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PAWS Chicago Adoption Center
Rating Details »
Category: Animal Shelters [Edit]
Neighborhood: DePaul1997 N Clybourn
Chicago, IL 60686
(773) 935-7297
- Nearest Transit:
-
Armitage (Purple Express, Brown)
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- Neighborhood:
- River West
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53 reviews for PAWS Chicago Adoption Center
This place is like the Drake Hotel for dogs! Coming from volunteering at the Anti Cruelty Society where the dogs are kept in cages, the dogs at PAWS are spoiled rotten (as they should be)!!! Their little rooms are clean and HUGE which is really great. They have little beds and even some wall art which is just a really cute touch.
They take really great care of this entire shelter, on both the cat and dog sides. There is also a great space upstairs where they take the dogs out to stretch their legs.
They really love what they do and it shows with such a clean and modern shelter.
I adopted my dog from Paws in April. Olive is fantastic - smart and gentle, which is important for a 95lb dog. The service I received when I walked into Paws was excellent - very friendly and knowledgeable staff. I like the fact that they give incentives to the customers who train their dogs. If you complete an obedience class within the first 6 weeks (I think) you get part of the adoption fee back.
Also, I have received 2 update e-mails asking how we are doing. And then, to my surprise I received a call from them today (5 months after the adoption) inquiring abot her. Considering the volume of animals being adopted at this facility, I find it very impressive. Highly recommend.
At the beginning of summer, my now-husband and I adopted two cats from PAWS. This was based on an obsession I had with one of the adoptable kitties thanks to his picture on the website, which continued on to when we visited him and his brothers at the adoption center on a few occasions. When we met him, we were told by the volunteer that he was rescued from a hoarder, who had been doing so for a long time, and that all the cats were basically related and could not be adopted alone. We fell in love with one of his brothers right away and a week or two later rounded up our other roommate and went to PAWS to adopt them.
When we arrived, we noticed a sign on the door saying that one of the cats we wanted to adopt was not feeling well and not available for adoption. After inquiring with some of the people who worked there, they said he had something wrong with his mouth caused by his severe underbite. After much haggling and promising that we would take him to the vet ASAP without holding PAWS liable for any injury he may have, they let us adopt him with his brother.
The adoption process was wonderful, and it was great to know we were saving the lives of four cats by adopting two. The people who work there seem very sincere and dedicated, and I am certain they are overworked. For all the pets that are adopted from PAWS (and its a LOT) there are so many more pets that need attention, care, and adopting - it never ends. However, because of this, I think some of their volunteers might not be the most knowledgeable.
We took the cats for their free VCA medical care that week. The cat with the "thing" on his lip was completely healthy - the "thing" had even fallen off on the way home from PAWS and we subsequently realized it was just matted fur and food and such stuck in his lip. The other cat, however, who PAWS said was completely healthy, had a respiratory infection, an eye infection, malnutrition, and either a skin infection or hair loss caused by malnutrition.
With high quality food, love, some antibiotics and such, both cats are extremely healthy and happy and wonderful. While I fully credit PAWS for saving these two very strange-looking and possibly severely inbred cats who otherwise wouldn't have a chance, and letting us adopt and love them as we do, I am also frustrated at the lack of knowledge that some of the volunteers had about cat health. Therefore this four star review is more like 3.5, maybe 3.75 stars in reality.
I want to emphasize, however, that what PAWS does is amazing, and it is often hard to adopt an animal from a no-kill shelter that does not have a respiratory or other health issue sometimes, because it's just so crowded. Further, proper and prompt veterinary care is necessary whenever anyone adds a new furry friend to their home, no matter where the pet came from. But I just worry about what could have happened to my little buddy if we didn't adopt him when we did. The best way, I think, to help with this issue is probably to donate time, money, and experience.
I'm not sure if it's entirely fair to take 2 stars away, but I'm just feeling a little bitter about the whole situation...
We adopted Yossi from PAWS in June, and it became apparent he had some behavior problems within a few weeks. We're not the sorts to give up on an animal, especially one that's been given up on before, but after a few months, his problems just became too much to bear. We had to return him last week, which was very hard, but necessary...
I would like to think PAWS had no idea what his story was, but one of his problems is that he guards food or toys to the point of biting. I think it's pretty common to test dogs for that while analyzing them for adoption, and it's so ingrained in him I can't see him hiding it for the couple weeks he was in their care.
The husband also overheard some volunteers talking while I was filling out paperwork for returning him. They might not have been talking about Yossi, but they said something along the lines of "that might have been one of the ones we tried to pass off as nice"... Again, no proof, but I've started to feel a little bit like the wool was pulled over our eyes.
He also somehow had a parasite and upper respiratory infection when we got him, along with some other stuff that led to him costing us $700 in vet bills within 2 weeks. I emailed asking if there was anything PAWS could do to help us out, monetarily, since he really needed training but now we couldn't afford it.
I can't fault them for not being able to help us out, but I was feeling very desperate, as am I now, especially knowing that I'll probably have to pay another $200 if I want to adopt again from them, and they'll get paid twice for this dog.
I don't know, I guess I can't really prove that they "tricked" us, but I just feel like I'm out $1000 and a dog, with no feeling of support or incentive to adopt from them again.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/28/2009
Our experience here was great.. Sure, Yossi is a bit of a lemon... (not really, just a small handful… Read more »
i went to PAWS wanting to love it .. and wanting to walk out with a new addition to my family -while i applaude the goal that PAWS touts as their own, i cant say i was impressed at all with the actual facility.
Many , many reasons why .. First -they let everyone and anyone parade thru to see the dogs -whether they are interested in adopting or not. My fiance and i literally just went into the waiting area not once, not twice but 3 times because various Kate Gosselin look a likes came thru with their toddlers and strollers just to see the puppies and worked all the dogs up til they were barking and impossible to judge from a potential adopters point of view. True, the shelter is cageless but the animals are in small rooms with solid glass doors (which are great for the previously mentioned toddlers to pound on -and they do- but not so great for interacting with the dogs. The dogs seem to kno that people are mainly window shopping at PAWS and most of them dont even bother to get up and come over -that is if they arent barking their heads off at the visiting toddlers) ..but enough of the toddlers .. My next complaint is things there werent enough of - and that is volunteers or staff who really knew the disposition of the dogs. We asked if various dogs were ok with cats and were told they didnt kno...to adopt the dog if we wanted to and basically try it out ;we could always bring it back if we signed up for the 14 day foster to adopt program. Well thats not very fair to the animal and im certainly not going to take that chance with my cats - besides this is a shelter that should kno basic facts about their possible adoptees...and if the dog gets along with cats is pretty basic. The next thing that irked me is the information they DO have is outdated. We went to the website and saw a few dogs we liked, when we got to the shelter we were told that those dogs had been adopted out a couple of weeks ago. Ok, things can get away from u when u are trying to put the time into the animals -which is where it is better served, but dont u think u could at least update your website once a week - especially such a "high profile' shelter which is trying to portray itself as cutting edge? (on a side note, one of the ads for a dog we were interested in stated on the website that he was gentle and got along with kids, other dogs and cats - yes information!- unfortunately the wrong info ..when we asked about that particular dog one of the volunteers DID kno about him - said he had been adopted 2 weeks ago and was very toy and food aggressive. Ironic that the one instance where one of the staff actually was able to answer a specific question about a specific dog showed that they posted misinformation -unintentional or not, on their webpage. The last complaint i have is that the adoption fees are outrageous. $205 for an adult dog!... we wound up getting a great dog from the Animal Care League for $125 and they were able to tell us enough specifics about her that we knew what to expect.
Now on the plus side *and yes, there is one =D * The facility is super clean and the dogs are not kept in cages - the rooms they are kept in could use some design tweaking so that there is more interaction, but its nice that the pups have a roomlike space and that space is homey. The building is beautiful - very light and airy- just a nice feeling place. They do have a lot of dogs to chose from and last but not least, they do a lot of events and offer services to the community like low cost spay and neutering. Some of the staff IS snooty, but most of the people we talked to, while uninformed, were nice and did seem to genuinely care about the animals they were working with. I would hope that over the years as PAWS continues to evolve (and thats another good point on their side, they do actually try to become better at what they do) that they will work the bugs out and become an even better rescue venue than they are now.
it always feels good when you know that you're saving the life of an abandoned kitty. but then the PAWS adoption counselor will remind you and make you feel even better by telling you that you in fact saved 2 cat's lives. the one you're adopting and the one waiting to be accepted by PAWS.
Since PAWS is a no kill animal shelter, you can only imagine the long wait list for abandoned pets just to get in.
Before you are even allowed to see and pet the animals, you are required to fill out a 'survey'. this survey is basically the adoption application. it's kinda long but i feel it's necessary if you are serious about adopting. but if you're not serious and you just wanted to pet some puppies and kittens it's a pain in the butt. they even ask for some references. so be prepared.
the adoption process was about an hour long but it went by really quick. the great thing about it is that you get 5 days to go to the VCA for a free exam. the bad part is that you have to to go the VCA. you also get a 10% discount at PetSmart right across the street if you need to get anything for your new pet. Oh, and they also give you a free bag of food. well, i guess it's not really free since i paid $100 for a kitty. but that free covers the spaying, microchipping, and all the vaccinations that are appropriate for their age. if you get a kitten, then you're responsible for getting the rest of their vaccinations.
oh, and the exam at the VCA isn't exactly 'free'. there is a discounted fee to get your pet's fecal tested for parasites (which 90% of sheltered animals have). I was surprised that i had to pay for the fecal testing since in their brochure from PAWS says that the VCA visit would cover internal parasites. it did cover the medication to treat the parasites so i guess that's better than nothing.
overall, this place is great for being a no kill shelter and i would highly recommend people adopting from shelters like this rather than buying pets from pet shops.
Complaint #1 - We wanted to give 2 cats to PAWS so they could be adopted. There is a really long waiting list - which I expected as they can only take in as many pets as are adopted. We didn't want to go anywhere else, because of the no kill policy - so we waited out the 6 months. Six months came and went and they never called back. My husband and I called many times to ask - we never did hear back.
Complaint #2 - If you donate once, they really lay in to the mailings, emails, etc. It's a bit of a buzzkill.
The facility here is really nice. It is not depressing or scary and the staff is (usually) helpful. It does not smell and is very clean. If we were looking to adopt, we'd start here. The adoption prices seemed a little high, but they really do cover all the bases with the fee so you won't need to have anything else done.
PAWS is amazing. If you are looking to adopt a pet, you should come here.
The volunteers here are all animal lovers (it's so easy to see it). They're incredibly helpful and willing to share anything they know about the animal you are considering adopting.
The facility itself is beautiful. Like others have said, no cages. The dogs are free to roam around in their rooms. The rooftop garden is gorgeous... And the dogs seem to love coming up there.
The adoption counselor that I encountered was thorough and knowledgeable. She ensured that we got all the information they had on the dog we adopted and that we completely understood the agreement.
The terms of the adoption agreement just go to further show how much they care about their animals. It insures that the pets are going to good homes.
I have nothing bad to say about PAWS... How could I?
pets there are cute, environment is fine, and volunteers are nice, the only thing make me do not wanna go there any more is staff there, like front desk people.
their attitude is extremely bad and mean. Not to mention there's no reason, they even don't know me at all, but they just try every way to prevent me to adopt a cat!! i did whatever they said, but everytime the result is they change to another ridiculous reason, and make the requirement higher for me, the whole thing is sooooooo ridiculous and totally piss me off!!!!
They totally are damned snobbish!!!!
I adopted my puppy, Mila, here 10 months ago when my boyfriend and I were on a quest for a TV stand, but ended up coming home with a dog.. I love the pet names that the facility assigns giving them more character, and making them seem more valued at the place as oppose to other depressing facilities--which they truly are. Mila's original name at Paws was Willimina, and she's always as happy as a kid in an ice cream store. She really is the most gentle and fun seeking dog that I've ever met in my life, and for that she is one of the reasons why I smile every day. I'm so glad we saved her. Enough about my sappy story.
Paw's mission is to rescue animals without euthanizing them. So whatever pet they get, stays with them until they go to a loving home. I remember, Mady, their gigantic Mastiff was there for months, and they continued to love and care for her until someone was willing to take Mady off their hands even with the outrageous medical bills. With this said, the more people adopt from here, the more room for opportunity for other pets to come in and be saved. When you save one pet here, you're actually saving two because of the next dog that will take their place. Many volunteers at Paws are people who have adopted pets from them and appreciate Paw's mission thus wanting to be part of rescuing animals. My boyfriend was actually a volunteer there for a bit and gained a lot of useful knowledge from their training. So as you see already, people who are there want to be there for a good cause, and they really do care for animals. Other volunteers are people who want a pet but simply can't own one, but still want to contribute to saving other lives which I truly admire. Everyone in there is really friendly and are always willing to help or show you a pet. They have very knowledgable staffs who make sure that these pups and kittens don't go home until they're really ready to. Animals that aren't spayed or neutered or those under medical conditions are to be taken care of before they can go home.
Sanition there is outstanding, and you wouldn't be able to find an adopting facility as nice as this one partly because they receive so many donations who support their non-killing mission. The process of adopting their pets can be a little big of a headache, but that's just to ensure that there's pets won't be abuse or end up on the streets again. Every member of the house has to be there if they wish to adopt a pet or else they'll ask you to visit again.
All of their animals are treated very kindly, so you can be certain that they are not abused at this facility. If you need that extra something in your life, come here and you won't regret it. The adoption cost is a little bit high...$275 for puppies and $250 for older dogs, but that makes sure that you're dog has already been spayed and neutered and has recived all of the necessary vaccinations. You also get one free trip to a VCA vet for your pup's first checkup. If you don't find that the dog is compatible with you, you can choose to bring it back for a full refund within the first two weeks. All in all, so worth it.
Today I got to play with puppies and kittens. Adorable puppies and kittens. My heart broke when I realized I couldn't take any of them home, at least not right now.
This is GORGEOUS facility - there are NO cages. All of the animals are in rooms, some are shared, some are not, but I love that they're not caged up and they have a little space to move around. They even have a rooftop park so you can take the dogs up and play with them to see if it's a good fit. LOVE IT.
The employees and volunteers here are SO nice and friendly. I was up front about the fact that I wouldn't be adopting today, and they had no problem with letting us check out the animals. We played with kittens for what seemed like eons, and the volunteer had no problem with us just chilling with the kitties.
I love that they have you take a survey so they can best match you with the pet that has a personality that will be a good fit for you. Genius idea. (And really, can someone do that for men? "I'll take an 'orange' man, please." Boom. Easy.)
I had such a wonderful experience here today I am seriously thinking about volunteering, because really? How can anyone not love their life if they got to play with kittens and puppies all day?!
If you're looking to adopt a pet, please stop into PAWS before going to a breeder. Rescue an animal who really deserves a good home, and know that PAWS treats them like gold while in their care. They do amazing things, and the next time I'm in the market to adopt I will definitely be coming here.
PAWS - Chicago is a well established business. They treat their potential adopters well and their adoptees even better. We recently adopted a yorki/cattle dog mix from their and were quite pleased with the adoption process. The woman who interviewed us was very personal and was generally interested in not only our dog's well being but ours as a family as a result of having a new dog in the house.
I have to note that not all of the volunteer staff is horribly helpful and some are just... strange. But I do admire PAWS for also taking on volunteers with special needs and also having a no kill policy for their pets.
I do want to also note that I don't recommend going to the VCA on Chicago should adopt from PAWS- I don't know about the other locations but that specific VCA was ridiculous (see my review on them if you want to know more)
going here was the best experience!
we filled out a form looked around and found a perfect dog for my mom.
she was so excited!
everyone was so friendly and the place is so clean and bright.
a greyhound rescue was also there showing dogs for adoption. i never knew how friendly and loving retired race dogs could be. i wanted to go home with all of them!
this place is amazing and gets new dogs in everyday after a dog is adopted out. go here and rescue a super cutie...dog or cat!
I adore PAWS! The staff is friendly and I absolutely love that the animals have their own little rooms. The cats are my favorite since I'm a huge cat person so I love to go and sit in the rooms and just play with them all for hours haha. =) It's a great time and I love to go whenever possible. I only with I could take them all home. =)
I got my first dog here in Chicago from PAWS. He's a beautiful Neapolitan Mastiff named Zeus. The staff was very honest with me letting me know that he was a handful and that he had been returned on four previous occasions. They sat me down for over an hour and informed me about all of his behavioral issues, separation anxiety issues and just general Mastiff issues. To be honest I left there with no question unanswered and an abundance of tools that i could use to help Zeus and I succeed. I walked out of PAWS that day committing to myself that I would not be the fifth person to return this amazing dog.
It's been seven months since I brought him home and yes it has been a lot of hard work and very challenging at times, but overall it was the right decision to adopt him. The majority of his behavioral issues are now gone and he is a happy, healthy dog. I owe the success to PAWS for properly preparing me for what I was undertaking.
I cannot say Thank You enough to this organization. I feel like I was truly paired with the perfect dog for me.
I love the entire PAWS organization, and love what they stand for! Their facilities are like mini pet hotels! I'm so glad that they rescue these animals from kill shelthers, and have such an in-depth selection process to find suitable owners.
My fiance and I got our baby Layla (beautiful black kitten) from PAWS Chicago 2 years ago. She's been a very talkative, yet cuddly addition to our home
I'm so glad PAWS has a new place!
A few years ago, I tried to adopt a cat and you would've thought I was trying to adopt the Queen of England's only begotten son! The woman, who was pleasant enough, asked me how big my apartment was and a host of other questions. I was put off, feeling somehow not well-equipped enough - BUT! - I've heard that there has been turn over and those ladies have left. Bring in the new, I say, and let the kitties and doggies have homes for those of us who truly want them and love them!
Thanks for letting me have my say. Meow.
Honestly, Who gives an amazing animal shelter low stars?
This place does everything they can to help the abused and homeless dogs and cats of Chicago. I love volunteering there. I fostered a very sick Chocolate lab who had been abused and left for death. After nursing her back to health...we fell in love and adopted her. PAWS was so helpful every step of the way. I HIGHLY recommend Fostering an animal. It opens up space for more cats and dogs to be saved from being euthanized. They even have puppies you can foster. This place is amazing! Even if you are not allowed to have animals at your home, go in and volunteer. You clean, walk and play with dogs and cats all day!
PAWS is such a great organization, definitely the best place to go to adopt a pet in Chicago. We had tried several other shelters, only to have dogs adopted out from under us (due to a crazy online-only, first-come first-serve application process). Adopting a dog from PAWS couldn't have been a better experience. The facility is so nice - the animals are in small rooms, not cages - and the volunteers are all very knowledgeable. We were able to spend time with several dogs before choosing a dog to adopt, and took him home that very same day. Now Ozzie is sitting here on the couch next to me as I type this... he's the best dog we could have asked for, and already a member of the family after just one week. If you're looking for a dog or cat, PAWS is the place to go!
The new Lurie animal adoption facility is incredibly gorgeous! I'll always give PAWS props - I got my precious Egon - the world's sweetest and most gorgeous German Shepherd - here, after all, but this adoption center is just the greatest. I can't go here very often, or I'd come home with another dog, and I just cannot do that. There's only one dog for me and that is PAWS alumni - Egon Sharif, the Dog Formerly Known As Sargeant.
The animals here all seem very happy - though I swear they do that "Pick me! Pick me!" shelter thing when you walk through.
Mad kudos to Paula, PAWS founder - she really does it right, and has saved a LOT of animals with all her good work.
This is an organization that I would support over the Anti Cruelty Society any day! It's not just the wonderful facility (which is certainly a plus), but it is the volunteers and approach used at P.A.W.S. that make it so much nicer to deal with than the ACC.
Any shelter deserves credit just for doing the work they do, but the people at PAWS actually want to be doing this work! They seem to set people up for success as far as adoptions are concerned. Unlike the ACC (who gives potential adopters absolutely zero guidance), the people at PAWS seem to take their time finding a good match for your family. In addition, they provide you with valuable information to prepare yourself for pet adoption.
PAWS is where I adopted my puppy Mack. PAWS is such a wonderful organization and I think they really have it down! They have a short quiz for you to fill out to determine your "color". Once you have your color, you can walk amongst the dogs available for adoption. They match their dogs to your color so you get the right fit of personality and type of dog. For example, goofball, constant companion, can be home for 4 hours alone, etc. It is a great system whoever created it was a genius!
After we adopted Mack they told us they offered training classes for $175 and if you complete the class you get $75 back. Again, another great idea to help ensure proper placement with their pets.
Please check them out if you have never been in, it is an amazing place and they are really doing great things!
I fell in love yesterday.
Twice.
I only had to go the the first room at PAWS on Clybourn for Sr. cats, before my heart skipped a beat.
2 lion hearts.
A 17 pounder with a new name for a better life now looks up at me. Big Man is a love muffin who crosses his paws when he sits. I'm filled with an overwhelming sense of sadness when I think that this fabulously mellow man was transferred from another shelter back in August. (He was waiting for me )
Not quite friends yet, Lil Man ( shelter name Baby Boy ) is 9 yr old weighing in at a mere 8 pounds. He is a sucker for the floating feather trick and I cant wait until he trusts me enough to do more then pet him. Both my new sons are already showing their individual personalities with less then 24 hours in. How blessed am I? So much joy I have experienced already.
* If any one is interested in adopting a cat or dog, the PAWS team are a terrific group of volunteers that have the animals interests first.
we adopted our doberman mix from P.A.W.S. in 2005 and he quickly became the love of our lives..
And...
have you seen this adoption center?!? Amazing. Our dog would probably like it better there than at our home.
The absence of faith in the human race (due to a walk-through of "Pocket Puppies", a formerly disgusting puppy mill on Clark) has been replaced with a broken but healing hope.
This facility is incredible, with rooms donated and individually designed and a host of informative and caring staff. I plan to fill out an application and begin volunteering.
Last weekend, our 8 month old pup went missing. After posting signs, I was informed by a couple of callers that she had been found and taken to PAWS by a good samaritan.
The desk person there informed me that she had indeed been brought in, and that a volunteer had kindly offered to take her home so that she wouldn't have to spend the night at the pound.
When I arrived I was immediately taken by the bright, open, cleanliness of the space, and the welcoming, but not manic, attitude of the staff. They weren't judgmental about us letting her get away, though they did advise me to discuss the "closed door policy" with all family members so we wouldn't have a repeat performance. They also gave me info on how to change her chip registration.
The volunteer, Chris, couldn't have been nicer. She had to deal with her cat along with my little rascal, which I'm sure wasn't an easy task.
Thanks to existence of places like this, with well meaning, caring, employees, my pup displayed no ill effects from her excursion. I can't praise them enough!
I just adopted a cat from this place and have nothing but good things to say about it. The adoption fee is a little high but it's totally worth it for the care the animals receive. I've been to some pretty inhumane "humane" societies and this place is pretty refreshing.
PAWS rocks my socks! Now I just need to get the cat off my pillow so I can go to sleep...
I love PAWS!
We adopted our amazing dog, Phineas, from PAWS at the beginning of June. I absolutely loved the facility. I had never had any contact with PAWS before we adopted our dog, I just knew a few people who had worked with the organization and volunteered and adopted cats. I think the facility is absolutely amazing: it's clean, totally humane, and very fun for humans and animals. The cats and dogs are placed in cageless facilities, which are great. I hate going to humane societies that pretend that their facilities are even "humane;" seeing dogs and cats stuffed in small cages is just sad and kind of scary. The dogs and cats are able to run around and socialize with each other and have fun before they are adopted into loving homes. The PAWS staff are also excellent at identifying a dog's personality and they are able to place dogs together that will get along with each other.
Their adoption process was virtually painless and it was much easier than I thought it would be. I've adopted cats before from some humane societies that practically require you to provide a DNA sample to even be considered as an adoption candidate. I know that they are trying to be thorough, but sometimes that takes away a lot of options for loving homes for pets who need them. If you make it very difficult to adopt a pet, no one is going to want to work with your organization. PAWS made it very easy to enjoy the organization and they were interested in our background and other information about us, but they didn't require a crazy background check or waiting period to adopt a pet.
They also have each new adoptive family go through a consultation wherein they discuss the needs of the type of pet you are adopting, the needs of the pet you are adopting specifically and the ways to go about caring for and training your new pet. It took about an hour total but it was very informative and I really appreciated it since I have never have a dog. They offered us advice on where to find a good trainer, what kind of food to buy, good toys, etc. It was really great and the people were very kind when they answered all of our questions.
I recommend PAWS to all people in the city of Chicago looking to adopt a pet. I had a great experience and we could not have found a better pet. They are kind to animals and they really care about the pet population of Chicago. If I ever adopt a pet in the future (I'm sure I will) we will definitely go to PAWS.
i'm still giving paws a 5 star review based on the below experience, but after trying to get a record of my cats immunizations today because my boyfriend's parents puppies got diagnosed with parvo, i am tempted to take a star or two away. i intended on getting his records and then asking my vet if it was necessary to get cat's immunization's for parvo because i read on the web that they can get it. well, after speaking to someone really helpful at PAWS on Sunday but not getting the info from her because the office she needed to get the info from was really busy I decided to call back the next day. The woman that picked up the phone obviously never had a sick animal before and she also lacked any compassion or tact.
After explaining to her what i needed and why she cut me off and yelled "wait wait wait wait, if your puppies had parvo they would be dead!"
wha? now these are not my dogs but i am attached to them like they are mine, we often dogsit them and take care of them whenever needed. so to have this lady scream this to me was like a punch in the stomach. it was also untrue.
she offered no help and i will be calling the director once i get all of the stuff worked out for my cat.
still believe the place is great and still would go back if i am looking to add another animal to my family, but they should make sure they don't let idiots work or volunteer there.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/14/2008
I love, love, love, love, love this place!
I recently decided to get a cat... I knew i wanted to get… Read more »
PAWS is an amazing pet adoption center - I've never seen anything like it. Its a real breath of fresh-air in this city where most other places make you sign away your soul before they even let you meet any potential animal companion. PAWS is spacious and clean, and has none of the odors you come to expect in most shelters - there was no odor of stale food or waste, nor was there any "fear smell" - that sad smell of unhappy/distressed animals. The counselors were extremely gracious and encouraged us to wander through both the dog and the cat areas to our heart's content - if we wanted to meet anyone, we simply needed to fill out an initial survey for them, there would be no hard sell or any pressure to take home an animal if there wasn't a good bond between everyone involved. If we didn't find the right companion today, we were encouraged to come back as many times and whenever we wanted to - - lovely to have no pressure!
We wandered through the dog areas more quickly than I would have liked - but that was for my own good really, as I would have fallen in love with a dog (or dogs!) and since we can't have any I'd have been breaking my own heart. We did spend more time in the cat rooms, since we've got a cat at home and have been talking for months about getting a companion for him.
The cats are separated into different rooms - large and comfy - labeled: "kittens" (0-12 months) "young" (1yr-5yrs) and "elder" (6yrs and up). There are also several additional rooms for those cats who have special needs or who don't socialize with other animals very well and who will need to be a solo pet in a home. We met almost every cat in every room and although we'd been thinking of getting an elder cat to sibling with our 8-yr-old at home, we ended up falling in love with an 11 month old cat named "Rebel". Who knows where The Universe will lead you, huh? :)
Almost all of the animals we saw were in good spirits - no great stress causing anyone to hide and sulk in corners or to be aggressive with anger/fear. It was really a testament to the wonderful environment at PAWS and the care these animals get every day from those who work & volunteer there. It made us especially happy that we'd decided to adopt through this particular organization.
PAWS Chicago cats are spayed/neutered, micro-chipped, FeLV/FIV tested and have received preliminary vaccinations appropriate to the age of the animal and come with a complimentary overall wellness exam and 14-day follow up care through a partnership with VCA Animal Hospitals. Rebel had already had all his preliminary stuff done as he'd been adopted out once before and had been brought back - but its excellent to know that all this is part of the adoption process. They do have a very strict policy against de-clawing, which we'd initially intended to have done, but after a moment's thought decided it wasn't anywhere *near* a big-enough deal to decide not to adopt.
So about two hours after walking in the door, we walked out with a new family member (who has been renamed to "Catch" after a character in a book) and haven't regretted it one bit. I've been singing the praises of PAWS ever since and will continue to do so to anyone who wants to listen :) Hubby and I are contemplating signing up to be volunteers once we're settled into our new place (moving in a couple of weeks) because we're more than happy to support a great cause, and an amazing group.
This review is long overdue. This is where my husband and I adopted our baby dog, ChiChi in April. We went to the Animal Control center on Western Ave. first (seeing how they euthanize the animals after "X "amount of days). The dogs there were so maladjusted and when I'd see one that looked promising, I'd get the snarling, teeth, etc., etc. We then decided to go to PAWS and behold! One well-adjusted dog to complete our family. The adoption process is easy and they are very active in following up. I would definitely go back.
This organization is the bees knees..and this new location is amazing. The personality rating system is spot on, telling you which dogs are "the life of the party" and which are "wallflowers" amongst other characteristics. It's so hard to walk out of this place without 40 new pets.
Of course everyone wants to volunteer at this place, but really, the other PAWS location needs volunteers too! The animals are first sent to the Pilsen location for their evaluation and health updates, and they are stuck there until a spot opens up at Clybourn. If you are considering volunteering as a walker, please check out the less glamorous but very important Pilsen local!
xoxo
This is where our lovely pup came from! They are amazing, really. The adoption price I agree is a little steep but it costs money to properly take care of puppies. Food, vaccinations, spaying/neutering, rent, bills etc.. I honestly didn't mind paying the little bit extra to support such a great organization and knowing that Saul was well cared for during his stay.
We got Saul before they opened the new super deluxe location in Lincoln Park. But the whole process was nice. We sent in our application for them to look over and when they called us back we set up a time to come and meet Saul.
When we saw his little sausage body running at us we knew he was our dog :)
The interview is a little intense but it's good. They give you tons of information and talk to you about what is really involved in having a dog. Talk to you about training give recommendations and just all around arm you with knowledge. They do give you $75 of the adoption fee back if you fax them a copy of your certificate of completion for a training class.
Our pup was rescued by PAWS from a kill shelter in Indiana along with his brother and sister. We're very grateful that they brought him to Chicago :)
My husband and I just adopted our first pet - the sweetest dog ever - from PAWS. The adoption fee was steep, but it covered everything: fixing, microchip, free bag of food, free collar, free leash, etc. It's conveniently located across from the Petco so that you can pick up all of your doggie stuff before taking Fido home.
Of course, it's fantastic that the dogs are not in cages, and we loved the rooftop deck that allowed us to take the dog out for a while so that we could get a better sense of her temperament. The Meet Your Match survey is also helpful so that you can more easily determine which dogs might fit best into your home.
We were super impressed with the volunteers--especially the adoption counselors we worked with. They are all interested in finding the right fit for you, your family, and the animal. The foster-to-adopt trial period is very helpful to that end.
The furry love of my life is currently sacked out on the rug in front of our entry door as I type this, and I am really thankful that we found her at PAWS. (Of course, I should mention that there are lots of other fantastic animal shelters, adoption programs, and rescues, e.g. Anti-Cruelty, New Leash on Life, and we checked at all of them throughout our search for a pooch, not knowing where she might be waiting for us. Thank you PAWS for keeping our sweet mutt safe!)
This is a wonderful animal shelter, and I would recommend it for anyone looking to adopt a dog or cat. I got one of my cats here, and was very impressed. I've volunteered at other animal shelters before I moved to Chicago, and none of them had the same atmosphere or care of the animals that this one does. They are absolutely committed to saving their lives and finding them forever homes, no matter what. And they don't just take the "cute" or "adoptable" animals; they have several animals with special needs such as FIV positive cats. They also have a ton of senior dogs and cats, which I think is wonderful. These animals would be destroyed at any other shelter. Here, they have a chance.
Paws Chicago is a wonderful place. My Mom and I went to get 2 more cats for her, as I took my babies(2 cats) when I moved out after college. The staff was very helpful and pleased that we were looking for a pair of feline companions to take home with us. They were very detailed in the options we had if the new cats werent a good fit for our home(which wouldnt have happened), and although neither my Mom or I would have ever used it, their foster-to-adopt program(where the adoption fee is returned if the pet does not work out up to two weeks after the adoption) seems like a wonderful program for families that wish to adopt dogs, and are unsure how the behavior patterns will work out.
The wonderful thing about Paws is that there are NO cages, which actually stops many behaviorial/temperment problems. However, due to the fact there is limited space the variety of animals available isnt that large. And like most animal shelters, the tiny, light coated dogs go first, while the big dark coated dogs are often left behind.
Granted no shelter is perfect, and a lot of their dogs, dont have complete medical records as they were picked up as strays. But the staff and volunteers do their best to nuture and love the animals so that they will be more adoptable.
I got my adorable kitten, Marvin at PAWS. I was so impressed with the new facilities. It is beautiful! The adoption counselors really try to make sure that this is the right decision for you and the cat/dog.
I've been wanting to get a dog, namely a boxer, for about two years. Finally, a day opened up where I had the time to just go and peruse. I was impressed with the cleanliness of the facility and the helpful staff. As luck would have it, they had a sleepy boxer named Emma who had been there for about a week and a half. She was a loner dog and unwilling to live with non-submissive dogs. After a helpful, informative sit-down with an adoption counselor, I signed the papers, went across the street to the pet store and picked up all the needed supplies. I then returned, picked her up, and brought her home.
Update here: http://misterbuckets.w...
Her dog ass is resting against my arm as I write this. She should start snoring any minute now.
I love this place - I want every puppy in it! I didn't know that places like this existed. I never found my little one here but I love the people and how much they genuinely cared for every animal. I still think about the 8 year old lasa apso named One-Eyed Willie due to missing an eye. But the next time we went back someone had adopted him. I go here and leave so happy - not down trodden like going into other animal shelters. Dogs have their own rooms that are as big as *my* bedroom? Genius!
I found visiting and touring the facility to be pleasant, it's a impressive facility in a prime location.... almost *excessive* for an animal shelter. The Pippen Fasseas Adoption Center, complete with rooftop deck and vaulted timber ceiling. to the tune of around $6,000,000 (a number they published). I initially thought Pippen Fasseas must have been a beloved relative, mother, or maybe a famous animal activist who passed away... nope, Pippen is a dog they owned, a stray dog they imported from Greece. Six million dollars to hold how many dogs and cats? Wowza. They hold a black-tie ball that I can't even afford to attend, (even though I'm a dog professional) and they operate on a LARGE budget. Their bankroll is larger than you'd think, and their donations are plentiful, check it out, it's all available to the public.
The volunteers were wonderful, and they are very lucky to have all of these people as part of the organization. I wish other rescue groups and shelters would have some of the great support PAWS does. Is it not trendy or cool enough to volunteer for one of the more desperate smaller rescues?
They are also no-kill, which is great compared to some of the shelters in IL where the vast majority of unclaimed dogs are euthanized, and not adopted-out. However, they do discriminate by breed, and I don't care who tries to say otherwise, they do not like to take Bully breeds, that comes straight from one of their own employees (who shall remain nameless), so believe it. Pit Bulls are one breed of dog that is no different than any other dog, but is euthanized by ACC automatically, so why wouldn't PAWS want to take in more of them to prevent this?
Besides that, I wonder if they use their donate money for political lobbying. Their founder publicly lobbies for laws that infringe on rights of pet owners. That alienates people! When a shelter founder is lobbying for those types of laws (ordinances that infringe on MY rights as well as others), and they published it in their magazine "Angels with Tails", people are going to be unhappy and pull support.
How is it that they are able to take import dogs from *out of state* on many occasions (like cute purebred puppies for oprah? they had parvo sadly), and dogs from a flood in Iowa, why not first focus on the dogs being euthanized in Chicago? We have a euthanasia rate here we want to lower, so let's focus on our own city, not importing dogs from other states. PAWS chooses the majority of their dogs from City Animal Control, so you might as well just go straight to the source and pay $65. Animal Control, despite not having cute little "rooms" for the dogs, has a pretty decent adoption room, a big grass field, and is NOT an unpleasant place to visit!
You cannot think "an animal shelter can do NO wrong," There are issues that should be changed, even in animal shelters, and this one has several, indeed.
