Adopted through Small Dog Rescue New England. It was a positive, easy experience. Elaine and Bean were absolutely wonderful to deal with. Rescue is hard for the volunteers and those who want to Rescue. They didnt nitpick or judge me. I recommend this Rescue to anyone looking to adopt read more

I am giving 3 stars because of the dog we rescued. She is an absolute little doll and has brought so much joy to our lives. Without her, I would've given 1 star. The day we picked Lily up (she's from Louisiana, we're from MA), she came in an 18-wheeler truck with tons of dogs in crates stacked in the back of the truck. The dogs were howling and barking like crazy. It was unbelievably loud. When they gave Lily (a 9 lb. chihuahua/doxie mix) to us, she was completely traumatized. Shaking, covered in her own urine (we were told that the transporters do not stop for breaks), just a complete mess. I felt so badly for her and the other dogs. Anyway, we got her home, bathed her, loved on her tons and got her to feel at home eventually. She was extremely timid; afraid to eat, go out...everything scared her. Nearly a year later, she is a completely different dog. She is just the best fur baby and is adored by us. At some point prior to picking Lily up, Elaine had explained to me that she had had surgery to remove bladder stones (and it was in her medical records) and did great. Once we brought Lily to the veterinarian where we live for a complete exam, the vet told us that the bladder stones could be a lifelong issue and she'd probably need surgery(ies) in the future. Insurance will not cover it as it's a pre-existing condition. Didn't matter...we were NOT giving Lily back. To make a very long story short, I had contacted Elaine mostly via email several times and told her what the vet had said. Recently some tests were run for Lily to check for stones (x-ray, urinalysis, exam) for which I had asked Elaine for reimbursement. (approx $230-I wasn't asking for the entire visit) She and I had gone back and forth about this for quite some time and the final answer is that they will not help out when, in fact, they could've prepared us before we rescued Lily that this could be a lifelong problem. Now retired and on a fixed income, we may not have chosen Lily if we had known all of this prior. I told her that the agency should be more forthcoming with issues to potential adopters and that I was disappointed with their decision. I also explained that I'd leave a yelp review. I just want people to be aware and informed when rescuing. It was our first time and wish we had been aware of this issue with Lily. After reading several reviews, I have to agree with others that Elaine is very condescending and rude. Also, she never stops talking about her life and her dogs when all the while I was trying to communicate about our fur baby. Not saying we'd never rescue again but it definitely won't be with small dog rescue of new england. read more

Unprofessional, intrusive and judgemental and discriminatory of age. Asked about dog before filling out app, got a cold NO answers until you apply. The application asks for your birthdate and age of everyone in your home, including age of all pets. They replied to my app telling me to adopt an older dog. When I asked why, they restated the same. They never answered my questions. This is age discrimination. The application is extremely intrusive, and the owner is very judgemental, without reason. read more

URGENT WARNING: Do not foster or adopt from this agency. I am writing this to warn potential volunteers and adopters: Do not trust this company. My experience fostering for them was horrific, regarding both their treatment of volunteers and their neglect of the animals. 1. Animal Neglect: When I received my foster dog, he was in appalling condition. He was filthy, covered in urine and feces, and had not eaten in days. It is clear that whoever handles the transport is not taking care of these animals. 2. Disrespect for Volunteers: Do not expect any support. Despite volunteering my time and resources, I was ghosted completely. They also refused to reimburse me for expenses, despite the impression given that they would. 3. Contract Violations: Their rules are incredibly inconsistent. They demand strict adherence from volunteers but fail to follow their own written contracts. 4. Ethical Concerns: I have heard concerning reports that they falsify records. Given the state my foster dog arrived in, I would not trust the background or health information they provide. Please save yourself the heartache and find a reputable rescue instead. This place does not value their animals or the people trying to help them. read more

Every step from beginning to end was a wonderful experience. The Director Elaine, is thorough and careful with each applicant. The communication was excellent and quick. Our pup was transported from Texas. The drivers were friendly and promptly arrived at the scheduled time. His medical records were complete & intact. My pup's vet was extremely impressed with how well he was cared for & how healthy he was. I will be adopting from them again! I highly recommend!!! read more

Small Dog Rescue - Benjamin - Pet Adoption Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

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We adopted a small terrier mix from SDRNE in Feb. 2025 and it was a wonderfully smooth experience. Through our application process we were able to identify the dog we wanted and follow it through to adoption. We picked up the dog in RI and he's been a great addition to our family. We have a 13 y.o. rescue terrier mix and they get along great. It was a pleasure working with Elaine and Beth. They are top notch! read more

I adopted my dog from them. The adoption process went amazing. Both Beth and Elaine were very helpful and great to work with. I would definitely adopt from them again. read more

Was happy with the process and dog we adopted. would recommend to adopt through them.

SDRNE is great. They rescued our terrier mix from Texas and she is such a great dog. Beth and Elaine were helpful and were quick to respond to our questions. We would highly recommend them to anyone looking to adopt a dog. read more

Went to adopt dog and I was asked what happened to the 2 dogs I had adopte. Emailed back and told them I only adopted one and explained that I had adopted another dog the passed before transport. My donation was returned with no explanation and application was denied. These people need to get their act togethe. read more

Such a horrible experience. Specifically from Elaine. To start, the description of the dog was completely wrong (funny how they've since entirely changed the description on newer posts). I understand if you've only had the dog for a few days (which I was told later) you may not know its demeanor completely. But don't lie / omit the truth just to get the dog adopted! I was a first time adopter, which was communicated multiple times, and when I met the dog I knew something was amiss. But I wanted so badly for this to work and I trusted the people I was working with! Why was a meet and greet never even suggested from people who do this all the time? When I communicated issues, Elaine told me she had never even met the dog, and that she doesn't trust Nicole (the foster). How rude to talk about your staff this way!! Nicole was the only positive part of this experience. I hope she sees this and knows her boss is talking about her to potential adopters in a negative light! I quickly realized my household was not the right fit for this particular dog, and I was not equipped to deal with the issues I was never made aware of. I felt absolutely horrible. But truly wanted to do what was right for the dog. When I shared this with Elaine, I was SHOCKED at how she treated me. She suggested it had something to do with my age and that I was too young. I am 28 years old and more than capable of taking care of a dog (keep in mind I was fully vetted as an adopter, so my age was no surprise) She then continued to compare her life at 28 to mine. Saying "well I was married with a house by that age so maybe you're just not ready." HOW RUDE! Apparently you need to be a married homeowner to live up to Elaine's expectations! No accountability taken on their side whatsoever. Just attempts to shame me for wanting to do the right thing. I felt so sad this was my first experience trying to adopt. There's another horrible review here as well with a very similar experience, so clearly this is not just me. I would suggest Elaine gets her act together because unfortunately it ends up being the dogs who suffer. I would also suggest looking to adopt elsewhere!! read more

I adopted a dog from this rescue in 2023. She was transported here from TX via truck. She had poop stuck all over her hind area, and the vet records were all bogus, other than the rabies certificate. She has been chronically ill since I adopted her and I've spent thousands of d trying to help her. I would not recommend this rescue to anyone. read more

We adopted our two pups from SDRNE and couldn't be happier. We were thoroughly screened, which was important and appropriate, so that the dogs won't need additional rehoming. One of our new pups needs lots of gentle training and attention, and we are very happy to do this. The organization took the time and resources to facilitate everything perfectly. We are so, so grateful. read more

Small Dog Rescue - The Count, Hazel - Pet Adoption Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

So easy to work with them. Adopted Hattie 2 years ago. Age was questionable compared to paperwork but good experience overall. Love me Hattie! read more

Small Dog Rescue - Pet Adoption Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

The director of this rescue could use a kindness/manners class. It doesn't kill you to be nice to people trying to adopt a dog for PTSD.

Never thought being a single, childless woman would disqualify me from rescuing a dog. But Small Dog Rescue of New England is apparently the JD Vance of dog rescues!! After losing my 13 year old dachshund last December, I decided in October I was ready for another pup. I researched rescues and found small Dog Rescue of NE positively discussed on Reddit. I thoughtfully read about the dogs on their site and took a week to decide the dog I felt would be a good fit with me: a dachshund/sheltie mix (I chose this dog because I have had both dachshunds and shelties). I applied, paid the good faith $50 and waited. Two days later I heard from Elaine telling me that she didn't feel the dog I applied for would be a good fit because I didn't have children. I was flabbergasted. I was also days away from a move and she evidently googled me because she asked if my address was my new or old address (I guess she found that my home had recently sold). She said she thought another dog would be a better fit for me. I was surprised by her response, since she had not reached out to my references or my vet to learn anything about me other than what I had included in my application. So frankly, I don't feel she did a thorough look into me other than a quick google. I replied asking if she could elaborate on why the dog wouldn't be a good fit simply because I don't have children. If she she called my references, she would have learned I frequently spend time with my nephews and I'm a pediatric speech pathologist who intended to incorporate my dog into my work, with children. I'm not sure if Elaine realized that stating the dog wasn't a good fit for me because I didn't have children might appear that she was discriminating against me, but she replied glossing over that fact and suddenly coming up with a new reason the dog wasn't a good fit for me: the fact that I work from home. That actually confused me even more. I thought it was a good thing I would be in my home with my potential dog. Again, I asked if she could clarify why that was a concern and she stated that I may not have enough time to train/care for the dog. I guess if I was unemployed, I would have been a better fit, although without a job, I'm not sure how I could have cared for the dog. Does this rescue only adopt out to married stay at home moms? That was the only type of person I could imagine given the reasons Elaine gave me that she was concerned about adopting out to me. I then asked Elaine what dog she would recommend on their site that she felt would be a good fit for me. She did not want to answer this question and simply told me once I moved I could apply again. I've told everyone I know about this experience and nobody can understand what this rescue is looking for. Sadly, there are a lot of dogs out there looking for loving homes to welcome them into. It appears Elaine and her rescue have a God complex where adoptions become more about them and their power to place a dog and less about matching up a caring human with a sweet pup. I will never look to adopt a dog again from this "rescue." About a week after my communication with Elaine, I applied for another dog with a responsible rescue and days later was on my way to pick her up. Even though this pup was with a foster who had children, she is thriving this childless dog women!! read more

Elaine, Judy, Carolyn, and the whole crew at SDRNE were wonderful in connecting Rocky to his forever home. We love him and he is loving his new life! Thank you!! read more

Small Dog Rescue - Pet Adoption Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

This rescue was great to work with! I really appreciated the time and research they did on me prior to allowing me to adopt. It shows how much they care about these sweet dogs and try to get them in to the perfect family fit for them. I have been one of those volunteers but for another rescue group and know all the time and effort that goes in to each and every animal behind the scenes. Thanks so much for our sweet Tessa and all you do for these animals! read more

Small Dog Rescue - Pet Adoption Near Me - Cranston, Rhode Island

Great process, perfectly healthy and wonderful pup delivered from TX. Don't worry if there are delays with shipping, recognize there is a shipping company and a foster family that also have an impact on getting your new fur baby to you. SDRNE did everything they could and I am forever grateful. read more

Their mission is wonderful, but this organization is evidently very strapped for resources. I was guiding a friend going through the adoption process with this organization (she wishes to remain anonymous) and as a rescue volunteer myself, was very upset with the poor quality of service they give to adopters. We were only able to interface with one volunteer. She gave terse, short answers and was not helpful. We could not get a status update on our application, despite paying (donating $50) simply to apply. We could not get responses on specific dogs and were told every single dog was "adopted," when we inquired. While we know individuals who have worked with the organization, it appeared to be a scam to us due to the request for payment and complete and utter lack of response. I wish Small Dog Rescue luck in their mission, but they need to implement communication protocols (including clear pre-approval, approval, and denials) or better train their prospective adopter facing volunteers. read more