The ACAPL has always been a staple in our community for the many, many animals in need in our very large, rural County. As a Volunteer, an area resident and a prior Adopter, I have witnessed the Shelter always ready to step up and do what's right for the animals! I have adopted numerous seniors and health-challenged babies from them that other shelters would have euthanized. The staff works tirelessly to make sure the animals are comfortable and comforted. Dogs get walked, cats get cuddled and pocket pets are kept in proper surroundings. This organization gets a thumbs up and many, many stars!!
The staff at the ACAPL cares so much about all of the animals in their facility. They adjust and adapt to accommodate every situation that comes their way. They spend their own money to bring in special meals and treats for the animals, they work longer hours than planned to get everything done, and they show love and compassion for the animals. They are a no-kill shelter, and provide care to animals regardless of how long it takes for them to be adopted.
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I adopted a dog my sweet sangria in 2015. I volunteer now as a dog walker. The Executive Director Mary gives so much heart to the organization..she is always visible, and such a hard-working professional. The staff are all amazing and go above and beyond helping our pups and other animals live the best possible life while waiting for adoption. I cannot say enough about the care and cleanliness provided at all times. Ashtabula is the largest county in Ohio, the staff here have their work cut out for them with the shear volume of intakes. A great organization with amazing staff and volunteers.
The ACAPL has really been trying to upgrade with the limited space available to them. They have recently upgraded their kennels and cat cages, and are rearranging areas for better work flow. The animal areas seem much cleaner and certainly smell much better than when I was a volunteer in 2018. The volunteer recruitment is an active on-going process with certification offerings. They have added a trailer for a more home-like get-to-know -you area, as well as a quiet, temperature and draft controlled place for the more unusual pets like reptiles and rabbits. It is obvious that the staff really care for the animals. I have always had rescue animals when getting a pet.
Our acapl.org is lead by the most Amazing woman, Mary Glauser, who has proven to excel in all superior aspects of managing our shelter that once was not doing so well and now has turned it into a caring compassionate place to work, care for and live for our homeless animals in Ashtabula County. She knows how to take negatives and turn them into positives and I am proud of everything she has done for our community and making it better. She is an aspiration for all to look up to and will always make a positive impact on everyone and every animal she comes across.
I feel Ashtabula APL goes above and beyond to help the animals feel loved and wanted and to help them all find loving furever homes - their volunteers even take the dogs on day trips and post the pics and video , which I feel lets many viewers see the dogs in a much better setting and shows their sweet dispositions for a much better chance at being adopted - The Ashtabula APL deserves the much needed donations - Thank you
Excellent group for fostering. However, we failed at fostering. Pigeon, is now Max and has fit right into our family.
I have adopted from the Ashtabula County APL, I have volunteered there and soon hope to become foster approved. There is so much good being done by this facility for our homeless animals.
I’ve been fostering with the Ashtabula County APL for two years. My experience with the staff has been wonderful. They are available, knowledgeable and helpful to both people and pets.
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What a great group of people to work with. Keep up the great work. :)
I started volunteering at the APL two and half years ago when I lost both my fur babies within 4 months of each other and there was this giant hole in my heart. I wasn't ready to adopt quite yet but I had so much love to give, these folks helped me mend. The fur babies that I have seen come through the doors and find their furever homes.... is beyond words. There are always those few that just steal your heart right off the bat. The puppy dog eyes, the wiggly butt.. need I say more.
Thank you everyone for helping me heal and to be able to help some of the 4 legged friends to trust humans again. I currently still volunteer and have added fostering to my life as well. The attached pictures are just a few of the pups I have had a pleasure working with.
After almost two years of searching for a small dog, we came upon our dog Jeannie. I saw her online and immediately contacted Ashtabula County Animal Protective League. They were very kind and helpful in telling me how to make application, which I did quickly. They reviewed it promptly and notified me that we were accepted. We drove the two hours to see our puppy for some bonding time. They found a wonderful foster that cared for her until the spay was performed and we could pick her up. Everyone there was so professional and kind. What a great experience. I wish I lived close enough to volunteer there.
Each staff person truly cares about the animals. They have a passion for what they do and work hard to create events within the community that spread awareness as well as support those furry friends who are most vulnerable!
The staff at ACAPL are so caring to all the animals in their care, and very welcoming to all those that offer them help. My heart is warmed at the level of compassion they have and all the effort they put in to keeping the animals healthy and happy. Every interaction I've had with staff has been wonderful -- I just wish there was more I could help them with!
I started volunteering with the ACAPL in early August and have come to realize they truly care about the animals. They have come a long way in 3 years and are constantly looking for ways to improve and implementing those improvements. They advocate for volunteers to complete Fear Free Training and they themselves have implemented many suggestions from the Fear Free Trainings. They’re doing an amazing job, especially as they are the only shelter in Ashtabula County.
They were super helpful when it came to adopting my dog and gave some great tips when he had trouble settling in.
Everyone at the APL is so kind and caring. I have volunteered at the APL and it has always been a great experience!
Huge improvements made in animal care since the past but now major improvements need to be made elsewhere. A very uninviting environment, you walk in and immediately feel like you’re inconveniencing the front staff. There is also a constant revolving door due to various reasons generally centered around the upper management and board. It’s a shame. They’re doing great things for the animals but only rely on the community if it immediately impacts them. If not, you’re literal scum and an inconvenience
Ashtabula County Animal Protective League is a fantastic organization with a caring focus on helping animals of Ashtabula County. As a foster for ACAPL, they do a fantastic job of ensuring resources are provided to care for animals in foster care and have made leaps and bounds for those who wish to help with day-cations and afternoon group walks. They're encouragement for public involvement is a great way of educating the public and enriching the lives of shelter animals in finding their furever homes. Couldn't ask for better staff!
They are doing a great job caring for the dogs and cats that arrive at the shelter. Medical attention is a priority along with helping the new arrivals make a comfortable transition to their new clean and safe living space at the shelter.Finding new forever homes is always a challenge but the staff here has a high rate of success with adoptions.
My family has a long tradition of adopting from the APL and my sister and I have continued that with our own families. I also help foster and have joined the Board. The care and compassion I see from the staff and Executive Director is second to none and I am proud to support them in all they do. If you are thinking of having a fur baby join your family then this is the first place I’d go! I promise you won’t be disappointed!!!
I saw a post that they were looking for volunteers and since retirement I found myself never leaving the house. I started Volunteering in Feb. 2022 and it has changed my life. I go every morning and socialize the cats and somedays I go back in the afternoon too. It gives me such a good feeling to see the change that human contact has on these furbabies and getting excited when I put them in the arms of their forever human. My grandkids have also gotten involved in going and sharing their love. After a month there , Columbo picked me to be his human and I adopted him. The staff has become part of my family.
I adopted a dog, Sammy, from Ashtabula APL in December 2021. It was my first experience in adopting in over a decade. I immediately knew that Ashtabula APL was well run, really cared about the animals, and has staff and volunteers who go the extra mile to make both the animals and prospective adopters comfortable. The staff were knowledgeable, patient and gave good insight into the dogs' personalities and most successful situations. The dog I sought was meant to be a companion for an existing dog, Costello, I had taken in with her sibling, however, the sibling passed away from cancer and Costello was so lonely. Ashtabula APL gave me great recommendations and suggested Sammy. We did a meet and the two dogs were instantly best buddies. It has been a few months short of a year and they are inseparable and clearly happy. I owe the Ashtabula APL a great deal of thanks for matching me to a forever friend.
I adopted my kitty, Phoebe, from the APL a little over 5 years ago
She is the light of my life, and the best little friend, ever.
So glad I found her, when I really wasn't e enough looking. Quiet and shy, I knew I had to spring her, and she rewards me everyday with very sweet nature.
I recently moved to the area and wanted to continue volunteering for animal welfare. I have many years of experience working with animals and really wanted to find a place to continue in Ohio. Well... was I ever pleased! I filled out the volunteer info form and immediately had a response, followed by a phone call and had a visit for a tour set. I was very impressed with the way I was greeted and to see all the wonderful care they give each and every pet in their care. I am so excited to start volunteering and it was so easy!
Started volunteering at the ACAPL in March 2022. Very nice caring,clean shelter that works very hard to give the animals a second chance at a well deserved good life. They work with dogs in training ,enrichment & socialization of both dogs & cats to give them a better chance of a successful adoption.
They appreciate their volunteers & are not demanding of amount of volunteer time.Also a pleasant environment to be in.
Today I won the lottery ! Lynx found me, it took me awhile to make it to Ashtabula from Warren. When I read her story she was mine in my heart. When I saw her... it was love at first sight. She. Is a senior and do am I... it's meant to be. She's gonna be loved, spoiled and her only concern will be to wear sparkling collars or over-sized flowers. Enough about us. The staff was so wonderful. You got the feeling they really enjoy the animals and treat them really well. Came home with a wonderful bag of treats and "essentials. I can't say enough about this place. Clean and inviting. Remember... ADOPT DON'T SHOP. THERE ARE A LOT OF ANIMALS LOOKING FOR A SOFT PLACE TO LAND. I LOVE MY DAISY AND THE PEOPLE WHO INTRODUCED US!
Someone stole my baby girl & this shelter said they tried to find the owner all that but they didn’t, they didn’t follow the rules, all I want is my baby girl back, but they adopted her & said her “new owner” makes the rules! How is this even fair?! When she was STOLEN FROM ME, & I have all her paperwork?! They care so much about the animals my butt, Because anyone that know me & My baby knows she belongs with me, I know she’s wondering if I abandon her when I would never, so I got a lawyer & I will fight & I’ll get her back.
Last November I got Auggie. She is a 7 yr old English springer spaniel! We love her and she has made a great addition to our family. The Apl has come a long way and is doing great job. Keep up the good work!
I found a lost dog and brought him to the shelter. Through the efforts of sharing his picture and the dog warden, he was able to be reunited with his family. The APL was amazing, which is why I give my continued support to this organization,
We adopted our sweet boy Bob Barker (AKA Mason Digger) from the kind folks at Ashtabula APL, he was already chipped and ready to go, they made sure we registered Bob's chip, and educated us on the importance of always keeping that information up to date, Bob was our first rescue, and I also appreciated that we signed a contract that if for any reason, the adoption didn't work out, they wanted him back, truly let's you know their priority is to the animal.
Wonderful rescue! Staff truly cares for the animals. Worked there for awhile and it was a great atmosphere. 5Stars!
Great experience when I decided to rescue/adopt Gino. They were very helpful and made it a smooth process.
Very clean place. They try to find the best suited homes for these pets. He staff is very caring wonderful people.
We adopted our Nikki there way back in 2010. The staff were all very nice and knowledgeable. They let us walk Nikki around the cat pens to make sure she was ok with kitties since we had two. 10/10 rating!
The crew at the Ashtabula APL helped me find my best friend, Bugsy! The staff were very knowledgeable about each animal’s unique personality, and were able to set up an introduction for Bugsy and I. They knew he was a little shy at first, and they knew time and treats would break him out of his shell. I could tell they genuinely cared for each animal there, ensuring they find their forever homes. Bugsy’s personality has blossomed since I took him home, and I’m forever grateful for their time and dedication put into him.
Wonderful group of dedicated animal lovers. Located in the largest county in Ohio, they are often inundated with dogs and cats. They carry on the best they can with what they have but I know they could always use more money. They actively try to get these animals into foster homes or forever homes thru Facebook and YouTube. I saw a dog on their Facebook page and agreed to foster him. I just officially adopted him. They do several events and raffles, etc. to raise additional funds, but again I'm sure it is never enough, especially when animals come in sick or injured and need expensive veterinarian services. They are a no kill (thank God) facility. Please consider them...their needs are great and the needs of the animals they help is greater! Lynda Babic, animal lover.
I adopted the sweetest little Kitty named Queso from the APL! The staff were all so sweet and friendly and I can tell they really love and care for the animals there!! I also love that they will tell you the story of you newest family member when you adopt them if they are able to!! They are also very helpful with helping your new family member adjust
They go the extra mile to make sure their charges get awesome forever homes. Hard work and dedication!!!
I retired from Worthington Industries in Feb. I decided to work part time at the APL . When I started I was amazed at the amount of cleaning that goes on, on a daily basis. I had 2 dogs when I started now I have 3.
We adopted 3 wonderful dogs from the Ashtabula County Animal Protective League. Countless animals are helped in our community through this organization.
As the local and only Animal Control Officer for the City of Ashtabula “roughly 21,000 residents in the city” being the largest City in our County “Ashtabula County” I’m pleased with the improvements the Ashtabula APL has made. The Ashtabula APL has made leaps and bound over the years, In my time as Animal Control I’ve been able to watch this struggling shelter turn into one that functions appropriately, always is willing to help, the communication amongst the employees and to myself have been fantastic. The APL staff is bar none. They all have immense passion and care about every single animal that walks through those doors. They do amazing work and without them my job would be even harder then it already is. The APL is already tasked with being the go to shelter for myself “Animal Control” as well as the go to shelter for the County Dog Warden. In total the county has roughly 100 thousand residents. The APL being the only true “Dog and Cat” shelter. With a few small exceptions they have managed to always help when I need help as well as balancing the community needs. The staff from Director down has always been open to step up and provide assistance to myself and the Police Department at anytime, often times at 1,2,3 o’clock in the morning.
There diligent efforts to help and care do not go unnoticed by me, but may not be seen by everyone. This is the first I’ve made a public comment on this facility however as I’ve always supported them I now feel comfortable being able to put it in black and white.
Thanks for all you guys do!
Peace Out,
Steve Lanham
Ashtabula City Animal Control Officer
The staff has been very considerate when dealing the public. Their kindness in handling the strays brought in is commendable. They are exceptional in their efforts to find lost pet’s owners and finding homes for unclaimed cats and dogs. Keeping the public up to date on available adoptions is one of their key efforts.Ashtabula county is proud of our Animal Protective League. Second to none !
The Ashtabula APL is a very well run nonprofit. All the staff members are hard working. The APL does a great job keeping the shelter clean. They do a very good job promoting the APL on social media and have been able to find wonderful homes for the dogs and cats.
We adopted our precious Eddie in the summer of 2020. The Ashtabula APL was amazing to meet and to work with. Thank you for being a part of our family!!!
We found the most loving dog at the ACAPL. The staff did a wonderful job of caring for her and guiding us through the adoption process! The animal residents are so very lucky to have such skilled, compassionate folx from the top to the bottom of the organization!
We have adopted 3 animals from the Ashtabula APL. One cat, and two dogs. They are the loves of our lives. The APL was thorough in their vetting of us. They called our vet to ensure our current animals were well cared for before allowing us the adoption of another. The work they do is invaluable. We will never not adopt. Our local APL has our hearts, and our eternal gratitude for our 3 babies.
Ashtabula County Animal Protective League connected me with my best boy, Henry. They work hard to make sure that the animals they're responsible for go to good homes that can properly care for them. While the animals are in their care, they are kept clean, safe, and comfortable. They truly care about the work they do, and it's obvious to anyone who walks in the door.
We took in a couple of stray cats and had them neutered and vaccinated and successfully found a home for one of them. We reached out to the ACAPL to help find a home for the other one. Everyone at the ACAPL was friendly and helpful and we could tell they really care about all the animals. They helped little Nova find his forever home!
We got our beautiful little kitten there his name is Pip everyone help make our adoption easy and stress free. He saved my mother’s heart as we had lost our boy Sunny to cancer. Thank you
I have adopted a dog (2012) and cat (2014) from this wonderful APL. The staff that is there is completely overworked, and none of them complain about it because they are there for the animals! They love and care for these animals and work with them to make sure they receive good homes. It is a NO kill shelter, which is amazing as well given the number of intakes they have every year. Ashtabula County is a very poor county in Ohio, and somehow the community comes together to help this shelter out so these animals can receive the best care possible. As a nonprofit, the shelter relies heavily on donations, so anything I can do to help, including writing this review, I try to do. You should too :)
They care so much about animals and the community! We are so lucky to have such compassionate animal care in the county!!
The Ashtabula County Animial Protective League has grown into a wonderful organization with the help of Executor Director Mary Glauser. The facility is warm and inviting. People are greeted with kindness and given help needed. The staff, both old and new, are dedicated to the cause and are growing with the organization. More importantly, the animals come first. They are the stars of the show! They are loved and cared for like never before.
If you need an organization or a cause to back, I highly recommend the Ashtabula County Animial Protective League.
I have been volunteering and fostering for years. The improvements are palpable! Thank you for everything you do for our animals!
I have been a volunteer at Ashtabula County APL for several years. I also worked there for about a year before I retired. I have never met a more caring group of people when it comes to the animals. The staff is amazing and very knowledgeable.
This shelter has far exceeded my expectations afer reading a few disgruntled reviews. Huge outdoor playyards for the dogs. A full size Snoopy's dog house with Snoopy on the roof. Swings and wading pools when the weather allows. An organized and clean lobby. Friendly shelter workers that try to answer all your questions . Well cared for and healthy dogs and cats. As for the reviews I read, you just can't please everyone.
We were very fortunate to have adopted a gorgeous dog from ACAPL in 2014, we always feel shelter adoption is a wonderful option when adding a fur~ever family member . With any non profit organization, resources, funding and man/woman power is limited. Ashtabula, being the 77th largest county of Ohio- with an median average household income (2017) of only $43,020, such organizations heavily depend on the generosity and donations of the community. Those that have had negative experiences, have opportunities to inquire how they can positively contribute their new ideas, attend board meetings, donate their time/services to make a difference to what they saw as a shortcoming from their personal experiences. As for our own personal experience adopting our furry family member, we were quite fortunate to have adopted from this local shelter. We realize that with the shelter’s mission & vision is to help each and every one of those animals with the LIMITED resources is an ongoing daily challenge. There’s always room to improve, our belief if you want something to change, get involved for positive change. Thank you Ashtabula County Animal Protective League for our ‘Happy Adoption Tail’! ❤️
Hi! I am Alisa and I am 13 years old. I am not writing a response to anything today, but I have some questions. First of all, I was wondering if I was old enough to volunteer. I have an extreme passion about animals and needed something to do during my summer break coming up in the beginning of June. I love being around animals. Hope to hear from ya'll soon!
People stop donating to this so called rescue they are taking peoples pet and not returning them to the right full owners. You all should be ashamed of your nasty selfs and you think your a good rescue. You make me sick. Karma is a b.... and you all will get your day because it's not about those poor animal. Greed money and a little power you all think you have. Some people are starting to get a little smarter.
This place has an ongoing problem NOT returning owned animals when the owners try to claim their animals. It just happened again this past weekend. I am sure all positive reviews are either volunteers, employees, or people who have profited from the animal theft and flipping going on at this horrible place. DO NOT DONATE they are scammers!
I like green road animal shelter ye thy do care who adopts the animals . they also provide medications with a vet on hand . they also have clean out door pens to walk the animals in every day . th animals are kept very clean too I am happy to say I have been there . also in case you did not know this you can even get your own pets license plate s there
Ok, this place bites. They say they are desperate to have pets adopted but then go out of their way to not approve apps. I have 10+ years of vet history with my rescue pets here in Jefferson and the reason given for a no approval was no adequate vet history. REALLY????? Not like I was trying to get a pup/kitten. I was trying to adopt an older cat. I also heard from an insider that the "Prime" pets are reserved for "family or close friends". I do not doubt that because I have tried to get a breed pup but everytime one showed up on their FB page (I was always checking), miraculously it was adopted. Amazing how quick those apps were processed. Yet took 3 weeks for me to get an answer. Me, with a history of 3 adopted pets from here, all seen by the Jefferson Vet Clinic. All support for this facility will be withdrawn. No more blankets, food or money. I will send my support to the Lake Humane Society and I suggest everybody do this.
Horrible customer service. I applied for one of three kittens over a month ago. Was told that they were still available but in foster care until they could be adopted. Never heard back from them. After three weeks called and left messages that were never returned, Sent multiply emails that were never answered. Today I go to the site and all three kittens are gone. APL could at least have called and let me know that the kittens were re-homed. I feel very bad for all the animals waiting for a forever home at that place where NO ONE cares.
I am a person who have previously adopted animals from this place, donated money, supplies and organized drives for donations, but as of the last two years things here have changed. This is our local APL, on at least 5 different occasions in the last few months, lost dogs have been brought into the APL. When the owners have tried to claim them, the APL refuses to return them to their home and families. Even when providing proof of ownership, shot records and meeting all the supposed adoption criteria. These dogs are health well taken care of and loved. The APL has stolen these dogs!
We when to a board meeting to find out why these animals were not being returned to their homes and the board members were belittling the public and people who had questions.
As a non profit organization that asks the public for donations and then tells them they have no right to question the APLs decisions. This is wrong!
We are not talking about homeless animals. We are talking about animals who's owners are having to fight the APL for there own animals! And none of theses animals have been returned.
This APL has turned peoples donations of animal food away because it was the wrong kind of food.
They have had dogs there that have lived in small cages for over a year, and when a person came to adopt one, they were denied because their mother had tried to adopt a cat the week earlier and was denied because they thought the mother was to old, What does that have to do with the person who wanted to adopt the dog?
several people have tried to apply for a seat on the board and are denied because the existing board members are who decide the seats on the board.
This place is very crooked.
Review from Guidestar
I have not had good experiences with this place. First off I feel so sorry for the animals in there, you walk in that place and it smells so bad, it takes your breath away. You leave with the smell stuck to your clothes and hair! All the animals have that Kennel Cough and mucus in their eyes....poor things! They spread it one to another and most times you go in there they are all standing around just talking to each other.
They make up their own rules as they go along........if they sense they dont like you they find a way to not adopt out to you. I know some who have lost their very own dogs and go there and they wont give them back their own dogs! They will not adopt out if you have no vet. If you have not had a dog before , how are you suppose to have a vet? They are rude and they treat people bad.
If they are questioned about any of the process their answer is "come to one of our board meetings". Years ago the place was cleaner and people were friendly....not anymore.
There needs to be clean sweep of the people "in charge" there because things are just not right there. Who suffers for all of this......THE ANIMALS do!! Some of those sweet dogs and cats could be in loving homes but instead sit in a cage in a place that stinks to high heaven for years.
Review from Guidestar
Im sure that most if not all the positive reviews of this org.are written by folks who work there or have family that does.Most of the folks i have talked to have not had a good experiance there...many families have been denied their own pets,very hard to adopt(new rules are added,till you are unable to be approved)Many of the poor creatures there have been caged there for years.all because nobody can live up to all the requirments.when there are loving homes and good families that would welcome them in their homes.It seems to be less about the animals and more about money..so sad the place is so filthy the dogs all get kennel cough from breathing in the urine filled air...the head of it has had 4 dui's ! a drunk runs the place! if you cant run your own life how are you running this place..not very well thats for sure!
Review from Guidestar
Cudos to the ACAPL for all they do. Despite being perpetually overcrowded and understaffed, they do a wonderful job of saving animals and finding them homes. I just adopted another dog from them 2 months ago, and she is the light of my life. I am so glad that Lola/Gypsy saved me.
We had adopted our cat from the Ashtabula Animal protective League in June. She instantly became a joyful addition to our family. After 2 weeks she ran away (she is back now, after a month of sleepless nights and searching) . I was paying the newspaper $48 a week to print our "LOST" ad. Without even being asked the APL posted her picture and our phone number on their HOME PAGE! That meant so much to us. The ASCAPL is a wonderful organaziotion that takes the best care of their animals, and their owners even after the adoption. It warms my heart to see the wonderful things they do for the animals in their care.
As a new volunteer and someone who adopted a dog from the ACAPL in January, I am continually impressed by the ACAPL. The volunteers who foster dogs all have families, jobs, and lives outside of the ACAPL, yet they always put the animals first. Even if that means getting very few hours of sleep a night. During the adoption process, those involved make sure that the animal is going to a good home and spend time getting to know the adopters, calling their vets, and doing their best to make sure that the animal has found its furever home. In the unfortunate situation that an animal is returned, the volunteers, foster parents, and staff open their arms and hearts and homes to make sure that animal still feels loved and accepted. I've even seen the ACAPL members remember dogs who were adopted years ago and rejoice over the success stories of their adoptions.