all I did the right thing in this situation delivery to believe like getting my dog back and they wouldn't give her back. Horrible horrible horrible horrible people for lying and doing such actions. DO NOT USE THIS BUSINESS THEY ARE HORRIBLE PEOPLE AND THEY ARE HORRIBLE COMMUNICATORS WITH THEIR CLIENTS!!!! read more

I don't like leaving negative - ish reviews unless they're deserved. And I certainly don't want to deter anyone from adopting a loving pet from here. Please still do, but do so with caution, ask questions about health, and use a healthy dose of skepticism from the staffs responses. Whoever is in charge of this shelter needs to get it together. The staff, by no fault of their own, presumably, is scattered and under supportered. I don't blame them for the bad experience necessarily, because I know they're trying their best. But cmon. I adopted a very sweet pet from here and am very happy with my decision. However, the staff admitted they forgot to finish her round of vaccines before adoption and said I should just do it at my own vets. Fine. Except they sent me home with a pet who had a very contagious infection that would've been prevented by that very vaccine. The shelter never bothered to respond when I notified them of this after a multi thousand dollar ER visit. I've worked with and in many shelters in the area, and this one remains my least favorite. Inefficient, scattered, and dishonest about health histories. (We were given misleading advice about this vaccine situation and the staff withheld that the animal had been experiencing symptoms of the very infection she had) They're obviously dealing with a lot and trying their best. I recognize this and don't want to deter anyone from getting a beautiful pet from here. But just know that the shelter is not run very efficiently and lacks the protocols in place to ensure that every animal receives the preventative care they deserve before adoption, I was not planning to write a review but the shelter has had nearly half a year to respond to me about the illness situation and opted to ignore it. read more

I had an extremely disappointing experience with Seattle Animal Control on Monday, November 18, 2024, around 3:20-3:30 PM. I called to report what I believed to be a dog in need of a welfare check--a white husky belonging to a homeless man in downtown Seattle with a very swollen face, to the point where the dog could barely open its eyes. My intention was simply to alert someone who might be in the area to check on the dog's condition. The person who answered the phone, a man I believe, was rude and dismissive from the start. He acted as if my call was an inconvenience and made it clear he didn't want to listen to me. He interrupted me repeatedly, wouldn't let me finish explaining, and even seemed to mock me during the conversation. I'm baffled by this reaction, especially from someone working for an agency that's supposed to help animals. Instead of showing concern or professionalism, this person's behavior made me feel disrespected and discouraged. Seattle Animal Control exists to protect and assist animals in need, but with someone like this representing the organization, it's clear there's a serious issue. I hope the city reevaluates how they train and hire staff for such critical roles. Animals--and the people who care about them--deserve better. read more

The directions online for the facility and parking area were very clear. The shelter appeared neat and tidy. Staff and volunteers were all very professional and friendly. We adopted a kitten that had only been surrendered by the previous owner an hour before we arrived. The whole process of adoption went smoothly and all questions were answered adequately. We had been to two previous shelters before this one, and both were not as friendly or as competent as Seattle Animal Shelter. Thumbs way up! read more

Seattle Animal Shelter - Animal Shelters Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Short story: we found a sick kitten for whi h we cared for, for 36 hrs. We took him to vet who turned him in to the S.A.S. We mentioned multiple times we wanted him since we found him. After 2 weeks, they gave him to someone else because they dropped the ball. Poor communication, irresponsible and unprofessional. Long story: We found a sick kitten and brought him to our vet who then transfered the kitten to SAS for a temporary hold in the event the kitten belonged to someone else. We made it known to our vet AND to SAS that we wanted to keep the kitten if he belonged to no one. We were told the hold was 48 hrs. After a week we checked and he was put in foster care. We said we still wanted him and they said yes we see the notes. Another week goes by and still nothing. We checked again and asked why he still hadnt been cleared for adoption. The girl didnt know and went to check. She said he was cleared and not sure why he was still on hold. We said we wanted the kitten. She said she would change the status and all we had to do was fill out the online form and apply. We did just that 20 mins later. The next day we get a response with the foster parent cc'd so we could meet up to arrange adoption. We never heard back from foster parent. We emailed SAS and the foster parent 2 days later and the SAS emails us back stating that the foster parent decided to adopt the kitten. We were furious as we had found him and had checked multiple times and reminding that we wanted to keep him. They said whoever put the notes in, didnt put them in the right place in their system. We asked why we werent offered the opportunity to foster and they said.... "you werent offered that?". Apparently the foster parent put in her application for adoption before us, which i dont understand as we sent it 20 mins after he had been cleared in the system, and since she applied first she got to keep him. Their communication is terrible, their employees aren't even trained how to use their computer system and all they could do was apologize even though they could have just as easily denied her application and given him to us once they found the incorrectly placed documentation stating we found him and wanted him. read more

My deadbeat neighbors abandoned their cat for the second time. I couldn't keep that sweet baby because I already had two cats. I was encouraged by others to take him to the Seattle Animal Shelter. This turned out to be the biggest mistake of my life and I am devastated. Two days later after taking him there, I received a cold heartless call from a woman there. She said that they had given him back to the owner and that cats can be indoor/outdoor. I explained to her that this cat had ALWAYS been an indoor only cat. He had already been in a fight. She told me that he was perfectly fine which I knew was a complete lie. I saw two puncture wounds on his chest from the fight. She insisted that the owners were contacted and that they picked him up because they must have wanted him. So, I called my apartment manager and asked if she or the assistant manager had been contacted by anyone from SAS. The answer was a big fat NO!!! The only way to get a hold of the owner would have been speaking with one of the managers because the owners speak little to no ENGLISH! Basically, SAS lied to me about the cat. Now, I have no clue as to what really happened to that sweet kitty. I will NEVER take another furbaby to them again. read more

Great people running such an important service for the animals and people in Seattle. It does seem like the staff and volunteers are overworked so I hope they can receive plenty of support to make sure the dogs, cats, and critters here find good homes. Try to get an appointment since Wednesdays and Sundays when they're open to the public can get really hectic with long wait times. There is plenty of free parking in the lots both in front and behind the building. read more

Half of the dogs are in foster, the other 1/2 you aren't allowed to see without waiting in line and booking an appointment to see a single dog. How are you supposed to find a dog to adopt from just photos, going in person no better than just going on the website. read more

My amazing good girl lived here before I adopted her. I have owned many dogs, but none as good as my Cali girl. The employees here are very nice and wonderful. You get to walk dogs you like. As soon as I walked my dog, I knew she was my dog. An extra big thank you to Ken, who helped handle the adoption. Ken, I often think how nice it would be to bring Cali to visit you, but don't want to freak her out by bringing her back to the shelter. Please private message me if you read this and would like to say hello. Cali is almost always out in public with me at work, running errands, or shopping. read more

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Very disappointed. Drove to the shelter to donate bags of blankets/towels/cat toys and litter. Every where says they are open 7 days a week 9-5. Went on a Saturday at 12:30. Rang the doorbell multiple times waiting In the rain. Tried calling, was sent to a city of seattle automated voicemail. After pressing several numbers following the prompt I was unable to get anyone. I will try emailing to schedule a time even though the hours are listed online with zero information about needing an appointment The most locked down place I've ever seen, unable to get ahold of anyone. read more

these people almost killed my cat. Let me just start at the beginning. I took my sweet and loving 4 1/2 month old kitten Labyrinth to one of the shelters free vaccination clinics in Rainer Beach. The process was amazing and smooth. all the works were extremely helpful and they even handed out free food. While at the vac. clinic they were offering spay and neuter appointments for pets that needed them. I scheduled Labyrinths spay surgery with them for November 7th, easy peasy! come November 7th I take my sweet girl to the upstairs spay and neuter clinic at the shelter, I should have walked out then and there because I was merely greeted with a horrible attitude from the receptionist, she rushed me out and told me to come back later and she'll be fine! she didn't have any time to answer my questions regarding the surgery and handled Labyrinth like she was a stuffed animal. I admitted my cat at 10am and came back at 4pm to take my precious girl home. Receptionist gave me a single piece of paper with after care instructions. I will mention that on said piece of paper the animal shelter number was listed a total of three times with the words "if you notice anything off about your cat please call us IMMEDIATELY!!" Well, lo and behold my cat started to not get up for her food two days after surgery. she wouldn't go to the bathroom and her stomach started to smell horribly. I continued to monitor her for the night and the next morning. That morning I noticed her stomach smelt worse, puss was oozing from her spay incision and she obviously was in distress. I called the shelter a total of 25 times, i left voicemails after voicemails. I went as far as showing up to the clinic, I rang every doorbell on every floor to no avail. (Apple maps said they were open) I was in tears because i felt so helpless standing in the rain with my infected kitten. I took Labyrinth across the street to the Veterinary Emergency Group. Immediately they brought me to the back room and got a good look at her. they did an ultrasound on her stomach and immediately told me that fluid was building up underneath her skin and she has a severe infection. They performed emergency surgery and told me she was lucky I came when i did or she would not have made it. These wonderful vets flushed her incision out and closed it back up. What they told me absolutely crushed me, they said I did everything I was supposed to do care wise for her and it was the fault of the shelter. They said this severe of an infection isn't caused from her being at home but rather surgical malpractice at the animal shelters hands. The doctors also informed me that the infection was deep inside of her already sewn up incision and was becoming septic.. They firmly told me I should seek monetary compensation from the shelter because this situation could have been easily avoided. Once again I called and called and left voicemails. It has been 19 days since this ordeal and I still haven't gotten a call back :))). To make things worse to save my poor kittens life it was $1500. (which i would do again if it meant she could grow and be healthy) Don't spend your money at this shelter or give them any of your time. They do not care about our pets. read more

I feel so bad for the animals there. Went in and sounded like dogs were crying for help... broke my heart. They had my dog and wanted over $500 to get him out. I lucky talked to the manager and helped me out but the staff are just plain out rude and disrespectful. They have no sympathy for animals. read more

I have adopted two cats here. Friendly staff good facilities and they have a decently robust foster care system that helps give animals the time and space they need to heal. That being said, ALWAYS ask to see the medical/intake notes they have for the animal you're looking at especially if you're seriously considering adopting said creature. They usually do a decent job of pointing out major illness on the profile but with my first cat, I found out they lied about her age (They told us she was 8 when we got her 4 years ago. Turns out she was 16) and that their medical records which were not given to us stated they knew about several other medical issues that we didn't know about or catch until they became a larger more exspensive issue. This isn't a problem specific to S.A.S. and you guys do wonderful work otherwise. But for any potential adopters. Ask for that paperwork. It could literally save you and the pet pain and grief in future. read more

Good mission & nice staff/volunteers (a bit clueless sometimes)... If you are visiting the shelter for any reason please, I repeat, PLEASE wait until they open their doors. Don't just assume that you can follow the staff through any door. Remember, they have to go in and get everything ready to help you & everyone else (yes, there are other people in this world, not just you) efficiently. read more

I have a LOVE and HATE relationship with this Shelter! I LOVE that they have dogs but hate that there are so many of them! :'( I wish I could take all of these cuties home or at least find them homes!!! Seattle Animal Shelter is the only shelter I've come across with an abundance of "friendly" dogs. They supply you with background information on the pups and their behavior. You'll see a bunch of "volunteers" walking around tending to both the animals and their visitors. It is also quite obvious that they bathe, walk, feed and clean the animals frequently. Even if you are not looking to adopt, I'd suggest paying a visit whenever you are in the area. These adorable pups need love and attention, just as much as adoption. You can even ask to take them out and play for a little while! read more

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The Seattle Animal Shelter is AMAZING. I am only biased because I regularly volunteer here however. The shelter tries their best to accommodates the public's needs while being understaffed due to budget cuts. The full time staff and the volunteers here are fabulous and love their jobs! There is so much passion and dedication for a city run municipal shelter. There is always a wide selection of pets to choose from too if you are looking for a furry friend. From rats to cats to dogs and bunnies and sometimes even goats! If you do not see the pet you are looking for at the facility, many pets are also in foster care, so check the foster bulletin boards. Overall, I whole heartedly recommend adopting your next best friend from SAS, and all adoption fees go towards the vaccinations and care fees of your furry pal. ADOPT DON'T SHOP! read more

Seattle Animal Shelter - Hi my name is Dylan, please adopt me! I am currently in foster care, so check me out! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Seattle, Washington

Clean facility, friendly and welcoming staff. I got my ‍ here 6 years ago and haven't looked back!

I dropped off a found animal here and they wanted me to sign a 10 day waiver that the animal didn't bite anyone. I told them multiple times we had just found it so I'm not taking responsibility for anything that happened prior to the animal being found. What part of we just found it, we tried to do the right thing by getting it here and we shouldn't be responsible for its actions prior to us finding it, they didn't understand that. WTF. Finally another worker came up and was like its ok we'll still take the animal. We thought we were doing a good thing by not leaving this poor animal on the street and bringing here to maybe get cared for or adopted by a family or they could find the original owner. But to have them try and have me sign something false. I get there are protections and liabilities but come on it was just found not like we've had it for decades. Now I've had mixed dealings with this shelter. On a different occasion I called on the phone and asked about the adoption process and what we need to have/do. The guy on the phone was really nice and thorough. He gave me a lot of detail and made the process which can be very complicated/convoluted in pretty to follow steps. Even though we didn't end up adopting it's nice to get the process down so we know for future reference. And it was a positive experience vs the other negative one we had. read more

So, I hate to write a bad review for an animal shelter because of all the good work they do, but i feel it is necessary to write about my experience honestly so others know what to expect if they intend to adopt from here. Before visiting the shelter, I called and asked how many senior cats they would have at the shelter. They said there were plenty that are available for adoption and we'd have many options. Drove an hour to the shelter, got there when they opened. It was already packed so I asked the volunteer standing near the door for some help. She directed me to the forms (need to fill one out to see any animal) and showed me the book of available cats. She also said there were some in the shelter but most were in foster care. Stood on line for about thirty minutes to meet with the people who will look over and approve your request form. We went into the back and one volunteer showed us the two senior cats. They needed to be adopted together, so we weren't able to take them home. :( We looked at the book of cats in foster care again and after hearing good things about one cat in particular, decided to schedule a meeting to meet her. They informed us we would have to wait on line to talk with the people again at the desk to set up an appointment. By now the shelter was filled to the brim with people so we decided to make an appointment via telephone as per their recommendation. Called the rescue hotline and was directed to the voicemail where I left a message with all of my information. Keep in mind there is no operator for this number, they only work through leaving messages. The voicemail said to expect a call back within 48 hrs. 48 hrs pass and no one returns our call. I call again and leave another message. 48 hours again pass and no call back. We decided to look elsewhere and was able to adopt a beautiful cat from Seattle Humane in Bellevue. I cannot recommend this place enough. We were in and out within an hour and a half. The process is really streamlined and efficient. The cat from Seattle animal shelter is still available online. It's sad we weren't able to give her a home because of the disorganization at the shelter :( read more

The shelter and the volunteers that work here are great! For starters, it is very easily accessible via the King County bus system. Just ride the 15 or 18 (or the 21/22 or 56, which all become either the 15 or 18---yeah I know, Seattle bus systems are strange) and it will drop you off right in front of the shelter. There are always a ton of volunteers here as well as full time staff, licensing folks, and animal control officers. I highly suggest that if you want to see any of the pets, that you fill out the forms on the website first and then carry them with you at all times. The papers serve as permission slips to open the cages. There are two rooms of cats, and a wall of kittens. I like watching some of the cats paw at you through the cage. They are so cute. Note that if you want to handle more than one cat, you need to use hand sanitizer between each visit. In the more open room that serves as a connector hallway you can take out some of these cats and play in the area, but only one cat at a time. Be sure to read the papers attached to the cage so you can get an idea of what the animal is like. Ask the volunteers or the full time staff if you want more information because they handle them on a daily basis. If an animal has a green piece of paper, that means that it is available for adoption immediately! There is also a bunny/small creature room and a dog room. The dogs are cute, and every time I look at them I just want to take them all home. Seriously. If you want, you can take a dog out on a walk as long as you leave them your photo ID. I did this once and the dog loved it. The animals in general seem pretty happy and well treated. The staff have been pretty nice and informative. One thing I also like is the breakdown of the adoption fees. One nice thing about this shelter is that if the animal already had one or more of the services listed (e.g. spayed/neutered, rabies shot, etc.), you can subtract the fee from your total adoption fee. So if the animal already came in up to date on shots, etc. then the total is very cheap. Please support this great animal shelter! read more

I went there to inquire about any volunteer possibility and if there was any help they needed. A lady staff came to the person who as in-front of me and behind me in the line asked if they needed help and what they where waiting for. She attended to both of them. I was patient and waiting. After a while, it seemed that she was just standing there although I was clearly waiting. I went to here directly and asked if there were any volunteer opportunities available. She behaved as if she did not even understand me. I tried to repeat my question a few times. It was very clear she did not want to answer my questions. This is a pathetic organization to call itself an animal 'help' organization. I am not clear what their true agenda is. read more

This is a wonderful place!! I adopted my last small dog here in 2010 and enjoyed the love and a lifetime of joy with my little buddy DOLCE until he passed away in 2020 during the COVID19 pandemic. The loss of a family member is SO HARD, so I grieve awhile and do not rush for new adoption, praying to Our God to show me the way to healing because I AM A HEALER. Our primary care office in Mill Creek has an office dog named DOSER, a Blue Heeler.....and friends that's just what I AM in Winter 2020 as I wait . read more

Horror show. I adopted a sweet and severely neglected cat who was supposed to be "turning the corner." When I first met this kitty, she was just a fragile 5 pounds, thanks to being starved and abused, but I was struck by her gentle nature. She eagerly reached out for affection. Tragically, we would only spend one day together. According to shelter volunteers, the cat had an unknown history, except for the fact that she was abandoned by an animal buncher who was institutionalized with a mental illness. Her age was "unknown." The kitty's medical "history" only mentioned malnutrition. I was informed that she had diarrhea, but was told it was stress related and highly likely to resolve at home. I inquired about the etiology of the diarrhea -- has she been dewormed? Tested for parasites? Carrying conditions, or suspected of any, that may be dangerous to my other cat? I was told that she was completely healthy and fine. Once my fur baby was home, I knew something was wrong. At first, she just seemed deeply grateful to be out of the Seattle Animal Shelter house of horrors, and immediately purred and jumped onto my bed. She kneaded, cuddled into a ball, and sighed deeply before purring and falling asleep. Never have I seen an animal so grateful to be at home. But the cat soon started to have uncontrollable bowel movements. I would characterize it as explosive diarrhea, highly unusual in smell and texture. As a former shelter volunteer, I've seen a lot of gross shit -- literally -- and this was horrible. I spent the night cleaning her up repeatedly. There were so much feces, and it was running out of her like a faucet. I couldn't keep up with the mess. Around 4:00 am I fell asleep, and awoke to see that all my efforts had been for naught. My walls, floors, curtains, laptop bag, shoes, and a dry cleaning bag full of my work suits were covered in watery, grey puddles. I also noticed an unpleasant puddle around my feet, where she had been sleeping. It had seeped through my covers and soiled my pillow top mattress. I spent that morning cleaning up, only to have the poor thing continue to defecate uncontrollably. This was waaaaay beyond "stress related diarrhea" that "could have been triggered by a change of environment or diet." The fragile little thing mewed pathetically, in obvious discomfort. I knew, even with my experience caring for cats (trapping and taming ferals, fostering, and bottle nursing orphans), that I was in over my head. I called the shelter and expressed my shock: never have I seen a cat in so desperate a condition. I asked for details about her history, which Amanda, the woman who helped me process the adoption, continued to say was "just unknown." I reviewed with Amanda the cat's care sheet and discovered that it had this unusual diarrhea and dehydration for 40 days. I got extremely upset with Amanda, "do you think it's normal for a cat to have diarrhea for 40 days? How would you feel if you had diarrhea for forty days and nights?" Through conversation, I learned that the cat did have an initial vet visit 35 days ago, and that the poor thing was never followed up on as ordered. Despite my concern and indignation, the best Amanda could do for me is tell me to take her to the vet, Lien Animal Hospital. I went to Lien and the vet was shocked to see me. After a compassionate discussion, the vet said frankly, "this little girl never came back to us when she was supposed to. Because of how poor her condition was, the staff and I just assumed she had passed when Seattle Animal Shelter didn't follow up." I was given a subsequent print out of the medical history. I learned that I was lied to by the Seattle Animal shelter about the following, because all of the following were on the client records given to the shelter (and notes say that they also called staff): 1. The cat's age is known: 12 years 2. The cat was given immediate comfort measures but the shelter never authorized screening for parasites, though Amanda told me, during the adoption, that she *had* been screened for parasites and was "healthy." 3. Severe IBD was suspected. The shelter never gave her prednisone, which was subscribed by the vet. 4. Her intestines were thickened and possibly inflamed. 5. Blood work suggested dry FIP, possible intestinal lymphoma. Reading through the records, I saw the word "hospice" and "comfort measures" over and over. Amanda, I hope you're reading this. I realize the word "hospice" and "healthy" both start with "h," but is it possible you were confused? Lien offered to give my little one comfort measures and told me that euthanasia, given the cat's horrendous suffering, may be the most caring option. This poor thing was placed in isolation, ignored and in hell, thanks to people who were supposed to be her advocate. Instead, they compounded her suffering by literally letting her shit herself to death. I feel for any animal unfortunate enough to end up at SAS. And prospective adopters beware! read more

Every. Single. Time. Every single time I go here there is a kitten reaching out to me begging to be taken home. Also, what's with all the onions? There must be someone chopping onions because my eyes keep welling up. You wanna come home little buddy? O...okay...! Fucking onions, man. read more

5 star volunteers 5 star facilities 0 star management. Vindictive, unsympathetic management which arbitrarily decides whether or not to leverage fees based on if they like you. The facility is great, the volunteers were kind and helpful, but Don Baxter was one of the rudest people I've ever encountered in any profession. We're looking to rescue a dog but, unfortunately, can not do it in good conscience from here. Feels bad to have to write this sort of thing about an animal shelter. read more

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU Seattle animal shelter for helping me find such an amazing pet. The staff is knowledgable, professional and remains composed even when stretched thin by prospective adopters. Even more important is their dedication to finding the right home for each individual animal. Be patient of the process and trust that the staff knows what's best. They are seriously fantastic. Also - to those of you posting to complain about the construction and "inattentive" staff- please stop. The construction is to improve the environment for shelter pets (how can you be mad at that? ) And inattentive staff ? The majority of these people are volunteers and stretched super thin by limited funding. If you have a question - wait your turn and ask. They genuinely do care about finding the right homes for the animals theme - and are not there to serve you. Owning a pet takes patience, flexibility and a sense a humor- if you can't get over the "wait" to even view a pet - you probably have no place owning one. read more

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Drove all the way here from Tacoma to see a German Shepherd only to find out his profile was completely inaccurate. It said he was "good with other self assured female dogs" and is "house trained" but need a little more training. We get there and it turns out they do not know if he is good with other dogs and he is not house trained as he chews on everything. And he needs a LOT of training. We found that out by talking to the nice volunteers and seeing the dog for ourselves. We are not pleased with the actual staff members as the lady we spoke with was rude, condescending and a liar. She said the dog was not available and not online. Though we saw him with our own eyes and he was in fact posted online. When we went to the dog's room/holding area he looked hot, thirtsy and there was poop everywhere in his room. It was not a clean environment for him. I feel bad for that poor baby. read more

It's tough to write a review for a shelter because the nature of the business is pretty bittersweet in any case. I visited the shelter after seeing a dog "July" (now named Ruby!) online. Before meeteing any animals, I came in and sat down with Amanda to weight the pros and cons about adopting as well as the possibilities of fostering and/or volunteering. She was extremely helpfuland was able to provide me with honest feedback and a long list of resources. We decided that if I did choose to adopt, a small adult/senior dog would be best. Ken took me out to the dog trailer, where I met "July" and took her out to one of their two playground-esque enclosures to get to know her. She was a stray and had surely had some puppies, and we got along swimmingly. I stayed on a big longer to chat with Ken about the adoption process, exchanged information, and went home. I couldn't get my mind off July, so I came back again to visit her the next day (friday) after work. After spending a good hour with her and having another conversation with Ken, I decided that it was time to pull the trigger and become her forever home. I signed the papers, and the shelter was kind enough to provide me with a brand new crate (lis6ted $70 online), carrier (probably $60), bed, toys, treats, a leash, and coupons for free food and a free vet visit. After receiving these items, he went to the dog area to get her for me, then realized *oops* .,.. turns out that she wasn't spayed, afterall. That was disappointing, because I was hoping to take her home. I do wish that was confirmed initially, because I'd have to wait until monday to take her home During that time, another person came in wanting to adopt her. He was extremely rude upon finding out that I had adopted her, and his wife even told me to call her when i decided I didn't want her anymore. That was horrendus to deal with, but I was extremely pleased with how Ken handled the situation and removed those folks from my presence to avoid any hurt feelings. He definitely had mine and Ruby's best interest in mind. I was able to visit Ruby at the shelter again on both Saturday and Sunday. The staff and volunteers were extremely kind to me and welcomed me each day. I was disappointed to find out that Ruby wasn't let out for evening walks. Instead, I was informed that they have her poop in her kennel. That's no fun. Ruby was spayed at the clinic on Monday (without complications) and I was able to take her home. Overall, my experience was a good one with the exception of the spay confusion and the kennel-pooping. Shout out to the staff and volunteers for being so kind to me and for helping me adopt Ruby! read more

I'm a first time pet owner. Sort of. In college I had a shared cat with a roommate and growing up we had cats in the house. But Moxie (my daughter/cat) is the first animal I've been solely responsible for. Some of my friends would argue that I'm WAY too nice to my cat and that I like her more than I should.. but she's totally dependent on me and I want her to have a good life! That being said, when it came time to get her spayed, micro-chipped and inoculated, I needed to make sure that the bill wasn't too high but that the service was up to par with the best of them. I called the Seattle Animal Shelter and they were helpful and friendly. Moxie's spay date wasn't too long after making the appointment (because they have a longish waist list). I nervously dropped her off while heading to work and I was assured she was in safe hands. When I came back 8-9 hours later to retrieve my little fuzzy child I was pleasantly surprised by the conversation the woman at the front desk started up with me. She was so kind and she was great in assuring me that Mox was just fine. She even inquired about how I got her, when I got her, and what type of cat she was. It was nice to talk about it and not feel like someone was going to pull the "cat lady" name tag out again. I loved making small talk about my cat and felt like people who cared as much as I did would surely have taken good care of her. She was definitely drowsy (as expected) but she healed nicely and the experience overall was great. Thanks to their service Moxie should lead a happy, healthy, (kitten free) life. read more

A couple of weeks ago I decided that I wanted to adopt a cat or dog, so I did my research for shelters around the area. I got lots of mixed reviews but this place had a very good listing of animals online, plus they were offering free kittens or cats for a week with a 2 year pet license purchase. I walked in and was greeted by a really nice woman who helped me figure out what pet application to fill out and which direction to walk so i can look at the animals. She was also nice enough to explain what each of the sheets on the kennels meant so I knew what I was looking for. As I tried to navigate the pretty small shelter area, there were numerous groups of volunteers touring through, and they were kinda in my way. When I was inside looking at the cats, there was one woman who while she seemed like she was really good with animals...she was not so good with humans. She stumbled through asking me what I wanted in a cat and I told her, so she pointed me towards this really shy, angry cat...something i specifically said i didn't want. While I tried to direct her towards a cat who I was more interested in, she kept pushing this pissed off cat on me...which was making me mad. Eventually I gave up on her cause obviously real world interaction isn't her strong suit, so I went back up to the greeter in the lobby who was more than helpful to assist me further. I finally found a really friendly, mature black cat and from there on my experience was great. I sat with a vet, they put in my information, I paid for the license fee, they provided me with pamphlets for free food and a voucher for a vet visit, a cardboard carrier and most importantly, my cat! The entire ordeal took a little more than an hour so be sure to give yourself some time to really get to know the animals, i played with quite a few cats before I settled on my awesome Minerva (yes that is a Harry Potter reference). My cat came home and adapted really quickly to her new surroundings and me. I don't regret going to the Seattle Animal Shelter one bit! read more

Over the years we've adopted 2 dogs from this place, one puppy, and a one 1 yo. The puppy was from a litter of 5, she was the last one, a Boxer/Lab mix. Pepper, recently passed onto the Rainbow bridge last year after 16 years of untiring luv and affection, we had her longer than we have had the kids, sniff sniff. Freckles, my parent's Beagle mix is a rollie-pollie happy go lucky 7 yo this year, it took them/me about a year and a half of searching to find him. I wanted to offer my take on this City-run shelter, they do the best they can with what they have been given, IMHO. The staff must see some of the worst horrors and meet some of the dumbest animals on the planet, AKA, human-kind. I give ANYONE credit who would be willing to work in such a tragic place as this. One word to people who are going to adopt, RESEARCH!!! Do your homework BEFORE you start looking for a friend for life, and be ready for some potential expenditures as well. Pets cost money, not just in food, but shelter, bathing/grooming, Vet visits, boarding, if you are going out of town, (cha-ching!) and none of it is tax deductible! The shelter had started a program or two to keep the "puppies" around longer than the minimal waiting period before, "the end". That's a plus, but you've really got to be willing to search for several months, sometimes many months to find that perfect match. Believe me it's worth the wait. For those thinking they can just drop in and find a puppy to take home to little Jr., forget it, pickings can be slim, as they should be. The shelter itself can smell of bleach or wet dog, depends on the day, just be forewarned. Once you see those sad eyes staring at you from behind the chain-link fencing you'll understand why the staff can sometimes be on edge. To all those working and volunteering in the animal shelter/rescue arena, I take my hat off you all... read more

The animals were all sweet and adorable! (Except for a rat that bit my boyfriend!). Despite that, I found the staff to be very uptight and a little rude. I got yelled at by a staff member for going into a 'forbidden' area that wasn't even marked. I just wanted to look at some cats for Pete's sake! Additionally, we weren't allowed to touch any of the animals, even the ones outside in the playpen (apparently we could only if we were adopting that particular animal). I loved seeing the animals here, but I found the staff pretty rude and an overall weird energy to the place. read more

This is a fantastic animal shelter with amazingly friendly staff and volunteers. I've checked out the animals here twice while thinking about adopting and both times almost everyone we saw was incredibly friendly and helpful. The front office staff were polite and directed us to where / what we needed to do. The vets or vet techs (not sure what they were exactly) who helped with the actual adoption were nice. I would had hoped they'd go into a bit more depth about animal care, but I've had pets in the past (which they knew from my application) so maybe they just assumed I knew the drill. I'm sure if I had asked more questions they would have been happy to help and he was very good about answering whatever things I did ask about. You are not allowed to pet or play with the kitties unless you fill out an adoption application, but you can still view them without this. I am very much in favor of this policy because it helps to prevent spread of disease between the animals and reduces their stress by limiting the amount of window shoppers in their face all day. The facilities were well taken care of and quite spacious compared to shelters I've seen in the past. There are several rooms for cats to roam / interact with customers which gives you space to really interact with the animals. Most of the adult cats are in smaller cages, but I got the impression that these cats do get lots of love and pets from the volunteers. I cannot comment on the dog accommodations as I didn't see them at either visit. I do feel the need to point out that there was one women (blonde short hair who was photographing the cats for their website) who was INCREDIBLY rude to us. Each volunteer we had worked with previously had asked what type of animal we were looking for and then promptly introduced us to some cats who met our needs. When we spoke to her she lectured and belittled us for not having an exact picture in mind. We knew we wanted a younger cat, but didn't truly have any preference on independent vs. social or active vs lap cat. She went on and on about how we shouldn't be looking at animals without having a definitive picture in mind and that we weren't ready to adopt. Can I just point out how horrible this was. It made us feel bad about wanting to adopt and it made us second guess ourselves. Luckily, the other volunteers and staff were so helpful and friendly that we were still able to find the perfect cat friend for us! Parking: Ample space in the lot directly in front of the shelter for guests as well as space in the dirt/gravel lot across the street. Of note: Many of the animals are actually in foster care or at adoption events (Petco for example) so make sure to check in on the website / with the staff if you're not finding the kitty you're looking for. read more

Wonderful! I took my puppy here today to be neutered. They treated him (and me) with amazing care! Scheduling the appointment was fast and easy. Jenny explained the drill to me very patiently, so I knew what to expect when I dropped my baby off. Drop off was easy and painless. A small amount of paperwork and waa lah, my dog was in the hands of the professionals. I called later in the day and she gave me a full status update and reassured me that my puppy was doing well. When I picked him up, Jenny was very thorough with post-operative care instructions (and extremely patient while explaining, although I know she must recite the same thing over and over again on a daily basis). I couldn't believe the prices! $90 for the neuter. I called my regular vet and they quoted me $555! Huh? Would could that have offered? Souvenirs? Our tax dollars and donations hard at work! Thank you Seattle Animal Shelter! read more

OK I am a shelter volunteer so I may be a little biased, but they really do a service for the animals they take in. The staff can be a tad edgy on occasion but when you see the things they see with regard to how people treat their animals you understand a little more where they are coming from. There is a constant influx of dogs, cats, rabbits and other rodents, with the occasional reptile or ferret. The staff keep the kennels as clean as they can and there are always volunteers to help. I work with the dogs, who get walked twice a day, and twice a week teams take some of the dogs running through Myrtle Edwards Park. Also, on Sunday mornings, there are teams who take dogs for walks around Greenlake and some lucky dogs get to hike Tiger Mountain. If you are looking for a new pet there are volunteers there who will help you find an animal to fit your lifestyle. They can give you guidance on temperment, athleticism. and energy level of the dogs. The have a well laid out web site, http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org/, where you can see pictures, and read discriptions, of some of the shelter amimals as well as animals in foster care. If you visit the shelter be prepared for lots of hopeful eyes all wanting to go home with you. Go find your future best friend! read more

I can't rave enough about this shelter! We went in looking for a cat and even though the volunteers are strict, it was a great experience. We couldn't find a cat at the shelter so we looked at the board of fosters. We read about Blueberry and decided to meet her. The process was easy and the foster parents were beyond amazing. We loved her and adopted her! The rest was smooth and we picked her up! She fit in at our house amazingly! I tagged the shelter in my Instagram post of Blueberry and they shared it on their page We had a follow up call and the lady was so sweet, it was nice talking about Blueberry to someone who knew her and wanted to listen! I highly recommend the Seattle animal shelter! Adopt don't shop! Don't forget about senior cats! read more

Seattle Animal Shelter - Blueberry living her scratcher! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I have adopted from the Seattle Animal Shelter a few times. My first experience was in 2007 when I adopted 2 pet gerbils. They had been in "foster care" and were well taken care of. I loved the little buggers until they passed away. :-( My next experience was the greatest experience of my life (mushy pet owner moment). I adopted my baby, Sir Fuzzykins McGrey AKA Fuzz AKA Fuzzy about 2.5 years ago and he is like my child. When I went to adopt him, I had spent the day going to "cat shows" held by the shelter around the city and they recommended I try the shelter itself as I was looking for a cat that wasn't a kitten. When my mom and I got there, we looked around and saw all the kitties and even petted/interacted with some. My baby Fuzzball was the last one I looked at. He peered at me through the cage and I asked if I could see him. He came out of the cage, crawled on my lap, and started purring. I knew he had picked me to take him to his "forever home." I'm getting all misty thinking about the experience. He is the greatest companion ever. The adoption fees were more than reasonable. When I adopted him he was micro-chipped and neutered. They gave me info about raising a cat and coupons to get supplies. The staff was friendly and loving of the animals. Next time I adopt an animal (when I have a bigger house and am able to have more than a cat and a dog) I will definitely use this shelter as a resource. read more

I want to preface this review by stating that I know volunteers do their best, but there are minimum sanitary standards all shelters should uphold to avoid spreading disease to both people and pets. Having worked at a few rescue centers myself, I was taken aback by my experience at this particular shelter: Sick and potentially ill new arrivals are housed very close to (or directly next to) healthy animals without proper barriers.. or any barriers at all (they use a "Do Not Enter" tape as if germs read signs). Shelter conditions were very dirty when I dropped by. The volunteer literally lied to me about a bald spot on a cat's ear, indicating that it was a scar. While they can't guarantee the health of your pet, they could do a lot to prevent disease in the shelter by proper cleaning, containment, and full disclosure. Having adopted a cat with a highly resistant case of ringworm obtained while at the shelter, I can tell you that the consequences of their inaction are emotionally traumatic and very expensive. Finally, based on the shelter conditions present during several visits, I am not 100% convinced proper sanitation occurs once a ringworm case is confirmed. Having said that, please take the following precautions before adopting any animal housed in the shelter: DO make sure you have a full understanding of their health history before taking the animal home DO inspect the animal for any bald spots, rashes, puffyness, especially around the face and ears DO confine the pet to a solitary room away from your pets until the animal can be inspected by your veterinarian DO NOT take a volunteer's word on any physical condition unless it is confirmed in writing by a veterinarian. Even then, get a second opinion by your own veterinarian. Example: get that "scar" checked out by the vet anyway read more