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San Francisco SPCA
Rating Details »
Categories: Animal Shelters, Veterinarians [Edit]
Neighborhood: Mission2500 16th St
(between Alabama St & Florida St)
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 554-3000
- Hours:
Tue-Fri. 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sat-Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
186 reviews for San Francisco SPCA
Every time I walk through the SPCA (in reality, there's probably a 5% chance of me adopting another dog), I feel like taking all the animals home.
I haven't been to the old SPCA, but I agree with Lisa R. that the facilities are gorgeous and very, very expensive. It seems that with all the open space, they could take in more animals since they are no-kill, and then the animals would have a better chance of getting adopted out.
Some of the staff members are a bit surly, and some of them are very nice. The adoption process was pretty smooth, and they call every once in awhile to check up on how we're doing. It's a great place for a first-time pet-owner, since they give you a billion materials on how to care for and train your new pet.
Overall, great. But I wish they'd use their money in a different way so they can save more animals and not just have a prettyfied facility.
i went for the fist time last week for an emergency (cat not peeing). I thought the staff was great (very thorough, knowledgeable and good at explaining) but i was kinda turned off by the upselling when it came time for the bill. it was over 500 bucks (when i paid about 200 last episode at my old vet in oakland) and there were all these tests, treatments and meds that they "strongly recommended".
i asked what could possibly be removed and felt like i was being a bad mom. they seemed appalled i would scrimp on my pet. didnt like that feeling. in the end, i really wish i hadnt spent $36 bucks on extra painkillers. next time i will definitely look closer at the bill. and no, i would NOT like fries with that... or matching socks.
Since they've moved and redecorated, the facilities are stunning to look at and to pay for. Basically their prices have doubled.
We have 2 persian cats. One visited due to a 3" patch of skin with no fur. I was worried it was ringworm. $300+ later, and after a 2 week culture, there was no diagnosis from the SPCA. They just said it wasn't fleas and it wasn't ringworm and sorry we don't know. Actually I decided it was fleas, and treated for them with DE. The patch of fur returned.
The other cat, age 4, had lost over a pound and was having trouble chewing. The SPCA charged me $300+ for exam and bloodwork, and wanted to schedule a $1200-1500 operation to remove 5-6 teeth and clean the others. I called the persian breeder to get the name of her vet, who ultimately cleaned our cat's teeth for under $200 and said no teeth needed to be removed. I'd say the SPCA is a little surgery happy: what kind of life would our cat have had without 5 teeth from age 4 on.
This whole episode happened 8 months ago; the 4 year old cat has since regained his weight. Both cats and our bank account are thriving WITHOUT the help of the SPCA.
Our new puppy got more face time with the doctor than I have ever received myself, and the bill was less than we expected. And of course the facilities are fantastic.
I have not adopted any critter from the SPCA but I did wander about their new, very very nice facility awhile back and I found that despite the lovely appearance, neither staff nor volunteers were as friendly or helpful as those at the SF ACC just down the road (seriously about 400 feet down).
I guess I'm just biased because I volunteer at the SF ACC, but whatever.
I want to like the SPCA, I really do, one thing I love is that they take certain animals (adoptable cats and dogs only) from the city shelter so that the ACC can have more space and less worry about the better off cats and doggies.
The SPCA is a closed-door shelter, meaning they only accept cats and dogs that they believe they will be able to adopt out. (See my review on the SF ACC for description of an open-door shelter.) So if you find a hurt animal or some wildlife, the SPCA will not take it in. They'd send you over to ACC instead.
This closed-door policy means a lot less animal traffic in general and makes some of their work much easier, but it really puts a load on the city shelter. Some people choose the SPCA because they do not euthanize animals and this just goes along with their closed-door policy; they don't euthanize because they don't accept animals that might later show signs of aggression, excessive fear, or major health issues that could possibly lead to a need for euthanasia.
Otherwise, they still do some great work, educating and advocating for the animals and their human companions.
The SF SPCA and its adoption center are outstanding. State-of-the-art facilities and a very caring staff ensure that pets find a good home. And, they all work very hard to ensure that the public has a better understanding of how to care for an animal.
Summer and fall is tick and flea season. Here is an article I wrote.
See web link:
http://www.fetchthepap...
I am reviewing the SPCA based on my experience today of adopting two female kittens.
First off, I should state that during my first couple of hours there I was pretty pissed; there seems to be no set system to view a pet, you need to ask a roaming volunteer to get into a room with you to meet the lil critters. The pets are all in these little apartment like rooms seperated in wings or room numbers....Volunteers on this day, a busy Saturday, were stretched to the limit and I finally went up to a lady (Suzanne) at the front counter who was SUPER helpful and turned it all around for me.
Although I still had to wait over an hour outside one of the rooms as 3 people were just HOGGING the room with the kittens I wanted to see (seeing me pace outside) and the SPCA volunteer with them making ZERO move to cut their visit short (another volunteer said that after 15 min or so, seeing other people waiting, he should have cut it short). As Seinfeld once said : "People! They're the worst." Anyways, I get to meet the the kitten I had been eyeing and notice that her sister is just like her and they seem really attached. I say "f*ck it, I'll take 'em both!" . Suzanne helped me with the paperwork and she did an awesome job explaining everything and apologizing numerous times and thanking us for waiting so long.
All in all I was very pleased with the service and the rest of the staff who were super friendly.
Review removed due to gross assumptions made on my part.
If I could just add one reminder: The SPCA Animal Hospital is seperate from the shelter and spay/neuter clinic - anyone expecting low cost or no cost should be warned. It is a for-profit hospital just like every other veternarian in the city. The one difference is that they will try to help you by arranging payment options if you can't afford to pay their services
The SPCA Spay/Neuter Clinic is non-profit and runs on donations - they spay/neuter thousands of ferals through their feral fix program, and have sliding scale payments for those who can not afford treatment.
At the vet clinic SPCA = Surly People Charging Alot! Much as I wanted to like the SPCA, the vet service provided in their admittedly beautiful facility was expensive, unresponsive, and generally a ripoff. I felt I was charged unfairly -- essentially they charged me for the same thing twice -- and the desk staff told me to call the manager, which I did, and received no call back. I will use Mission Pet Hospital in the future.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/1/2009
Summary: Top dollar fees for indifferent, unprofessional, and possibly dangerously negligent… Read more »
what kind of SPCA doesnt work with rescues??? over $200 to get a male neutered! and no discount for rescue. and they call it a low cost spay neuter clinic...NOT!
There great for the welfare of the Animals, we adopted a kitten from Macys window about a year ago. However the Vet's there are truly scary when we took our kitten there she kept calling it a "critter" not by her name or even a cat, then the worst part was they gave my cat the wrong shot and all the vet said was "ooops" and offered not to charge us for the shot. (we never asked for our kitten to be given a shot meant for a dog why would we pay) I found an e mail of the woman in charge (Jan Mc Hugh) and we sent her a e mail and left a voice mail after fearing our kitten may die, we had no clue she was given a shot for a dog, if your not a vet that scares the crap out of a owner.
She could not be bothered to call us back or even e mail back, she forwarded it to a man that I guess is a vet there, he never called until after we called back for the 3rd time and sent a letter telling them how scared we got, our cat for 3 days slept and did not want to play we ended up calling another vet who said indeed the shot could do damage depending on the size of the cat and her health.
We were never offered anything but excuses and the sad part is the vet said "it happens all the time, and normally animals are not hurt"
the fact our cat could have died, and they did not call back for a month makes me wonder why there even vets, more so at a place that "helps" animals.
and why are they even working there if it happens "all the time". Our cat was full of infections when we got her from there. nose, lungs, ears, chest,eyes she was very very sick and we had to pay for her treatment (i dont care becuase it was going for the other animals) but an offer for them to treat her or cover 1/2 would have been nice since we were told she got sick from being there.
Please do get your animals from there, however follow up with another vet they (vets) lack any real concern for the animals, nor for the humans the adopt and love them it is not worth the heartache the spca caused us.
Today our cat is healthy and happy, only because we took her to another vet that cares and took the time to get to know her by name :)
I recently came by here to meet with the staff to discuss a benefit I am throwing for them on May 29th ( Bucks for Pups! ) and was blown away.
The new facilities I got to tour were mind blowing, and I immediately felt as if I was walking through an episode of Animal Planet.
The hospital is immaculate and I had no idea that animal facilities were like this. It was modern, and the building emphasized one thing clearly:
Animals are no less than us.
Comfortable rooms, dedicated care, and unconditional love on the checklist, we as a city should be so proud to have a center like this.
The resources they have for potential adopters and injured animals is phenomenal and I learned about another great program they have for fostering animals.
The SPCA is always looking to have people within the community foster a pet for a few weeks or months, and honestly, after falling in love with every dog there, I almost became a foster parent to all of them ( if only my apt allowed pets and I had a backyard! )
If you're an animal lover like I am, I hope you can make it out to the SF SPCA benefit on May 29th at Matrix Fillmore with the awesome DJ Solomon!
Check it out! http://bit.ly/zhKz3
http://www.facebook.co...
My broham, my cat Imac was cared for here by Dr. Miraskis & Dr. Goh and a wonderful nursing staff! Yes it cost a pretty, excuse me a fine penny, but I am so glad that he is healthy & that he is home!!! I guess that's where my negative star comes in and I know its a lot worse than I am explaining, but the cost of it all went well over the high end estimate I agreed too! Anyway Im not going to blame anybody, it was an experience Ive never been lucky enough to agree to withstand. I know my broham Imac was well taken care of and I'm certain he knew he was in good hands. He comes down precisly when it's time for his meds! He's got the same fight in him that his Dr.'s had to bring his previously super sick self to superb health! At least they didn't loose his samples like the Emergency Vet on Alabama! Thank you kindly x 1,000,000,000!!!
Went here to adopt and very helpful. They geniunely care that the animals will be cared for. Heard about all the budget care scares but staff are still doing their jobs. Got a dog and helped me find a compatible dog. Hmm.....maybe a new venture into pet matching website.....
I will never go back to the SPCA. When my puppy fell ill, I took her there. After an exam and x-rays, the vet diagnosed her with aspiration pneumonia requiring a 2-4 day hospital stay. But before treatment began, the vet sent in someone I can only describe as a "sales manager" (I won't name names. I'm not sure of her position, but its one that doesn't require compassion or tact) who priced treatment at $3,000. When I told her I was unemployed and could not afford it, she pressed me on my finances insisting that my dog was going to die. This led to an intense shaming, ending in a rhetorical "Would you act the same if this were a human child?" After explaining the difference between a hypothetical and reality, I reiterated I had neither a job nor $3,000. She then put a credit application in front of me. I again reminded her of my situation. Seemingly disgusted with my financial hardship, she badgered me so thoroughly that I was brought to tears. Unsympathetically, she said "There are tissues behind you." as if I had annoyed her. She pressed on, "So what are you going to do???" I told her I wanted to go somewhere that provides charity care to those in my situation. She curtly implied that I was not getting my dog back and in not so many words suggested that I was an irresponsible owner. The only choice put to me was to surrender my dog to Animal Control. She had me "escorted" there by one of her employees, as if I was not to be trusted.
How does this woman belong in this line of work? She wasn't the least bit compassionate or reasonable; traits I'd assume prerequisites. I found myself in a difficult upsetting situation yet her only concern was money. There are many programs here in SF for disadvantaged pet owners. Even the SPCA has sliding scale rates for neutering/spaying. In my case, it was either pay money I didn't have or surrender my dog.
ACC did come through for us, though. They immediately arranged to send her to Pets Unlimited but suggested I get her x-rays from the SPCA so they could start treating her on arrival. When I returned to the SPCA, I told the "sales manager" what ACC needed and if they could expedite it because she was ready to leave. Wow, did they take a long time getting that ready. I mean 20 minutes? Even the ACC called to ask why this was taking so long. They knew the dog's condition; that she needed immediate treatment and was waiting to go to the other clinic, yet no urgency was applied to this request. I guess since there was no profit there was also no motive.
In the end, my dog was treated overnight and returned to ACC where she recovered. It's commendable that an agency with limited resources stepped in to help when the supposed "non-profit" wouldn't. Had I originally taken her to someplace such as Pets Unlimited, I'd likely still have her. Ironically, the SPCA took her from the ACC a few days later and adopted her out. Stay classy, SPCA!
I remain uncertain as to whether it was proper for the "sales-manager" to deny access to my dog for the purposes of seeking treatment elsewhere, choosing instead to force a surrender. At no time did I convey ownership rights in my pet to the SPCA nor did I complete a written authorization of the $3,000 treatment, so she could not have been kept as bailment for unpaid fees. Legally speaking, I retained full ownership and control throughout the visit which included discretion to decline treatment in favor of immediately seeking it elsewhere and though she was caged outside of my presence, mere physical possession does not constitute rightful ownership. At best, she was in at-will custody which concludes at my discretion. So, I'm curious as to the legal grounds the SPCA would have relied in denying access to my dog had I been more insistent. There is another review of this hospital whose author received threats of law enforcement involvement after expressing a desire to seek treatment elsewhere. From my understanding, applicable law defines unlawful cruelty in part as failure to seek veterinary care as needed. I doubt such threats would hold any consequences if one were to leave the SPCA to seek an immediate second opinion and treatment elsewhere. I understand the law obliges owners to seek vet care as needed; it does not require such care be received at the SPCA. I further understand ownership rights afford one with a reasonable opportunity to remedy such matters before a third party can pursue forcible dispossession for failure to seek treatment. Assuming care is expeditiously obtained elsewhere, I believe the aforementioned threats are inconsequential scare tactics to prevent loss of revenue.
If animal welfare is indeed their top priority they would treat her first and then subject me to intense scare tactics, an audit of my personal finances, a severe badgering and an overall shaming. Not the other way around. Wonder if Leanne would approve.
I have an older dog. I will NEVER take him there nor will I ever recommend this place to anyone.
As for as the adoption center goes, they're great. But, I will NEVER take any of my animals to the vet clinic ever again. They're in it for the money and they totally mistreated my puppy after she was bitten by a nasty jack russell terrier. She had a cut about an inch deep into her nose and they put a drainage tube in and said to leave it in for three days. It started to look a little nasty and we took her back and after they said they would give her stitches, they wouldn't. Thats when we took her to the marina vet hospital and they were horrified as to how they treated our puppy. The drainage tube was supposed to be left in for a maximum of 24 hours. They were really disappointing.
Another incident happened where I adopted a kitten from animal care and control and it seemed to be sick. We took it to the vet clinic here and they did a whole bunch of tests on him and never told me how much it was going to be. Once it got to a hundred bucks, I told them I was going to take him back to ACC and see what they say. Once I got over there they said SFSPCA should have told me to go to ACC in the first place and all of the vet tests would have been free.
Thanks for nothing SFSPCA.
The SPCA is wonderful. Period.
When I was in between jobs, they spayed my dog at a very discounted rate. She healed up quickly and everything went perfectly. Even if I had paid full price, it was still a way better deal than the rates I was being quoted at private practices in the City.
When I have a question, there is always someone there to answer the phone during their very generous open hours. They are quick to get a tech on the phone to speak with you and see if you need to come in or can deal with the issue without a visit.
The doctors are amazing and you are welcome to start a relationship with one that you feel good about and plan your visits with one person for consistency of care. If one is not available though, there are a dozen excellent vets to take care of you. They also call you back pretty quickly if you need them to.
I have switched completely to the SPCA for the care of my dog and I am very pleased. They treat you like a partner in the care of your pet.
Go and check out the new facility. It is probably nicer than your own doctor's office. Why? Because a lot of generous benefactors saw to it to make sure that we have a place that should be the envy of the rest of the world for animal care in our City.
Hats off to the SPCA. They won my business from a private practice because they are that good.
I have adopted both of my cats from the SFSPCA. They were also able to fix my Lillian and provide her with top notch care.
I cannot recommend adopting a pet anymore than I already do. Newton and Lillie are the best additions to my life and they get the regular vet care as well.
I am very happy with the SPCA....Believe me SF SPCA is sooo much better than the LA SPCA who doesn't even return volunteer phone calls!!
I just went to the vet hospital, in the new building. and its like... OMG. its better than Kaiser. its so big and clean. its like 10 times better than before.
The doctor and the staff there are super nice too. My dog is super mean, and they were still able to take his temperature and gave him shots. They seem to have a lot of staff available also.
I brought my darling puppy Lola here to get spayed because her other doctor was to high of a price. At first I was really nervous because we don't have a history with the SPCA so I made a pre-spay appointment. The doctor was nice, and they made me seem at ease about the surgery. The day of her spay we went to her appointment and to my surprise the surgeon that performed Lola's spay met with me personally before the surgery. I thought that was really great. Dr. Paul Breckenridge really calmed my nerves. When he came in I could see his instant connection with animals and I knew immediately Lola would be taken care of to the full extent. Sadly I found out that Dr. Breckenridge is from the Marin Humane Society and he decided to help out SF SPCA for the day. Marin is really lucky to have him, if Lola ever needs another surgery I would definitly want him to be performing it. Thanks Dr. Breckenridge for helping me through this stressful process.
I adopted one of my pet at the SPCA. Despite the budget cut I think the staff and the volunteer are very dedicated. It is important to support the SPCA because animals are very important in people and kids lives. We all know that 95% of the prison population has a history of abusing animals. This is a fact supported by research data. Informing and educating our kids about compassion toward animals will help them to grow as healthy adults. This is why it is so important to have the SPCA.
One of the higher-ups at the SPCA called back some weeks after we adopted our cat to go over my concerns with me. She was cordial and informative, explaining that some tests are difficult to do, some results may not be accurate, and some conditions may not manifest themselves until after they are adopted. She also informed me that treatment for conditions like the one from which our cat suffered initially may be reimbursed by the SPCA if you get back to them shortly after the adoption and initial visit to whichever vet you choose. While I wish this procedure had been stated and explained more explicitly when we adopted him, it's nice to keep in mind if we adopt from the SPCA in the future.
Our cat's eye condition seems to be chronic, but not affecting his health or well-being, and he has become the mini-dog we asked for. He plays fetch, he loves being petted, and he follows my boyfriend all over the apartment. He plays well with the other cat that came to live with us, and the dogs that visit. While I still have some concerns about the veterinary care (as others have mentioned), I would heartily recommend adoption from the SFSPCA. Just make sure to take your new fuzzy friend to a vet in your area whom you trust ASAP post-adoption.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/23/2009
I must preface this review with the acknowledgment that our kitten is the most awesome pathological… Read more »
This review is for the neutering service only. I'm limiting it to four stars since I haven't tired any of their other programs or services.
The SPCA did a great job neutering our 7 month old puppy. Everyone was friendly, the building is amazing, and he came home happy & healthy. They are not exactly cheap but they do give income based discounts.
It is nice to see that SF has such a great SPCA. Make sure to register your dog since it helps support them.
Thank you guys for taking care of as many meowsers and bark-barks as you do, thanks to the volunteers (young and old folks) who make this place clean and safe for the animals and visitors.
I got two of my best friends from this place, and I donate whenever I can. ADOPT A PET, SAVE A LIFE, MAKE A FRIEND WHO WILL CHANGE YOURS FOR THE BETTER.
With love.
This place IS as good as it gets for a homeless dog or cat. Cats have live fish bowls in their "cages" but you can't call them cages since they are more like rooms. Other cats have TV's! It makes me feel better that the dogs also have a nice place to sleep in their rooms, with a little cot about the ground. The place is also super clean!! I mean, they can't help if a dog-o is gonna eat his poop, so other than that it's so spotless here! They offer trainings and many services along with a semi-rigourous interview to match you with your pet.
I love to come here when I'm really longing to get one of my own.....I know that day is coming soon!
DOG TRAINING PROGRAM IS SUPERB. Make sure you are taking your puppy to train with JEFF. He is the best.
Adoption prices are higher than the SF Animal Care & Control across the street, but you get dog training included in your adoption fees at SPCA.
Tons of services, from training to veterinary care.
Facilities are gorgeous & well-maintained... built with dot-com money. Some of the cats and dogs have larger apartments than most SF residents! There is a more relaxed feel when walking by the dogs' & cats' rooms, as they are not in tiny cages like the city pound, so a visit is less depressing.
Also, the selection is better, as they have the luxury to pick and choose dogs from other shelters (as well as from the ACC nearby).
The adoption website has changed and is a little clunky. It is worth the time to take a trip to the SPCA to see the animals in person. Be prepared, however, as it will be an emotional experience (especially if you are a dog or cat person!). :)
I'm happy to say that Wesley Mariah Cross is officially the best dog EVER.
And he totally has a way with lesbians and second-rate reality tv stars (holla to RW Coral and some chick from Top Chef).
GO GET A SHELTER DOG!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/27/2008
Life is rough lately. It's getting colder, the work day is dragging on longer and longer and I am… Read more »
We adopted Mr. Studly at the SPCA because we were magically drawn to him. Maybe because he was the loudest and baldest cat in the place. We thought, "How cute! They gave him this cool hair cut where he's bald everywhere except his head and tail! He looks like a gray poodle with the head of ET. How could you not love that?"
Another endearing quality was his meow. "He sure is loud. Awwww, that must mean he really wants to go home with us." Little did we know that it would turn into after midnight howlings from 1 am to 5 am. "Shut that cat up before our neighbors start thinking we're having really hot sex!"
But once Mr. Studly's fur grew in, he became an instant stud muffin. The ladies at the vet fawn over him every time we take him in. "Oh, Mr. Studly, you are the sweetest cat evah!" *kiss*kiss* *snuggle*snuggle* Let me tell you, that cat is a chick magnet.
So if you need female action, get a kitty from the SPCA. Your sex life will improve or at least your neighbors will think so.
My best friend ever came from this place. I go back now and again and try to convince my fiance to let me get another one in hopes that the cute, abandoned faces will sway him, but alas, to no avail.
A younger dog is about $200 all things said and done. They give you a lot of papers and pamphlets to take home with your new best friend and this really cute birth certificate (which I have yet to get framed).
It's a nicely run facility with people who take their job seriously. They're very informed and they really love about the animals that they care for on a daily basis.
You should go here, at while you're there, send my fiance an email and let him know that Elise needs a new dog.
one bright spot: the spca called saying they'd overcharged me and refunded me $85.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/29/2009
the spca sucks.
i am a broke college student. i called them up to make an appointment to get my kitty… Read more »
This is where I adopted my cat Spam when he was just 2 months. Each animal has their own comfy room complete with toys bed, food, some even have TV. The volunteers are really friendly, and they are happy to let you in to see the animals and answer questions. It's clean comparing to several other shelters I've visited in the past. This one had minimal to no smell.
Spam's adoption fee was just $100, it included microchiping and neutering, I think the bag of Science Diet and litter were included as well.
I got so emotional that I cried when I got home with my cat. It's great how they are so attentive to those animals.
I love the maddies adoption center where i adopted my female terrier mix. The staff was friendly, and helped me pick the perfect dog for me. so when it was time for me to bring her in for her annual check up i figured why not bring her back? BIG MISTAKE!! the people at the front desk ignored me for a good 5 minutes before they even realized i was standing there. When the vet evaluated my dog and i had questions he looked at me like i was stupid, and had a nasty attitude. For being a vet he sure acted like he couldn't be bothered, and this was the last thing he wanted to be doing. I advised you to not take your pets to this place unless you want to be treated like an idiot. maybe they should take some tips from the workers at the adoption center. after all this is the SPCA and i would have expected way better customer service!!
This review is for the vet services. So, I've been taking my pup to the SPCA for her primary vet services for a few months now. And, I feel a bit bad giving it just an a-OK review, because I totally believe in
the SPCA's mission...so I've seen three different vets - and there was a wide range of experience and in how they treated Sadie. I'm going elsewhere...
Also, SF SPCA charges around $350 for spaying, but the Oakland SPCA only charges $100.
I just stopped by the SPCA adoption center to try and find that perfect pooch. I have to say this is the nicest animal shelter I have ever been too. For the dogs there are about 4 corridors you can walk down to view the available animals. These are not kennels mind you, they are glass enclosed rooms about the size of a bedroom, with 1-3 dogs per room. The are VERY clean, and have all the amenities that any dog needs, beds, crates, toys, and room to play!
Not one dog looked distressed, all were very calm, and seemed to be having a good time. I also love the little holes in the glass for giving them treats.
Now I'm not looking for a cat but I had to wander over and see what they're living situation was like, and OMG each enclosure was set-up just like a living room.... Cat tree, rugs, furniture, and a TV!! yes it was playing some kind of nature bird show :) how cute!
I didn't find the pooch for me, but I will definitely be back! Actually I'll probably attend their free Dogs 101 course to learn as much as I can before I bring my new best friend home.
A+ SF SPCA!
I adopted a puppy when I was in my early 20's. Her name was Patty. She was a jack russell terrier who I loved probably more than any human being in my life.
I was traveling for work a lot at the time, so I decided to give Patty up to another family. Luckily, I found a co-worker with a big house and a lot of land to provide Patty with a better life than spending all day alone in my small apartment.
I agreed to meet the new family at a parking lot to take Patty. It remains one of the saddest days in my life. You see, Patty had a way of twisting her neck to the left whenever she was confused. I do the same. As I drove off, I could see her in the rear view mirror with the same expression. It broke my heart. I miss her.
Every month or so, I'll visit this SPCA location just to see how the health of the dogs are. Generally, they do a good job, but I can't be certain.
4 stars.
KITTENS! KIIIIITTTTTEEEEEENNNNNSSSS! Kittens! Kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens, kittens. KITTENS.
So, let's just say, this is where to get kittens. The people here are so nice and helpful, the animals are adorable. The only reason why I am going 4 instead of 5 stars is because there is a lot of "shelter cough" going around, and many of the pets you adopt will need a week of extra special care when you get them home to let the colds and flues that they picked up from the other kids run it's course.
The Vet part of the SPCA is also great. They LOVE the animals that they help. You can tell, they just love love love them. It's a great place.
This is a horrible story, very similar to other reviewers I have read. These people pray on peoples emotions, use the fact that you love your pet to get money. I brought in Sophia, a stray cat who adopted our house and has lived there for 5 years, we all loved her. Sophia about two weeks ago got violently ill, I mean she was throwing up her toes, it was agonizing.
We called around and most places couldn't take her. They suggested the SPCA because they had a sliding scale. Not true, we brought Sophia in and first thing they wanted me to fill out a credit application. I figured it was cost a couple hundred bucks. they gave us a rough estimate of 1200.00 to 2000.00, to save her life. We were devastated, my other roommate's were there and we tearfully agreed that we couldn't afford it, we are musicians for god sake, and she was suffering. We decided to have her put to sleep, the doctor said it was unethical, made us feel guilty, she wouldn't survive without treatment. I said, look, our only problem is financial, this cat is our friend this has been an agonizing decision! and she is suffering. We told them to put her to sleep. Then we waited about an hour and a half while this woman kept saying are you sure you don't want to change your mind? What she was doing was stalling, she made us feel horrible while she had all these tests run on Sophia, before they killed her. The manager then wanted to know if we wanted an autopsy to find out what killed her. What? Why? We know who killed her, we said, you did. They brought her out half wrapped in a towel in a toilet paper box, they also handed me a bill for over 800.00. If I had known she was going to charge us that we would have saved Sophia! She knew our situation and still had all these exotic tests drawn on her that that can hardly be referred to as "life saving measures", everything you could think of, they kept us waiting because they wanted to collect more money. Who cares if she had leukemia kept saying are you sure you don't want to change your mind? What she was doing was stalling, she made us feel horrible while she had all these tests run on Sophia, before they killed her. They brought her out half wrapped in a towel in a toilet paper box, they also handed me a bill for over 800.00. If I had known she was going to charge us that we could have saved Sophia! Who cares if she had leukemia, or Provo something or other, she was dying in our arms! I broke down and left, I was screwed the moment I filled out that application, Sophia died at the hands of corporate cruelty under the guise of "nonprofit" . My roommates walked out after me to hear the manager say "It's not our fault she doesn't have the money to take care of her pets!"
Sophia was a stray, I have never even petted her because I am really allergic, but she was a really cool cat with alto of personality and bitchiness. SPCA are shameful monsters and you know what that whole thing felt like? Like a kidnapping, and we didn't have the ransom.
I support the SPCA and have sponsored animals in SF and SJ. I was thinking of adopting a older cat and decided to visit the SF SPCA. I was treated very rudly by the people at the front desk. I understand that the employees at the front may be stressed at times but that is no reason to completely ignore someone. I give two stars because the animals I saw made me happy.
Like another reviewer said, I really, REALLY want to love the SFSPCA! But no. I will not dwell on the time they made me fill out a 2-page intake form just to go in and pet a dog at Maddie's, then said, oh, no that dog - a 6-month old Jack Russell -is an adult-only dog, didn't you see that on the posting? I mean who else can keep up with a spazzy dog like that BUT a child?
Anyway, after adopting a puppy elsewhere, we dutifully enrolled in the puppy class, where we were essentially subjected to six weeks of condescension from the instructor, whimpers from fellow classmates about our "pit bull," and long-winded lectures & personal reminiscence while our leashed pup was expected to sit still and behave. Being new dog owners at the time and not sure what to expect entirely, we humbly bowed our heads and wondered what was wrong with our dog. It is now in retrospect we realize what a waste of time & energy - not to mention money! - it all was. Sad but true.
I hate(d) cats. They have weird eyes, they scratch, bite, and look ferocious. They lack personality, they eat mice, and they're gross.
A friend's cat changed my view; this cat was old, but still had a lot of personality and love. When the cat died, my friend was sad...she had practically grown up with this cat. I felt bad for my friend, but I didn't think it was going to affect her that much..
I really really really wanted a dog, but I work so much, that my dog would be left alone during the day; I didn't think I was a good candidate as a dog owner..
Then I went to the SPCA to check out some kitties...and my life changed. Look, I've never, ever wanted to be one of those pet owners who refer to their pets as "my baby," "my daughter," and refers to themselves as "mama," but I am one of those people now. Yuck.
I perused up and down the hallways in search of a cat I would want in the future..cooing, pointing, shrieking when I saw a cute cat.
And then I saw a tabby cat with white paws and big green eyes. And her name was Madison, and I knew she had to be mine. I alerted the nearest volunteer, and I told her I wanted to go and pet Madison....the SPCA volunteer (Alexandria, I think that's her name) was so helpful and spent about 20 minutes with us while we decided whether Madison was the one for us. And she was.
The process probably took about a half hour---you look at the cats you want, point and comment on their tv's in their "condos" and the Picasso on their walls. It's all so cute. The cats there live in style.
You then ask a SPCA volunteer to go into the cat's condo and you play with the cat for however long you want..in our case, we went to two condos, and Madison was the second cat we looked at, and I knew I had found my baby.
You do your paperwork, fill out a short questionnaire, and if you were approved, the cat was yours. The SPCA staff are so caring and helpful -- we went through Madison's medical and behavioral history, and let's just say, Madison had quality health care at the SPCA. I also found out that Madison was a year old, and was homeless for about a couple of months.
They also offer a ten day return policy if you don't get along with your cat to bring it back to the SPCA..but Madison and I have no problems. Everyone loves her.
I think the SPCA is great; I would really recommend going there, checking their animals out, and really talking to the staff. That day, I left the SPCA as a new parent, a great cat, a big bag of cat food, coupons, informational pamphlets, and even a cat dvd for new owners.
