Animal Lifeline of Iowa

This small shelter has a huge heart. They give all they have the animals in their care no matter how long they stay. Each one becomes family.

It is an honor to be able to work with such fine people and for a worthy cause.

I've actually adopted from Animal Lifeline of Iowa three times over the years. Two of the adoptions were for special needs dogs. The organization was transparent about the conditions and needs of both dogs prior to signing the adoption papers. One dog had ocular skeletal dysplasia (adopted her as a puppy) and one dog has a leg that was broken and not fixed so his leg is a little shorter than the others and came with a brace.

The facility is always clean and staff and volunteers are always helpful. When I've been in the shelter, I've witnessed staff working with the dogs on some of their training needs as well.

We adopted three cats from this wonderful organization!

eversince i started on january 2016 i have learned alot about the sepcial needs cats still volunteering there. when i adopted fiona (fka) sunny back in august 1,2019 they called property manager and friends which went real easy. since i socialized fiona and knew her likes dislikes and quirks they decieded to forgo that part. i rate the shelter a 10 for what they do

This organization is doing absolutely wonderful things!

Wonderful organization that does so much for special needs animals!

I have seen the excellent care they provide for special needs animals firsthand! The staff are genuine and amazing. I have seen Martha go above and beyond to take care of animals and accept as many as she can help. After seeing firsthand what they are able to do, it is clear ALI's work is vital.

Animal Lifeline does so much for animals in need of love and care (and that might not otherwise make it). ALI welcomes the challenges, big or small, and has an incredible team that gives the animals a safe and loving home until they find their forever home. I am proud to be on the board of such a great organization.

I first learned about Animal Lifeline when my first boss out of college had two wonderful dogs adopted from Animal Lifeline. I've now been able to establish my own relationship with Animal Lifeline by joining the Board of Directors. It is such a great organization and animal shelter that provides much needed services to special needs animals that they would not otherwise receive at the other local shelters. Proud to be connected with them!

great organization that continues to word hard giving a second chance to animals in need.

Great staff and volunteers, amazing animals. Would never consider adoption from anywhere else.

We first encountered Animal Lifeline of Iowa when we were looking to adopt a dog (and we did adopt a dog). The staff and volunteers are very professional and it is obvious how much they care for all of these animals. This organization does a thorough job of vetting individuals to make sure that these dogs and cats get into the right home and also make sure the family receives the correct pet for them. It is an honor to promote Animal Lifeline of Iowa!

These guys take care of animals others cast aside. Truly a group of angels.

Great organization, fantastic staff and volunteers. Take great care of the animals.

ALI is a very caring organization. It strives to create the best environment for the animals as they get treated then finds forever homes for the special needs animals.

Fabulous shelter that helps special needs cats and dogs find their living forever home

This is a wonderful place that services a great need in our community.

Great organization with a strong passion for the animals they care for. They have some of the best animals and give them top of the line care. Potential adopters get a great individualized experience.

Animal Lifeline is a small, but mighty, special needs, no-kill animal shelter with a huge heart. This organization helps dogs and cats who may not have any other chance find their forever home. They are easy to work with, and care about the success of animals and their adopters!

Animal Lifeline of Iowa is a great organization which provides a safe haven for our most at risk animals.

Great organization, doing great work! They truly go above & beyond!

I have volunteered and adopted from this shelter several times. Always clean and the staff is great to work with.

From the first time I walked into this shelter, I was impressed with how clean it was. I then started to volunteer here and really fell in love with it. The pride and dedication that everyone takes to make sure the animals are taking care of is above and beyond what you would expect. The animals here are spoiled, loved, and well taken care of. I have adopted four cats from here in the last four years.

As a long-time volunteer, involved in nearly every aspect of this organization, I am proud to be a part of ALI. I do not hesitate to refer adopters, volunteers, and businesses looking to partner with a non-profit to ALI. Individuals, volunteers and businesses are treated well and highly appreciated, and can feel secure that their donations are directed toward the health and well-being of the animals in ALI's care and providing those animals with a comfortable and loving, temporary home.

Animal Lifeline is a hidden gem! They open their arms to special needs dogs and cats, as well as helping other rescue organizations in times of need by accepting animals into their shelter. I volunteer at the shelter and I can attest to the dedication, love, and amazing work of everyone. They are a no-kill, non-profit shelter, so rely on donations from the public. I encourage you to check out Animal Lifeline Shelter and witness the great work they do!

I’ve volunteered at ALI for two and a half years, taking care of their cats and kittens. During that time I’ve never failed to be impressed with the staff’s and leadership’s empathy, commitment to care, good humor, and work ethic. Each cat is loved, and carefully monitored and attended to according to their special requirements and preferences.

I started volunteering at Animal Life Line about 2 months ago and absolutely love helping this organization.The staff are great with the animals,and they take time for each of the animals special needs.These dogs and cats are loved and taken care of as if they were our own.

Wonderful organization that helps animals that would be euthanized find homes. ☺

I donate many items I know are valuable so the profits can help animals in need.
The staff is always helpful and posting pics of items currently in the store. That’s what gets me in there to shop!!! A hard working group of people helping the animals. They are my first go-to thrift store!!!

Everyone at ALI is wonderful!!! They love theses special animals and are amazing people! We adopted our Xena 3 years ago and love her more everyday!

A caring and compassionate organization. We have adopted 2 special needs dogs through them and we couldn't be happier. Great place, great staff, and great volunteers!!

I have volunteered at the Animal Lifeline of Iowa and I am continually impressed with the love and dedication of all volunteers. The animals are well taken care of and loved. The facility has extensive cleaning task lists which keep the animals healthy and happy.

We went to a lot of shelters and rescues looking for a dog to be my esa. When we got here (which I'd never heard of before lol) I explained what we were looking for, and they told us that they didn't have anything right then, but that in a few days they would have a dog available that would fit our needs. We came back, met her, and new she was ours. After we decided, they were very patient and helpful with all the esa and landlord paperwork. She even came with a little puppy starter kit. Lol. Almost two years later and Laurel is the love of our lives!

Great staff, very helpful and friendly. Animals are well cared for.

Several years ago, we fell in love with a Beagle puppy whose picture was in the paper along with Ava, the founder. The puppy had been hit by a car and was found along the interstate. She was brought to Animal Lifeline. She was immediately taken to the vet hospital . She got her hip fixed; the paper did a story about her (they called her "Babette") and about Animal Lifeline. We were lucky enough to be able to adopt her. We had to wait several weeks while she healed and got spayed. Ave allowed us to visit her as often as we wished to bond with her.
They took excellent care of her and all of the other animals. They take in the ones no one else will. I believe this was the first no-kill shelter in Iowa. They are fantastic. Oh, and Babette? She became Sophie. The sweetest little porch-sitting Beagle ever. Thank goodness for Animal Lifeline

I have volunteered with Animal Lifeline of Iowa for 11 years. The facility is always clean, the dogs and cats are well cared for. They have special needs cats and dogs and do whatever it takes for them to benhappy, healthy and find loving homes

Animal Lifeline of Iowa makes it easy and FUN to get involved in their organization. I recently participated in their Pints for Paws scavenger hunt and it was the most fun I've ever had contributing to such a great cause. It was well-organized and the people were awesome. You can definitely tell they have a passion for helping these animals in need!

Kind and caring to all animals. An asset to our community!

Animal Lifeline of Iowa is an amazing place. All of the workers and volunteers there truely love the animals and constantly go above and beyond for wax individual animal in need.

Animal Lifeline of Iowa is a no-kill, special needs shelter that is demonstrating a great non-profit for its dedication to their mission. This animal shelter doesn’t have a lot, but they give a lot. They take in the toughest animal cases and give them a fair shot at life. Special needs animals are often euthanized because they are perceived as being a hardship to care for. Animal Lifeline of Iowa (ALI) treats these special needs animals with respect, and they are given a chance at life. I often tell the story of Kringle the kitten when I explain the spirit of ALI’s mission. I first saw Kringle alone in a kitten cage with bulging, bleeding eyes. I opened the cage to feed him and the noise startled him and he began bouncing around the cage erratically. He was new to the shelter and unsure of his surroundings. I fed him and watched as a more experienced volunteer cared for his eyes. I went home and cried. Was this the best life for him? I was questioning my commitment to the ALI mission. Then, a few weeks later his eyes were taken out and I had another volunteer shift with Kringle. I saw a whole new kitten, full of life, happy and playful. What astounded me was how quickly he adapted to his loss of sight. I socialized with him and played with a toy mouse with him. Not only did he follow the mouse all over the floor, he did it better than the other kittens. I went home and cried again, but this time it was happy tears. I was so proud of Kringle and to this day I tell that story every time I talk about ALI. His story is just one demonstration of the work that ALI does helping animals. They go on to live happy lives no different than any other pet. Anyone that cares that much – when others don’t – to me, demonstrates the shining example of good character. They do it all without being asked, and they don’t do it for glory. They are the only no-kill, special needs animal shelter in central Iowa. Additionally, they value educating the public on responsible pet ownership. They want to be placing these animals in forever homes, so they take the adoption process very seriously. Education is a small step toward fostering valuable pet ownership. I’m proud to serve on the board for Animal Lifeline of Iowa.

I first became aware of Animal Lifeline of Iowa 4 years ago when I was asked by a friend to attend their annual Paws and Claws charity auction. I was very moved by the mission and the generosity and love shown to these very special animals. Since then, I’ve become not only a donor, but a volunteer, adopter, and board member. I very much believe in the mission of the organization!

I've adopted 3 pets from Animal Lifeline of Iowa - 2 dogs and 1 cat. They really are a small shelter with a big heart! I appreciated the time and effort they put into making each adopting family feel special. They required my current animals be up to date on all medical requirements, ensuring they home to appropriate adopters. I love the shelter and the staff!

The work Animal Lifeline is able to do is unparalleled in the state of Iowa. Caring and devoted employees and volunteers, top notch vet care, and all the love and affection each animal gets is life-altering, for both huma n and animal. Thank God for Animal Lifeline of Iowa!

Wonderful and helpful staff, clean environment for all the animals being cared for at their facility.

We adopted a kitten here 6 years ago. He was one of six orphans found in a box. He is the best cat ever. Very social and healthy. The shelter is really clean and the staff and volunteers are great.

I have adopted, volunteered and been a donor for Animal Lifeline of Iowa... a no-kill animal shelter that support orphaned, abandoned, pregnant, handicapped or animals that have health issues. This is an amazing organization that stretches every dollar they receive and does a tremendous job working to secure donors and support through discounted or volunteered services or products. They are kind, amazing group that takes amazing care of dogs and cats in need. I would highly recommend them as an worthy organization for donor or volunteer support. JE

Animal Lifeline is an amazing place where all animals are loved, cared for, appreciated and accepted the way they are. The staff is friendly and knows all of the animals very well. My daughter and I have volunteered at this special needs no-kill shelter for several years and have always had an excellent experience. They provided us with very specific training and guidelines which were very helpful. It is very well organized and very clean. Our job is to socialize with the cats. We play with each cat, pet it and give it lots of love and attention. This is especially true in the isolation room where only one cat can be out at a time due to health issues. It is quite impressive to see how the animals progress over time. The staff is very patient and does all that it can to help the animals. What a comfort to know that when an animal finds its way to Animal Lifeline, that it will be given the best life possible and every chance to survive and thrive whether it takes days, weeks or years. Animal Lifeline is certainly an exemplary shelter in our eyes.

I went to Animal Lifeline because of a co-worker. Outside her cubicle, she posted from the Des Moines Register current listings of adoptable animals. She worked at the shelter. Her job was to take care of the cats and she spoke very highly about the way the cats were cared for. After our yellow tabby Chester passed away we went to ALI to get another yellow tabby. When we walked into the cat room looking for a yellow tabby, a tuxedo cat kept sticking her paw out to touch me. The care taker said I’ve never seen her do that; she must want to meet you. So she took out this black cat with the characteristic white mark on the chest, white toes and a white belly. Miss Scarlet was very happy to meet me, but when I passed her to my husband she reached for him and licked him on the face all the while she was purring. So she wanted us to take her home and we couldn’t say no to her. She obviously had been taken care of because she was so calm and loving. Our second pet that we adopted from ALI was Daisy. During the time that my mother was in her battle against cancer, she spent time in a care center. The care center had a dog that lived there with the residents. It was the visits from that dog that she looked forward to, and sometimes all we talked about was that dog. I had heard about dog therapy, but until I witnessed the effect it had on people, I didn’t know how helpful this therapy could be. I decided this was something I needed to do. We wrote ALI to ask them if they had any dog that might be suitable for dog therapy. They introduced us to Daisy and the rest is history. For 6 years Daisy and I visited the Care Center every other Saturday morning. Most of the residents don’t remember my name, but they always remember Daisy’s. I feel my Mom would be pleased. Mom has been gone for some time now, but somehow I know when I got a smile from one of the residents, I know my mother is smiling too. Daisy is at least 11 years old and we just retired her this year. Our third pet that we adopted from ALI was Ginger. Daisy needed a friend; someone to chew on her neck, chase her and sleep with her, Also, since Daisy was very much my dog, my husband wanted to find a dog that would really just be his. He went out to ALI and Ginger picked him out. He turned around in the kennel to see a dog with huge ears and a grin, just starring at him and it was love at first sight. Ginger will never be as well behaved as Daisy, but she is every bit as loving and truly fun to have around. Daisy loves her and they are best friends. For several years after our adoptions we also did some volunteer work for ALI. Currently we are not because we have some other obligations, but I would highly recommend that volunteering at the shelter is very rewarding. This is not just an animal shelter, this is a home for animals looking for forever homes.

The first time I visited AnimalLifeline I was looking to adopt a dog as a companion for my golden retriever. I was not successful with my first visit but I started checking their website and noticed they were needing volunteers so I applied. That was approx. 2-3 years ago and I am still volunteering. I work every thursday and have gained so much from the experience, including a bassett mix (Trigger) that had a broken leg ( he had been shot) but is now the best dog ever!! His sister loves him dearly and they bonded at their very first meeting. The staff and volunteers at Animal Lifeline are wonderful and really do care about what happens to all the animals that come in. Everyone that works there goes above and beyond, time and time again to find our animals wonderful forever homes. I may spend a small amount of time there each week but I have to say that it is the most rewarding experience of my week. Shelter animals are very appreciative of the care they receive and will show you over and over again what wonderful pets they can be.

Animal Lifeline of Central Iowa is a beautiful place where many dogs and cats with special needs end up at the shelter. They have been brought to the shelter because no one wants a broken or ill dog or cat. Maybe they just can't afford to take care of it. Maybe they just don't have time to care for it. Maybe they think there disposable. Whatever the reason may have been, which I know there was some very sad cases, but Animal Lifeline helped save many lives of these sweet souls. There was many times working at the Shelter a new dog or cat would arrive, I thought they would never get adopted. But I can say they usually did. There are alot of kind people out there that opened there heart and adopted one or two of these special need angels, I was one of them. Most shelters would have gave up on these animals but now Animal Lifeline of Central Iowa. It's a great place with very nice people.