Better Together Animal Alliance — Local services in Ponderay

The manager has since reached out and cleared up the misunderstanding over the position, but I've decided to keep this review up to make up for the fact I didn't stand up for myself back then and hope it can further prevent anything like that from happening again.

A couple years ago I went through a devastating loss right at the same time that I found a litter of kittens I assume someone dumped on my property, which happens quite a bit. Usually, I watch out for them, make sure that the mom is or isn't around and leave them if they're doing well or intervene and care for them and find them homes accordingly. This time, I had no means to do that and after almost a week of no mom cat, these kittens were starving and starting to get aggressive. I had taken strays here before and was treated well and even given honest updates on them after. I called BTAA SEVERAL times for these kittens in hopes of getting an appointment or talking to someone, no one would pick up or get back to me. I brought them in, as their website said was an option and proceeded to (I really wish I was exaggerating) get screamed at and verbally assaulted by one of the ladies working there for not calling and making an appointment. She went as far as to call me names and a slur while the rest of the staff stood back and watched it and did nothing. I cried in the parking lot after she aggressively took the kittens and kicked me out. The manager at the time called after someone else made a report and profusely apologized, told me I did everything right and she'd make sure it didnt happen again so I did my best to forgive and forget. A couple months ago, I got a job interview with the new manager, which I was very excited for, who praised me, offered me a position and made me think I was going to have a fantastic time working there only to be completely ghosted and ignored and stone walled after. I tried to reach out to see if it was something I had done or said and still got nothing. Now I'm embarrassed and left wondering if those two events were correlated and upset that I even gave them a chance after how genuinely awful I was treated and frustrated I continued supporting their shelter. I had wanted to volunteer if I wasn't given the position because I really love and care for animals and instead feel that they're punishing me for...

This is NOT a "no kill shelter"! About 3 weeks ago my family had to make a difficult decision to surrender our one year old mastiff Dozer. We have 3 other dogs and he got into a fight with one of them. We decided since he was bigger and harder to control we would surrender him to this no kill shelter, as they being professionals would be able to properly handle him given his size, vet people and find a proper home for him. When my wife dropped him off we told them if they came to the conclusion he was not adoptable to let us know and would come get him! This was particularly hard on me as he was mine. My wife and I called multiple times a week to check on him to see how he was doing and we were assured he was doing great and that "he was warming up to the staff and loved his outside time "and that "he would be going up for adoption next week." This was all a LIE and they lied to us every time we called! I checked the website just about every day and he was never listed as a pet for adoption. My wife and I decided that we were going to go pick him up and bring him home! We called to get a last update and schedule a time to pick him up and we were given no information other then that we had to talk to the Director of Operations and to leave a voice-mail for her. When she called us back two days later we were told that they had euthanized him a week prior without informing us. It turns out he was doing bad the whole time, he had stopped eating and was malnourished to the point of puking and pooping blood! I have no idea why they lied to me every time we called when we told them on multiple occasions that we didn't want him to be killed and that we would come get him if he was not adoptable! They chose to let him suffer and then killed him. In my opinion these are terrible people! Don't ever surrender a dog here that...

Makayla is hands down the kindest and most helpful employee of any place I've ever been. Let me start by saying that I have 8 dogs (4 small, two large, two XL) and four cats and have been down on my luck lately. The past 6 or so months I've been having to consistently come to the shelter to utilize the food bank. Without this service I would be completely unable to feed my dogs and cats. All of my pets I had gotten when things were more stable and getting rid of them just wasn't an option to me. I love them more than anything.

I use to be pretty embarrassed to come in and get dog/cat food but Makayla kept reassuring me that I was always welcome, not to be embarrassed and that she understood that times were tough. When I have questions she's always there to help me with a smile like she is for everyone who comes in and is lucky enough to get helped by her. And when she sees me struggling to carry the dog/cat food she gets me a bag. I'm no longer embarrassed coming in and hope when I'm in a better position I can give back and help people the way BTAA and Makayla have helped me. Thank you Makayla and BTAA! You guys have the BEST employee, but I bet you already knew that. 😁💕

Ps. BTAA also helped me with getting my animals spayed/neutered at a low cost and I am eternally grateful for that as well. Thank you. I honestly don't even know what I'd do or where I'd be...