The San Francisco SPCA

I’m over the SF SPCA. I have been consistently disappointed in the services from adoption to present and looking at Unilocal so have many others. They do not have it together,
My dog Isabel’s prescription was declined today. Their reason was there was no client-​vet relationship and the only record they could find was for a Feb 2016 emergency visit. First off, the boxes of meds are clearly SPCA Vet (Dr. Emily Young) issued on Dec 28, 2015 the day we took her in for a check up. The boxes also clearly state they have 1 refill. We even got a postcard to renew the meds. And yet they can’t locate any records of previous visits.
Y’all need to get your shit together.

I personally don’t understand how anyone has the heart to go to a breeder when there are so many sweet, beautiful dogs who are waiting in shelters for their forever homes.
I rescued a pup about a month ago from this SPCA campus, and it has been the best month loving her, giving her the attention she deserves, teaching her tricks, and learning all about her quirky personality. Has it been easy? Ehh not exactly (patience is required). But, nothing can compare to how much love and positivity she has brought into my life (cheesy but so true). She is my therapy dog!
Anyway, if you are serious about being an animal parent and having a pet in your life, I would go visit the SPCA or browse their website today. I was beyond impressed by their friendly staff, the nice facility, the care they provide to their animals and visitors, their thorough adoption process, and the follow up after the adoption. Thank you everything you do, SPCA!

Just came back from our first-​time visit to the Adolescent Playgroup and had a wonderful experience! It was our dog’s first social/​playgroup experience; thanks to SFSPCA for making it so smooth. It’s a first-​come, first-​serve basis, and they talk about 15 dogs for each session.
The session is split up into different groups depending on your dog’s size and energy level. Each group also has an SFSPCA person overseeing the group, providing education/​advice to the owners, making each dog feel included and comfortable, and even providing some brief training.
Remember to bring some «high value» treats like boiled chicken, deli meat, sausage, cheese, etc. to really engage your dog.
Our dog was very shy at first. He was hiding in the corner even in the «shyest» group. However, he warmed up quickly.
Overall, we had a very pleasant experience. We really liked the SFSPCA person in our group. We definitely plan on going back week after week! For $ 20/​hour, it’s really worth it to get your dog socialized in a controlled environment.

Mission Campus Vet Hospital: excellent, no long waiting list for an appt, knowledgable, caring, and not out to charge you for uneccessary procedures.
I adopted my kitten from the Mission Shelter and with the adoption got many perks that were great to start my kitten off in the transition into a forever home (free microchip, free first vet exam, cousin for pet express, etc)
I also volunteer at the SF SPCA at Maddies Adoption Center and I know first hand that it is a first rate and excellent shelter. If I could give the SOCA 10 stars I would.

SPCA is a friendly environment for all pets. My dog comes here for his annual check up and the doctor we go to is attentive. The lobby/​wait area is really big and clean. The staff are all welcoming. The pricing here is pretty standard compared to other veterinary hospitals.

I’ve adopted a dog from them, used their vet services and taken classes from them.
The initial adoption process was impressive; it’s clear they want people to adopt dogs and they make it financially possible to do so. They have a very through behavioral review of every dog, so they know what to look for when trying to match up the right dog-​owner pair. They took time with me and really helped me in every way possible while I was there. The dog I adopted was so adored by some of the staff members that they walked me and my pup to the car and even shed tears as they were saying goodbye to him. I thought it was very sweet.
Our visits to their vet clinic was good. I appreciated their thoroughness and time with me. I really like my regular vet so I have some bias here. I would take my pup to the SPCA if something came up with my regular vet though.
Their classes are very organized, very well supported and really help in training dogs. The only critique is that I wish the teachers would email a brief summary of what we did in the previous class to help me remember. They do email a PDF at the beginning of the class that I can review, it would be an extra level of reminding/​support that it would be the cherry on top to have a summary email each week.
I’m pleasantly surprised by the SPCA and I’d highly recommend adopting from them and supporting their organization. They are here to help animals and find good homes for every one of them.

There are two locations — the original SF SPCA campus in the mission and another campus in Pacific Heights. When I first visited the SF SPCA mission campus, I immediately fell in love with their newly designed adoption dog and cat center (cat towers designed like miniature SF buildings) where visitors can view, give treats, and even gently handle adoptable animals.
The beauty of it all is that the organization (receiving no governmental funding whatsoever) is supported heavily by volunteers who receive extensive training and develop animal handling skills of the different volunteer opportunities they are interested in. These programs range from adoption matchmaker (helping clients find their perfect cat or dog!), helping trap feral and free-​roaming cats for trap-​neuter-​return, or even fostering young kittens or puppies until they are old enough to return to the shelter for adoption.

THANK YOU AMANDA!
Ok. I must say that Amanda redeemed and mended my traumatic experience. I don’t feel the need to have to recollect what happened because the ending result blessed me with my honey girl, Anouk. So, thank you again to Amanda for being soo understanding and help restoring the love I thought lost.
Sincerely,
An extremely happy guest.

Always wanted to volunteer here but their scheduld meeting couple of years ago was posted online. I went to the meeting place twice and both times no one was there. What a waste of time!

This review has taken me a while to write because I was so upset about the loss of my cat, Arnie. I found him in a garden 17 years ago and bottle fed him, he was a big and wonderful part of my life. Arnie was sick for some time with diabetes and kidney failure. We brought Arnie to SPCA/​Pets Unlimited (2342 Fillmore) on a Saturday morning after he had a stroke (fearing the worst). We were ushered in to a room almost immediately and Arnie was taken to the back for a few tests. Dr. Randy Bowman was Arnie’s vet that day and we were fortunate to have a very caring, compassionate, and understanding doctor. We never felt pressure or rushed to make a decision. Because of Dr. Bowman, that terrible day is not such a sad memory, but one that I feel OK about.

I really want to love this place and give it all the stars, but I feel really conflicted about the SFSPCA. Most of the staff has been great, but there have been some inconsistencies that I have found to be off putting.
Earlier this year, after much consideration, we decided we wanted to find a kitten to join our family. I went to the SPCA and found a kitten who we brought home and very quickly bonded with and grew attached to. When we adopted him we knew he was getting over respiratory issues (disclosed to me IN THE MIDDLE of the adoption process) and he finished up the last of his antibiotics the first few days he was with us. His breathing still sounded a bit funny when he slept, but I figured he was still recovering and his lungs needed to clear out a bit more. Well, one night he got much worse and I panicked. We took him in the next morning and after spending the entire day in the Mission waiting while they ran tests, they said they his lungs looked clear and they couldn’t figure out what exactly was wrong with him. Thankfully, under ‘commitment to care’ they covered the $ 400+ bill and sent us on our way with more antibiotics.
After a week of antibiotics and seeing no drastic signs of improvement I contacted the SPCA. Whoever answered the phone and pulled up our records informed me that it was noted in his records that he had some form of bronchitis (Um.really? News to me! Last I heard they didn’t know), and so I would need to come in and pick up some steroids (coulda sent us home with that the first time). While there I made another appointment for the kitten to get the last of his shots and figured it would be good timing for a follow-​up to the steroid treatment. The steroids helped, but he was still extremely low energy, his balance was off, some days more than others, and his breathing still had me anxious.
At his visit, the vet was very concerned with our kitten’s health. She checked his x-​ray from the previous visit and said his lungs did NOT look clear (really? again? WHY was I told the opposite last visit?). She observed his poor neurological functions, poor reflexes, and lethargy etc. She knew he was not well at all. She said to pin point the exact cause would require hundreds and hundreds of dollars in various tests and ultra sounds and the SPCA would not continue to cover it under ‘commitment to care’. I, of course, anticipated the possibility of such costs down the road, which is why we got pet insurance, but not a week or a month after adoption! The pet insurance would consider this a pre-​existing condition and there was no way I could afford to hand over that kind of money. I tried to hold it together while going over our options and the vet was very sympathetic, but honest with me, which I can’t even tell you how much I appreciated. I’m sure it was hard to tell through all of my tears and stuttering. She explained that in her experience she had a pretty strong feeling it was one of 3 types of illnesses, unfortunately, all of which would inevitably be fatal for the poor baby. She discussed the option of surrendering our kitten, saying that they would treat him or worst case scenario, euthanize him if he was suffering too horribly. I wasn’t quite ready to just abandon him like that. I felt that would need to stay in a warm, loving home, especially if there was no treatment and he was going to pass away. I decided he would come home so we could love on him and keep an eye on him until that time came. A couple days later, I was contacted by Corey of the surrender department about bringing our kitten in. In speaking to her I expressed my hesitation and confusion. After a couple of days of going over my discussion with the vet and then getting verification from Corey that I did hear the vet right, I became extremely frustrated. Why would they have a problem and refuse to help cover these costs for testing and possible treatment for something that was pre-​existing while he stayed with a family, but they would have no problem pulling him out of his loving home to put him back in a cage and THEN take care of him and the costs. WHY??? I don’t understand the logic. Corey came across very understanding and told me she would look into seeing if there was anything that could be done. She asked that I give her 48 hours to see what she could do and then she would get back to me. I never heard from her again.
About 2 weeks later, our sweet kitty did take a turn for the worse. I sadly brought him in to be euthanized. I found it so frustrating that during this time I had to advocate for myself to not be charged for the visit and the final shot to put him down. You put me and a 5 year old through this turmoil and try to charge us for it? Oh, and when we checked in, surprise! Like the previous visit and phone call, I was informed that it was noted in his records that he had FIP. I expected so much more and was so disappointed and let down.

Great place great options with loving beautiful animals!

Cute doggies, puppies and kitties. Recently I saw bunnies here too. They remodeled this place a few months ago. The establishment is really clean. All the animals are spayed/​neutered. The staff there are really nice and helpful. If you are in the area, it’s a nice place to visit and just aww all over the cuties. (and of course adopt one if you can)

My dog Izzy, and I just finished taking the Loose Leash Walking class at the SFSPCA. Erika taught the class and was absolutely amazing. We’d previously taken Just The Basics, and I loved that class as well.
It’s a very calm atmosphere, and Erika really makes everyone feel welcome. Every week there are homework assignments, because the more you work with your doggie the more responsive and familiar they will be with the new routines.
I highly recommend the training classes at the SPCA, it’s a great way to help train your dog and bond with them at the same time.

How do you spell «Love?»
Answer: SPCA.
I just adopted my first pet yesterday from the Mission district shelter. Cosmo is a 7 month-​old, 14 lb. Spaniel Mix. Apparently, he was a stray that they rescued from the streets. Though if you look at his photo, I can’t imagine how anyone could possibly abandon this adorable S.O.B.
I will spare you all the sappy details of my love connection with my new dog. This review is about the SF SPCA, and I can’t give their facility and staff higher praise. This isn’t a 5-​star Unilocal review… this is a 10-​star one! First of all, their facility isn’t so much a pet shelter as it is a pet hotel. And not only a hotel… it’s like the Ritz-​Carlton of pet hotels. I’ve checked out a number of Bay Area pet shelters, and they all pale in comparison to this facility. The animals are well taken care of and placed in large, clean dens with glass partitions (so that prospective adopters can check them out). These animals have plenty of room to relax and play with one another. In the middle of the SPCA/​Doggy Unit is a large training area.
The whole adoption process was seamless. Once you pick your dog (or, in this case, when the dog picks you), you sit down with one of their counselors to fill out paperwork and learn about the dog’s medical history. Since I couldn’t take my dog home the same day, I put a hold on my new friend for a next day pick-​up (I think it cost $ 25).
When you’re finally ready to take your dog home, the SPCA staff provides you with plenty of helpful hand-​outs/​brochures for your first 10 days. They also provide you with all the animal’s medical records and shot deadlines. They even provide you with a cute leash and some dog food for your pooch’s first few days. And that was that! They couldn’t have been more helpful or caring about the animal’s well-​being. They also did everything they could do put all my concerns at bay.
What impressed me the most was how the SPCA called me the very next morning to see how things were going for Cosmo in his new home. Talk about amazing customer service!
If you’re serious about getting an animal, I highly recommend adopting from the SF SPCA. It’s one of the best things you can ever do for another creature (and for yourself).

11÷12÷15: I casually came across a puppy I liked on the website and decide to go in after work to check out the puppy. I only wanted to see 1 dog. I show up 10 minutes before closing as I rushed half way across town during rush hour and when I arrive I am the only person there. I was not greeted by any of the 5 staff members «working» there as they were staring at facebook on their computers knowing full well I had walked in. After I initiate a conversation someone finally decides to help me. They tell me sorry we can’t help you because we are closing in 10 minutes and the adoption process takes about an hour. Oh and by the way, we can’t help you even more because the dog you want to see is in the building next door at the vet hospital and we won’t walk over to get him for you because we are closing. How is that my concern? I did my part in showing up before closing and you can’t even walk your ass over to show me a dog? If i’m in the building you are obligated to help me.
I’m a reasonable person. I knew what I wanted and had I been interested in adopting the dog I would have been fine with doing the adoption paperwork the next day. If you can’t help people then close the f*cking doors you lazy pieces of sh*t!!!
****Oh and by the way as I am writing this review the next business day, the dog I was interested in was adopted by someone else.**** Thanks for nothing SFSPCA

The SPCA has been so great to our cat, Guru. I can’t say enough about the care and professionalism they offer. Hopefully we won’t need to keep visiting, but it is nice to have them available.
We have had great experiences at both the Filmore and Mission Street locations. All of the Vets and Techs have bee great! We are so happy we rescued from SPCA.

This shelter’s work is truly remarkable. Animal cruelty is a large problem, and it excites me to see such a well kept center. After spending time in the overcrowded and generally disgusting facilities in Southern California, it was a complete 180 to come here. The facilities are beautiful and indoors – all the dogs names and breeds are very visible via touchscreens installed right by the enclosures.
Dogs are kept indoors so that they aren’t exposed to the harsh weather and rain. The enclosures don’t seem to be overcrowded and are sufficiently sheltered to keep outbreaks of kennel cough at bay, and to prevent children from poking their fingers in, or doing activities that are otherwise dangerous when dogs could potentially not be up to date on their vaccinations or are puppies. Dogs all seem reasonably happy (as happy as they can be without being adopted by a loving family) as they get taken on walks and their enclosures are cleaned frequently.
The staff is friendly and polite, if not a little gruff. The gruffness is to be understood, there are no doubt a number of families who don’t understand how detailed/​complicated the adoption process can be, and become flustered if they don’t receive the dog they wanted (waiting lists can be pretty tricky, but a line is a line). The only reason I don’t give 5 stars is because this gruffness can be a bit grating when you have attempted to go through the system several times without success.
It is reasonably easy to request playtime or to meet with a dog before adopting. There are also pretty detailed medical and personality evaluations of each dog. The staff are great at giving suggestions based off of what best matches your own personality and lifestyle. If anything you should stop by just to check out some cute puppies!

What a great place to find a new family! The vets (Bruce is #1!!!) and volunteers are very kind to animals and are truely genuine in helping pets. (This is where I adopt my two awesome cats (=^x^=)
The facility is the cleanest I have ever seen… also they are truly dedicated to the animals in their care.

If I could get a dog i.e. worked in a place that allows office dogs then this is the place I’d adopt from. Calm, gentle staff and tons of cute animals. The only reason for 4 stars is because I wish they were more proactive advice on ways for working people to adopt.
Keep up the good work!

I just signed up to be a volunteer to work on my photography chops and help these little guys get adopted.
In order to work your way to photography you have to take their intro classes to learn how to socialize with the animals. The cat side was in dire need so I agreed to go that route (shhhh! Don’t tell my pup! He may get jealous!). They require you to do two hours a week for 6 months.
One of the more seasoned volunteers, Don, led the first class which was just to get everyone familiar with the policies and how to work with potential families. The second class was with Rick, where he went over how to log your visits with the kitties and how to keep everything clean and comfy for the little ones. Both guys were super friendly and obviously knew the ropes.
I’ve already done one session of keeping the kitties company. Man. It’s going to be hard to play with these little, and big!, guys and not want to take them all home.
This place is great. I’d highly recommend it if you’re looking for a new furry friend. Everyone here cares so much about the animals and they do a great job of keeping everything clean to keep the little ones healthy and happy.

A few years back, my boyfriend and I used to come here pretty much every day to check out the pups. Fast forward to today when I recently visited, I was impressed to see the amazing remodel! Everything looks modern, clean, and flows really well, which is awesome for the animals. In addition to a larger space, the SPCA is equipped with iPads with the animal’s information such as their name, age, and a quick bio. I did, however, notice that if you are interested in an animal, they have a security guard accompany you, which I’m assuming is a new thing. Regardless, definitely visit the SPCA and adopt one of these adorable animals!

It was here where I became a mother of an absolutely adorable Corgi/​Mix named Jones. I have been here on multiple occassions to see the pooches and I always called this place the «Kaiser» of shelters.
The rooms are very spacious, clean, and accommodating. They share a large play area where they receive training and plenty of care. Each room has a small description of the pooch and a brief history. I found it very helpful that they keep an updated website and attend many local events. I recieved the inside scoop of the «free adoption» weekend from a dog event they attended to in the city. So yes, the facility is fantastic.
The adoption process was much quicker than I expected. I was anxious and excited the whole time while signing the papers. You get to walk with the dog and the trainer (though you don’t hold the leash) and you spend some time with the pooch before you take him/​her home. They ask you questions much like an interview which I truly appreciate to ensure that each animal finds the best fit. They go over vet history and possible training plans should you want one. They also request follow up dates and provide you with free insurance for 45 days. Additionally, you get a free check up with the vet within the first 2 weeks.
In the end, I left with my adorable «son», a bag of food, leash, papers, future appointments, pamphlets, and a goody satchel to carry it all for the price of… dare I say it? $ 0.00. Thank you free day. I of course left a monetary donation for everything they provided me.
And just FYI: PetSmart is right across the street for all of your other supplies that you will need before you go home.
Highly highly highly recommend you check out this shelter if you’re looking to adopt.

I just wanted to write about our experience with adopting our kitty Max. We went only to look and we set our eyes on him and it was love at first site. I has never owned a cat before but my husband had. I have only been used to owning dogs. I was a little hesitant at first but once we held him and got to get up close and personal, that was it. I knew he was ours. The whole experience was positive to walking around looking at the different cats with the woman who was showing us around to starting the adoption process. It’s been about almost 6 Mos since we adopted Max and I am in love with him, he brings so much joy to our family and I just want to give thanks and praise for all that the SPCA does for these animals.

The SF SPCA is the fanciest shelter I have ever visited. It seriously felt like a nice office or even possibly a storefront. There is this wide open area where all the dogs are. Each pet is enclosed in a very large room that you can see in. They use all this fancy touch screen technology that’s located on each windowpane. For dogs, you can even reach in through this tiny hole in the window to touch the pet.
You have to fill out a generic survey before you can interact with the pets. We played with this super cute terrier in this enclosed area (strangely, where the volunteer staff was sitting).
The cats are in these hallways and the rooms are a little smaller. You need a volunteer or staff member to go into the room with you. But the cats all looked extremely well fed (read: fat) so that was interesting to see.
The staff seemed generally nice although one of them was this young looking lady who looked like she was dressed for yoga, and she just generally looked bored. Not sure what was up with her attire.

My family had a really unfortunate experience here.
Yes, the facilities are great, and the atmosphere is lovely, but when my mom came into the city to look at the cats they had up for adoption, we noticed a serious flaw in their system.
Everywhere you look at the SPCA, you get the impression that they’ve thought of everything… Little holes in the dog windows so you can give them treats… Cat structures shaped like the Golden Gate Bridge… Canisters full of toys and treats… And even touch screen monitors on the outside of every animals little room (to call it a cage wouldn’t do the place justice!).
BUT it seems crazy that you can spend about twenty minutes bonding with a cat and only find out that it has cancer when you sit down to fill out the paperwork to take it home.
We went into the day looking for an older cat, knowing that the younger ones would be adopted more easily than a scrappy old thing with a chip in his ear. My mom’s two cats both passed away in the past year, so she was hesitant to take on another cat with health problems, and she thus opted out of getting to know a couple cute cats that a volunteer had told us had health serious health issues. The volunteer who’d been helping us didn’t know much about the one that my mom wanted to adopt, so she wasn’t able to give us the heads up that the poor little thing might be dying.
It just seems crazy to me that you can have these little touch screens with multiple photos, personality descriptions, and cute anecdotes for each kitty but apparently no room to mention HUGELY IMPORTANT details like serious incurable illnesses.
Then to make matters worse, it felt like they were trying to convince us to take the cat anyways. I wish we could have! But she needed to have her medication twice a day, and my mom wasn’t sure she could do it since she works late pretty regularly.
My mom literally cried. This just shouldn’t have happened. It could have been so easily avoided.
We ended up walking across the street and adopted another old cat from the city shelter who had been there for six months. No glitz or glamour over there, but at least they weren’t pulling the wool over our eyes.

The SPCA has been my not-​so-​secret feel good place for a long, long, long time. Between 2011 – 2012, I probably visited this SPCA on a weekly basis just to see the cute little faces peering through the glass, watch the little pups roll around playfully, and admire the big dogs. Even watching the cats laze about or the kittens paw at each other and the play structures around them would cheer me up almost instantly. It couldn’t get any better than that, right?
And then, we moved. After (what felt to me like) a loooooong renovation project that happened just as I was getting acquainted to my new home in the East Bay, I was finally able to revisit one of my favorite places in the city — right up there on the list with the Presidio/​Letterman, Fort Mason, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the drive up/​down the Golden Gate Bridge.
And… Wow.
I couldn’t believe how much this place had changed. It was extremely modern, clean, completely digital (their pet stats are now available via touch screen), and equipped with indoor faux-​grass and a play area for our furry friends. Each of the cats’ spaces are themed, with Victorian-​house backdrops, a Golden Gate Bridge, and other unique and artistic touches. The cats and dogs are still as adorable as ever, too!
If I still lived in SF and didn’t have a toddler to keep an eye on 24/​7, I would be volunteering here as often as possible.
We plan to adopt a furry friend into our family when we finally figure out where we’ll be on a more permanent basis, and I know the SPCA will be our go-​to when the time comes! They have classes to help you learn how to care for these gorgeous creatures and all their dogs are neutered/​spayed, microchipped, and have up-​to-​date vaccines!

Wonderful organization to consider adopting your next pet.
The staff is super friendly and helpful.
The interior is extremely clean, spacious, and open — you can tell the animals are well taken care of here.
I browsed around the dog section and the viewing rooms were tidy and the dogs had plenty of room to move around. Each viewing section had a touch screen where you could find out more info on the dog (s) in the room and their profile — i though that was nice touch.
There’s a treat jar on the desk where you can pop in a few treats through the tubes outside the windows for the dogs. There’s also a turf in the center of the area for meet and greets with the animals.
The adoption fee is very reasonable for a shelter and I believe it includes all up to date shots and medical.
Just a great organization — thank you for the wonderful work you do SF SPCA!

If you’re having a bummed out day… I would suggest going here and finding some peace. The staff is very friendly and rarely do I see a frown. Animals just have a way of making you smile. Despite what they’re going through. they can ease your pain by pushing theirs aside and give you their attn.
Might seem a little too much but honestly even the grumpy ones have a lil spunk in them to enlighten your curiousity. Everything here is provided, from doggie bags to water fountains.

CUTE KITTENS AND DOGS EVERYWHERE!
Staff here are very friendly and considerate. I absolutely recommend this place, if you are looking to adopt a cat or a dog.
This place recently got renovated and looks stunning and clean inside. The cats are spoiled with cool San Francisco themed structures and beds. The dogs are in a clean and well maintained space.
I have been to other adoption centers, and I would say that this is the best one because the volunteers and the staff really take care of the animals here and make sure they get individual attention and play time. Other adoption centers’ animals were kind of neglected and looked sad.
And on top of that, the SPCA staff and volunteers make sure that you and your pet that you are considering to adopt are a best match. Each animal has their unique personality and needs, so they make sure you can match and take care of the animal the way it needs to be taken care of.
If you are unable to commit to adopting, they also have a great volunteer opportunities here, so you can play with dogs and take naps with the cats.
Pro-​tip: if you are looking to adopt a kitten, come in the spring or early summer. Also adopt in pairs :)
If you are looking to adopt a dog, come once in a while every so often until you find the one.
Only complaint my friends had was it is pricier here.
Cuteness overload in this place, seriously.