City of San Antonio Animal Care Services

I found the two furry loves of my lives here. After A long week I decided that I wanted to pet some kittens and then I found Emma and Emily. Emma and Emily were two sister kittens who needed a forever home. My fiancé and I decided to adopt them and they’re now renamed Jynx & Iris. They are literally the sweetest cats I’ve ever had, and despite the veterinary bills I had to pay to deworm them and get them to perfect health, I am forever grateful for finding them here. If it weren’t for all the heartless people dumping their animals off here I would not feel compelled to save some so please take the time to see what there is to offer and you might find your new best friend (s). #AdoptDontShop

Wow! After reading some of the other reviews on Unilocal,I’m wondering why my experience here has been so different. I have adopted two kittens from here and now had one stray cat taken care of by the Community Cat program, and I have not had a single bad experience!
Our first visit was on my wife’s birthday back in September. She wanted a kitten for her birthday because our current indoor cat is getting way up there in age (16) and mostly sleeps now. She wanted a kitten with some energy and to maybe get old Mittens a little exercise! Long story short, we ended up adopting two sisters that play continually, and who have become very close to Mittens and our Golden Retriever, Angie. All of our adoption experience was very good. They were professional and handled everything as I would have expected. I have never witnessed any abuse of any animals like I see some others report in their reviews. And I’ve been here several times now. In fact, I would say that every person I have met or interacted with at ACS, has shown a lot of care and concern for animals and the people who come to adopt here.
While we were here on one of our visits, getting the free vaccinations for our kittens, I read about the ACS Community Cat Program… So COOL!
We happened to have a very large stray cat that comes around our house looking for food, and being a male, it was pretty obvious that he had not been neutered, if you know what I mean… My wife even nicknamed him Mr. Balls. Unfortunately, he would also spray our front and back porch with urine, marking his territory. So, I called the folks at the community cat program and they gave me a humane cage to trap him in. It took a few months, but I finally trapped him. ACS will spay/​neuter a community cat, give them rabies vaccination, clip one of their ears to identify them as a community cat, and then return them to you to return to your community to keep down rodent populations, ALL FOR FREE. Yes, no kill!!! I know some of you hate cats, but they serve a great purpose in the community of killing rodents! Which, in turn, keeps down the attraction to SNAKES! No matter where you live, trust me, there are rats and mice, which attract SNAKES… If you want to learn more about the community cat program, go to the San Antonio Animal Care Services website and read about it.
Anyway, Mr. Balls was handled with care and is now roaming our neighborhood as the new Mr. Ball-​less!

I have never personally adopted a dog from here, I have gone to the Humane Society which is always amazing. But in this review I am not addressing the adoption process, I am addressing the process in which they handle their calls for loose dogs or found dogs. After Christmas of 2015 a Siberian husky appeared at my front porch. I have my own four dogs who are smaller and did not want around this dog. I put him in the backyard though, because he did have a collar so I knew he had an owner. I called ACS the next day (they were closed when I tried calling that evening) and told them the dog was here in my possession and was bleeding from his leg. ACS came within four hours and thankfully he had been microchipped and the officer took him back home. Now, a week later, this husky is here at my home again. 5 calls to ACS with no avail. They tell me they will be here to get him within 12 hours and it is now going on 26 hours. I ask them to give me the address of where he is from, or even a phone number so I can take him back myself, since I know he is in the neighborhood and I can just walk him back (I don’t have my vehicle, my husband takes it to work) and they refuse. I call to get the microchip number, so I can google the number and find his information that way. The woman tells me no, and I can talk to a supervisor that will be there the next business day. Mind you, this is a Sunday and all veterinary clinics are closed, so I can’t take him to be scanned for his microchip, and I wouldn’t be able to any way due to me not having my car. All I am trying to do is take this dog back to his owner, as I’m sure they are worried sick about him. ACS makes is so difficult for a GOOD PERSON to try and make sure this little guy finds his way back home. Instead, the woman tells me,“well you can let him loose and he should go back home.” Does hat sound like a good ACS representative? The reason so many animals are loose is because of this vey reason. ACS will take a dog rightfully from the front yard (this happened to me) and make you pay a fine to get them back, but won’t let you take an animal back to his owner because they are too lazy to give you the information, as well as too lazy to get in their truck and come do THEIR JOB. Very disappointed in the City for this.

I am definitely impressed with ACS. I came here for a Comfort for Critters blanket making party, which they hold the fourth Sunday of every month. I was very impressed with the ladies who organize the Comfort for Critters program as well as the staff working/​volunteering here. I have come here a few other times to drop off donations and I have found the atmosphere to be very clean, pleasant and friendly. I’ve met with the coordinator of Missy’s Canine Rescue and all her rescue dogs are also from ACS. I highly recommend getting involved with this organization in any way you can. Either through donation, helping out small rescue programs who work with ACS, or by attending one of their fun Comfort for Critters blanket making parties. There are numerous other ways to get involved here. Not only will you be helping to make a difference in the life of a critter, but you will meet some exceptional people and you will be helping this organization to continue improving and making a difference to animals in our community.

ACS does a lot for San Antonio and is a great place to go and rescue a little furry animal. My wife and I went to ACS to drop off a donation. We toured the facility and met with the staff and viewed the animals. ACS is doing an amazing job and the facility and animals are both well cared for. Please if you are looking to adopt a cat or dog, come by ACS first and take a look. Also, if you just want to help come by and donate your time, money or pet food. I recommend ACS to anyone looking to make a difference in the lives of animals.

We tried to adopt a dog from there once, but they made it so hard we went somewhere else. We were very surprised with the experience we got there. For one the vet their didn’t even know one dogs breed. We found the dog we wanted, and knew, yet the staff their said it was a different breed. We would love to adopt a dog from you guys, but you need to make it easier and you need to get your act together.

I’m a foster for ACS and they do thier diligence to assist me with medical, Rx, food and emails to remind me on taking my foster to their adoption events.
Great way to save a life and give back.

ACS does great work, you can’t argue that point. They attempt to manage the overwhelming population of stray dogs and cats in the San Antonio area. I adopted my dog from ACS and it was one of the most pleasant experiences I’ve ever had. They neutered him and microchipped him for free. Plus, he was a steal! A 6 month old puppy for only $ 25. He’s smart and adorable, I love him to bits and can’t thank ACS enough for saving the little guy from the streets.
They may not be perfect, but they’re good in my book. I assume they catch grief from the fact that they have to euthanize if they can’t find homes for the pets. I don’t like that either, but they are caught between a rock and hard place. There are too many strays and not enough homes. It’s a sad situation, but at least they manage to place close to 80% of their dogs. That’s a much better fate than living on the streets or getting hit by a car.

Enjoy viewing animals here because I see the workers perform an awesome job on finding all these babies homes. The employees take pride in their work and they do an amazing job. The animals are warm, clean, vetted, fed, socialized. This org is not perfect, but darned near with all they have to do just on a daily basis. If you don’t like ACS, go volunteer 5 hours per week and help them because they are overloaded. It is the nature of this type of work and few will sign up for the job. The animals would love for you to walk them and visit. Awesome job, Folks, at ACS! Keep doing such a wonderful job!

I’m not saying ACS is the greatest non-​profit organization ever. But for those who complains about the service they are getting, have you ever ran an non-​profit organization? Well, I do and trust me, volunteers are egomaniacs, they think by volunteers few hours a year and they get to brag for rest of the year and earned the right to criticize the organization.
There are flaws in their process, but the goal is to get the pets adopted, help them out instead of complaining about it.

I just adopted a cat there and when I picked her up after surgery she was grabbed from a top kennel by her neck and dropped, yes dropped, into a cardboard box. Seeing as she no longer belonged to the facility and was someone’s pet I wanted to kick the man in his N***. Then upon leaving, to make things worse, I saw a young man carrying a german shepard pup by the neck and face to a kennel as the poor thing whipped its body around helplessly. I know these animals are numbers to these workers, but how are these poor things (who have gone through so much as it is) supposed to learn to trust humans if even those saving them treat them this way? What a nightmare for me, I can only imagine what the animals go through. She still hasn’t come out of her kennel yet. Here’s to hoping she learns that hands don’t hurt.

If you are not moved emotionally when you come to a facility like this, then you simply have no heart. As a city facility they are very underfunded and need your support in any way possible.
My wife and I often go here just to walk a couple of dogs and give them some love however brief. It rips us apart when we see the poster of the dogs that need to be adopted, fostered out, or rescued urgently because if not, when 5PM comes so will eternal sleep.
Do what you can. Anything will help. Make sure to spay or neuter your pets.

I have never seen a city-​run shelter with more passionate folks. Understanding that this place is entirely funded by taxpayers and placed under a ton of scrutiny (both publicly and privately), I was happy to see how friendly, energetic, and helpful the workers were. After seeing a bunch of potential «new family members» I actually didn’t end up getting one here, but at the Animal Defense League — which is where ACS actually referred me to! If you’re in the market for a pet, please give these guys a chance, and keep in mind that getting one here is likely to save a life.

Just dropped off an orphaned kitten there for care. The staff there at intake were so nice and reassuring to me. They found a bottle-​feeder foster program within minutes and assured me that the kitten would be well taken care of until ready for adoption. It is SUCH a nice service to have in our community, to give animals a safe place to go no matter their situation. I am so impressed that I made a donation to them.

Yes I live in Bexar County. My neighbors always call them to pick up the strays but they said they cant pick them up unless they cause harm to a human. So one day my dogs were let out by my 2 year old son who played with the garage remote. My neighbor knocked on my door and said she saw my dog in a animal control truck. So i tried to call but that is NO HOPE. Dont call you wont even get a human to talk to. The machine that goes round and round back to the main menu.
I ended up going down to the office. Waited 2 hours for my dogs to arrive to the pound. Then waited 1 hour for them to process. Then another hour to pay my fees of $ 140…$ 50 per Spayed dog $ 5 lic fee $ for shots and processing. Total $ 140 for my 10 year old Lab and 9 year old great dane. Service counter is slow. 4 hours later 2 hungry cranky children and 2 hungry dogs and one popped out mom!

Thanks for nothing. I’ve been calling about a severely sick pitbull that was dumped off on our street weeks ago. They are rude and just don’t seem to care. We’re trying to keep him fed and warm but don’t want to expose him to our dogs. After calling for the millionth time today the operator said bring him in yourself and hung up on me. The dog has severe mange and is covered in bloody sores and you just want me to throw him in the back of my car? For all I know he has rabies and could bite me on the way there! What a waste of tax dollars.