Brandywine Valley SPCA, Delaware - Copeland Center for Animal Welfare — Local services in Brookside

We walked in. The front receptionist or technician was on the phone. She kindly asked the person to hold one moment to inquire how she could assist me. I described what I needed and they quickly led us to a room to socialize with the dog we were interested in. As well as; while we waited briefly, we overheard your personnel instruct other people where and how to enter the rooms of animals they were interested in. The facility was clean and cheerful! All employees were pleasant and sociable. One employee (I think a medical technician) personally spoke to us about our puppies previous medical conditions and answered all questions. We had a family adoption picture! They knew our “Byrd”! Previous animals came in for health checks and hearing the staff greet them and reminisce about them was nice! Kkeeley’s name is on our paper work. If she is the woman who assisted us, she was fantastic as well as the other lady who discussed my adoption responsibilities! While processing our paperwork our children put the dog on the floor, and a technician kindly walked over and instructed them to pick him up because they don’t allow the animals on the floor. She was very professional explaining this to our children. Even though I have had dogs all my life, the paperwork that was given to us in the welcome folder was very detailed and gave me great tips for things in which I forgot about or did not know. From explaining what to expect the first few days and weeks to how to and when to introduce your new family pet aka child to other furry family members and people. Crate training, potty training, health exams, microchip program, pet insurance. I really loved reading Byrd’s medical records from the time he entered your facility to the day we adopted him! They were very detailed. Everyday, sometimes 2-3 times a day, someone was checking in on him! We might have rescued Byrd, but actually he rescued us! We had to say goodbye to our Fudgie Wudgie Man this past November. We shared so much love and made many memories together for 13 years. Our hearts were broken. Everyone except for me immediately needed a dog. But I wasn’t ready. Around January I started looking, we met some puppies, but I never felt a connection with them and decided I wasn’t ready. I found a possible candidate on your website that is easy to navigate. The night before, I still wasn’t sure if I was ready to have a dog again, but I did want to meet Byrd. I loved the name that you guys chose for him. My husband and I took our girls on a ride and we used our GPS. The GPS said you’ve arrived at your final destination. The girls were dumbfounded, “what, we’re at the SPCA they said.” “Why are we here”,they asked. “I said we’re going to look at a Byrd.” “A Byrd?”, I said “yes, a Byrd!”The room where we waited to be introduced to our Byrd was clean and a comfortable setting for both us and him. I was nervous, also feeling guilty to possibly loving another dog, but as soon as the door opened and he walked through I fell in love immediately!Although the very informative packet described how the adjustment period takes time, he is settling in easily. Everyone is taking responsibility of him; whereas in the past, I had always been the caregiver to our pets. It’s actually bringing our family closer for we all sat on the kitchen floor last night bonding with him and we are all hanging out together in the living room with each other vs separate parts of our house on electronics due to Byrd! We can’t express how thankful we are to each and everyone of you for taking such great care of Byrd while he was in your care! We selected a 10 in the survey for suggesting your facility to others because when we took him for a walk yesterday and today we told everyone where we got Byrd from!With All Our Hearts,The Kelly...

I’m editing this review & giving them the 5 stars they now deserve. I want to thank Mike Kaviani the COO & Kyler Tatum the Behavior Manager. After reviewing my last review, Mike K called me personally & apologized for what had transpired between Bella, myself & the facility. He diligently worked w/me in getting Bella back & working on ways to help w/her behavior. While she was out of our care, Kyler T helped getting Bella better trained w/her behavior. We got her back 3/2/23 & I could immediately see a difference. She still has a long way to go but I am so thankful for them taking their time & reevaluating our situation. We are ecstatic to have her back & I can tell she is as well to be back home with us. I am truly grateful for Mike K & Kyler T for accommodating us & Bella. As well as helping us get her back to her FOREVER HOME.

I must say, they make the adoption process here very easy. Unfortunately, they fail to inform you of what happened to the animals prior to coming to the shelter. As you can see from my post on 2/11/23, I adopted Bella/Doja Cat. When I asked why she was left @ the shelter I was informed that that information was not in her file.

Either way we took her home. Once home her demeanor changed. We noticed how she reacted to dogs on walks, as well as in dog parks. She became very uncontrollable & would try to run towards any dog she saw. One day while @ a dog park, she bit another dog while there. Fortunately it wasn’t a malicious attack & she didn’t break the skin. We became very concerned at this point. She also had a habit of nipping every time we played with her or when we came home. To the point she would leave bruises. We informed the SPCA of this & were considering taking her back because everything we have tried didn’t work. They advised me to reach out to the behavioral specialist. Mind you, you can only email them. No phone calls. I reached out & Kyler responded back quickly with asking what # could I be reached @ & what time was best for me. The initial email I sent was on 2/15/23. He responded back on the next day, 2/16/23, & I immediately responded back with my contact info. The 16th was on a Thursday. I responded back to his email in exactly 26min. I waited the whole weekend w/no response from Kyler. That Sunday I was bitten pretty badly by Bella while playing with her. I kept her for 3 more days after that hoping to hear back from Kyler, which I never did. So on 2/22/23 I called the facility & informed them of this. One of the employees there, Barbara, informed me that Bella/Doja Cat was a product of abandonment! She was found left behind in an apartment by herself! But when I asked @ adoption, no one could tell me why she was sent to the shelter. I felt like we were misled.

I tearfully returned Bella/Doja Cat on 2/22/23. I alone wasn’t going to be able to retrain her from what we now know to be separation anxiety disorder. Which all made sense.

After returning her, I got a call from Mike Brickner the Director @ BVSPCA informing me that due to Bella’s behavior, she was listed as unadoptable. They were kindly calling me to let me know that they were going to PUT HER DOWN!! After all that they had put us through I couldn’t believe this!! I informed them that she is a good dog, she just needs proper training that I couldn’t provide. I asked if they would train her for me & I would 110% take her back. They told me that that was something they couldn’t do there. I am totally disgusted with this place at this time & am guilt ridden with the fact that they chose this route instead of training her properly so she could...

Update 2025: I do-not recommend this company to anyone! I called three times and left messages requesting an upper management personal return my call and it's been weeks now and nobody has returned my phone calls. Obviously, they are not very concerned, but I am! I 100% do-not recommend anybody come to any of the Brandywine Valley SPCA Locations in Pennsylvania or in Delaware! They are incompetent and irresponsible and as unorganized as you can get! They could care less about their valued clients or their pets! This has been an utter catastrophe! They literally allowed me to drive back and forth 3 times from Pennsylvania, approximately an hour drive each way, to find out it was completely unnecessary. They initially told me the doctor forgot to do the dogs labs, so I needed to come back again. The Director of the facility called me back to apologize and said you can come in anytime the facility is open for business. So I came in for the dogs lab work the following week to find out they do-not allow walk-in appointments, so I wasted another 2 hour trip back and forth. I rescheduled a future appointment and waited about for about an hour and then a lady came up to the front counter and said to me, we already have your labs, but we still need your dogs urine sample! Are you serious? Am I in some kind of other alternative universe? You just made me come back two times already! So now I must return for yet a fourth visit to bring back the urine sample. This will be 8 hours of driving back and forth from Pennsylvania to Delaware, this is incomprehensible! Do they care, absolutely not! My German Shepherd has hip dysplasia and they caused my dog extensive pain while driving back and fourth unnecessarily for 6 hours. My dog calapsed on the ground when i arrived at home. She could not walk at all, I had to carry a 75lb dog into the house and lie her down in her bed. This experience has been a total nightmare! In closing, I 100%, do-not recommend anybody come to any of their SPCA Locations! I'm so disappointed, I cannot even put into words how upset I am. As I always say, there is and always will be, A-Price-to-Pay for being GREEDY! Avoid this place like the Plague! If you value your pets life, do-not come here, you've been warned! Have a Blessed day....

I almost forgot, even if i needed to get the lab work done on my third trip this wasn't possible, apparently the doctor called out at 7 am in the morning on the day my appointment was scheduled and nobody bothered to call me or any of the customers that were scheduled for that day. During my hour wait I watched numerous customers who had appointments scheduled come in to find out they waisted a trip. They weren't going to be seen, several took off a days work to come in for their pets. This is incomprehensible, how unorganized and uncaring this facility treats their customers. Who treats anybody so unprofessionally like that? Only a company who doesn't deserve my business or anybody else's. Good riddance. Adios. I'm outta here!!!

Original Review 2022: The services at Brandywine Valley SPCA are exceptional. Dr. Sherritta Ridgeley is very kind and takes great pride in the work she performs everyday. I have the highest regard and respect for her excellence in pet care. Thank you for all you do for all of us! Have a very...