Humane Society Silicon Valley

This shelter is definitely the gold standard. The moment you arrive you see how well maintained the outside looks. It’s really convenient how they have a small dog park right in front. Upon looking through the dogs, you can tell they treat their animals with A LOT love. Unlike the shelter on Monterey, their animals aren’t placed in cold cages, they actually have their own rooms. Honestly it looks more like a pet hotel. Some of the rooms even have backyards and I thought that was super cute! The facility itself is amazingly clean, the staff is helpful & friendly, and their pet shop is stocked with everything you need. You can tell they’re on top of things when it comes to cleanliness. Each room was spotless and I’m pretty sure once any animal goes to the bathroom, they’re going to clean it immediately because I didn’t see any excrements.
I got the chance to adopt my new love, Waffles (previously Fresca), yesterday. We asked the front desk to meet her and the employee, Erika I think, was so excited to help. Her bright and upbeat personality definitely helped making this decision easier. The actual adoption took a while with all the explanation & paperwork, but I feel like it’s just part of the process. They want to make sure each of them goes to a good home and if Waffles is a good fit for our family. Also, Erika was very thorough with Waffles’ information. We covered her story, temperament, and medical history. They also offer a reasonable price for what you’re getting: shots, deworming, neutering, etc. Make sure you use Unilocal’s 10% off coupon! I’m really happy that I’ve found this place and I’ll never adopt anywhere else! It’s also a huge plus that they’re a no-​kill shelter which further proves how genuine they are.

We came here yesterday to give my two dogs Casper and Teddy their long-​overdue vaccinations. There was no wait since it was the day after Christmas Day. The facilities were very new and clean. The nurse who administered the vaccinations was also extremely nice and helpful. We will definitely come back.
Also, they have a nice green open yard in the front with an obstacle course for your pets. We inquired about this and they said that only members can use it and the fees are $ 100 per pet. I believe you receive a discount after the first pet who joins. We also took a look at the dog adoption center which was extremely clean and well-​kept. Each dog had their own individual room, with a bed and blankets. This facility was cleaner and better than other animal shelters that I have visited in the past.

We adopted our boy Booth AKA (Polo Play Station). HSSV is the best place to adopt an animal. The staff is very friendly and informed. The facility is vet clean and well organized.

Came in here to ask help for the cutest kitten me and the bf found. The guy that was at the front desk in their medical center was soooo helpful, i regret that I didnt catch his name. He gave us all the information we needed to get our then baby Sofie started. He gave us all the appropriate vet clinics to go to and even called some to set and appointment for us (I really appreciated that)
Now our baby sofie is a happy kitty.

I’m so happy I brought my dog to the chihuahua project in front of Home Depot! Everything was free, including shots and the neuter. Employees were super friendly and helpful. I had the pleasure of meeting Amelia, the vet who took Pocky in, and the girl who worked in the front to help people fill out applications. Was it Denise? I can’t remember. Sorry! But thanks so much for being awesome! Pocky came out looking all calm and relaxed. So grateful that they have the chihuahua project, now he won’t mark his territory and hump things and what not.
I MOST DEFINITELY recommend them if you are going to get your dog neutered and spayed! They really care about your pets unlike some local vets I’ve bumped into! Thanks again guys!

It’s been nearly 10 years– and this is the go-​to place for all of our pet needs. We used to visit their original location in San Jose and then when they moved to this beautiful new location in Milpitas we couldn’t be happier as it was closer to our home at the time.
We were amazed by the new facility: eco-​friendly grass, clean and well-​maintained. The smell didn’t bother me so much like the old location– oh wait! I didn’t smell anything haha. It was reassuring and nice that they provide helpful tools everywhere in case your pets have accidents :)
They’ve kept a pretty good record but there was a mix up after their move, but no worries they found us in the end for our little guy Mocha– who has had all of his vaccines from HSSV since 2003. When Sugar joined our household in 2008, we brought her in as well for her vaccination shots.
All of their employees are always so great, compassionate and eager to help. I still remember when we brought Mocha in to be neutered in 2012, they were so sweet and gentle with him. We were so scared as he was a little older-(partially my fault because I had a hard time when we first got him when he was a puppy– putting him under the knife was a little too much for me to handle.)
I know the potential risks associated with him down the road if he’s not neutered and decided to go for it. Overall, we felt very comfortable and will continue to bring them back for routine check-​ups.
If I remember correctly– they were offering free neutering services for dogs in certain zip codes in San Jose– that was extremely helpful I thought for the community :) On top of that, the meds for flea/​heart-​worm are decently priced, so another plus! :)

This should be the «GOLD STANDARD» for humane societies/​shelters!
The facility is absolutely beautiful and you can tell that the animals are being treated very well and get a lot of attention.
I came here last weekend and spent 3 hours meeting the different dogs and talking with staff.
I like the fact that they don’t rush you to make a decision and they enjoy answering any questions you may have.
Most importantly they really disclose to you what they know about the animal so that you can be aware and make the best decision.
This shelter also does not EUTHANIZE their dogs unless the dog is considered a «vicious animal» and they have no other alternative.
I plan to volunteer here and can’t wait to spend more time with the animals!
keep up the good work :)

This place is very clean and well maintained. There is a dog park up front too! After hearing about Kauai’s walk a dog for the day program, my gf and I decided to visit to try to play with some puppies. The dogs are all kept in spacious individual glass rooms so we looked into several different dog rooms before we decided on which dog to play with!
After choosing our dog we were taken to the «get acquainted room» where we spent some time with her and fed her some treats. Understandably she was a little shy, but we had a good time. We then took a look at the kittens before heading out!
This humane society is doing great things and obviously cares a lot about the animals so I was happy to donate a couple of dollars on my way out!

I am SURE they’re GREAT if you want to adopt a pet, but any other procedure, like TNR for a stray cat, forget it. I’ve called and called and waited 4 days and no call back .
I didn’t want to have to pay 500 to get a stray cat fixed, but I don’t want it’s kittens to end up in my yard, so this place was no help to me .
I ended up paying to get her fixed at Sunnyvale Veterinary Clinic, which did it for a discounted price, got her all the shots she needed, also had her microchipped so I am now a cat owner .
Anyway, I am giving one star because they never returned my calls.
Since I got a «compliment» in my Unilocal inbox from some offended stranger for giving this place a one star and being called names, I had to update my review.
I wonder if that person does that to everyone else who gave a low rating.
If I was able to get through to someone my rating might have been different. I think I did the right thing by helping out a stray because Humane Society is also known to euthanize the animals that they can’t adopt out (I know former employees)
I had gotten attached to the cat quickly REGARDLESS of being EXTREMELY allergic to cats didn’t want to risk that by dropping her off there. BUT IF YOU READ MY OPENING SENTENCE, there is the possibility that they are good, but I never got the opportunity to get their services.

Didn’t even know I had written a review when I visited 3 years ago — well guess what, we got a dog from here, and we love the little stinker.
Heather Lopez was super helpful — we came within an hour of closing and she still brought out several dogs to interact with our dog in their outdoor small dog play area. We said we’d be back the next day to meet one or two more and pick. We couldn’t decide who we liked overnight, but the next morning we got there early — TOO early, it turned out, as we were confused about their times and arrived around 10:30a and they open at noon during the week. We peeked in, saw it was in fact locked, and decided to go off to lunch, when Heather came out after us and said it would be all right if we came in early before they open (AGAIN she’s accommodating our weird arrival pattern from out of town during a busy week of moving).
We met a few dogs individually again to let the dog choose us, and there was a pretty clear winner. And guess what? It wasn’t one of the dogs we were considering when we came in, it was a dog Heather suggested as being really sweet and a good fit for us. I was ideally looking for a mid-​sized dog, maybe a bit older and harder to adopt out, and we ended up falling for an EVEN SMALLER younger dog. I was sure I’d never have a chihuahua in my life and now I have two chi mixes: both rescues, both wonderful, quiet little things.
Wonderful facility, generally great staff, especially Heather who paid one-​on-​one attention to us at odd and even off hours of the day, and who ultimately suggested a dog we weren’t considering who turned out to be a pretty chill dog.
I will say that a week before we adopted Gordon (renamed Gizmo) I visited with my brother and was helped by another employee who I won’t name. I said I was looking for a dog but wouldn’t adopt that day as I didn’t have my dog with me. After that she rushed me through only half the dog meetings I requested, saying we wouldn’t have time for more, that ideally I’d «have brought my dog in,» and that they adopt dogs out really fast and that it’s unlikely any of the dogs I was looking at (even an older one) would be available when I returned the following week. Yeah 3 of the 4 were still there, and still are today.
Imagine going to a music store and saying you were going to buy, but not today, and then they told you to get out. Kind of like that. Anyway, our experience here was excellent barring that.

I adopted my new love! 6 month old pup who our family adores. The staff is really friendly, some more than others.
I love that they are open on weekends for vaccines. Adoption department is well kept and clean rooms for all animals searching for new homes.

My family adopted a super cute kitten from HSSV in Milpitas. Thank you Michelle for all of your helpful information about the adoption. We love our new kitten so much. She is so friendly too.

Loved this place! The atmosphere and well maintained shelter was very pleasant. I was happy to see all the animals given much attention to their needs. It was very clean and inviting. The staff was nice and helpful. I adopted a beautiful little kitten named Zoey and couldn’t be any happier with my choice to go to this shelter. :)

This is an AMAZING PLACE.
Customer care folks, especially Nichole: stellar, compassionate work. Ever-​respectful and friendly with regards to my requests. Took the time to respond to my calls, answer anxious questions, and just be a generally awesome person!
Dr. Carol Campbell and the medical treatment team: great, thorough work, attentive and wonderful care for animals. Likely very busy, these folks work hard and with love and it shows!
Desk staff (phones plus in person): friendly, direct, and they seem to work very well together. As busy as they are, even my more «silly» questions have always been directed to the right place.
Kennel/​shelter staff and volunteers: fabulous work, clean dog, cat and even rat habitats, friendly regardless of how busy they are plus they make sure the animals are happy and well!
The store/​«boutique» staff are young and hip and friendly as all get out! I was provided with warm hugs when I asked for a few (as I love this place so much), and everyone seemed to know my dog and several others by name, even sharing cute stories with me.
The facility: gorgeous and amazing. Well planned-​out design, open spaces and with animals always the priority.
If you know who I am, you know exactly why I can never thank you enough and why I consider you all ANGELS.
THANK YOU, Humane Society of the Silicon Valley!

I found a beautiful furry family of four kittens in my RV storage yard yesterday, and had to rescue these cuties! Yea, so hard to let these guys go. But knowing they are in a safe place, off the streets, makes me feel SO much better that they are on their way to a forever home!
I must give A HUGE thank you to Michelle in the Pet Surrender department for her superior customer service! She really went above and beyond with the many questions I had regarding these kittens and exactly how the whole process works. I am so happy I found this location!
To the rest of the staff, thank YOU for all that you do!!!

I’ve been here twice. The first time, it was to visit the Animal Community Center. It seems cleaner and more spacious than the other shelters I’ve been to. I fell in love with a Catahoula and was able to meet & play with her, but be warned that some dogs are not yet ready for a meet and greet.
My second visit was yesterday for my 6 month old male Malamute/​Husky mix. Neutering cost $ 100, microchipping was $ 25, and a $ 50 deposit was mandatory upon scheduling my appointment. On the phone as well as via email, they were very clear on their rules (no food after midnight, bring medical records, bring him in on a leash and collar, drop off at 6:30 — 7:30am, and pick up times are 4−6pm). What they were NOT clear about is that you either need to bring in your own cone or purchase theirs for an additional $ 10. When I dropped off my puppy around 6:45am, the lady had told me this for the first time. I had no choice but to purchase theirs which is a clear, plastic cone. My pup hates the cone as well as I do. It’s his second day wearing it and he runs into walls, scrapes the floor, runs into random objects as well as me, and let me tell you, it hurts! He’s miserable in the thing lol. I’d recommend purchasing a better one for your fur child.
A few more things: they aren’t very friendly and seem to be really unsanitary in the Medical Center. I get that it’s 7am and you don’t want to be at work, but at least make me feel comfortable leaving my puppy with you. I SHOULD feel at ease doing so and not wondering if he’d be in better care elsewhere. And the worst part of all: around 7am this cute little pit bull started bleeding on the floor. The smell got my pup riled up and made me cringe a little (but hey, it’s a natural thing). I came back at 5pm and the blood spot was still there…10 HOURS LATER. That’s not okay.
Anyway, upon pick up I paid the remaining balance and was given directions for the medication they prescribed us (at no additional cost). We received 3 week’s worth of antibiotics and 3 days worth of pain killers. The recovery time is 7 to 10 days so I was concerned my little guy would be in pain after those 3 days, but they assured me that he’ll be fine. I hope so :(

This review is for the HSSV remote store inside of a Pet Store (Pet Smart I believe) where my GF and I met our two new additions to our home, Flora and Fauna. (Amy and Clara previously).
Ashley, the service supervisor of this facility we visited, was extremely knowledgeable and helpful when we were asking about adopting two kitties. She spent over an hour and a half with us talking about what type of home (apartment in our case) and why we wanted two kitties and such. Flora and Fauna are 7 months old and from different litters but were buddies and we wanted to take them together.
I cannot speak for the facility or clinic as other reviews have rated, however, I can say that Ashley was the most knowledgeable person we encountered in our 3 week quest for feline friends.

I went to HSSV to have my dog of nearly 12 years euthanized. I live in Palo Alto but because their euthanasia hours are very limited, we went to the HSSV. I spoke with someone over the phone yesterday about their services and the representative was extremely courteous and kind. Today when we arrived at the Pet Surrender area everyone was extremely patient and understanding. We had to wait a bit outside and I was relieved because it gave me more time with my dog. Someone came outside to speak with us and obtain our information. Once they were ready for us, we went inside to a private reflection room.
I really appreciated how they allowed us to spend time with our pet in a quiet and private area for awhile before taking us to the area where they perform the procedure. The animal tech took a lot of time to explain the procedure and we never felt rushed. This was an extremely difficult decision and experience for me and I appreciated the staff’s manner and professionalism. I would not wish the experience of having to put a pet to sleep on anyone. I am glad that HSSV was available to assist me in the process.
Afterwards we walked through the dog adoption area to look at the dogs. It is one of the nicest facilities I have been to. When I rescued my dog from a shelter in 2004, the dogs were in concrete pens with metal gates and it was very depressing. HSSV has large spacious rooms with soft bedding and blankets and toys for their dogs and it was really comforting to see these dogs in such great spaces.
I highly recommend the HSSV.

I’m an avid stalker of HSSV’s site and was lucky to provide a forever home for a puppy a couple of weeks ago.
I came in a couple of minutes after opening and was greeted by two friendly employees/​volunteers. I was told one of the puppies I wanted to see was in surgery and I wouldn’t be able to see him, but I could walk around to see if there were any others I liked.
I found Macchiato (later changed to Muji) and I fell in love. It was a difficult decision to make because I didn’t have my fiancé with me and I knew that puppy should be meeting everyone in the family. Well, I’m happy to report that everyone gets along great and there is so much love in this home with the new addition.
A few years ago I went through the adoption process at San Jose Animal Care Center and I felt that the process was much easier there. Hence, the 4 stars. HSSV was severely understaffed the day I went and it took a really long time to get the paperwork filled out. The person helping me did an amazing job trying to multitask with checking in other people and helping me, but I felt a little unprepared when I left.
It was an expensive adoption compared to SJACC and there were certain things included in the SJACC fee like licensing and a free check-​up and care for the first two weeks of the puppy’s new life at home.
I had to follow up with HSSV because my email address was entered incorrectly, and I wasn’t given the info on how to sign up for classes since I prepaid the training deposit. Erica has been great helping me answer my many questions and without her I would be clueless. I have to say everyone was super nice, but they definitely need to have more people on hand to help out.

I don’t even know where to start about this place!
I love volunteering here. I’m a cat volunteer fyi.
It is an «animal community center» and has a very positive atmosphere, very different from your traditional animal shelter and they even play classical music inside to calm the animals. The facility is clean and very new. Their dog and cat apartments each have individual ventilation so they can’t smell other animals and have a tantrum. Also, for some dogs and mostly cats that are reactive to other animals — they have a blocker so they cant see other animals. Also, they have this community room for cats that might be sick so they stay there for observation — you can ask a volunteer with a yellow badge if you would like to see and mingle with them (this goes for the other cat or dog apartments too btw), who knows you might fall in love with one or all of them, hehe.
They really take care of their animals — from evaluation to go up for adoption, feeding them quality pet food to cleaning their animal apartments to make sure the animals are comfortable and less stressed. They also have 2 dog parks in front — separated by a fence so big dogs and small dogs don’t get all feisty towards each other, a vet, a pet store, and meeting/​classroom spaces.
What I love about HSSV is how they constantly update their website everyday and every hour. Also, pay attention on which facility the animal you would like to see is located — it could be at HSSV, Petco Saratoga, or Petco Sunnyvale since they are partner facilities.
If you can’t have a pet in your place due to landlord rules or whatnot but still want to get that «dog-​fix» or «cat-​fix»… come volunteer here :) it’s such a great feeling that these animals go to their furrever home and be loved by their families.