I would give them 10 out of 5 stars if I could. The staff are friendly, knowledgeable, and genuinely care about the animals. The animals are clearly well cared for, and the adoption fee includes a lot, such as microchipping and keeping the animals up to date on their medical care. They are also happy to answer questions and provide advice, both before and after adoption. If you're considering a special-needs pet or aren't sure what type of pet would be the best fit, they'll take the time to explain the responsibilities involved and help you make an informed decision. What really sets this shelter apart is that they take the time to get to know potential adopters and make sure each adoption is a good fit for both the animal and the family. Their focus is on responsible placement and the well-being of the pets, not superficial factors. I especially appreciate that they don't judge a person's ability to provide a loving home based on their social media presence. Too often, some organizations seem to equate online popularity with being a good pet owner, but those things have little to do with one another. In fact, the amount of time someone spends building a social media following says nothing about the care, attention, and commitment they'll give a pet. This shelter evaluates people based on what truly matters: their ability and willingness to provide a safe, stable, and loving home. I adopted two kittens from them about a year and a half ago. One grew into a gentle giant, while the other stayed petite. A few weeks ago, I returned and adopted a large 3-year-old cat as a companion for my gentle giant. The adoption process was just as positive the second time around. I highly recommend this shelter to anyone considering adopting, donating, or volunteering. They are doing great work and truly have the animals' best interests at heart. read more

The Buddy Foundation - Minutes after getting home from adoption. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

Very dedicated and loving volunteers pets have all medical issues. Neutering and shots read more

We had such a wonderful experience adopting our dog Copper from here. The staff was so kind, helpful, and truly cared about making sure each pet goes to the right home. They took the time to answer all of our questions and made the whole process feel comfortable and stress free. We are so grateful to have found our new best friend. Thank you for everything you do! read more

Buddy foundation deserves your consideration when you think about supporting rescued animals. Not only to adopt a pet, but to volunteer your time and when you're thinking of monetary donation. We have adopted two cats and one dog from these wonderful people. The animals are healthy, clean, and carefully attended so they get the "people time" they need. I would strongly encourage anyone looking for a way to give back to their community to talk to The Buddy Foundation. Or most recent "Buddy" is a terrior mix named Charly. He came to them with a severely broken leg and all the signs of a dog lost and fending for himself. His owners gave him up. He healed up beautifully and we gave him a forever home. I highly recommend this organization. Adopt your next fur baby here! read more

A cat named Lightening is still there after 10 long yrs!!! My daughter went there to ask about him yrs back and she was told that it was very hard to get the cat in a carrier. The woman said Oh No you don't want him! So this beautiful cat never got a home because of that volunteer! My daughter said this woman said that about many cats she was interested in. She left there without adopting. I used to volunteer there back in 2015 and this woman and her friend were horrible. Whoever is running this place should take a good long look at them if they're still there for bad mouthing certain felines. I remember Lightening as a kitten in 2015. Those 2 should have been fired long ago. The reason I quit was because of them and an older man, dealing with them was awful. My daughter has yrs of experience with cats and both her and I know how to handle them. I feel sorry for this cat and I blame them for him still being there. read more

Have donated before. Just adopted a whoodle who was an owner Surrender. He's a very good boy who needs a strong hand as he's headstrong but adorable! They gave good info so I knew his story and was able to be a good father. read more

We adopted Linus a 10 month old Pointer/Beagle mix from the Buddy Foundation 3 weeks ago! The shelter was very clean and the people were great to work with. They really care about the animals they have and want the best fit for them. I had been to another dog adoption shelter that had dog crates stacked on dog crates with some dogs that were visibly not well. Buddy is honest and upfront and so reasonably priced based on the neutering done, shots and medication my puppy received. Thank you Buddy!!! read more

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I volunteer at Buddy and have done for the past year. During this time I have been humbled to be a part of such a worthy organization. It is run by volunteers who treat every buddy like a family member. The facility is clean and well run due to the efforts of many long serving volunteers. This shelter is the 5 star of shelters in my opinion (and I have volunteered elsewhere) It is great to be a part of Buddy to continue the terrific work they do for all "their buddies" If your home is not suited to a buddy and you have love to share-I really recommend Buddy! read more

Very nice people. Love my Buddy I got frm them. They told me about his issues before I decided to adopt him, they are workable. read more

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Horrible heartless people run this place. Placing adoption fees based on age we paid for a young/puppy to find out he was actually 3 years older than what was stated only to get the highest amount for the dog. 275.00 Fast forward 10 years later and I called for some help with my dog that I adopted from BF I am completely out of options except to keep spending money. I kindly asked if there was any types of resources or assistance they'd be open to helping me with Sonny's health care. Well I spoke with a woman I won't mention her name who was very condescending and rude she even laughed at the idea of me even calling and asking for help. I'm not the one who can't take a no but to actually laugh at someone who is desperate for help for a dog that was once in their care is completely disgusting and heartless. Now you may or may not have experienced anything like this but I strongly recommend you don't adopt from here if you don't want to be treated like this. read more

I have adopted from here twice. My first kitty we adopted 8 years ago. He was ready to be euthanized because he had a facial defect. Buddy foundation saved him and paid for surgery to fix the issue. We came in looking for a cat and found our baby, Fin. Now we were searching for the perfect buddy for Fin, 8 years old, but active. Buddy Foundation helped us AGAIN. Finding the best little buddy for Fin. He was "Kenny" there, but we named him Elliot. However, he responds to his nickname "slinky". He has been absolutely perfect for us. Thank you so much to The Buddy Foundation. They save so many animals. Many of whom would be euthanized. They recognize that it is not the fault of the precious animal. They do their best to save as many as possible. We are so lucky to have crossed paths with this beautiful foundation. read more

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I really liked the fact that the Buddy Foundation is a no kill shelter and that they make you sign some thing when you take a animal that if it doesn't work out at any time for any reason that you'll bring it back to them. It's unfortunate that I just had to have such a bad experience because of one horrible person there named Sue who runs the Cat room. After working with our cat for over two years that we took as a kitten the cat has decided to no longer use his litter box and instead to use our sons bed as a litter or the kitchen floor. We keep our litter box clean all the time and nothing is different in our house that would make the cat act any different than he was. After dealing with this for a few months we've decided to bring the cat back to the shelter since we signed that piece of paper saying that's where it's going back to. When we showed up Sue came out to get the cat and immediately started telling us how we can never get another animal at any shelter anywhere because we are going to be blacklisted. No she could've absolutely have told us that in a nice way that once you surrender a animal back to a shelter the shelters in the area would no longer let you adopt. And we are in no way looking to adopt again but she was so rude and condescending about it that it was pretty upsetting. Then they wanted me to fill out a paper about the cat but because of her attitude I told her I'm not gonna fill out the paperwork and I went to leave. First she holds the clipboard in front of me trying to get me to not leave and starts threatening me that they're gonna call the police and I'm gonna be in trouble for not filling out their form. She could've easily have just apologized for being so rude and asked me nicely to fill out the form but instead she chose to threaten me. I guess that part was a little funny thinking that what the police are gonna come because I refuse to fill out your form I told her to do what she needs to and proceeded to walk out the door while she proceeded to try to stop me which was ridiculous. Then I called about five minutes later to try to talk to Jan who is the ex Cook County judge who started the Buddy Foundation and runs it. Since I asked for Jan Sue picked back up the phone and continue to just be so rude I could not even believe it. Nobody deserves to be talked down to or threatened the way she talked to me. read more

Wish I could say better things about this place, but I can't. I went in to visit a puppy with my family and my own dog, and they were nothing but rude from the moment we walked in. Not only were they rude to us, they made fun of my dog and the way his legs looked (he has a medical condition-- really?). The woman we met with the whole time was extremely rude and territorial of the puppy that we were trying to meet as well. I feel so bad for the all dogs that are in that shelter. The volunteers claim that they can't get the dogs adopted, but they make it nearly impossible. You could be wearing a pair of socks they don't like and that would be reason-enough to reject you from adopting their pets. Basically, they don't want you there, even though you are trying to give their dogs a home. The shelter also smells horrible and doesn't look clean. This used to be a great place to adopt from, but not anymore. I wouldn't advise adopting from here or taking any pets over to them to shelter. Great thing they are trying to do, but when you have rude and condescending volunteers it ruins the whole place. (Also, some of the top reviews are from people who have the same names as their volunteers. Take that as you will) read more

This was my first adoption experience and I am so glad I was able to come across this place! We were helped by Elizabeth. When we came in we were interested in a couple dogs but she had asked a few questions about our home and family and advised us with the dogs personalizes. Instead we got to see dogs that would better suit our family and I think that was such a great thing. It's great to know that there is someone not only looking out for our choice on our new family member but mostly for the dogs happiness and compatibility with the family so they can be happy and not end up returned. I highly recommend this adoption place to any one!!! The other staff is so welcoming and friendly as well! We absolutely love our dog justice and she acclimated to a new house and people very easily. I'm so glad the people here look out for the animals and don't just want to push them out the door. read more

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My son and I went about 4 months ago to adopt a cat. They have several adult cat rooms and 1 kitten room. The volunteer spent a lot of time with us, and took us to every room. We told her we wanted a cat that was relatively social but not as energetic as a kitten. She was very honest about cats that would not be a good fit for us. I liked that they had many cats that they were caring for with terminal disease (not up for adoption), and they would care for them for the rest of their lives. We ended up adopting a 4 year old tuxedo and she is a doll. The process was very easy and couldn't be happier. read more

Well, I have to say that I'm extremely disappointed in the way that I was treated here. My family got a dog from Buddy foundation eight years ago, and since then both of my parents have passed away and my brother and I felt it was time to get another dog. We love that the Buddy foundation is a no kill shelter and are so in love with our dog so naturally, we went back. We saw a puppy on the website that we are interested in and went to go meet her. They told us that we had to come back with our current dog to meet her before any adoption was set up, which I think is a great rule because chemistry is important. I called ahead to make sure the dog we wanted was still available so my current dog could meet her. The lady at the front desk said that she was but she had kennel cough and it probably wasn't a good time to bring my dog in because a lot of the dogs there had the sickness as well. She said however, that I could come in and put a down payment on the puppy and once she was well, My dog could come in and meet her and if they got along we could take the new puppy home. She also said if they didn't get along, we would receive our down payment back. Not even 10 minutes later after speaking on the phone with the lady, I went in person to pay the adoption fees. The lady at the front desk acted completely clueless, and I said I just talk to you not even 10 minutes ago. And her voice was the same voice I heard on the phone. And she said, "you may have spoke with me" And played completely dumb!!! And this is where her attitude started. There were other people in the lobby who were being treated with a nice tone and a smile and I was getting attitude from someone who I just spoke on the phone with. I re-explained the entire Situation to her and that I was here to pay for the down payment adoption fees. She said that someone would come and help me. I sat down in the waiting area and one lady came out from the back and asked if I was the person asking for the dog and if I had met her already. I said yes I came in two days ago. And she went back to the back room. I was just getting such a suspicious feeling the entire time. I felt extremely judged and uncomfortable. Especially seeing other people come in and seeing How an older white man who came in was treated so respectfully and then to young Latina girls came in and were treated the exact same way I was treated (I'm young and not white). I will always trust my gut when I feel like I am being racially profiled, and I was so disgusted with the way these old white women were so disrespectful to me. Finally another old white lady came out of the back and told me that the puppy in question was already promised to a volunteer that worked there. I told her that I had just called 20 minutes ago and they told me that the puppy was still available, just sick. The whole situation seemed fishy. I feel that they just judged me and decided I would not be a good fit to be a dog parent. Which couldn't be further from the truth. I grew up with dogs and have had dogs my entire life. I even work at a Doggy daycare. I am so disappointed with the treatment I received here. I love that the Buddy foundation is a no kill shelter and I believe in what they do. But I cannot condone them based on the prejudice I experienced today. I was so surprised, especially since we have been to many of their events with my adopted dog we got from there. I was shocked to see how many horrible yelp reviews they had, but clearly the service has gone way downhill and the employees are now currently bottom of the barrel. How could someone be so miserable surrounded by such amazing and beautiful creatures all day?? I feel bad for you old ladies, I hope you find peace. read more

This place is amazing: heaven for dogs and cats in search of a loving forever home. Most importantly, it is a no-kill shelter. In fact, I was told there's a cat who's been a resident for 8 years still waiting to get adopted. The staff are all volunteers and are incredibly warm and friendly. I adopted my cat from The Buddy Foundation 5 years ago and couldn't be happier. Support this wonderful place if you can! read more

The Buddy Foundation - Heaven for dogs and cats looking for a loving forever home! - Animal Shelters Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

While I think that adopting an animal is so important (adopt don't shop everyone!) please go elsewhere if you are looking for a pet. The people at the Buddy Foundation are extremely rude, and discriminate against new adopters based on age. My brother came in with his girlfriend to adopt a cat. He recently lost his cat to cancer, and was still very much hurting from that, and wanted a new cat to provide companionship in his life. He has a full-time job, is 21 years old, and completely responsible for his finances. His girlfriend, who is 19, accompanied him for moral support, and not because she was adopting the cat with him. They turned him away - said he was "not serious" and would not allow him to see the cats. Their explanation was that their policy states that all adopters have to be 21. When we came by and asked if a parent could adopt an animal with a child, they said "of course" so I do not understand why someone legal, 21 years of age, and looking for a cat just for himself, cannot adopt an animal just because he is with his girlfriend. The volunteer in charge could only talk in circles, and refused to apologize or clearly explain why my brother was turned away. I feel like it was completely based on age - and while my brother may look young, have tattoos, and may be a bit shy, he is the BEST animal owner that you could ask for. The way he cared for his deceased cat showed that. I think the Buddy Foundation lost an amazing potential owner, as well as my family's future support. I will never support this business again, and I hope they can learn to stop discriminating against age and previous notions on what a "good" pet owner should be. read more

I've had a few encounters with Buddy Foundation. The first was when I brought in a pregnant cat that I took in and my dogs terrorized her, so I brought her there. They made me make a $200 donation and practically sign my life away to do this. I asked they call me about the kittens, I just wanted to make sure everything was ok and they never bothered to call. The second in summer of 2018, my fiancé was wheelchair bound after a stroke (he has since passed). We were looking to replace a dog that recently died. They completely ignored us and said they didn't have any dogs to adopt when we noticed several. The third is the most recent, a couple of months ago. I went with a friend looking to adopt a cat or kitten. She seemed to be bonded to an older cat, I went back with her to adopt. When she filled out the forms she mentioned that she previously had 2 cats that she had to leave with her former roommate because of restrictions of only 1 cat at her new apartment and since the cats were bonded litter mates it was agreed not to separate them. They told her she was no longer allowed to adopt since she abandoned her other 2 cats. Sadly this left the poor cat who was practically clinging to her confused and upset. Unfortunately this shelter came highly recommended by a friend. All 3 experiences left a very bad impression. There are so many shelters in the area, I suggest you stay away from this one. read more

Don't try to use this shelter to re-home your pet. They are rude and will grill you with questions about a tough decision that you have already made, and shame you for it. All I was trying to do was find a place for my pet to get a second chance, and all I got was frustration and anger. Not sure why someone thought this review was funny. It is a serious review, and I did not come to the decision of trying to rehome my pet lightly. read more

We walked in and were coldly greeted by 2 women staring us down. They were condescending about the fact that we live in a townhome, assumed we were renters, and demanded we bring in a copy of association rules stating we are allowed dogs. Then, when asked how long said possible dog would be left alone, and we answered that we work so about 6-7 hours they said that was too long and they'd prefer under 5... I'd recommend a different shelter if you don't want to be treated condescendingly and rudely. read more

I first contacted the Buddy Foundation via email, offering my services as a volunteer. The volunteer coordinator replied very quickly and asked that I go in to the center and fill out an application. That very night, I did just that. The property is really, really nice and I was certainly impressed by the exterior. There is a great big sign on the door "We're full---no new animals please" or something to that effect. I was sad to see such a sign (so many strays/relinquished pets), but glad that I chose a busy shelter to offer my help to. We were sort-of greeted by a woman at the front desk. She handed over the application, and asked that it be filled out in full. No problem. During my application "process" two girls pulled up out front. They had a dog with them, and Ms. Front Desk said "Oh my GHOOOD I hope they aren't trying to bring that dog HERE! In a very snotty tone. I was shocked and very put off. Turns out, the girls left the dog in the car, and were just stopping in to say hello to Ms. Front Desk. Ha. Ugg. The three of them were talking, taaaaaalking talking, and IGNORING me while I tried to hand in my application. Another "employee" saw me standing there, and offered to take the application for me. She asked me a few normal questions, (hours available, health problems/allergies) and then she asked if I had a preference to dogs or cats. I responded that I was there to help, but I did prefer dogs as a personal pet. She laughed and said: "It doesn't matter anyway, cause you are still going to be cleaning up s---." Whoa! (I was aware of that fact, but you don't need to be crass) On our way out, we stopped to stare at this cute pup in the front viewing room. He was playing "ball" with himself using the wall. I was pretty funny. During the 3rd round of "dogball", a family walks in, asking to look at dogs for adoption. Ms. Front Desk says they have no dogs, and offers them a cat. HEH? Granted, I didn't hear the rest of the exchange, but that was a helluva opener. As far as my volunteering goes: I never heard back from anyone at the Buddy Foundation. It's been a few weeks. read more

Two years ago, we adopted a cat from the Buddy Foundation, and it couldn't have gone smoother. They were friendly, helpful, and were even so impressed with our love for cats that two weeks later, they called us because they had just gotten in another kitten they thought we would love. We had to turn them down at that time, but it all ended very graciously. (All interactions were with the same single volunteer btw.) Flash forward to present time. We had gotten a second cat from another shelter and loved him just as much as our Buddy cat. Unfortunately he escaped the house and was killed. Our Buddy cat was used to having a friend so about a month later we started looking. We stopped at the shelter we had gotten the cat who died from, told them the story, they couldn't have been more sympathetic, and showed us some cats. I also wanted to see what the Buddy Foundation had to offer. Big mistake. I've never been so upset in my life. We go there and tell them our story and the Kitten Nazi (same lady who offered me the second kitten from before) determines we are not fit for a kitten because they are too fast and could get out. Did she think I'm some serial cat killer? Just open the door when you get tired of them? I really gave that woman a piece of my mind. So disappointing. Needless to say we went back to the original place and picked up an adorable kitten, who, so far, has been unable to escape our clutches. Moral of the story: if you have a tragic pet tale, don't tell them. Lie to save yourself the judgement. read more

I have adopted 2 dogs from this shelter, 9 years apart. It is the cleanest shelter I've ever been to, and the all volunteer staff give the dogs so much love and attention. I highly recommend to adopt from them. read more

I stopped by here today to look at kittens. I have an older cat who I'm looking to give him a little female companion. My top favorites were 2 kittens, Jill and Leia. (I ended up adopting Jill!) The shelter is very nice, and it is well taken care of. The dog and cat play rooms are great for the animals. The facility was clean and well taken care of. I noticed they actually take the dogs outside for walks around the place which I thought was great. The people who helped us were nice, and showed us all the younger female kittens. They gave us some great options without trying to make us to look at other animals. I will be adopting a kitten in the next week or so. The adoption fee for a kitten is $150, but one of the workers said there are promotions in the paper from time to time. The cost includes flea treatment, spay/neuter, and various other things. It's practically a steal. The best thing about this shelter is they are really hands on with the animals so they are incredibly social. This is a shelter I would donate to, and bring friends to. I would like to send a message out to the people who wrote negative reviews about this place. Yes, some of the people are not the most friendly (none of which I dealt with) but when you work in a job that you see the cruelty of humans everyday of your life, you become a little disgusted and hopeless with humanity. You should want to volunteer because it makes you feel fulfilled as a person, not because you want praise. That's not what it's about. A lot of the people who work here are volunteers not professionals. Just because those people have a big heart doesn't mean they have verbal filters. (Which is ok, since they are still helping the community) read more

The Buddy Foundation - I found the perfect cat there. - Animal Shelters Near Me - Arlington Heights, Illinois

I wish I could give 0 stars to this disgusting place. My father passed away 2 years ago so we went to find a dog to help my mom out with his passing. We found a dog and had her for about 1.5 years. It wasn't working for my mom anymore (big dog, barked, ate everything, etc) so after a hard decision was made to bring her back. I never got to say goodbye so I went after work hoping to say goodbye. I walked in and started crying while asking if I could just see the dog and say goodbye. The guy there said they don't 'allow' that then a lady started laughing at me (why? Because I was crying?). They were so rude and I feel disgusted knowing my dog has to be treated by these disgusting people. Pray for these animals. read more

First things first regarding the one-star review of Buddy Foundation: read the very last sentence of Rachel's review. Sounds to me like the one-star review was written by a bitter rejected volunteer. Why that review is allowed to stay, I'll never know. My girlfriend and I visited The Buddy Foundation a number of times and have always found it clean and worthwhile. There's a lot of pet adoption agencies that could learn a few things from establishments like this. The staff was welcoming and accommodating. We were briefly interviewed as to what kind of pet we were looking for. They offered us a few options they thought would fit our criteria. Similarly, they steered us away from dogs that would NOT fit our criteria and explained the reasoning behind each dog. We were okay with that: we'd rather know they were doing their best to find us a fitting dog than trying to get us to adopt just anything! The staff we worked with offered goodwill attempts at answering whatever questions we had. The shelter does an impressive job of working on animals' medical evaluations and history. When we saw a dog, we never felt rushed. We were allowed as much time as we wanted with each dog to "feel them out." Eventually, we fell in love with a little black mix! We were given a packet full of information, including copies of our new puppy's medical history and vet visits. She had not been microchipped, but the Foundation took her in back and microchipped her right then and there. They added the microchip information to the packet of information they were sending us home with. She's laying down next to me right now, relaxing on the couch. The Foundation charged us $300 for the adoption fee. The volunteer told us all of that money goes right back into The Buddy Foundation. It seemed a little high, but they also gave us a number of free services for our new puppy, including a large grooming package and a vet visit. My only minor gripe is the number of volunteers that ended up in a room with us. At one point, three volunteers were in the room playing with the puppies! We know they mean well, but we really wanted to spend time with the puppy by ourselves. In general, the facilities are clean and well-kept. Volunteers are kept on a strict schedule, making sure animals are fed, their quarters cleaned, and they're walked often. read more

This is a great place with affordable prices and we recently adopted Marcie and she's in good health.

This is a fantastic animal shelter! I adopted my cat here a few days ago and it was an amazing experience from the start. The shelter is very clean and nice-looking and the staff were extremely friendly, knowledgeable and helpful. There are a wide variety of cats available, many of which were free to roam in the 8 (yes, 8) different cat rooms that were nicely arranged with cat houses, couches and even faux fireplaces. I did not visit the other section of the building with the dogs, but I did see a playroom where visitors were welcome to take dogs into. The Buddy Foundation really cares for their animals and I enjoyed hearing the staff's stories about their dedication and patience to socializing many of the cats. I also really like that this is a no-kill shelter and that it is entirely run by volunteers. The adoption process was fairly simple and straight-forward; the volunteers asked a few questions regarding my living situation/lifestyle and had me complete a two-sided application. The adoption fee for my 3 year old tabby was $125 which is on the pricier side in comparison to other nearby shelters, but it was worth it. My cat Mia is absolutely perfect and I'm crazy about her! I had lived in Elk Grove for years and can't believe that I haven't heard about this place until recently. I have been recommending The Buddy Foundation to my family/friends/co-workers and will definitely come back if I decide to adopt again. read more

Great people, services, and animals. Have not seen a better shelter in the area. The dogs and cats are give much attention.

My family recently adopted a new pup from the buddy foundation and we had a great experience! We went to a different "shelter" in Arlington Heights before coming here and just did not get a good feeling about it. We are so glad we decided to check out the Buddy Foundation! We went in interested in three dogs from the website. The staff were so great! We told them about the dogs we were interested in and they told us about each dog's personality which was super helpful! Some places just want to move dogs out so they can bring new ones in but we really felt like the staff cared about matching us to the perfect dog. After hearing about the dogs we were interested in, one seemed to be a great fit. They let us spend time with her and we brought our other dog so they could check each other out. Thankfully they loved each other! We were excited to take her home but we had to wait a week while she was spayed. However it ended up being a great thing because she could heal peacefully before rough housing with our other dog! They did let us come back to visit her before the surgery which was so sweet! If you are looking for a dog or even just a place to donate to check this one out!! read more

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When it comes to the adoption process, it's the most disrespectful experience. I have had a dog my entire life. My boyfriend and I live in an apartment, and decided we wanted to adopt a 2nd dog. We went to the Buddy Foundation and found a dog that we couldn't imagine our lives without! When they found out we lived in an apartment, the staff was very rude and hesitant about "letting us" adopt him. EVEN though I explained how our building is a dog only building, and that our complex has a big fenced in dog park for them to play. Then when they found out we worked normal 8-5 jobs during the week, they were even more skeptical. Most people work... plenty of people with dogs work, and they are still taken care of and very well loved. We were looking at a beagle, and during the process he started barking... which prompted one of the ladies to say "are you sure you can handle that, he's going to bark are you sure you want him"... UM if I was a small dog who had a rough life previously, and I was stuck in a shelter around big dogs, I would bark too. She proceeded to tell me about how her daughter my age adopted a dog and couldn't handle it, and how she got stuck taking care of the dog now. OK well I am not your daughter... and I already have a dog that I take care of. The whole staff was so judge mental. We even brought our current dog to meet the dog we were looking at, and they were playing in the yard having fun. Yet they were still concerned about if it was a "good fit". I could go on about this place and how we were treated... Finally we were allowed to adopt him, and we named him Mellow. He gets along great with our other dog - total brothers. We go on plenty of walks, and he is more loved then you can imagine. Oh, and he doesn't bark that much. I love that this is a no-kill shelter and the dogs aren't kept in cages all day, they get to hang out in a room with toys and even play outside... but that's about all I love about this place. read more

Love the Buddy Foundation! Such nice and caring people! We had a wonderful experience adopting 2 beautiful kittens. The way they care for animals, truly heartwarming. Will be recommending and donating to this place forever! They are very careful with the adoption process which is great! Too many irresponsible people out there. read more

Full disclosure: I've been a volunteer at The Buddy Foundation since 2014. I am so proud of this place. Here's why: 1. It's a NO-KILL shelter, meaning any animal rescued here will always be safe here. They will never be put down after a period of time like they do at The Anti-Cruelty Society (a kill shelter). 2. It's 100% volunteer-driven. No one gets paid to work here. So all donations go directly to help the animals. 3. The shelter does lots of outreach with local school groups to educate the next generation about the importance of adopting and not buying a pet from a pet store. read more

Went in looking for a cat to adopt. It is free shelter adoption day. Greeted by a warden of whom was not friendly. WOW! Take younger volunteers. The smell was SO overpowering I was in shock. Totally disappointed by the unfriendly service. Too bad. I could offer a safe, happy home to 2 cats. Bad vibes all the way around. read more

6 weeks ago I put out $175.00 for a 6 yo cat. She was a sweetheart. When I got her home paperwork showed her 1 year older than told. 2) she had lost 3 pounds in two plus weeks. I took her to their vet they felt it was unremarkable regarding weight loss. R)She was in a room loaded with other cats. She must get along with other cats. She had lost her human in death and was turned into The Buddy foundation. She continued to lose weight and ate sporadically. 4) took her to my vet and she was down to 12 pounds from 16 my vet assured me that at 12 pounds she will be healthy. That cost me $125.00 5) spent over $100.00 for new pet supplies food bowls, new litter box (her own) overs $100.00. I continued to keep her separate of my 3 year old cat. When finally started integrating her with my cat she became aggressive and abusive to my cat. My cat started withdrawing from play and would not walk into a room without my leading . I made the heartbreaking decision to return her to the buddy foundation. I could not allow my original cat to be destroyed by this new cat. The real insult was when I was informed by the director and staff that I would not be allowed to adopt a pet from them again. Honestly I did not want to adopt a pet from them again. This is a heartbreaking review to write. I can't even afford to adopt another cat after the money I put out to try and acclimate this cat to my home. read more

Unfortunately, we can here looking to adopt, interested in one of the dogs posted on the website. Upon arrival, we were greeted by a very cold volunteer who showed us dogs that we had stated we were not interested in. It would not have been a one star interaction if the adoption criteria of NOT adopting out dogs larger than 45 pounds to individuals living in housing with no fenced yards would have been posted somewhere on the website. I felt as if it was a weird gray area subject that could be used to the discretion of the volunteer staff. Remember, unless you are exclusively looking for a Chihuahua and you live in an apartment, I encourage you to look at alternative shelters like Wright Way. The volunteer we had interacted with did not ask us many questions about our living situation or our lifestyle before canceling out about 90% of the dogs in the shelter. read more

This is how a pet shelter should be. My husband and I adopted our dog, Cammy, from here. The shelter is very clean and pleasant looking. The dog kennels had more simple "luxuries" (like dog beds) than other shelters we'd seen. There is even a common living room area with couches where the dogs can come out to play and lounge for a while. Although it is always sad to see animals in a shelter, Buddy Foundation doesn't make you feel as "bad" as so many other shelters do. You can tell everyone really cares about the animals. The adoption process was responsible and straightforward. Additionally, when months later our dog wound up with a weird medical condition (she went into heat even though she was spayed), rather than leaving us high and dry Buddy Foundation referred us to the vet who did the spaying and the issue was addressed at no charge. This place is the BEST and I always refer anyone looking to adopt a pet here. read more

This is a mixed review. We had a stray cat that had been hanging around our house. When we noticed she was pregnant I started looking for a shelter to take her in. They were very willing to take her in even made sure all volunteers would know she was approved to be dropped off. But then when my husband went to drop her off the woman basically accused him of ditching our own cat mostly based on the fact that our 2 yr old cried to see cat left behind. Does she not realize little kids would cry when you drag them away from a cute animal. She does the same thing at a pet store. He had to go back in and heard them talking about him. So again mixed. Nice to take the animal but we left feeling judged when we were just trying to do something nice. read more

Not only have I gotten my wonderful puppy Sam, here a little over a year ago... but I also am a dog volunteer/adoption worker at the The Buddy Foundation. Let me tell you, this place is truly a fantastic and a REAL safe haven for the animals who are waiting for their "forever homes". All the staff is so friendly and helpful. They really have the best intentions for their animals and show them so much love and affection. The place is well kept, the cages are cleaned quite often and they are spacious as well! I don't know about the cat side but on the dog side, the dogs are always fed on time and kept up-to-date on all meds, etc. Plus the dogs get walked here at the very LEAST 4-5 times a day! As far as the adoption process goes, the fees are a little high BUT for good reason. All dogs see a vet before they can be adopted and are up-to-date on shots and meds. Most dogs are chipped. If the dog needs dental work, that takes place here too. Let's just say that EVERYTHING is taking care of before you bring home your new life-long friend. The adoption workers are really looking for the best fit for both the dog and the family. We ask a lot of questions, but it's only for the benefit of you and our animals! =] Overall, I cannot praise this shelter enough. That is why I have been volunteering here for over a year now... along with my 5 other family members and my best friend. They have a wonderful mission and are dedicated to their cause. read more