Animal Rescue Foundation

Fantastic and easy experience — would recommend to anyone! Thanks for helping me meet my new best friend!

I am a dog rescuer myself, so I have a hard time slamming any group that saves canine lives.
I was looking for a young dog to train and show in agility, and clearly stated that on my application and in various e-​mails I had with this group. I saw a dog listed as a 2-​year old poodle, housebroken, and completed the application for him. My application was approved, and the next step was to meet the dog at an adoption event, with my 3 dogs. The dogs got along. He was smaller than I expected, but everything seemed OK, so I paid the adoption fee (in cash — more on this later) and left with a new dog.
One of ARF’s requirements is that I take the dog to a vet shortly after adoption. Instead of using one of their vets, where the visit would be free, I took him to my vet. Imagine my surprise when I learned that the dog I adopted is not 2, one vet said he was at least 7, and two vet techs estimated his age as 8 – 10. He has arthritis in his hips, visual changes commensurate with an elderly dog, and several of his teeth are so loose that he will probably lose them in the next year, or at his next dental cleaning, whichever comes first. Also, he is not housebroken. So the only thing that they got right is that he is a poodle.
I e-​mailed the people I had been in contact with prior to the adoption and asked what information they had that indicated that this dog was 2 years old. I never got a response.
Can you get a nice pet here? Probably. But if you want a specific breed, I suggest that you try breed rescue instead. Also, you might want to pay the adoption fee with a credit card in case you run into issues, so you can dispute the charge, but since I paid cash, I had no recourse.

We had an excellent experience with ARF this Saturday when they were having an adoption day at the Wheaton Petsmart. The volunteers were extremely helpful and positive. They listened to our experience and what kinds of kittens we were hoping for, and then paired us with two kittens to try to get to know. They took us to a back room and let us spend time with two sweet kittens. The volunteer/​foster parent Scott was so patient and helpful and it was so clear how much he loved and knew these sweet little kittens. It was really touching. We appreciated knowing the background of each kitten right from the person who knew. The kittens were so well cared for and socialized. The adoption process was very smooth. We appreciated that they give you coupons from Petsmart for free food and discounts on other needed items. We also really appreciated that they give you certificates for free new kitten exams at local vets and will pay for any needed medication for the first seven days. They also gave us free cute homemade blankets to take home with our new furry family members. We loved that they were excited for the kittens to go home with us and kept thanking us for saving them. We loved that they wanted us to send them updates and pictures too. It was a beautiful and positive experience and we are so thankful!