Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue

We had a great experience at ASTR. They have rescued thousands of dogs and really took care of them. Our dog came with complete vet records, vaccinated, neutered and chipped. They are also very thorough in the application process to make sure their dogs find a good and loving home to go to. They are a wonderful organization!

We recently adopted our adorable little poodle, Poppy, from Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue (ASTR). She’s been a delightful addition to our family and is settling in beautifully.
We appreciate the thorough adoption process through ASTR and their commitment to making thoughtful, lasting placements. Once approved, the adoption moves quickly—ASTR is eager to place dogs in qualified homes without unnecessary delay. This meant we were promptly scheduled for a meet-and-greet at a park in Newcastle. If all goes well at the meeting, the process concludes with contract signing and bringing your new family member home.
Before the meeting, Heidi, the ASTR representative, gave us a thoughtful summary of Poppy’s traits and personality. We’ve found her description to be spot-on. At the meet-and-greet, we were provided with veterinary and vaccination records, as well as spay documentation and detailed care instructions. Heidi shared her strong opinions in favor of raw feeding and limiting repeat vaccinations. However, the ASTR contract defers to adopters, encouraging them to make informed decisions in consultation with a licensed veterinarian.
The ASTR adoption contract is unique compared to others we’ve encountered. It’s presented at the meet-and-greet—just after you’ve fallen for the sweet, fuzzy face of your potential new family member. The responsibilities outlined are generally reasonable and reflect the standard of care expected of any conscientious pet parent. It’s important to note that under the contract, ASTR retains ownership of the dog while the adopter holds “equitable title.” To ensure ongoing care, ASTR reserves the right to reclaim the dog if contract terms aren’t upheld and requires adopters to notify them of any address changes.
Poppy is our fourth rescue dog in 25 years. From experience, we know that rescue dogs may arrive with medical needs or signs of neglect—skin issues from infestations, anxiety, or behavioral quirks. They may require immediate vet care, isolation from current pets to prevent spreading illness, and a great deal of patience and training. This is all part of the rescue journey. Taking the time to gradually introduce your new pet to a safe and loving environment pays off. The transformation is profound—and the reward is a loyal, loving companion whose life you've changed for the better.
We’re so glad we adopted Poppy!

Please read the poor reviews before placing your trust in this nonprofit.
I did, after being dismissed for having concerns about the health of a dog that had been in Heidi's care.
There appear to be similar concerns voiced by others, suggesting a pattern in which Heidi dismisses health concerns raised by adopters and foster home providers, even after Veterinarians have confirmed Scabies, Parasites, and / or ear infections, that Heidi refused to identify or treat.
Be prepared to do the "full vetting" that Heidi will claim was done, yourself, beyond the adoption fee, to make sure the dog you take in is actually cared for properly.

We recently adopted our second pup and had such a positive experience with ASTR! This was our first time working with a rescue, and we felt the process went really well. We truly appreciated how straightforward and transparent she was—she answered all our questions openly and made sure we fully understood each step. The process did move quickly, but that was clearly outlined in the application, so we knew what to expect. She even shared the contract with us in advance, so there were no surprises.

Beyond that, she also introduced us to different resources on how she feeds her pups and provided links to everything, which was incredibly helpful. Her communication was great throughout the process, and it’s clear how dedicated she is to these pups. We feel so lucky that she led us to our sweet Mabel!

They got back with us right away and set up meetings promptly. Communications was great as well. Knowledgeable about the rescue we wanted to adopt. The rescue is very sweet dog and gets along with our other rescue dog. It was nice to meet in a neutral spot for the rescue dog and our own dog to get to know each other.

Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue is the best rescue. This rescue has a variety of dogs, all breeds, all sizes. They often rescue the neediest and do not shy away from problems with any dog. They fully vet the dogs and give them time to decompress before finding tgeir perfect homes. This rescue is top notch. They truly care about the welfare and care of each animal they rescue. I adopted my dog Major from this rescue and i he is the perfect dog that came from a not so perfect place. The founder of the rescue never stops going from sun up to sundown. She is a real life super hero for all the dogs she rescues.

Aberdeen scottish terrior rescue is a outstanding and reputable rescue that does amazing work to ensure the quality of life for every fur baby that comes into their care.I highly recommend rescuing with Heidi , very knowledgable and good hearted lady .

I previously gave ASTR a very good review. However, I have come to the conclusion that I was lied to about the condition of the little Pomeranian that I adopted. He was quite lethargic when I got him and was told that it was due to his seizure medication. He also was shaved bare on his back haunches and part of his tail, which was put down to his "allergies" to kibbles and he had had diarrhea. He also had the horrible itchies (also supposedly because of kibbles). Well, it turns out that the dog is infected with Scabies and has been all along. I have had him to the vet repeatedly and they just now confirmed that diagnosis. Unfortunately, I also have become infected with the Scabies, as has my daughter and her dog. If we had been told the truth, it would have been a simple fix, but every problem that he had was blamed on kibbles. I was horrified at the food that they wanted me to feed him RAW, so I gave him homemade food that I cooked. Well, that does NOT cure Scabies and now I am stuck with trying to rid my house, yard,, myself, my daughter, her dog and my dog of these pests. In addition, it has also been a very expensive proposition. I would ask for a partial refund, but reading other posts, it does not seem as though they will actually do that. Please be aware of these rescue outfits that are actually just looking at their bottom line. I DO love this dog and will do what I must.

I'm giving this place two stars because I know there are two sides to every story, but the more I think about my experience with ASTR, the more disgusted I am. I know a lot of people here were not ok with their process. That part did not bother me. I felt like I had good communication, and they were on top of things. It was meet and greet, and then taking the dog home that continues to leave a bad taste in my mouth.

First, like many people note, you meet in a park. This means the dog is displaced from where it is most comfortable and already on edge by the time you're meeting it. In addition, the women wouldn't even let us go onto the grass because "they use pesticides". I really wonder if these dogs have ever been able to walk on grass. Regardless, it was very difficult to get a sense of what the dog was like because she was so scared, so all we had to base our decision on was that the lady who runs the organization said.

We were told this dog was very playful, doesn't make a peep, loves everyone, was good with kids, good with all kinds of dogs and is great riding in the car. Our experience is this: she most definitely barks (not a big deal), she is so scared all the time, like she has been abused-scared, she tucks her tail and skitters away from other dogs, she throws up in the car, and the biggest issue is that she exhibits aggressive behavior. There is no way I would currently let this dog near a child. I know behaviors can change when in a new situation, but I can't help but feel like we were flat out lied to.

In addition, this dog was "fostered" for two years, but was NOT potty trained. How do you have a dog for two years and not get it potty trained. Every time I tried to ask about her situation in the foster, I was given a bit of a run-a-round and no specifics. In addition, the women was very judgy. You are expected to make homemade food for the dog (though later the vet report stated she was given Costco kibble), and the Leppo vaccine is for "lazy dog parent... who let their dogs drink from puddles"

I would not use this shelter again. I am glad we rescued this dog from that place and we will work with a trainer to get her rehabilitated, because there is no way I'm letting this dog go back to the nut job of a women.

We recently adopted Archie (our 5 year old poodle mix) from ASTR after fostering him for 3 weeks. He has now been with us for 7 weeks. Our experience with ASTR was very pleasant and efficient. Heidi was direct, prompt, clear and professional in her communication and transparent about rules and expectations. During the time we were fostering Archie, he had some minor health issues like hot spots and vomiting and Heidi was always prompt and helpful with advice/do's/dont's that helped Archie get better. Her advice was always spot on.

Since I've read alot of reviews - both positive and negative - I thought it might help to share my personal perspective, experience and philosophy. If you set the right expectations you will not be disappointed:

1. After we adopted Archie - I took him to the vet ASTR had been using for him to get his care organized. His records were all legitimate and lined up with whatever ASTR communicated to us.
2. Frankly and personally - I don't care whether ASTR is a non-profit or not. Nor do I care about the philosophy or value system underlying their approach and methods. I wanted to foster and potentially adopt a dog if things worked out. ASTR gives these innocent creatures a 2nd chance at a better life. Costs and terms were transparent. I was OK with both and went ahead with them. And today our lives are filled with a wonderful little soul who is so happy with us and makes us equally happy.
3. The other thing to think about is - when these creatures have been through so much instability and trauma - being shuttled from puppy mills/auctions to long distance transportation to multiple foster homes till they find an adoptive family - it's natural for them to be a little unsettled, temperamental and look shabby. Archie came to us with hot spots and looked like a bit of a ragamuffin with unevenly cut hair, etc. Over time as he felt more secure and settled with us, his allergies and illnesses healed, his mood improved, he became more confident & playful, and he looks absolutely adorable these days! We get so many compliments on our walks!! So give it time. Don't be in a rush to jump to conclusions about the animal in the first week. They are very different personalities from week 1 to week 8 and who knows how much more we will discover. All I can say is it only gets better.
4. We had potty troubles with Archie the first few weeks but we put it down to general adjustment issues and understanding each other - diets, schedules, habits, etc. But being an intelligent and communicative animal we have figured each other out over time and now have a very well potty-trained doggy with us.
5. While the write-up on Archie was a little redundant with grammatical errors - that didn't bother me much. Infact, I'd go as far as to say, it was so honest that one would probably be hesitant to adopt him after reading it. For eg. it said his previous adoptive family returned him after some mild biting / snapping issues and resource guarding. We still went ahead and took our chances and have not had any trouble with him. He did show some resource guarding behaviors in the beginning but over time we have been training them out of him and he is responding perfectly. A sense of love and security has been helpful in working the insecurities out of him. No child is perfect, so why would we expect that in a dog.
6. We could have adopted from the city shelter or humane society much cheaper - but I didnt find they had any dogs to suit my requirements. So I went ahead with ASTR.
7. Caring for a pet animal is not free or cheap. So in that respect - and for what ASTR has done for Archie - I didn't find the costs exorbidant.

If you're reading this with a view to fostering or adopting - I wish you good luck on your journey. It can be a wonderful experience.

ASTR brought our sweet Ruby into our lives and we couldnt be more thankful. They clearly care so much for the pets and want to make sure that they're going to loving and able homes.

I am so glad I came across ASTR! It became very clear though interactions that they are invested and are knowledgable about every dog they have. This organization is fantastic to work with. If you are looking to adopt or foster, I highly recommend Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue! My family was informed and supported and questions answered very quickly. 
We love them!

On November 17, 2023 I adopted a 5 year old female Lhasa Apso named Iris from Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue for a requested donation of $1,585.

The principal officer, Heidi asked that I meet her in a park in Newport Hills which I thought at the time was little strange for a “meet & greet”. I told her I would bring a check to be ready for a possible adoption. I fell in love with Iris immediately. I signed the adoption contract that was completely filled out and ready to go. Heidi quickly read it to me and I paid the donation by check. This was a 15 – 20 minute exchange most of that time was spent on finding a leash that I could use to hold her onto the seat belt for safety. I thought she would be on a leash. When my daughter got her dog, she was on a leash.

I noticed that Iris just stood in one spot, like a little statue, beside the vehicle the entire time we were in the park. I mentioned this to Heidi but she didn’t appear concerned. She just said that Iris was probably a little nervous. We didn’t walk with Iris at all in the park. She didn’t want to move.

I became worried about Iris almost immediately. She seemed very docile for a 5 year old. She seldom got out of her little bed except to eat and pee and poop. I had no trouble with potty training because I took her out when she got out of her bed. She didn’t play at all. She only wanted to sleep. The other thing that concerned me was that she kept scratching herself especially her ear. When I looked in her ear, I noticed that unlike her other ear which was pink the one she was scratching was black inside. I texted Heidi on November 18 to tell her about the scratching because I was worried. Heidi said “Absolutely she is. Because I cleaned her ears yesterday remember”. Having not been around dogs for many years and believing Heidi was the expert I conferred to her.

The following Sunday my 100 year old mother who lives in Canada took a fall, broke her femur and was in the hospital. All of a sudden it became necessary to have Iris’s rabies certificate to take her across the border. I called Heidi to ask her to email the rabies certificate. The contract said Iris had had her rabies shot on 4/27/21. Heidi told me she didn’t have the rabies certificate and couldn’t get one which surprised and upset me because that meant maybe Iris had never had a rabies shot even though the contract said she had one. However, I was able to get into a walk-in Vet on the following Wednesday, November 23rd to obtain the rabies certificate.
While I had already set another vet appointment for the next week, I thought it would be an opportune time for this vet to check Iris over because of all the scratching.

The vet told me that Iris had a serious yeast infection in the ear that was black, she had very little muscle in her legs, she was at least 3 lbs. underweight which is a lot for a very small dog like Iris, and she had an infection on the skin of her legs and back which also caused the scratching. The vet gave me ear and skin medication and told me to feed her as much as she could eat and take her to a regular vet asap. I already had made a regular vet appointment for Tuesday of the following week.

The next day was Thanksgiving. On Friday, November, 25th I texted Heidi about what the vet told me and how unhappy I was about Iris’s situation. Heidi called me immediately.

I talked about how Iris wanted to sleep constantly. Heidi said she felt Iris was depressed and missed her. She asked me to put the phone to Iris’s ear so that she could talk to her. When I did and Iris heard Heidi’s voice she woke up and jumped out of her bed. When I told Heidi what happened she said, “Oh my God. She’s depressed”. She asked me to do it again. The same thing happened. Iris jumped out of her bed. Heidi said, “She’s definitely depressed. You have to bring her back. It would be bad for Iris if you don’t give her back.” Then Heidi said, “But another you could do is get another dog to keep her company. She knows other dogs here and that would fix the problem too.”

I told Heidi that I couldn’t afford another dog and I didn’t think at my age I could handle another dog. Again, Heidi insisted that it would harm Iris if I didn’t bring her back. I still trusted that Heidi knew best, that she knew better than I did. She was around dogs all the time. She was the rescuer.

I was devastated to bring Iris back but afraid for her if I didn’t.

Heidi was not happy about it but I had to bring her back that day, Friday, because I was planning to visit my mother on Saturday. When I arrived at the park to release Iris to Heidi, she became very hostile. I tried to give her the medications that the vet had prescribed but she wouldn’t take them. She said she didn’t believe in medications. She said Iris doesn’t have an ear infection anyway. She stuck a finger in Iris’s ear and when the powdery black yeast came out on her finger, she told me it was dirt and that she had told me to wash her ears when I picked her up the previous Friday. I handed her the rabies certificate she said I don’t need it because I have one. I was completely upset about this and snatched it back. I asked her why when I needed it so badly, she said she didn’t have the certificate but all she said at that point was “read the contact” and walked away with Iris.

As I walked to my car, I told her she could send my money via Zelle.

Later that day I received a text from Heidi accusing me of not feeding Iris, how depressed she was with me, how excited she was to be back and how she was j”umping around and flipping”. She accused me of bad behavior and again she said, “read your contract”.

I asked her again to refund the money. Heidi did not refund my money. A few days later I received an email followed by a letter from an attorney in California. He basically told me that I “demanded” that Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue take Iris back therefore I was noncompliant with the contact. Again, I did not demand that they take Iris back. I was told to give her back because she was very depressed and it would be harmful to her if I didn’t.

I feel that I was scammed by this charity and woman. I know I was very emotional at the time – my mother and having to give up Iris. I only had Iris for a week and I loved her. I realize that I was completely unable to think straight at the time and I was an easy mark. I feel embarrassed, dumb and humiliated even though I think of myself as a fairly smart and streetwise woman.

I am completely positive this or something very similar will happen to someone else with this company. No one should have to pay for something they didn’t get. I never dreamt someone could be so cruel and dishonest and I didn’t think this could only happen to me.

I noticed that less than 2 weeks later Iris was back on the Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue website for adoption. There isn’t any way that her weight could go up so quickly. I am afraid for the other dogs in her care. Heidi doesn’t believe in medications. She thinks a yeast infected ear is a dirty ear. I believe Heidi will not be honest when drawing up the contract like she did with the rabies shot/certificate with me. I wonder when she will choose to be dishonest again and about what.

Even her own attorney didn’t have the facts straight. She lied to him when she said that I “demanded” that Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue take Iris back. I absolutely did not.

I have reported this charity and Heidi, the Principal Officer, to the Washington State Attorney General not only to obtain my money back but also to make sure the dogs are well taken care of especially when you think of what many of these dogs have already been subjected to. I hope that if something like this happens to you, you will report Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue to the Washington State Attorney General.

Finally, after all this happened to me, I found more that 2 dozen complaints, some similar to mine, about Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue.

We just adopted a Mini Schnoodle from ASTR. She was in a Puppy Breeding Mill for 3 years before ASTR resued her. Whether it was from auction or what have you doesn't matter. The fact is ASTR spent thousands treating and caring for this girl and then had her in foster care while she recovered for 9 months before we adopted her. She is the sweetest little girl and is blending in comfortably in her new home. Both Heidi and the Foster Mom are both committed to seeing these pups go to good homes and do a thorough vetting process. Don't be offended by that.

ASTR was so great to deal with in the adoption of our Toy Australian Shepherd, "Suri." They went to great lengths to ensure this little rescue girl had all the best medical treatments and as much socialization as possible before she came to our forever home. ASTR's network saved this little pup and so many others from commercial breeding operations. They gave her the best chance at finding a loving, safe home. Thank you all for your efforts, on the part of Suri and all the others needing rescue!

We worked with Heidi and ASTR to adopt our new golden retriever baby boy just a few short weeks ago and cannot think of a better organization. Heidi cares so much for the puppies she works to find forever homes for. Highly recommend ASTR.

The work this rescue group does and the attention to detail to ensure the rescues are placed in a good home is incredible. We just adopted one of the rescues and had an exceptional experience.

I’ve had nothing but wonderful experiences working with ASTR and Heidi. You can tell that she truly cares about every dog she rescues and goes above and beyond for them. I adopted my dog from her and he is just wonderful.

If I could rate a negative star, I would. Please be very aware before adopting
From this agency.

DO NOT ADOPT FROM THIS RESCUE! READ THE CONTRACT AHEAD OF TIME, YOU WILL NEVER OWN THE DOG. Read the other 1 star reviews. Here is my story: I adopted a dog named Sheba for $1,000. (First of all, the price is outrageous, but we were assured it was because of the extensive medical care she had.) We were assured that she had ZERO behavioral issues. I asked specifically about free feeding as we have another dog at home (Loki) who free feeds. I was assured this wouldn't be a problem. I also asked specifically about cats. I was assured Sheba is good with cats. The first few days of having Sheba were great. Sheba and I started training together, I bought her a collar, took her on walks, cuddled in bed. She is definitely not good with cats and immediately started chasing my cat around and terrorizing her. But okay, I thought to myself, we can work on that. Then she started to get territorial over food. Any time my other dog (Loki) would walk past the food bowls, she would growl at him and would not let him eat. When the dogs were outside together, Loki would go potty and then Sheba would run up behind him and immediately go potty in the same spot. I thought this was normal dog stuff where she is trying to establish herself as the alpha. A few days in, she attacked my dog, Loki, because he was trying to eat. This wasn't a quick bite, this was an extended dog fight where she ripped into his neck and drew blood. I tried separating them but I wasn't strong enough. My fiancé had to step in and break up the fight. In doing so, Sheba bit my fiancé in multiple places on his leg and hand. I have photos for proof of all this. So we assumed at this point she cannot free feed and we separated both dogs during meal time. That seemed to temporarily solve the problem but she was still terrorizing the cat and she still didn't like Loki. As Sheba and I developed a deeper bond, she started becoming extremely territorial over me. Any time Loki would come near me, she attacked him. Again, drawing blood and I could not separate them. After the second attack, I reached out to this rescue and asked to return the dog. I also asked for our $1,000 back as this is not the dog we were promised. We were met with a rude response and a refusal to give our money back. Oh, and the contract they make you sign! Let's talk about that. I went through an extensive interview process for this dog. We met up at a park when I was picking up Sheba for the first time. I was overwhelmed by the dogs and with them going over Sheba's medical history, etc. There was this contract put in front of my face at the last minute and I was told to sign it. I WISH I had spent more time reading it... But I'll admit, I was overwhelmed so I just skimmed it and signed it. Had I stood there for another 30 minutes to thoroughly read it, I would have never adopted from these people. There are so many sketchy things in the contract but the biggest one is that they state they have full ownership of the dog forever and that they have the right to take it away from you at any point. So... Sheba was never even my dog to begin with. Sheba was always their dog and they can continue to micromanage you as they see fit. Anyways, after all these events transpired with Sheba, they arranged for me to drop her off at a daycare which I did. I then asked for our money back and haven't heard from them since. I'm sure they will falsely advertise this dog again to someone else and get another $1,000 of her. Honestly, I feel so bad for the dog. These people are horrible. Go through literally any other rescue.

They require you to sign a contract that gives them sole ownership of the dog, forever. They could call you up 10 years after you adopted your dog and say we want it back and you wouldn't be able to do anything.

We were told the dog we chose to adopt was "good with cats and other dogs." It said so in the listing, and they told us in person when we met at a park. They also told us that this is one of their sweetest rescues, and all the volunteers love her.

Within a few days after taking her home she had formed a toxic, territorial bond with my fiancé and food. The rescue attacked our dog (about half her size) three times in four days, drawing blood from his neck pretty severely twice. The rescue was laying on the floor next to my fiancé on the couch, our dog walked by and was instantly attacked. The other two incidents were the same situation with food motivating the attack instead of my fiancé. When I jumped in to break them up, she bit me hard on the leg, twice drawing blood in multiple areas and leaving large bruises.

If I had not been nearby to break them apart, there is no question the rescue would have killed our dog. My fiancé was not able to pull this 60lb rescue off our 35lb dog. All three times she had a very firm grip on our dog's neck and I had to pry apart her jaws.

We contacted Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue and asked for this dangerous dog to be removed and our fee be refunded. We explained that she was misrepresented in her listing and by the person showing her to us. The response we got was horrible. They berated us, talked down to us, claimed we violated our contract and were extremely rude. They said there's no way we'll get a refund and we would have to pay for daycare until they found a new foster home.

After going back and forth over a few emails and us showing them the photos of our bloodied dog and the large bite marks/bruises on my legs, we were told we could drive the dog to a new foster home, about 40 miles away.

What made this entire ten day experience a lot worse was the way their staff treated us when we told them their rescue dog was dangerous and violent. My fiancé and I are heartbroken that we had to give up this dog. We feel even worse for the next family that will take her in, most likely via false claims from this organization regarding the dog's temperament/behavior.

I recommend looking through all the bad reviews, because they are very consistent with our experience.

ASTR is the reason we have our sweet boy and we’ll always be indebted to them for that. we found him through his foster mom who we knew and she connected us to ASTR, who spent time getting to know us and ensuring we’d be a good fit for our pup before agreeing to have him come home with us. The experience to adopt him was lovely, supported, and thorough and I appreciated that she had his best interest top of mind from the moment we connected. ASTR is so knowledgeable and loving to these animals — she was deeply engaged and caring from the start and lovely to work with.

We’re so grateful to them for helping to set us up for success: they ensured he was neutered, provided him with all his necessary vaccines (and paid for the full round of puppy shots), and stayed in touch after the adoption to check in to make sure he was doing well.

You can have opinions about the adoption fee but the truth is it’s just how much it costs to care for the dog before he was adopted. Big shelters don’t typically pay for surgeries and shots and provide a lower standard of care, and if you’ve owned a dog you know how much it costs. As for the ownership clause: it’s fairly standard for rescue and adoption agencies and it’s not malicious on their part—it’s for the safety of the dog. They’re not going to come take your dog back unless you’re cruel to your animal. They have enough dogs in their care so it’s not like they’re trying to run around recouping dogs. For them, it’s just making sure all the pups find safe and happy homes.

All in all, we’re thrilled that we have our wonderful pup and so grateful to ASTR for making that possible!!! Thank you!!

This organization is a great non profit. They help so many dogs and they take care of them like they are their own. We just got a cocker spaniel puppy from this organization and we couldn't be happier.

I love this non profit dog rescue and Heidi who runs it! She goes above and beyond for her doggies! When you talk about being the voice for the voiceless and saving dogs ASTR does just that.

What a wonderful company! ASTR takes these helpless pups out of awful situations and carefully screens prospective families to ensure they have loving, forever homes. After multiple interviews via phone and zoom, we met our future pup along with his foster parents and our dog. I felt the process was transparent and challenging…but also necessary, as they want the best situations for their dogs. We ended up with the ultimate addition to our family and couldn’t be happier…especially our other dog who has not left his side since we brought him home! Would be happy to discuss with any prospective owner or foster parent! I highly recommend ASTR!!

My goodness; the reviews are either all five stars or only one. That is a red flag. My hesitation to work with this rescue is due to the poor grammar, spelling, and wording of the descriptions. The writer should at least make an attempt of coming off as professional. As well, there is a lot of redundancy in the descriptions.
If the rescue does not take the care to present a well written page about the pet, then I would assume they do not take the care to be fully truthful, nor treat the animals with great care.
This rescue sounds quite fishy to me; and their fees? My daughter's lovely rescue was $40.00 and he couldn't be sweeter.

Please read this article from the Michigan State University Animal Law Legal Center:

Rescue groups and animal welfare advocates alike are at the forefront of speaking out against the puppy mill and commercial breeding industries. They are often natural enemies yet recently have found themselves in the same room doing business together. This room is the mostly unknown world of dog auctions.

Dog auctions are where breeders and millers can go to get rid of their unwanted stock, meaning the less desirable dogs, for quick cash. Rescuers have always had a presence at these auctions, but their presence has been in the back of the room waiting until the end of the auction to take the breeders unsellable dogs for nominal sums. Now, mostly because of the trend of breed specific rescue groups and the bans on pet stores there has been an influx of rescue groups raising money online to fund a trip to the dog auction to save dogs from the auction.

Through crowd funding, rescues come to auction and pay exorbitant amounts for specific breeds of a dog or puppy and bring it back to their rescue to adopt out, sometimes at a pet store price tag of between $500-$1,500. Many advocates see this as counter to the spirit of the animal welfare cause because the money goes into the pockets of millers and breeders who now can buy new breeding stock to continue the breeding cycle. Thus, eradication of puppy mills through limiting the demand is no longer feasible. Breeders know that rescuers are part of the system now and have even been reported as saying that they hold puppies at their kennels for longer so they can bring them to auctions and receive a higher profit off of the dog.

We adopted the most darling Cavachon puppy from ASTR a week ago. He is fitting in fantastic with our family and other dog we have. We just lost one of our dogs to Lymphoma last month. So we wanted and needed a companion for our greaving dog. I appreciate how fast after we made application that we were contacted by phone. They are a very thorough rescue and can tell they want their dogs going to the best home possible. They called our Vet, and both our references plus a virtual home visit. When we did the meet and greet we took our dog to meet this rescue. We wanted to make sure he liked and got along. Right now our new puppy is fast asleep on my husbands shoulder. We fell in love with this rescue fast and so happy to give him a good life. Please continue doing the good work you are doing for these rescue dogs. We also met the foster mom which was great to hear from her about our pup. Thank you for bringing this pup into our life...

We've had an absolutely terrible experience with this Rescue. Don't expect your money back, and don't expect good conversations with the owner. We adopted a dog and returned it because reasons you can read below. Ultimately we felt our lifestyle wasn't going to be a good fit for the dog.

ASTR has refused to give a refund, were misleading about the care and behavior of the dog, and respond to emails with rudeness.

We REALLY tried to make it work with the dog. She was pretty sweet but not really anything like ASTR had described her to be and not what we were looking for. They kept saying she was "tolerant" and would just sit there and let you do whatever you want to her, pet her, groom her, whatever. What we learned was the dog was SO fearful of us, she wouldn't even come indoors if we were within 8 feet of the doorway and ran and hid from us. Don't get me wrong, we've raised a rescue before and know exactly what it's like to work with dogs with behavior issue. What we could see was not what we were told. Our whole situation could have been resolved easily with just a little empathy and compassion from ASTR.

ASTR says they use foster homes but in reality they just take the dogs to a daycare. These dogs that are fearful of people really need loving foster homes and some training / rehabilitation before you send them out into the world. We are in disbelief to the level we were mislead.

Within 11 days after adopting the dog we realized that the descriptions of her behavior were misleading and had been understated. In addition, the dog's condition was that of neglect. Her fur was badly matted, had a bad odor, and nails were overgrown. We took it upon ourselves to treat this and bathed her, took care of her matted hair, and had her nails trimmed. We had growing concerns that our adopted dog didn't meet the behavioral descriptions from ASTR and our attempts to communicate and work with the rescue were met with short and unhelpful responses. 12 days after our adoption day, we had determined that the dog was not a compatible fit due to her behavior not matching what was explained by ASTR. We decided it was in our best interest, and the interest of the dog to return the dog back to ASTR.

We made this decision based on the premise within an agreement we signed that has a clause for CONDITIONAL REFUND FOR INCOMPATIBILITY - the adopted dog fails to adjust to its new environment within 14 day period.

ASTR’s stated reasoning to not give a refund is because we didn’t take the dog to a vet within 3 days after adopting. However, the dog was badly injured from staying at a daycare while in the care of ASTR before we adopted her. ASTR’s veterinarian, ANIMAL HOSPITAL OF NEWPORT HILLS, gave a "good health" assessment just 9 days prior to our adoption date so it wasn’t necessary in our situation to get her "checked out" by our vet. No where in the adoption agreement does it state we aren’t able to receive refund if we don’t have the dog checked out by our own vet.

ASTR refused a refund and has not responded to our communications.

ASTR has mislead us into believing the behavior of the dog was not fearful and she does “great” with grooming and walking on slip lead. We discovered that this dog was very fearful of people and required a much heavier investment of time and energy for training and rehabilitation. She hides at the sight of a slip lead and leashes.

ASTR has mislead us by stating the dog has been in the United States and in their care since 2021 and been receiving care and training since then. However, we have documentation the dog has been in the United States since June 2022.

ASTR has shown negligence by using a daycare that has badly injured the dog and rehoming that dog before it was fully healed.

ASTR mislead the public by using old puppy photos non-representative of the dog’s current state to entice potential adopters.

ASTR has had multiple complaints and reviews listed online by other people with similar stories.

We would have NO TRUST in working with ASTR again as they have abused our own trust and refused to offer fair and ethical practices of trade or communication to resolve this situation.

ASTR will be able to re-list the dog for adoption and retain additional adoption fees. While now have the financial burden of lost funds and a false sale.

We have acted in the best interest of the dog and took very good care of her and returned her in better physical and mental state than we had received her. We see no reason why this can't be resolved by returning our money despite our good faith efforts. This is an unfair practice for a non-profit to sell a dog and refuse refund even though it will go back to them and they'll be able to re-adopt the dog to another family.

It's not the poor animal's fault, but I wouldn't trust a thing these scoundrels say, whether it is badmouthing the vet, dog food companies, or anything. Shame on them.

Run. They are sketchy, dishonest and hostile if you ask reasonable questions. I volunteered to foster a dog and asked if the dog was healthy to make sure that we could meet its needs and not endanger our other pets. I was told the dog was healthy and at the vet for neuter. When the dog arrived, it was obviously weak, dehydrated, emaciated, and wheezing and had a chest rattle. I asked for the medical records and was denied access. They wouldn't even give us shot records! At my expense, I had the dog looked at and found it was infected with round worms and because they're extremely contagious, our expense again, we had to get all our animals dewormed. Two weeks on, and still no medical or shot records. Sad and Heartbreaking...
Edit added: When we asked again to please get shot records so we could take the dog to a daycare and boarding, they came and took the dog away. It appears that they do not want anyone or any knowledgeable entity to see what they have done, or not done, with the poor dog. It appears they are hiding something, do not want any transparency, or they simply do not have any medical/shot records because they have not been done, despite their claims otherwise. It casts doubt on where they get the "rescued" dogs. Hold them to account and the same standards that a reputable kennel or veterinarian would use to board a dog, and have a verified and documented history of where they "rescued" the poor dogs. For all you know, they could be a puppy mill front.

We have adopted two dogs from ASTR over the past 1.5 years, and are now fostering a puppy from an Amish puppy mill that ASTR purchased and transported to WA from Iowa.

First let me say that I have been active in animal rescue and lobbying for changes to puppy mill and animal cruelty laws, as well as innovative proposals to increase spay and neuter. I have testified at hearings on proposed legislation and participated in committee meetings. I've been doing this for 25 years. I donate to many organizations, local, national, and international.

When I meet a person who works "on the ground" in animal rescue, juggling saving and caring for many animals all at one time, I tend to give them a ton of slack. Not many people step up to do what ASTR is doing, so from the get-go, they have my respect. I would, of course, not support any nefarious behaviour. Am I willing to work 24/7 with no compensation, witnessing horrid things, and having to deal with lots of people? Nope. But ASTR people are, and I'm glad they are.

Is ASTR perfect? Nope. I've had issues and differences of opinion with other organizations, but I will continue to support their work because at the end of the day, they are working to save animals and at a level that I'm not willing to take on.

Are the adoption fees on the high side? Yep. ASTR spends a tremendous amount addressing medical issues that I note not all other rescues do. For example, ASTR has dental work done before adopting out - not all rescues do that and a dental can range from $400 - $1,200 depending on how many teeth are pulled...and unfortunately, whether the clinic is locally owned or owned be a New York investment firm that sucks people dry for profits for investors that don't even live in our communities.

We helped find a foster for a dog currently with ASTR and awaiting emergency surgery for a disorder common to its breed. The owners dumped this dog rather than spend money on it. ASTR will spend over $5k to get this dog healthy enough to adopt. Its adoption fee comes nowhere near their expenses.

So I'm sad to hear of the negative experiences people have had. We all need to just keep moving, working with organizations we each choose, and try to save as many lives as possible.

We totally agree with all the 5 star reviews! We are so happy with our Zoey, recently adopted. Heidi was awesome, assisting with all questions . . . very knowledgeable and professional and seeking to place fosters in the best possible home environment.

Negative reviews must have originated from folks who were not chosen for placements.

We just picked our beautiful girl Sally today and could not be more excited and happy about our future together, she is everything they said and I really appreciate how carefully they look into the adopting family, they want to make sure these babies go to the best home. The process was easy and Heidi was incredible to work with, they are doing great work to save these babies from the horrible life they were living. I would like people to realize that all the negative reviews are almost from people that did not get a dog for various reasons.
Would recommend this rescue to anyone

I took my pup, Coco, home yesterday after Meet and Greet with Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue. She is the sweetest little red poodle mix. She came from China in March and received immunizations, got chipped, dental work done, spayed and several trips to the vet all done by the rescue group. I thought the application and interview process was appropriate and the adoption was smooth and timely.
The fee might seem high at first but after adding up all the costs of getting Coco here and healthy I think it would be cheap at twice the price. I have been looking to add a pup to the family and was put off by all the scam ads on FB. Aberdeen
Scottish Terrier Rescue is the real deal. If you find your pup on their website don’t hesitate to follow up.

Why do they charge so much? 1100-1800 for rescues. I’ve noticed some dogs have stayed on their website for many many months. That gives me great concern for the dogs and their welfare. Many loving families who can afford to care for the dogs, are hesitant to pay such an exorbitant fee. The reviews below are also concerning. Too bad. I would have loved to give one of their dogs a very loving home.

If I could give this organization zero stars I would. I went through all of their procedures for adopting one of their dogs. Everything was approved. One lady called me to schedule an appointment for the dog to meet the family, which they wanted all family members present to meet the dog. They chose a day in the middle of the week in the middle of the day, 1:30, which of course is when my children go to school. I said we could not do that day and gave several other days that we could meet. The woman said she would Check to see if there was another day. She never called me back that day. I called her the next day, the organization phone number ,and also emailed the organization. Still no one contacted me. I called both numbers and emailed the next day. I finally received an email at 8 o’clock at night stating that we would not be able to meet the dog because we couldn’t make the one appointment. I received a phone call the next day stating that we were not going to be able to adopt the dog or meet the dog because our family was too busy. They wanted someone home with the dog all day every day and we were too busy. At no time in our conversation did anyone ask if I worked. During the phone interview I stated that my husband works from home and is at home most days. The two women that conducted the interviews did not listen at all to any of my information. Also they did not read any of the information I submitted in the adoption paperwork. If they had they would have seen that we take our pets with us everywhere we go. Also as stated in the phone conversation there’s always someone home. They based all of their information on no information. There may be some fraudulent activity happening with this organization because there are way too many negative reviews than positive reviews. I get the sense that they are not really interested in placing animals in homes because if they were, we would have our pet that we were so looking forward to loving and taking care of. Don’t waste your time trying to adopt from this place. This organization made me feel as if I was in adequate. Pretty sure that is something you should not send out to the universe.

This is my 2nd time working with Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue. We rescued a dog 5 years ago. We went thru the vetting process; application, references, home visits, etc. They have very strict guidelines which I respect. When I saw another dog to rescue from them, I was thrilled. On Monday I filled out the application & was contacted. Thursday the head of the rescue called me & we talked about the process; web home visit, then meet her in-person. All good so far. Then, this is where it goes off the rails. Friday @ 6:50pm, someone calls to be a web visit then. We weren't home. The fact it wasn't considered to set up a mutually agreeable time isn't respectful of everyone's time. Then I find out Saturday morning I have to meet the dog on Sunday. We weren't available, we would be out of town for the day. So, they told me since I can't do, I can't adopt the dog?! So after being fully vetted twice, since I can't drop everything to get the dog in less than 24 hours, that's it? We tried to find another agreeable time but they only gave me 1 other option. The only time I told them I couldn't do; I have a mammogram scheduled that took me 6 months to get because of COVID. So, really it's all about speed, getting rid of the dog vs. finding a good quality home. Again, I have rescued from them before. We have the resources, time & love to give. We've rescued 4 dogs & 3 cats in our live. I will never work with this organization again.

I just had a dear friend/coworker who was set to adopt a dog this past weekend. She met the representatives at the park, walked around with them as well as the dog. She was all set and was on her way home with her new dog that she had been so ecstatic to adopt and take care of.

While on the way home her new dog was cuddling with her so she removed her leash while in the car. When she pulled up and open the door to go inside her dog zoomed out of the car so quick. Her being a tired stressed out Healthcare worker for a retirement community that is locked down due to covid. She works so hard everyday doing everything for these residents since families aren't allowed inside.

She did the right thing and called the agency representative and explained immediately what happened. They came to her house to help look for the dog seeing as the dog is super familiar with them and not the new owner as it has not gotten used to her. They did locate the dog and returned to her house only to give back her check and they told her " this is just a bad sign that it's not meant to be."

My friend is a Filipino woman who takes care of the elderly DAILY and yet she's not fit to adopt the dog?? This sounds like racism at it's finest. Had she been a white dog owner they would've told her " it's okay, mistakes happen," The overall guilt and shame you made this grown woman feel was completely disgusting and uncalled for. She paid $1600 for the dog...which is an insane adoption fee for a grown dog.

I've adopted dog through Big dog rescue group and had the best professionals handling the adoption. I suggest anyone looking does the same before considering this awful establishment.

This organization is the worst. Terrible communication, they tell lies about the animals. Our dog was very aggressive and scary. They would not refund any money or even return a phone call. It was a heartbreaking disaster for our family. Do not go through this agency

I adopted my second Scottie from ASTR and she has been a joy and a treasure to our family over the past 8 years. On my recommendation, my sister has adopted two wonderful dogs (one from southern California and one from China) and my best friend's step-mom has adopted from ASTR, as well. I cannot say enough good things about this rescue and what they have added to our family and to other families who we love. I will be forever grateful to the volunteers who run this rescue and work tirelessly to save dogs from all over the world. I don't think many people understand what incredibly hard work (emotionally, physically, monetarily, logistically, etc.) it is to run an animal rescue. I am grateful that there are people who take on this difficult work.

I adopted an amazing dog from this rescue. She came from Korea and was little shy at first, but I knew she came from a horrible situation. Taking the time to let her come out of her shell, she is everything to me now! This rescue works sooo hard and spends all their time saving dogs from China/Korea/WA/CA. They want to save every dog they can and you can tell how much passion they have! I loved how detailed they were and called my references, did the virtual home visit, which shows how much they care for these dogs. These bad reviews that I read blow my mind! I don’t know if they are just upset because they didn’t get what they wanted or what... but don’t always believe what you read! I love this rescue and I can’t wait to help foster and will definitely adopt again from them. The prices do scare people away but these dogs get a clean bill of health. They get fixed, get chipped, all their shots, teeth cleaned and any other health issues get taken care of. The rescue spends so much more on these dogs, so when you think about the price... it’s worth it!

I have adopted 3 dogs from this rescue. I cant speak highly enough about the research that goes into trying to match the right person to the dog. In reading some of the review I can say that these people are complaining because they do not listen to what is said and / or twist the information given to them. The contract does not states that the dog can't be given away to someone else if you decide you do not want it. Then it comes back to the rescue. Some people want to rush the process just to see the dog and ignore what is said to them about the dogs behaviors, needs and where they are saved from. For people that do not believe the dogs in China and Korea are killed in a horrific way I can show you videos as proof if you can stomach watching because i promise you will never un-see it. Yes dogs are in a day care and in foster homes. Better there then killed. The people in this rescue care deeply for each dog that is saved and only want the best home for them. If you want to provide a loving forever home to a dog this is the rescue for you to adopt from.

Be aware that dogs are NOT placed in foster homes as stated. They are all in one big "daycare" together. No personal care, zero potty training work, no personal dog info or TLC. I was told at the meet and greet that " they just have too many dogs to place in homes". But of course they claim that on their website and facebook page. I was put off by the phone interview where I was literally told that the dogs rescued from Korea are " kept as pets and then when they want to eat them they hang them by a tree and start cutting off body parts while the scream". What the hell? We had to meet the pup on a leash so we found it nearly impossible to asses whether our dogs would like each other and they would not agree to meet anywhere they could play off leash or let us take her for a couple of hours even if we paid for her and found it was not a good fit. I never got to look at the contract but I read on a review that they retain rights to take the dog back at anytime. I'd be very concerned about that and would double check the verbiage before signing. Aside from that ultimately, we passed on our dog because she was completely non social, no tail wag, no happiness or interest in either people or our other dogs.

I was looking to adopt a rescue dog and was referred to Aberdeen Scottish Terrier by a friend who had a great experience with her two dogs. I did read reviews but took into consideration that there are haters out there and decided to use my own judgement and I'm so glad I did. Heidi was tough but thorough. At first I was apprehensive but then I realized these dogs have had horrible pasts and it's her job to put them with people will that will provide a loving home. I can't say enough about how happy I am. Don't believe everything your read!

The owner of the rescue is surprisingly rude and given how she deals conflict i wonder if she is disturbed. We adopted a Nearly-always-sweet little dog who has serious aggression issues that she persists on blaming on our home . I would caution other pet seekers in to give this rescue a wide berth.

This is a horrible organization. They have a case against them for stealing a dog and they put 2 dogs in foster care and for 4 months never followed up with the foster family. They do not answer their phones or email. Dog adoption prices vary wildly and they are horrible uncommunicative.

While searching PetFinder.com, I came across a darling Corgi Mix on Pet Finder via Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue named Doris. I fell in love :) I have had 3 rescues (USA Kill Shelter Rescues) I still have one Austin TX rescue, she is 14 years old!

I jumped directly to their online adoption form (note when using their form, if you are from Canada, you cannot submit the form at all if you are trying to add your Canadian postal code or choose a city from the drop down menu).

Their requirements for Doris were: to be with her mostly all day, indoor at night, there must be another dog there, cats ok, kids ok! Super! To be clear, phone calls and emails were civil.

The next day approx 11AM received a phone call, it was the rescue. I did not realize Doris's adoption fee was $1200 - that was not within our budget, but we could work with it! I did ask what was done to, or for the dog that made her adoption fee $1200 - these are important questions any respectable, prospective adopter should ask! Was it a special surgery or medication for an illness? These important questions the lady could not answer, she prompted me to call the proprietor of the rescue.

I called the proprietor. Left a message, and sent an email to proprietor.

I then called the original lady back, asking if she could kindly ask proprietor to call me.

Not five minutes later I receive this email:
"Good afternoon Shaneen, Unfortunately this is not a good fit. We wish you the best of luck in your search for a new family member.
Kind regards. ASTR" . . . they did not call any of my references.

On PetFinder Pro Member website, under their Member Code Of Conduct it clearly states within bullets #5 and #7:
• To give truthful information about the pets’ description and adoption fee, to the best of your knowledge
• To operate in a not-for-profit manner, with fees that reflect the spirit of animal shelter adoption.

After their abrupt email, I quickly visited their FB page and saw multiple bad reviews, this prompted me to Google the rescue, and when I did, I found a staggering number of bad reviews! I then took a moment to visit their website to see their other adoptable dogs. There are dogs same age as Doris, also from Korea, similar stories, potentially off the same flight. There was nothing listed on Doris’s page that mentioned surgeries, special care, special travel, medications, or illnesses that would total $1200 for an adoption fee. The other dogs fees were respectfully at $695, $795. There was another corgi mix listed at $1400.

It seems I was pushed away because I asked a question regarding her health in comparrison to the adoption fee. I wrote an email to them with my concerns, that their dogs could end up in the wrong hands because of their processes. I was considering taking other steps, as this was very very concerning!

Last night at 10:30PM - I received a letter from their lawyer friend telling me to cease and desist. The lawyers email subject header line read “Your abusive email(s) (plural) to Aberdeen Scottish Terrier Rescue”. None of my emails were abusive, they were short, except for the email of concern. The lawyer labeled me a self proclaimed “Superwoman” ? That I am trying to damage their image. He also stated in the letter that I “falsified” my postal code and country, and that is the reason I was tuned down immediately. As mentioned above, their adoption form is restricting, you cannot add a Canadian postal code nor choose a Canadian city from the drop down menu on the form. Oddly enough, they saw my application, and still called me, so I feel my “false address” was of no concern to them.

Charging substantial amounts for a dog significantly reduces the chance of that dog finding a genuine forever home :( When money is no object and the prospective adopter does not question the rescue and pays high adoption fees, it is fair to assume that the dog could end up with a bad owner. This is not a process that screams compassion.

If you feel pressured in any way or have a gut feeling just leave them alone, run away!

I would give negative stars of I could!

We applied to adopt a pair of rescue dogs from Korea. The lady who conducted the phone interview started to conversation about the how these dogs are treated so harshly in Korea because of over population and they are not given a chance at life, really its a sad state of affairs.
So after 10 minute story and my wife and I feeling really great about giving a pair of dogs a chance at a better life, the question comes up about what we will do with the dogs while we are away at work for 5 hole hours. I told them that we have a dog door to the garage were they will have a warm bed and shelter from the elements with access to a fully fenced and locked back yard. Her response is aren't we worried about someone stealing these dogs buy climbing over the fence. My repose we didn't have any problems in the 13 years of the prior 2 dogs we had and we now have surveillance cameras all around the house that alert us to any motion plus we live at the end of a col-de-sac so not like we get a lot of traffic and are retired neighbors look out for us. She then was worried about the garage not being warm enough during the winter and suggested that we leave them inside while we were away. ( the dogs we were trying to adopt were herding breeds that have double coats and are designed for weather I could understand her concern if we were adopting chihuahuas ).

They leave you feeling like you are bad human beings for the way u treat animals and ultimately refused the adoption. The really sad part of this is with the sad story about dogs being put to sleep in Korea is that this rescue is not helping to alleviate this buy using unrealistic expectations and refusing adoptions to good people who can give these dogs a great life.

Ultimately they are condemning more animals then they could possibly rescue.
This has truly been a terrible experience and these people should not be in the business of rescuing animals!

This rescue is run by a lady who is extremely rude and unprofessional. In reading the other reviews on this page, it concerns me even more that this was not just a one-time happenstance. I was treated in an absolutely appalling manner, for just a short inquiry. The lady called me 4 times within 1 hour and was verbally harassing me. It leads me to believe this is not a legitimate rescue and that they do not have the best interests of the animals. I feel extremely bad for all the animals that are stuck here with such a terrible lady. I hope someone investigates this place and shuts it down.

If I could give zero stars I would. Really bogus vibe. Please do not spend time or effort trying to adopt a dog here. I can't even stress enough how rude and off-putting the contact person is. I have always adopted/rescued, and I have never run into a more unprofessional and down-right sketchy deal as the one this lady is running. you might as well be getting a dog out of a box on the side of the road, but paying a fortune for it. If you had a good experience, great - she must have been on her meds that day. I can tell you that for a scottish terrier rescue, most of their dogs are not scottish terriers. There's nothing wrong with that, but it is most certainly not a breed rescue.
Save your money ($700+ ???) and adopt where they understand that rescue is 2 sided, and that they have a responsibility to help place these dogs in a home that is ready to accept and love them. It's all pointless if you are shoving them on to people who haven't even had the chance to meet the dog. A true rescuer wants to be sure the people are able to open their hearts and home to the dog they are getting, and the adopter wants to feel secure that the dog is healthy and comes with the best chance to fit in. Please - if anyone involved has an interest in helping these dogs, get rid of the nasty weirdo that is running the show.

We have adopted two dogs from this rescue and had a great experience.

This does not seem like a legitimate rescue. I’ve adopted two dogs from rescues and never had an experience like this. They assume the worst in people before even letting them meet a dog. If they want to find truly forever homes for animals they are doing it VERY wrong. I see them as nothing more than taking advantage of selling pets for profit. The adoption fees are unusually high ($695) and I’m not really sure if their pets are in great health as they wouldn’t let us meet him until we commit! Very backwards and shady. I will stick with a shelter.

ASTR is dedicated, trustworthy and extraordinarily committed to the welfare of animals. I adopted a rescue from them in August 2018. They were thorough in checking my history and in ALL of their comments about the dog I was interested in. I admire these wonderful people - I can't say enough good things about them. I am writing this because I care about the welfare of all creatures and hope that my brief story will give you confidence in working with this first-rate rescue.

I had a similar experience to another reviewer. I applied to meet a dog, and within a few hours my references were contacted before I even got a call. When the proprietor called me, she asked if I want to adopt the dog. I said yes, but of course I want to meet it first, and it must meet my other dog before I can commit. She said that’s “not how they do things.” She seemed to suggest I had to commit to adopting before even meeting the dog, and she said that the dog would be introduced to my dog when I pick it up on adoption day. She kept asking in a demanding tone “do you want to adopt the dog?” She was almost badgering me. Doing reference checks and home visits before a person gets to meet the dog they’re interested in is completely backwards. I get the impression this is not a trustworthy rescue group. Their adoption fees are extremely high ($760 for the dog I wanted). The woman I spoke with pressured me to commit to adopt before I even met the dog, saying that if I want to meet it first, I’m basically wasting their time and preventing another dog from being rescued because the quicker this dog gets adopted, the quicker a foster spot opens up for a new rescue. She said they don’t hold dogs, but I never suggested they do so and would have driven to meet the dog that day if they wanted me to. While they may be concerned about their dogs going to good homes, they don’t seem to care if it’s a good fit. She said “all our dogs are good dogs,” as if that’s true - some dogs have problems and adoption agencies should be upfront about those so that they can find the right fit. I am disappointed because my inquiry was serious, but it was met with rudeness and pushiness, as if my questioning their process meant I was an unqualified or not sufficiently interested. There are very few reviews of this organization online, so I hope this review is a cautionary tale for anyone considering adopting from them.

Honestly, a strange experience interacting with this rescue. Every interaction with the proprietor was very brief and terse. She constantly talked down to us and was extremely condescending. Additionally, it was extremely difficult to obtain ANY information about the dog that we were interested in adopting. First, you have to fill out a detailed application and submit to the rescue. Once we submitted the application, they began calling our references before even reaching out to us. Keep in mind, at this point we were still trying to find out basic details about the dog (vaccinations, adoption fee, etc.). Before arranging a meeting with the dog, they sent out someone to our home to inspect. After being told that everything was great, they asked if we wanted to meet the dog on Easter on one day's notice. We asked if it was possible to meet on the next available day, because it was impossible to get to the meeting location that they suggested on a day's notice. After 24 hours of not responding to our email, the proprietor sent a very condescending email stating that they cant hold dogs (we weren't asking them to) and that such a practice would prevent other dogs from coming in and being rescued (again, we were not asking them to 'hold' the dog), and that the dog had been adopted out.

They seem to think the worst of people without even knowing them. Also, I found their operating practices to be very pushy. They were making us feel obligated to adopt the dog before even having a chance to meet her. Adopting a dog is a very important decision, one where ensuring a strong bond between the dog and their new family is extremely important. I worry that the high-pressure sales tactics that this rescue uses rush people into making hasty decisions indicates that they are pushing dogs out their door without their best interest at heart. I hope that this is more due to the owner's lack of space for dogs and wanting to rescue as many as possible. However, after reading some of the other reviews, I worry that there is more than meets the eye going on at this operation.

I am concerned this is not a legitimate operation. We were excited to adopt two puppies, but they would not disclose the rescue location. they only supply a PO box and they don't want you to come meet the puppies at the foster home. They originally told us the 2 puppies were getting spayed on Wed or Th and we could get them over the weekend. Then they said we must get them Thursday AM and they had not updated us that their surgery time had changed. I cannot imagine they would adopt out puppies less than 24 hours after being spayed. Of more concern, they set up a time to meet us in a parking lot- not even a park where the puppies could play or meet us. When I politely asked if there was a reason we could not meet the puppies at their foster home, they immediately said they did not think it was going to work out, good luck and goodbye. All this happened in one email response to my question about meeting the puppies in their home and without regard to the fact they they had interviewed us,paid a home visit, told us we were a good fit and that the puppies were ours. When I said that seemed a little drastic as I only asked with the puppies best interest at heart, no reply. I have learned from a previous experience, when I think we sadly got our last dog unknowingly from a puppy mill, that lack of transparency about the conditions the dogs are kept in and an insistence on meeting only in a public parking lot is a red flag. I hope they are just overzealous animal rescuers, but I fear they not legitimate. A close friend of mine has fostered dozens of dogs and puppies for the humane society and always allows home visits for potential owners, so there is no reason that my question was out of line if the animals are being kept in a good environment.