Not only can you search for perfect love on the internet, you can search for the perfect pet too. I…read morejust found both, in one purring fuzzy package. Adult cats are great to adopt, since their personalities are formed and you know who you're going to be living with. I wanted a male cat that loves people. A search on the online site pet finders, found 502 adult male cats within 100 miles. Then I looked for black or tabby, and a mention of an affectionate disposition. Escalon is 1hr 40 minutes from home, but they had the perfect cat! They treat the animals very well, even though the shelter itself is old style with cats in little cages. I was impressed that they take care to get to know the individual pets and their personalities. Thank you for my new partner in mischief!

The staff at the Escalon Animal Shelter are very kind and compassionate people who really care…read moreabout the animals there. Unfortunately, this shelter will be closing at the end of October due to a merger with the Oakdale shelter and sadly, the staff do not know what will happen to any animal that is not adopted by that time. Please consider adopting from this shelter to save a life and please tell your friends and family so more animals can be saved.

incredible experience! I adore my new puppies!!! thank you…read moreSASA Lucy and Ricky are healthy happy and HOME !!!!

Very disappointing experience. We visited to meet a kitten that we truly wanted to adopt. The staff…read moretold us that we could not reserve the kitten and that we needed to come back the next day to complete the adoption. We trusted what they told us and returned exactly as instructed, only to find out that someone else had already reserved the kitten. This situation affected me deeply. I have been feeling extremely depressed and overwhelmed by what happened, and my anxiety became so severe that I ended up going to the hospital. Losing the opportunity to adopt the kitten after following exactly what the staff told us was heartbreaking. We wasted our time because the staff did not clearly explain their adoption process or give us consistent information. If someone else was allowed to reserve the kitten, we should have been given the same opportunity. I hope management takes this seriously and improves the way the staff communicates with potential adopters. No one should be told one thing, follow those instructions, and then come back the next day to discover that the opportunity was given to someone else. I m on several depression at the hospital

I had a wonderful experience adopting from Santa Clara Animal Shelter. The staff were incredibly…read morefriendly, knowledgeable, and helpful throughout the entire process. The adoption process was quick, smooth, and easy to navigate, which made bringing home my new pup stress-free. I also appreciated that the adoption included spay services and vaccinations, showing how much the shelter cares about the health and well-being of their animals. Most importantly, I absolutely love my adopted pup! She has already brought so much joy into my life. Thank you to everyone at Santa Clara Animal Shelter for helping us find each other. I highly recommend them to anyone looking to adopt a pet.

Their adoption process was super easy. Their staff was super nice and knows which dog wouldn't fit…read moreour wants. We found our perfect dog that same day. We had to wait 1-2 days to get him neutered and then we took him home. His name was Gordon now we call him Kylo, is super friendly and such a mellow dog. We really love our Yorke/Terrier!

When my cat showed up last Saturday with a broken tail, the vet informed me that an amputation was…read morethe only option. Facing the high cost of the procedure while already in a difficult financial position, I felt completely overwhelmed and started desperately searching for any avenues or options that could help. ​After hitting dead ends elsewhere, I finally made contact with the Humane Society of Silicon Valley. Not only did they step in to help me out financially, but they also showed genuine compassion, love, and care that completely carried me through one of the hardest moments I've faced. ​There is simply no way I could have gotten through this without them. Their kindness has had a profound impact on me, and I can honestly say it's going to make me a better person moving forward. There are not enough kind words in the world to express my gratitude. I am forever indebted to this organization. ​Thank you for the financial help, and thank you for showing such deep compassion, love, and care when we needed it most.

I wanted to share some feedback about my recent adoption experience…read more My main interaction was with Hailey, who identified herself as an adoption supervisor. I completely understand why HSSV reviews an adopter's history and wants to make sure animals are going into stable, permanent homes. I respect that responsibility. What disappointed me was the lack of context, empathy, and actual counseling in my experience. For background, I had previously adopted two kittens who were later rehomed together with friends who already knew them, fell in love with them, and continue to adore them. Later, I adopted two more kittens. I kept one, who is still with me and thriving. The other already had significant diarrhea when I adopted her. I cared for her for about ten days through medication, monitoring, and constant cleanup until the diarrhea resolved, and later returned her after realizing that a single-kitten household was the better fit for me at that time. She got adopted within the hour. About a month later, I returned because I had decided I wanted to add a second kitten. I was choosing between two kittens I liked, but one had active diarrhea. Having just gone through an exhausting ten-day experience caring for another kitten with diarrhea, I wanted to understand what I might be taking on. I asked about her medical notes, how long the diarrhea might last, the recommended recheck, and what medical support would be available if it continued. Instead of those questions being treated as part of making an informed decision, I felt they were repeatedly interpreted as evidence that I was "unsure." I was repeatedly asked whether I was sure, warned that another return could affect future adoptions, and eventually told that no kitten would be adopted to me that day because I appeared too uncertain. I explained that i could understand being told to go home and think about it for a day. What I struggled with was being told that even if i came back the next day having made a clear decision, there was still no indication of whether I would be allowed to adopt. We went back and forth on this several times. I also explicitly asked for help thinking through which of the two kittens might be the better fit. I was hoping for guidance from someone experienced with the animals who could help me weigh temperament, medical needs, and my circumstances. Instead the conversation increasingly felt focused on whether I was "sure enough" to adopt rather than helping me make an informed choice. What made this experience more frustrating was that the previous day, I had encountered almost the opposite problem. I was interested in several popular long-haired kittens who were still in crates and difficult to assess temperament-wise. I asked whether I could spend a little time with them in a room and was told no. After about ten minutes, the adoption counselor told me I needed to decide or go to the back of the line. I actually had to ask for one more minute, and she stood there looking at her watch timing me while I tried to decide about an animal I could potentially care for for the next 15-20 years. This is where the process felt contradictory to me. On one hand, adopters are expected to make thoughtful, permanent commitments and may be scrutinized heavily if a placement does not work out. On the other hand, there can be considerable pressure to make a decision very quickly, sometimes without enough opportunity to understand the animal's temperament or medical situation. My issue is not that HSSV screens adopters or has safeguards. Those are important. My concern is how those safeguards are implemented. Asking questions, reading medical records carefully, wanting to understand temperament, or needing a little time to think should not automatically be treated as a lack of commitment. I wish the adoption process had felt more supportive, collaborative, and kind. Everyone involved is trying to make the right choice for the animal, and I hope HSSV can balance its policies with more patience, context, and empathy.

We adopted our now 2 year old poodle mix, Jett (previously named Loki) from Pets & Pals in mid…read moreNovember. When we first arrived there, we noticed how peaceful the place was - none of the incessant barking that you encounter at the local shelter. Their grounds were well maintained. We were told the dogs are let out to run in the yard for 3 hours a day. Their website has a bio on each pet so you can read a background info on each one. Obviously when it's an owner surrender they have more information on the pet, less so if the pet was a stray. But even then, they observe them while at the shelter to give you an idea what to expect. Their system makes it easy to adopt. I recommend sending an application in to get approved first. Once you've been approved, just call to make an appointment to see a dog or cat that you would like to meet. They will hold the dog or cat for you until your appointment. This is different from local city shelters where you might see a dog or cat listed online but it might be gone by the time you get there. Their adoption fee ($350) is fair as my dog was already microchipped and his shots were updated, except for rabies. I was a bit surprised that he was released without updating his rabies. All in all, I would recommend PetsNPals to anyone looking to adopt. They definitely care about the pets and try to make their shelter stay as pleasant as possible. Please adopt, don't shop for a pet.

We are so happy with our Dino. She is the sweetest girl and settling into our family so well. The…read moreadoption process went smoothly, and facilities were clean and well maintained. She came spayed, vaccinated, and chipped. They offered to call right away for advice should any issues arise. We're very happy with our experience with this rescue!

if you try to get in touch with Harvest Home it's a joke. I have about 10 winter blankets the…read moreanimals could have used for warmth but the human factor is too busy. I get so frustrated with so called animal sanctuaries claiming "We're here for the animals."

I am always amazed by the amount of compassion that can be found at an animal sanctuary, and…read moreHarvest Home is no exception. The staff here does a fantastic job of taking care of countless animals, many of which were abused or neglected. Ethel the pig is a particular favorite of mine, as she is a former test subject from a research lab and still manages to adore human contact. They offer tours that are children friendly, and work very hard to adopt out many of the animals to good homes. I look forward to future volunteer projects here, because they deserve support. Keep up the great work Harvest Home!!

Today we had the pleasure of experiencing A Doggy Day Out…read more This experience is offered Monday - Saturday from 9:30 am - 5:00 pm. Must be 18 years or older to participate. We were able to pick Margo (female, 9 month old husky) from a list of available dogs. The dogs on the list have been behavior tested and are ready to go. The application process to take her out took about 15 minutes. But perhaps that was because all my littles were asking a million questions. They were so excited for this opportunity. The staff was friendly and approachable. They had great communication with my children and myself. Expectations were clear in the packet and we were kindly reminded to return her back by 5:00 pm. Margo was truly a joy. She walks great on a leash. Does well with children ages 3,5,6,7,9, and 11 as well as dogs: Martha (Biewer terrier) and Bruno (Cavapoo). She loves pup cups and good long walks. We really hope today will help her get adopted. She would be a great addition to any family. Upon return, she did a great job exiting the suburban. We purchased a bone for her as well as a toy. Receiving went great. My kids continued to ask a million questions and all of which were answered and encouraged by a friendly and knowledgeable staff. They even took a picture for us to remember our special day. We are already excited to do another Doggy Day Out. Without hesitation I strongly encourage others to experience this joy and make all the difference in these pups lives. What if your day out gets these sweet babies a new home, not only saving a life but bringing endless joy to someone else's! Thank you City of Turlock Animal Control for the Paws-itively great first forever moment/ experience.

I visited this place several times and adopted a little doggy from them (around July/Aug 2024). I…read morealso had to call several times with questions. I had good experiences with all the people I interacted with who worked there and with the animal control officer that I chatted with a lot while my dog was getting her included rabies shot. I also have VERY good experiences with animal control regarding me helping a goose I thought was injured, but it turned out that it was bird flu, sadly. I'm shocked by all the bad reviews here... I do notice that many of the bad reviews involve cats. The shelter really isn't able to help much with cats. I blame THE GENERAL PUBLIC for the cat issue. In 2025 there's no excuse for having your cat roaming around outdoors murdering all the birds and risking being hit by a car, etc. Trap-neuter-release programs are ineffective when there are so, so many cats that there are always plenty that will breed. What I CAN say about this shelter and cats is that they accepted a kitten from me (that I found in a park) even though they normally do not, because it was too young to survive on its own. Shelters are never going to be happy, pleasant places, and that's entirely humans' fault. It's disgusting how many people want to breed their dogs when so many are desperate for a home. I think the shelter's doing the best it can, but it's a losing battle, sadly.

Can't believe we got the cuddliest lap kitties here! My other cat is a cat distribution backyard…read morecat and we could not desensitize her in time. We came here last minute on a Friday and wasn't able to see any cats as they're closing. Dont go unless you have 2-3 hours before the closing time. The next day we wanted to see 2 kittens but they couldn't locate one of them and they also happened to be part of a bonded pair so we assume maybe they were adopted. We knew we wanted 2, so we asked to see 2 more kittens, and they allegedly gave my partner some attitude but let us see them. We got one free vet visit and went to VCA already, easy and great staff. They were 10 and 13 weeks at adoption, and are quickly growing and such a blessing. No fleas or ticks, both spayed and the older one with rabies shot, both began to do their other vaccine series as well.

I am extremely disappointed with my experience with San José Animal Care & Services regarding a…read morenoisy dog complaint. I invested a significant amount of time documenting the issue, maintaining a detailed log, and collecting audio evidence of the excessive barking. Despite making every effort to provide objective documentation, my complaint ultimately went nowhere. I was informed that the department could not open or review the audio files or links I provided. During a phone conversation, I attempted to play the recordings for Supervisor Flores so she could hear the barking firsthand. Instead of evaluating the obvious evidence, she complained about the noise herself and insisted she couldn't hold a conversation with the barking. Experiencing the barking first-hand only led her to give me unprofessional and rude service over the phone rather than admitting the barking established an issue. The requirement for a second petitioner was another major source of frustration. In my view, a complaint supported by detailed documentation and objective evidence should be evaluated on its own merits. Whether another neighbor is willing to sign a petition should not determine whether a documented nuisance receives attention. Their claim is that it eliminates targeting, but it does the opposite, whereas soliciting around my neighborhood would in fact create a great opportunity for targeting me. The system is backwards. Staff can read the rules off a sheet of paper but when asking the why/reasoning behind these requirements they can't elaborate. Throughout the process, I felt that staff were unable or unwilling to provide meaningful assistance or offer reasonable alternatives for submitting evidence. When I initially attempted to escalate the problem I was transferred and did not receive a call back in a timely manner after leaving multiple voicemails. I asked for the supervisors contact information, and was given the incorrect number for the Supervisor. Rather than working toward a resolution, the process felt focused on procedural barriers that prevented the complaint from moving forward. As a resident, I expect a city department tasked with enforcing nuisance animal ordinances to fairly evaluate documented complaints and provide workable methods for submitting evidence. Unfortunately, that was not my experience. I am left feeling frustrated, disappointed, and with very little confidence that the current complaint process is designed to address legitimate concerns from residents. I sincerely hope the department reviews its procedures for accepting evidence and reconsiders policies that may discourage residents from reporting ongoing nuisance issues. The current process did not leave me feeling heard, supported, or served.

Did it again. Got another rescue from Love and Second Chances and couldn't be happier. They…read morereally care about finding the right home for their doggos. Love them!

We had an amazing experience working with Love & Second Chances to adopt our Mei! Melody answered…read moreall our questions and our flight volunteer was so kind. We are so happy with Mei in our lives and I highly recommend this rescue.