San Gabriel Valley Humane Society — Attraction in San Gabriel

This humane society is extremely frustrating. I wish I can just go to another location. I adopted a puppy (from a private rescue) and tried registering her in June or July. They entered in all of my dogs vaccination records, spay certificate and proof of microchipped. Then I was told to come back to pay, because in two weeks SGV humane society annual liscence cycle starts over. I go back a few weeks later to pay. The SGV office is disorganized. There is no sign-in sheet, no number taking system. Not even a sign stating where to check-in. After waiting ten minutes (at the counter) I explain that I'm there just to give them money. I'm told to write my name on a piece paper and it is then added to customers adoption forms. I'm waiting 15 more minutes, and the same employee takes a sign out and places it on the counter for customers to see. The sign states "check or cash only" so I leave. I only have cc. Okay, that's on me. If I checked the website I would have known, but why is the staff taking that sign down. I come back to SGV two weeks ago in a third attempt to register my dog. I just want to get her the required liscence. She has all vaccinations and required paperwork in their system. ~ALL I NEED TO DO IS GIVE THEM MONEY. I waited 45 minutes. I finally get seen, and the employee is verifying all my dogs records (that was already in their system) and she tells me that my dogs rabies vaccination is expired... My dog is 10 months old! I asked how my dogs rabies vaccination is expired when my dog is 10 months old. My dog received her rabies in January when she was a little over 3 months, and the shot is good for an entire year. I was told that my dogs rabies vaccination will be due again in the middle of the license cycle, so I was told that I cannot register my dog until I get her another rabies vaccination. I stated that her rabies is not expired, and you are recommending that I get my dog another rabies shot 5 months before the due date. They said, yes. Then a huffy and puffy vet tech (a chubby supervisor) tells me (in her most authority voice) that all humane society locations run their animal license requirements the same way. BS I recall years of renewing my dogs license and just mailing in the rabies certificate along with the payment. Whatever happened to the owner of the animal being responsible for the animal. I stated that getting the animal a double rabies shot seems irresponsible. The vet tech insures me that it is perfectly fine to give my dog another rabies shot. I inquired if she is a veterinarian. She gave me her full job title (clearly she did not like being asked about her credentials) and she is a tech. *Medical assistant for animals, i.e. blood pressure, temp, bandage changes, injections. NOT IN A POSITION TO BE GIVING THAT ADVICE I told the employee that I do not feel comfortable getting my puppy a double rabies shot. That I will have to hold off again on registering my puppy until I speak to her veterinarian and not a vet tech.

Update: humane society officer came out to my house to give a warning for no dog license. Whomever this person was (J. Lopez) went to speak to my neighbors and was asking my neighbors questions about me and my dog. I went down to this place AGAIN. Explained the entire situation. I told the staff that I will wait until by puppy first rabies vaccination expires before I get her a second rabies shot. I said that I am willing to pay the late fine upfront to prevent another officer coming out to "shame me" through my neighbors. The attempt to shame me didn't work. This place just pissed me off. Congratulations on your outstanding...

There was a feral/stray kitten which I have been feeding three times a day for the past month. I was about to take him to the vet to get him checked out and neutered and take him home before he suddenly went missing. I did everything I could to find him. I knocked on strangers' doors, asked neighbors, researched the net, called the nearby shelters, etc. Everything. I kept walking to the same spot where he'd wait for me to feed him everyday, hoping he'd show up. He never did. One day, as I was walking to the same spot once again, I felt a cat brush up against my leg, and I looked down, and there it was, blood and tiny pieces of him... I ended up picking up pieces of him/his fur from where he laid as he passed and I will be keeping that with me for the rest of my life. One thing I know for sure, is that he was trying to find me while he was dying, because of where he was.

I finally found out the person who had him picked up called this location, so I called to get some information. The females who answer the phone sound somewhat friendly and helpful. I was told that I could not pick up the body due to it already having been taken and cremated, thus I could not take it to the vet to find the cause of death. I only asked to speak to the person who physically came to pick up the kitten so I can get an idea of the cause of death, since it being that person's job, he or she has probably seen a lot and could speculate why. I had already been told by the people I talked to around where I live that there was no evidence of the kitten having been ran over or hit by a car.

When I finally got to speak to the person--Tom, he was rude as a person can be, and definitely the most unprofessional, unfriendly person I have ever spoken to whom I've never even met. Constantly yelling at me to find out why I was calling, and asking repeatedly who I was--after I already explained to him and the staff why I was calling. This was the very first time I spoke to him. I was so sad because at that point I knew that the last person to have seen and handled the kitten was such a messed-up person. He was being extremely defensive for some reason, asking me why I wanted to know and told me they didn't give out information to the public. Why would he be so defensive and why would the public wanted to know about some random kitten who died that they didn't care for or know about unless obviously he or she was the owner and/or someone who obviously cared for the kitten? It doesn't take half a brain to figure that out. And yea, because merely asking to speculate how a homeless kitten died was so top-secret? Something's really wrong here. I then started to wonder what this person could or might have done... This was the last thing I needed to find out--that this unimaginable jerk handles living beings for a living.

I have donated to shelters and sanctuaries my whole life and was planning on making a donation to this location once I had talked to this person to get what answers I could but I knew immediately while speaking to him that I will never be doing so--not to a place where they have employees like this who treat people this way, as I'm sure it shows exactly how the animals are...

The adoption process is confusing and based on subjective standards. I've had a terrier for 16 years and after she passed away, I decided to adopt another. When I went to the shelter, I saw a puppy that looks just like her. I filled out the application and asked if I can see the dog.

They showed me the dog and we interact greatly with each other. I made the decision that I wanted to adopt her on the spot. The staff that showed me dog said I should be able to do that right away. However, after I went to the front desk I was told that I can't because there are so many applications pending for this particular dog. I had to wait until the next morning for their call.

The next morning, nobody called. I went to the shelter one more time to speak to the manager why I wasn't chosen, and what's their criteria in evaluating the applications. The manager replied it's the dog that made the choice. Baloney. I asked what does that mean? How can you tell whether the dog like the person better than the another? She says it's just that we saw the dog was more attaching to that person. Another nonsense. Does that mean the dog was not attaching to me when I was there? If so, than why does the staff who show me the dog says she thinks I can take her right away? And what does "attaching" exactly mean? It's based on subjective observation, isn't it?

She then went on to say there are other factors we look at, whether you have a yard, you can give the dog the attention she needs, the resources, etc. I said I met all of those criteria. I've had a dog for 16 years. I know how to take care of dogs. She then went on and say it's just that person was ready because they already made the payment for a training program for the dog. I said, "if you ask me, I'm willing to do that too. You didn't even asked." By the way, that was not even a question on the application.

I suspect that this was a inside decision made by the management based on their personal likings of the applicants. It's possible that the management personally know the chosen applicant and it was a personal favor.

When I adopted my previous dog at the same shelter, which was a lovely Norfolk terrier mixed. She was 8 months old, similar to the one that was shown to me. It was a first come first serve basis, they ask simple questions like do you have a yard, etc.? Buy hey, 16 years has passed, we are living in a more complicated and...