Life Animal Rescue

Despicable. We went to Pet Smart in Westlake yesterday. We were interested in one of their rescue dogs and was initially happy with one of their reps. This women encouraged us (meaning my children and our dog) to hold and walk with the rescue dog. My children fell in love.
The woman came to do a home inspection and saw that we live in a safe community and our other dog is very well cared for. Then the nonsense started. She started saying, «you never know if a door opens, the dog could bolt and be swooped up by an owl, hawk or coyote.» And more sayings that scared my younger child substantially — to the point of tears. This woman started projecting fear and doubt into an otherwise extremely positive situation for the rescue animal and a family willing to adopt.
The next day it was more of the same over the phone. She avoided direct answers to questions asking about this specific dog’s behavior. (She was generalizing about all dogs like this one.) There was more of the «you never know» and «you’ve got to be careful or else» talk from her. Beyond disconcerting. She said she would «try to reach the owners» who «were out of town.»
She called back a few hours later, voicing her stress level and that someone cracked open a door and this dog bolted and a bunch of people had to chase it all over to try and catch it. (Yesterday, when the dog was with us it was docile, happily lying on the coach and on the grass at the park.) I doubt the truth of what she said happened.
I don’t know what the story is with this facility or this woman, but something isn’t right. If they truly had the welfare of the animals at heart and part of their business mission, they would conduct themselves differently. I don’t know what sort of training their staff and volunteers receive, but their communication abilities lack.
My children are heart broken. One is crying her heart out right now. This goes beyond disappointing. I truly hope some officials investigate their business practices for the sake of the animals kept there and any child who bonds with one of them.
Definitely NOT recommended.
The only recommendation I would make is for an external, city investigation of their business practices focusing on animal welfare.

How ethical is it to be bringing dogs from Thailand for adoption when there are so many local animals that need adopting?
Also, if you want to feel completely humiliated by a group of snobbish, self-​righteous people with superiority complexes try adopting a dog from Life Animal Rescue.
It’s obvious that the good reviews are from people who successfully adopted pets and the bad reviews are from folks who were denied. But seriously, their reasons and criteria for whether or not you are «approved» to adopt a pet is so arbitrary it is comical. Do yourself a favor and don’t go to Petsmart in Westlake Village to fall in love with an animal to just be told you are not the «right fit» for the adoption.
I’ve learned my lesson, It takes time and more effort but I will be adopting a dog from a shelter and not from any private rescue group.

We adopted a dog this week from Life Animal Rescue, and we love her to pieces already! They were very friendly and thorough, and brought her to us to do a home visit along with food and all of her records. We are so happy to have rescued our puppy from the streets of Thailand to be able to give her a better life!

This is a wonderful rescue. They do everything they can to find the right forever home for these abandoned and abused animals. They know all about the dogs they save from the shelters. They do everything they can to match up the dog with the right family. They have had dogs returned to them from folks wanting to adopt and change their mind. So, LIFE wants to make sure they find the right loving forever home the first time around.
Very disappointed in the negative reviews. They have no idea what this rescue goes through for all these wonderful animals. Don’t let those reviews stop you from adopting from this rescue. I have three wonderful dogs I rescued from LIFE. I will continue to support this group. Check them out on Saturdays at PetSmart in Westlake Village, CA.
All rescues do the best they can to ensure these animals find the right home.
Please adopt and don’t buy from Pet shops where the animals come from puppy mills and their only goal is to make money.

I had a friend who many years ago volunteered with LIFE, so I had known of them for a long time.
When it came time to look for a new dog, after our male dog passed, I checked with LIFE. I found a dog that seemed like a fit for our family and going through the adoption process was simple and straight forward. Through the initial week, I communicated openly and honestly with my contact, Linda, and she helped me through the adjustment period, set me up with a trainer to work through the issues we had and was super supportive with all my concerns and doubt that this dog really was a fit for us.
I am forever grateful for Linda’s patience and kindness, for the generousness that LIFE extended to me, and for the caring volunteers who so lovingly cared for our dog while he was at LIFE. A couple of weeks later, I visited Petsmart and my shy dog was overjoyed, licking their faces and wagging his tail at seeing the volunteers out front, who immediately called him by name –all this shows the time, care and love that these people put into their furry friends. I’m convinced that my dog would likely have been aggressive and hard to adopt had he been at a shelter, in that kind of environment. I feel that the transitional time at LIFE made a positive difference in how he responded to me and then my family. THANK YOU, LIFE, for your care of «Bernardo» and other animals, helping them transition into forever homes.

My Husband and I rescued our Lucy some time ago. I needed to write this review because when I saw all the old reviews of unhappy dog lovers I wanted to really talk to them directly, but this will have to do. I have seen many contracts from other rescues and have to agree some restrictions should be removed. I think I would recommend this to Laurie that some statements turn off good people who love dogs. Our experience with Laurie and Emily was incredible. Laurie had fostered my under nourished, frightened pup after retrieving her from the shelter. Have any of you, that only have negative remarks, seen Laurie and Emily unload a van of anxious pets and then return them to the van at the end of the day; hard work taking them home and doing the same again the next week. This comes from their hearts, so if they are so tough with their questions, it is to make sure that animal is not at home alone or fencing that just isn’t perfect, I would hope you could understand their point of view. They don’t get paid; volunteers don’t get a salary to sit all day hoping these dogs & cats get homes. Laurie and Emily are their only hope. Remember, the fees we pay for a pet goes to the Vet and for their board\care until they are adopted. Have a heart for all their energy put into everyday. Next time you consider adopting a pet, remember, contracts are always negotiable and hopefully a new contract will appear in the future.

There’s something very off with this rescue group. I fell in love with one of the dogs outside Petsmart in Westlake and after filling out an application form, being interrogated and then having a home check (I have a 20,000 sq ft lot with a big yard that my two dogs love running around in) I was denied the dog. They gave me some lame excuses and I went back a week or so later and they said someone else might be interested in the dog, however it has now been 6 weeks and the dog is still there. Also I’ve noticed that it’s the same group of dogs that are outside Petsmart every weekend… I have adopted dogs my whole life and there is honestly no reason for my application to be denied. I guess the fact that I am a stay at home mom, have a huge yard with two other dogs is not ideal for a dog… I went and adopted a gorgeous dog from TLC rescue group in Simi Valley instead.

I have looked at lots of Animal rescue group reviews and the people who negatively review them tend to be people who get turned down for an animal. One person states that the group wants to do home checks and she doesn’t know them or want them in her house but she expects the group to completely trust her and hand over an animal without a second thought. They don’t know her either — why should they trust her? Seems a bit one sided on her part. I have adopted a cat from this group and they personally know the animals and know the personalities and whether or not they get along with other cats and/​or dogs. That information was very helpful to me. The shelters generally cannot tell you that and you often end up with an animal who has Upper Respiratory or Kennel Cough when you adopt from a shelter. Rescues make sure the animals are healthy before putting them up for adoption. Yes — they have rules and adoption fees and if you don’t like it, you can go adopt from a shelter. Just be prepared that you might end up paying some big vet bills right off the bat. I think most Rescues do a great job and I had a great experience with my adoption. I love my cat and the whole experience was great.

My mother, sister, and I volunteered at this rescue for over three years. We finally quit when Jan, the manager of the cats, was accusing us of not coming when it was very clear the woman who had the time slot before us was never there. When we tried confronting her on this, she defended the woman and instead put the blame on us.
Now it’s time for my rant. The cat room is constantly filthy and smells like urine. We have cats of our own and have visited other shelters and there is absolutely no reason the smell of cat urine should be that overpowering.
I had never met a cat hoarder before I met the manager of the cats, Jan. My best friend and I had headed over to Petsmart during one of their adoption events. Once inside he chose an adorable little kitten and filled out an application. His house was perfect and his application couldn’t have been better. Later that night he received a call from Jan in which she stated that she had grown very attached to this kitten and was not willing to let it go. I would have had no problem with this except for the fact that she had mentioned to us that she has 30 cats of her own along with some fosters. Do you really need another cat? No you don’t. Let someone else be happy and get the kitten they had their heart set on.

My wife and I decided to make the transition to pet parenthood and adopt a cat. We were a little wary of working with Life when we started looking and saw the negative reviews. (I would rate them between 4 and 5 stars, but I feel that some of the other reviews seemed a little rough.) They take a bunch of their dogs and cats to the Petsmart in Westlake for you to check out on Saturdays. My wife saw a cat that caught her eye on their website and found out that she was going to be there on Saturday. They do make you fill out an application before you can even pet or hold a cat, and they are a little protective of their animals, so I can see how that could be a little off-​putting. That being said, their staff/​volunteer Cheryl was very helpful and friendly, and Jan responded quickly to my wife’s emails, making the process pretty easy. I am trying to keep this review about Life and not the cat we adopted, but I think talking about the cat is also a reflection of the job that they do at the rescue. Our new fuzzy family member Carla is a very well adjusted cat who within the first couple of hours at our home was jumping on our laps to be petted, using the litter box, and only scratching on the cardboard scratcher. She was with Life for a little over 5 years and I find it crazy that she was not adopted before us, considering how great of a cat she is. (Perhaps she turns into a fuzzy monster during the full moon?) The people here do care about the animals they have and I would not worry if you find an animal that you connect with.

No recommendation from me… I was completely disappointed with my experience with this group. I completed my application, reviewed it with Laurie who interrogated me like I was a criminal…, was told she would call me back in re: to the dog I chose. I was never called back and after a few days received an email stating that the foster family Might want the dog and needed more time with it. To me, this is not what foster care is about… It means you need to relinquish care when advised.
I feel mislead by Laurie, I offered an amazing home to a sweet little dog who I had already invested emotions to be denied later?

I’m so surprised to see anything negative written about LIFE Animal Rescue. In
my entire life, I have never met anyone who loves and cares for animals as much
as Laurie does for every animal she owns, rescues and looks after. My horses
have been fortunate enough to live on her property for a year.
I’ve seen dogs when they come in from the shelters and I’ve personally seen how
Laurie makes sure each of them gets care immediately, veterinary attention,
treatment (one of the dogs is at the vet for heartworm), surgery if needed (dogs
with a broken leg, hit by a car, born with a condition, etc), and then there are
some with training issues and some/​most need grooming. LIFE pays for all of this and they take amazing care of the dogs and cats until they find a home (yes, the animals at the rescue live well and that’s a wonderful thing).
I can understand why she’s particular about the homes the dogs and cats are
adopted to-​she gives so much to each of them and she truly loves each one. She
certainly has a lot invested — it only makes sense that she would want the best
for them.
With that said, this rescue has placed thousands of pets so she is finding great
homes. And yes, some of them do need to be placed together. Two of my favorites were a blind puppy and his sister who helped him around. Sweet as can be and
they had to be adopted together. In contrast, one of my other favorites had to
be adopted as an only dog — so I don’t think the other reviews were accurate —
from what I’ve noticed, they are adopted out based on their specific individual
needs.
I would strongly encourage anyone thinking of getting a dog or cat to adopt one
from LIFE because they not only have wonderful animals, but the adoption money
goes to saving more dogs who otherwise may not have a chance. If for some reason you don’t want to go through a rescue, please go to a shelter to find your new friend.
I hope this posts helps clarify some of the misinformation in the other reviews
here.

As a former cat foster back when I lived in NYC, I strongly believe rescue groups like Life Animal Rescue have become a serious problem and a lot of shelter volunteers and vets agree with me. There is no doubt that rescues have cut the kill rate at shelters nation wide by half and their hearts seem to be the right place, but, unless you are Mother Teresa, good luck being «approved» for adoption. I came in Saturday to adopt a kitty. I asked to hold the cat and was required to fill out an application. I’ve had cats all my life. Guess I need to decide if I was worthy enough to hold a cat. The contract clearly stated (as do many rescue groups) that if I do not agree to all these rules, they can take the animal away from me. I would be totally shocked if that was legal. Oh and they also required that I agree to follow up home visits. I have problems with a single home visit, let alone another one. I don’t know these people. I don’t want them coming into my house. I’m convinced that a lot of these rescue volunteers are hoarders, which can be almost as the shelters since having a huge number of cats just isn’t sanitary.
If you want to adopt a pet, PLEASE consider going to a shelter. Yeah… they aren’t happy places, but these are the animals in the most need. The cats at rescues are not in desperate need for a home. Yesterday, I adopted a beautiful lynx point Siamese from the Baldwin Park Shelter (yeah…it was quite a drive from Thousand Oaks, but that shelter has the highest kill rate out of all the LA County shelters). She was listed on the kill list so I really saved her life. If you are looking for something closer, try the Agoura Animal Shelter. Their kill rate is very low if that makes you feel more comfortable.

I was very disappointed with my experience with this «rescue» group. I found a dog that I wished to adopt online so I filled out their online application. I was initially approved and invited to go see the puppies in person so I could better choose with pick of the litter I wanted. I went to the foster’s house and spent time with all the dogs and picked the one that I liked. The foster then informed me that the rescue was going to have to set up a time to give me the contract to sign before I could take the puppy but she would reserve this dog for me. I drove back home (1 and a half hours) and waited. The next day I received a call from the organization asking me questions that I already clearly answered on my application but answered again anyways. They stated that in order to be approved you would need an adult in the household that does not work, experience with dogs, and another puppy for it to socialize with. They then said that they would need pictures of my living quarters and they would be contacting me again soon. I e-​mailed pictures of the inside and outside of my place and waited. The following morning I received an email stating they changed their mind and I could not adopt the puppy because I did not have another dog for it to socialize with. I asked that they reconsider as my husband adopted a puppy of his own the night before in anticipation that I would be taking mine home soon as well. They then said that was great but now the reason was because I did not have a fenced in yard even though I told them I go on long walks, jogs, and/​or bicycle rides every day to the beach and on the trails. They said that dogs cannot thrive without a fenced in yard. I feel like I was discriminated against. My entire experience was terrible. It was very unprofessional to conduct business in this manner. I originally wanted to get a dog from a rescue instead of a breeder but this organization made that impossible. They act like social elitists and according to them unless you do not work, have a «pack» of dogs, and have a large house and large yard that has a high strong fence, then you cannot possibly be a loving responsible dog owner. I ended up buying a puppy of the same breed from a private sale and had zero hassles and no heartbreak. He is happy and healthy and I couldn’t be happier with my decision. Overall I would NOT recommend this «rescue».

These rescues all have their rules. I was denied a dog who had had hip problems because I have a pool! This is California! Nevermind that I raised 2 kids and have 2 dogs all of which can swim. I understand they are being careful but a pool? Come on… I then went to the Life rescue and after a house check, a visit with my other pets, and a promise to teach the dog to swim, I was entrusted with a wonderful dog. He is adorable and we are quite pleased.

I applied thinking $ 200 was simply the going rate for «rescuing» a dog, assuming this place is synonymous with the shelter. No! The shelter has the same dogs and it’s only $ 37. Furthermore, the real animal shelter doesn’t require you to establish what Life Animal Rescue calls a «pack». Here is what I experienced: I simply could not qualify to adopt a dog because I have a job unless I do so in pairs, I was told, or already have one for «company» for the new dog. Nevermind my dog walking service — who can provide a reference for me for my elderly old Boston Terrier who recently passed. Nevermind my vet recommendations — both the routine vet and the cancer treatment vet. Nevermind that I slept with my old dog and cherished him till the end. Nevermind that I walked him three miles a day. I have the absolute perfect ideal scenario for dog ownership — own my own home. Fenced in yard. Kept previous dog straight through terminal cancer at an elderly age. I have vet references an am the most humane, devoted, passionate owner. I wanted to do a good deed and adopt. I purchased my first dog since I lived in NYC and needed to know it wouldn’t be a large dog. I always felt bad that I «should have» adopted. Had I tried this service, and not known about the difference between it and the local shelter, adopting would not have been an option anyway. It seems to me that fantastic help is available to these dogs and is being turned down, but what do I know. I’m the kind of person who has a dog for life — I’m not a professional dog shopper. I’ve had one dog for his whole life. I don’t burn through dogs. I feel a little like a chump for falling for words like «rescue» when in fact it’s sales; I hardly sensed any urgency what-​so-​ever when it comes to the animals lives. Total run around and waste of time and emails. Meanwhile I was able to TRULY rescue a gorgeous two year old white basset hound from the pound for so cheap, one who had been in there so long he was on ‘borrowed time”! THAT felt good! So it’s a happy ending. Just not with this group.

The dog I wanted conveniently had another potential home. I guess having a great yard, another dog for company and working from home isn’t good enough. No worries tho. I got a great dog from the Burbank Animal shelter and they were very grateful. The best thing is that there is one more space available for another homeless pet.