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    The Barking Lot

    3.8 (536 reviews)

    Services - The Barking Lot

    Animal shelters

    Pet adoption

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    Her name was "Cloud", now she is "Rosie"

    I was shocked by the poor reviews! I had a flawless experience, and would highly recommend them. Stacy and the others in this volunteer led rescue are amazing. I live in Seattle, and it all went so smoothly. I had a video interview, and was a bit nervous about adopting a dog I had never met in person. But there was something about this particular dog that really drew me in. She was 2, and I was her first home. It turned out really well, and we are best friends. I have nothing but praise for The Barking Lot.

    Awesome! In short take your time here and you'll love it! Don't know why some people were mad. Sure, it's got dirt outside . It's Ramona. Quit being so fancy . Important part is they're nice and the doggies are fun to pet they made my experience pretty easy !

    My dog was attacked

    I adopted 2 dogs on Friday and I was told they were really sweet and would be good with my other dogs I had at home. I had brought one of my dogs with me and they were great with him and we came home and they were good with my older blind dog. Things went really bad on Monday morning when one of the dogs attacked my 14 year old blind dog. I had my husband return the dogs immediately. Please do lots of research before adopting!

    Our new gal!
    Kara F.

    We had an incredible experience at the Barking Lot! Everyone on the team was communicative and helpful, and it's clear they truly care about matching each pup to their perfect home. When the first dog we "met" online wasn't the right match, the volunteers immediately recommended a pup for our family that we instantly fell in love with. Our new adopted girl is incredible and the perfect fit for us! She's affectionate, gentle, up for adventures AND couch potato-ing, and even scruffy :) There are lots of steps from submitting your application to adoption, but like others have mentioned, I see this as a HUGE positive. Every step ensures the dog is going to the right home for them, for the best life possible (they even "cat-tested" our dog before we adopted her, since we also have a cat). When we took our new lady home, we were incredibly confident in our decision and are overjoyed with our sweet new family member!

    My boy Sam came to me 4 months ago from The Barking Lot, and it is hard for me to find words for the joy he has brought to this house. He wasn't an easy dog at first...abused and highly fearful. Stacy watched us interact in the meet and greet area and said, "I think you can do this." Best decision to believe her. TBL is a boots on the ground, get it done place full of animals getting their last chance. I see on this site (and most other adoption sites) some reviews written by people who feel personally slighted because they weren't chosen to adopt or communicated with as efficiently or sweetly as they'd like. I understand it is a roller-coaster experience trying to adopt. I like to assume the folks showing up every day to run these places are the actual experts. I also read reviews by people annoyed at the fees. Go see how hard these folks work, many as volunteers, just to keep these animals fed and housed and you'll want to give them more. Good luck, everyone, finding your next friend.

    Pirol (now Lumi)

    Just got this adorable little fox from TBL! They are amazing and so thorough with their adoption process. House checks etc. before the adoption day, and on the day off Stacy walked me through the contract to make sure I understood every point. They care about their dogs and will not adopt out a dog to someone that doesn't seem like a a fit I'm so happy to get to know my little Lumi (Previously Pirol)

    Happy puppy!

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    We adopted our baby girl Penny from this rescue. It's way out in the boonies of Ramona but was worth

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    Ask the Community - The Barking Lot

    Anyone know what the adoption fee really is--is it less if you adopt an adult/senior? Is there a chart somewhere? Can you return the dog without paying a "return fee" if you take the dog to your vet & find there is hip dysplasia or something?

    Have purchased 2 dogs. One was $500 for 3 y/o with $100 GPS collar deposit. Took 5 months to get refund for GPS collar & stopped working after a week. Got refund because I was going to dispute charge on credit card. PAY ALL FEES WITH CREDIT CARD-DO… Read more

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    Review Highlights - The Barking Lot

    We adopted a great dog HOUSTON, spent a few hours with Melissa,a great volunteer during the adoption process.

    Mentioned in 67 reviews

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    Frosted Faces Foundation - Our visit with CeCe, hoping she gains back weight...

    Frosted Faces Foundation

    (86 reviews)

    This Foundation which is ran by Andy Kelly and ALL the wonderful Volunteers focus mainly on older…read moreanimals that need love &care as well.I can't say enough great things about this foundation/rescue. Their priority is definitely for the Love &Concern for all the animals.They are not just about adopting out all the animals they are concerned about who &where each animal goes to.My personal opinion only I don't think many of the animals there want to leave lol seriously the small dogs &cats(the only ones we looked at) all seemed so happy to be there most definitely the small dogs were all buddies. Couple dogs I walked around the property just wanted to go back to their living areas with the rest of the dogs lol they were all loving sweet dogs as well as the kitties when we went into their living area several immediately came up to us wrapping their tails around our legs loving up on us. I've never seen an animal foundation so organized with the kindest people running it ever. Frosted Faces is in Ramona and if you are not looking to foster or adopt definitely DONATE to them! They truly are in it for the LOVE OF ANIMALS 2THUMBS UP to ANDY and KELLY we love you guys and we love what you do for the animals. Sincerely Michelle &Nancy

    I lost my job during COVID and as a result of an injury to my brain, am now living off very small…read moremonthly disability payments. Our Jack-a-Poo Rue lost all her insurances/wellness plans when I lost my job. She hadn't been to the vet in years and had since gone blind. I reached out to Frosted Faces who stated they help with vet bills for senior dogs. It sounded too good to be true! We went to the vet today and we were able to find out why she had some changed behaviors that were worrying us. She got the help she needed and Frosted Faces came through just like they said they would. I am IN AWE that there are still people like them in the world making such a difference for furry friends that cannot help themselves. What a special place this is!

    Act 2 Rescue - Celeste found her forever home!

    Act 2 Rescue

    (21 reviews)

    I had a beyond expectation experience with Mindy and her daughter, even though at the end I didn't…read morechoose to go with the adorable and sweet boys Teddy and Khabib they brought for me to meet and interact with. Mindy provided a very personable, warm and extremely responsive service, made every effort to respond to my inquiry on Adopt-A-Pet and approving my application as well as just answering my questions and chatting with me about my potential cat baby's personality traits and his background story. She responded to emails as late as 11PM on a weekend and her demeanor was always welcoming and reassuring, like an old, caring friend. Mindy's words and actions convey that she truly truly love all of her rescued cat babies and she only wants what's best for them and she works extremely hard to find them good homes. I was very sad that neither cat babies from her rescue matched the particular personality I was looking for (I was trying to fill this big hole in my heart with the tragic loss of a stray cat named Cookie I cared for) and I really wished that given all the hard work she and her daughter put into, I'd adopt either Teddy or Khabib. Despite these big, affectionate sweet boys were not the best match I was searching for, I don't think any less of them, I sincerely hope they will find their forever home they deserve and I cannot be more grateful for Mindy's time, patience and understanding she's extended me and my family. If I had more capacity for an additional cat baby in the future after finding THE ONE, Mindy and her rescue is the first place I'd check out. If you are also searching for your feline soulmate, please look no further!!

    I was going to leave this place a 1 star review. But after messaging back and forth, and actually…read moreunderstanding a few things. They get a 5 star.. I went to Petsmart to adopt a kitten names Cookies. I filled out the application, and was told by Petsmart to call them and see if I could get an immediate answer. I called them 17 times, no answer.....I was livid... I was even more upset when I get the notification via text message, that they would not allow me to adopt Cookies because I said we would "Declaw" if he started scratching or getting aggressive....I didn't even know what that meant...Again, I was pissed... We were messaging back and forth for well over 30 minutes and they explained to me what declawing was, and why it was bad for cats. Thank you, I was given useful information of something I knew nothing about. Granted, Cookies, was going to live his best life with us, but it wasn't meant to be. On to the next.

    Dirty Little Paws Rescue - Ozzy Pawsbourne

    Dirty Little Paws Rescue

    (44 reviews)

    I wish I could give more than 5 stars!…read more I have been patient in looking to add a kitten/cat to our family and stumbled across Marigold on a fosters Instagram page which prompted me to submit an application. Kat reached out the very next day after reviewing our application and pre approved us. Yelena reached out for all coordination afterwards. Marigold was not even posted on the rescues page but they were so kind and were able to get us in to meet her. The foster mom (and dad) were wonderful and have been doing this for so long (60+ kitties). We instantly fell in love with Marigold and were able to be selected to adopt her (pat on our back for being able to provide a good home). She came from a hoarder home and was lucky to survive from malnutrition. We came back to get her after getting she completed her shots/spayed. Not even 24 hours in, my one year old tabby loves her and she is settling in perfectly. I will say I have had not so great experiences with other rescues in the area and Dirty Little Paws surpassed all expectations! I hope one day I can repay them and foster another baby in need.

    I called with a simple question about rehoming a cat for a family member and was surprised by how…read morehostile and judgmental the interaction was. I was cut off, accused of wanting to "dump a cat," and spoken to in an unprofessional manner. The experience felt unnecessarily confrontational and upsetting. Unfortunately, I would not recommend based on this interaction.

    The Kitten Spot

    The Kitten Spot

    (1 review)

    I am so excited to finally write this review after a full year with our big guy. We are…read moretraditionally dog people but are getting older and no longer have older kids at home to help with large pets but we were very attracted to the idea of a Bengal because of their higher than usual energy. We were hoping for a good middle-ground between running dogs every day for two decades and a fat house cat and we really feel like we got exactly what we were dreaming of and so much more. Her kittens were impeccable and we can't even believe how lucky we got with our male. He was instantly affectionate and loving towards us. My husband was very wary of cats and believed all of them were skittish and stand-offish. I had a childhood cat and remembered them being easy to own. I convinced him to let me get this kitten after our last dog passed because he was so gorgeous and as masculine as a sweet kitty could possibly look. We were so impressed with Dad when we met him in person and our little guy ended up looking just as handsome now that he's almost fully grown. Even other bengal owners are always blown away by his unusual coloring and shine. This is a cat even my husband is so proud to own after years of telling me cats were for women. Lol They are best buddies and sometimes I feel like I bought my own dream cat but my husband was the one who ended up with the best friend. He has zero negative health issues and has only needed to see the vet for regular vaccinations and altering. We have so much comfort in knowing that he has only eaten human grade food as we have continued the breeder's extraordinary meal plan. We have been a lifelong long kibble and canned food combo users and we had absolutely no idea how low the quality of food that is allowed to be given as animal grade even in the most expensive pet food. Our aunt just lost her sweet male cat to a urinary blockage and we had no idea how common they are in cats fed commercial foods. We take him everywhere with us and he is a huge comfort to me because of my anxiety. Everybody wants to interact with him and love on him and he really takes a lot of pressure off situations for me. I have never known a cat to be so willing to greet a large groups of people and people can't believe how calm he is. We did take the breeders advice and alter him before sexual maturity. He has never even once had an accident outside the litter box or on grass at home or in public. After decades of puppies I was ready for months of potty training. I had no idea how incredible a well raised kitten is at using the litter box exclusively. It was an absolute dream transition bringing him into our home. He has changed my life. We have not gotten a second bengal only because we love so much that we are able to travel with him and worry that flights, imposing on friends when we stay, etc would be too difficult with more than him but I am so tempted every time I see your posts of new litters. We have been life long animal adores but we never knew we could experience a bond with an animal like this. Thank you so much and to anyone considering a kitten--I couldn't imagine a better one in the entire world than the one I adopted from them.

    From the owner: Though Bengal cats have surged in popularity most largely due to their stunning appearance, it is…read moretheir remarkable personalities and distinctive traits that are the focus of our program. Bengals inherit a strong drive and confidence from their wild ancestors that overshadows the timid nature of domestic breeds. Our mission is to show animal lovers everywhere that when bred for temperament and raised carefully, Bengals are a dog-comparable emotional support or therapy animal with more manageable space and maintenance requirements. Our Bengals adventure without fear, possess the energy and drive to flourish with intensive training programs, and have an incredible capacity for human companionship. We produce a very small number of kittens as individual attention and socialization are the cornerstones of our program. Avoid spending the first months with your new pet battling the issues caused by profit-focused large catteries. Our kittens have- -Age-ap vaccines/multiple dewormings -Completed litter box training -2 weeks of frozen Raw-diet that the kittens have grown up on to transition them -5 day viral warranty -1 year guarantee against detrimental congenital defects Our kittens are the very best in pet-quality but are only for pet and therapy animal homes—we do not sell with papers for show or breeding. If you want a beautiful, healthy cat but need an animal that feels like an extension of yourself, please feel free to reach out and inquire about available kittens!

    The Barking Lot - animalshelters - Updated May 2026

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