Heartland Animal Shelter — Local services in Wheeling Township

Adopted here, but likely don't do so again. I adopted and then was told my cat had not had an fiv test, after I mentioned she was coughing. They said she never presented with a cough and we went back to Wheeling. She tested positive and they sent me home with fortiflora. After she was still having issues, I again called them and they offered to have me go back to Wheeling a second time to pick up stronger meds. I declined, saying I felt like they were throwing things at a board until it stuck. I took her to my own vet, and she's now on 4 meds, for an ear infection, eye infection, and diarrhea. In addition to all of this i have a non fiv cat in my home already, and I wish I was told but when I questioned why she wasn't tested and why I wasn't told she had fiv, I was told there are no laws that require them to tell adopters and unless an adopter asks, they don't do the test, as it costs more, which says to me, the adopters of her 5 babies also likely won't know she has fiv. Be aware and do your research and ask fortin fiv test. Make them do what they should be doing, the vet bill was $250, so that I was told she had no issues, and fiv cats take longer to heal, I find it hard to believe she even ready for adoption.

Update: one of the managers did reach out to me to refund the adoption fee but also claimed the cat is adopted never presented with any issues, stating she was with them for at least a month without an fiv test. They offered to do a stool sample and follow up care and to take her back, but my issues with that are one, she's already on for meds and two who has gas money to drive almost an hour there and back, for issues, that shouldn't have been missed. Upped my review to 3 for the refund, but this cat isn't out of the woods yet. For anyone telling me every animal has issues, I just wish they would have been more transparent about what I was getting into, ESPECIALLY with the fiv (I already have another cat in my home)...

2nd update: treating both cats now for giardia, as the one I got from here was positive. This place have me two rounds of meds (one for resident cat) and plan to do retesting, but she was definitely not ready to be adopted out given the fact that she has giardia and wasn't tested for fiv. This has been...

THIS SHELTER IS CRUEL. DISCRIMINATION. We dealt with some very rude staff that discriminated against our family. My family has been adopting troubled dogs from shelters for over 20 years and working hard to train and provide a safe loving home to dogs that had been previously abandoned. A particular staff member expressed that she wouldn't let us adopt because the sole caretaker of the dog is a student. They lied, making it seem that they would let her adopt within the next few days, but then would not because of her work status and age. This is entirely unacceptable to discriminate a young female adult who is getting an education for her future and to provide for her pets. Not allowing a dog to find a home in a hardworking individual who has much experience in dog training and caring for pets while she studies is NOT OKAY FOR A SHELTER TO DO. SHELTERS SHOULD BE ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR LOVING HOMES FOR THE ANIMALS, NOT DENYING A LOVING HOME FOR A PET.

I think it is also very important for the public to be informed on the cruelty behind no-kill shelters. Animals that may be violent or unwanted can end up living their entire lives in a room or cage in a shelter such as this, in torture from not having a home or freedom. This typically causes extreme stress on the animal, and worsens the unwanted behaviors that veer individuals away from adopting. Instead of dogs that will never find a home (which is determined with time and training attempts) being painlessly euthanized by a professional, they sometimes live trapped and stressed in a shelter their entire lives. There is a clear animal overpopulation level that ends up in the sad story of bad behavioral dogs sitting in a room of a no-kill shelter their entire life, unloved. Consider looking for a different shelter. However, it is important to check up on the details of shelters that euthanize animals. Shelters should only euthanize when an animal is deemed 'unadoptable' and is stressed and worsening within the environment. You can find more information on the problems behind no-kill shelters online (especially if they discriminate against potential...

I am deeply sadden to discover Heartland Animal Shelter is now placing tatoo's on the animals that are spayed as a symbol that animal no longer has reproductive organs. :( I guess documentation and communication are now a thing of the past. We recently adopted our 2nd pup from Heartland (our first was 10 yrs ago) and was never told about this action. It was only after we got her home that we noticed a bright bluegreen mark on her lower abdomen. I called to inquire and that's when I heard about Heartland's newest policy. The lady who I dealt with for the adoption stated "everyone is doing this" in which I replied that is not true as we adopted another pup a yr earlier from another adoption agency and they did not imbed their mark (tattoo) on our now dog. Heartland needs to be reminded these are not their dogs and cats. They are an adoption agency finding these furry friends their forever home. Funny though.. their clinician vet could not give the right puppy vaccinations in the correct duration so we had to redo all the vaccinations, they also could not register the rabies vaccination with the county well that cost a few dollars more, but they can pick up an ink gun and leave their mark. For those reading this review I'm sharing this experience so you can speak up that placing a tattoo on an animal is wrong for domestics animals especially that you do not own. Ranchers and farmers brand their herds for many reasons. Domesticated dogs and cats do not needed to be branded. Yes the skin is damaged but the hair will grow back but that's not the point. Tattoo your own bodies and leave the animals alone. Go back to school to learn what really matters, the vaccinations. Be a good community member and register the Rabie shots your giving. If you find a dog/cat on Heartlands site, adopt, the process is straight forward and better to give the pet you fell in love with a home rather than leave it in a shelter. For Heartland, stop putting your mark on the animals and...