Associated Humane Societies — Attraction in Newark

-Bags of animal carcasses left laying outside the building -Sick animals with bloody urine, diarrhea, vomiting, Kennel Cough and nasal discharge -Dogs and cats kept in cramped, dark enclosures without exercise -A deteriorating, dirty building that posed health and safety risks -Animals were not being weighed prior to administration of euthanasia, immobilizing or tranquilizing agents. -Staff were unable to access certain disposition records, including the required euthanasia documentation, and the paper records were incomplete. -A white, poodle-type dog housed in the small dog room had urine-soaked fur on its rump and its legs and was unable to remain dry and clean. -Adult dogs confined in cages… were not being exercised in runs at least twice a day or walked on a leash for at least 20 minutes per day. Dogs with a vicious disposition that were housed in the basement or the small dog and cat room were not walked at all and did not have access to an exercise run. -Cats that were difficult to handle and classified as ‘feral’ were housed in enclosures that contained glass walls completely covered with cardboard and newspapers. -A white, bully-type dog had an open wound on its paw and there was no evidence that this dog was provided with medical care. -There was a large, black, mastiff-type dog housed in a small enclosure against the back wall of the main basement housing area. This enclosure did not provide sufficient space for this dog to turn about freely and lie in a comfortable, normal position. -There were carpeted cat trees and sisal rope cat scratchers in the communal cat rooms that contained an accumulation of hair and dried feces or vomit. -A large sheet of cardboard was being used as bedding in some of the small animal enclosures. -Several animals that were housed in the basement isolation room were exhibiting signs of illness but the [shelter] manager stated that these dogs had not yet been seen by a veterinarian and were not receiving medical treatment. -The room where the exotic animals were housed contained an accumulation of rabbit feces and urine on the walls, on the electrical outlet, behind the filing cabinet and on the floors and baseboards around and under the rabbit enclosures and a filing cabinet. -Animal food bowls that weren't being scrubbed clean before being disinfected -Dirty dishes, including a spoon and bowl with “caked-on food” and black mold -Improperly stored bags of food at risk of molding and kibble scattered throughout the building -An accumulation of rodent droppings in an upper storage area over the inside dog kennels -A lack of cleaning that resulted in a “layer of black grime” on the...

I don't want to say don't go here because really the one's who will suffer most are the babies waiting for their furever homes... but ADOPTER BEWARE.

Short version: They sent me home with a very sick dog and refused to help me out when I found out he had pneumonia and he almost died a week after I adopted him.

Long version: My little guy came home on March 25th 2017, he was my first dog. When I was in the process of bringing him home, they were super helpful and friendly, however, as soon as I signed the paperwork, all the niceties stopped. From the day he came home, I could tell Tobie was not doing well. He hardly ate and was super lethargic, but worst of all he had this horrible cough that sounded like his lung would come out his mouth at any moment. I took him back to ASH several times those first few days and they said that he would get better, but he just got progressively worse. On the third or fourth visit back to the shelter, they finally let me see the vet on staff. She saw him briefly, said that she didn't think there was anything wrong and sent us on our way. Two days later, my little guy got really bad. He started having uncontrollable shivers and didn't have the strength to stand on his own. It was a Sunday. I called them in a panic not knowing what to do and asking if they could help. They told me to come the next day, Monday. I told them that I did not think my dog would survive the night and the receptionist very coldly told me that there was nothing they would do. I ended up taking my dog to an emergency vet more than an hour away away from my home. After a very traumatic couple of hours where I was in hysterics most of the time, and the emergency vets were trying to hustle me for as much money as possible, we found out Tobie had pneumonia and was severely dehydrated. I called back ASH on Monday asking to speak to the director and to see if they were going to do anything about the situation. Nothing. I emailed them, nothing. I went in person, nothing. The only thing they offered me was antibiotics. Eventually, I gave up trying to speak to the director... I was just happy that my dog was alive.

I bring this up now, 2 years later, because Tobie's "Gotcha Day" anniversary is coming up and I keep thinking back to those difficult...

I went there today to adopt a cat. My elderly cat just lost her sister and is very lonely and not doing well. I looked on their website and found a suitable match and I applied online. A few days later. I received an email asking me if I would like to come down and meet him in person.

I chose the associated humane society because they are always overwhelmed with so many animals and they are in an ugly section of Newark that people just don't want to go to. Keep in mind it is a SAFE area. It's just a section full of potholes and run down areas.

I used to volunteer with a rescue group and we would go down there whenever we had openings in our foster care system. We would bring home as many cats as we could and adopt them out. They always had really nice cats.

The AHS puts all their money into care for the animals. The facility is kind of old and yes it smells a bit. But the animals are well cared for.

I went down and I talked to the people the front desk who had me go back to the cat room and speak to the guy who was in charge back there. I told him which cat I wanted to meet and he said that that was a great cat. He was able to tell me all about his personality and so I decided this was the right choice and he's now in his own room adjusting to being in my house. He's a sweet guy who just wants to be petted and snuggled. I'm so happy that I made the drive down there.

I highly recommend considering the AHS if you are looking for a new animal. They also have a lot of dogs there.

The only reason I gave four stars instead of five is because of the facility itself and the smell. I know it does not reflect on the care that they give, but also I know that that will turn off a lot of people. But please...