Main Line Animal Rescue

They were unwelcoming and made me feel very uncomfortable during my visit I applied for a rescue dog and drove 1 hour and was there to meet my potential new baby. The woman did not greet me. She asked my name and then I told her I was there for the poodle mix. She asked did I have other a pets, I said,"no". She looked me up and down again and said she needs to be with someone that has a dog. They did not post that on the website but how convenient to say that once she saw me, a woman of color. She had the nerve to allow me to see her but quickly said, " try the brandywine spca and good luck. I was so hurt because I knew the way everyone in this established looked at me when I first walked in, I wasn't going to get that baby.
I will never recommend that rescue to any of my friends or family. They all made me feel so unwelcomed. When I left, I felt that they discriminated against me because of the color of my skin.

No longer a sanctuary, this has become a political place, literally a " holding" spot , no affection or time with animals, particularly the cats,you can see it in cats eyes. There is a nasty,controlling mean woman Dorothy that is so ignorant to volunteers. Tragedy they ousted Bill who truly Loved animals to create a holding place for minimal animals for $ & politics. Make sure you address these Arrogant staff as pronouns....so so sad now.Its a liberal "she/ her organization...ahhh.Not appropriate for an animal " shelter" which this is no longer. It's a holding place with Ignorant nasty staff.

F = Faulty, Foolish, Failure

Many years ago I had participated as a Corporate Volunteer at Main Line Animal Rescue. With my recent passing of my precious long life doggie who was a spoiled member of my household, I decided it was time to look for a new precious animal deserving a loving home.

Knowing the dedication necessary, I was ready for the challenge. With all the misleading individuals online, I looked up MLAR and found the sister organization, 1 Love 4 Animals. A brother / sister combo left outside in 12 degree weather caught my eye, I knew they could be a handful, but my heart tore at me to finally sit down and inquire. I poured my heart out in my email, and filled the application. I stopped when I saw the requirements of a fence. I have a manicured lawn and plenty of space inside and out for these two very small toy dogs. They are lap and house dogs under 7-10 pounds each, who would leave them run around carelessly in a yard? In my mind, that's abusive. I never leave pets unattended and having time and money to dedicate I never thought it would be a problem. This experience was set to break my spirit and trust. The lady Jen F. is a horrible communicator. Spineless. I was hoping for professionalism and the abrupt experience showed they cannot match a truly dedicated animal lover with needy disadvantaged and abused pets.

I don't typically make judgement of one experience, but after reading everyone's comments here, it's pathetic.

I don't recommend the stress of dealing with them and it's pitiful and a crime to know they are on that same mental level of a puppy mill who works against the whole purpose of what they should stand for.

Had a very bad experience with this rescue place. Put in application and it said they respond in 72 hours, We had to chase them down to just get them to respond. That took several weeks. They emailed us a few dogs and said come and meet them. We said yes! Never could get anyone to respond again. Still trying but into week 5 now. Don’t think it will happen. Sad it is so hard to try to help rescue a dog who needs a forever home!

Very unprofessional place. Called to see if we could come look at the dogs they said of course. Drive a half hour up there and walk in to a rude receptionist who rolled her eyes at us didn’t even say a word. Had some other lady walk in saying well you need an appointment to see the dogs and told us to leave. Awful place

The executive director is the worst of the worst animal hoarder. He believes he and he alone knows what's good for an animal. If you disagree with anything he says, he will tell you "you are a liar", "You talk to much", "you know nothing". He is always right and you are always wrong. He is the worst. He and his staff will tell you what dog YOU want. If you think you get to pick it out, think again. He would rather keep a stressed out animal in a cage for YEARS than let it go. If he doesn't like your vet, no animal for you, if you have a dog door, no dog for you, if he doesn't "like" your fence, no dog for you, if you are handicapped and "cant chase" a dog, no dog for you. Oh and if you have a full time job, no dog for you. Do you know why? Well because then the dog would spend too much time alone. Oh brother, how does one feed a dog, house a dog and provide medical care if you don't work? It goes on and on. Getting a dog from MLAR is like subjecting yourself to a body cavity search. They put up so many hurdles it isn't funny. Guess what? There are respectable and responsible breeders out there, though The Executive Director will tell you otherwise. Yes it would be nice to rescue, but if you have to listen to him and his rules and policies, buy a dog, you will be much happier. Oh and guess what else, if you do happen to get a dog from The Executive Director, you never really own it. In the contract they have you sign he can repossess that dog at any time for any reason. And get this, if by some chance the dog gets loose, OMG, you are the worst dog owner ever and God forbid he get his hands on the dog. You will never get it back (you can google this fact). In more than one instance, he has found a lost dog and had its micro chip removed, so the owner couldn't locate it. YES that is true. Read the YELP reviews and check out his comments below each one. Its unbelievable. Oh and a word about his volunteers, if they question him about anything he does or doesn't do, he "fires them". How the heck do you fire someone who is volunteering their time to care for homeless animals. That tells you he cares more about his big fat ego than he does about the care of the animals in his shelter (by the way this is just one small example) . If you live outside his "comfort" zone, you may not have a dog, unless...you happen to be rich and famous. Then the rules are bent. I believe the Executive Director started out with a good plan but his ego and power has gotten in his way. This power and ego has tripped him, he fell and broke his nose. Now he couldn't sniff out a good pet owner if he tried. So sad Mr. Executive Director, do the animals a favor and retire. Your no good at this anymore.

We have adopted 3 dogs from the SPCA over the last 20 years so we knew working with MLAR would be a new experience. MLAR had 2 dogs we were interested in so I filled out an application, got a call right away and then an appointment.

My first unsettling feeling was during the phone interview... the woman barely let me speak. I was constantly cut off and it was baffling to me that she didn't care about our current dog - his breed, demeanor, where we got him, etc. I let this go and cleared my families schedules for that Saturday.

Upon arrival MLAR was a mess - not enough parking for adopters, wild, unruly little dogs behind a mismanaged counter without even a pen to sign in. Then I was told I had to fill out another application which happened to be the same exact questions from the phone interview.

Here is the worst part - We have a cat and the two dogs we were interested in were not cat tested prior to our visit. It was made crystal clear in my phone interview that we have a cat and that the 2 dogs we were interested in went through a preliminary cat test. Upon speaking with the adoption specialist when we arrived, the two dogs we wanted to meet were not cat tested... EVER.

As we entered the smelly, stinky kennel area (SPCA is much cleaner) another adoption counselor tells us that the second dog we want to look at had an emergency bloat situation and left the day before. This is a serious situation so I am glad she was getting taken care of however the second dog we were interested in, we were not allowed to meet because she didn't do well with cats.

Now I cleared my whole families schedule in order to meet 2 dogs that were not actually available for us to adopt... is it just us, or should there have been better communication about the animals in that rescue?

But this isn't just about our inconvenience. While browsing the kennels we met a poor older female, Daisy, who had been in at MLAR for 3 years... because she needed a home with a 6ft. fence. 3 YEARS in a tiny, smelly kennel.

I have such a hard time imagining that dog, Daisy, had a better life these past 3 years in a kennel as opposed to sharing a couch with a human (who may have only had a 5ft. fence).

We were able to meet with the Director of MLAR and unfortunately he really left us with a bad taste. He not only questioned my employment but asked if I needed a degree for "that job." I happen to have a masters degree.

Overall I am completely confused as to how this rescue is still in business.

Best animal rescue bar none! What people need to realize is the amount of time and energy (training, home schooling, and more training), not to mention the medical care, that each and every one of these animals receives. It's not cheap, but Main Line is able to do it! The care, the feeding, and the attention that are given to these animals is absolutely phenomenal. It makes me angry to hear people whine about why they didn't get a dog ... Main Line INVESTS in these animals and its their prerogative to send these animals to a home that they see is "fit." Period. These are not dogs that they have give away ... These are animals for which they find the "right home." People wonder about the "fence rule" and I can tell you as a volunteer there is a large number of dogs that still get out of fenced in properties. MLAR knows which dogs are flight risks and which require special care. No one loves and cares for these animals better! I am an adopter and a volunteer.

Terrible experience. I was interested in adopting two guinea pigs for my daughter. I received an immediate call-back after completing the online application, which I took as a good sign. Three weeks later I had received absolutely no communication from them, and zero response to multiple calls requesting a status update. Finally, I called and I insisted on speaking to someone in charge of adoption or a manager. It was only then I was informed that the animals had gone to another home. I understand this can happen but it would have been nice to have been notified. I was warned about working with MLRA from various friends who also had bad experiences. I will not recommend MLAR to anyone moving forward.

I am very disappointed with my experience with MLAR. Not only do they advertise false information, the application process and those involved in choosing adoptees ( the adoption coordinator Jodi) is horrible! My family inquired about a dog that was advertised online; I got a response a few days later from MLAR informing us that she was still available for adoption. We filled out an application the night that we received an email informing us that the dog was available and called the next day for more information. The adoption coordinator, Jodi, interviewed my mother over the phone for nearly two hours; we had great vet references and our application had been approved. However, at the end of the call, Jodi informed my mother that she had a family coming to look at the dog we were approved for the next day. She led us to believe that the we were on track to adopt the dog, and then informed us that she actually had another family in mind!!! The dog we inquired about, a Border Collie, was a 3 year old female who had a tendency to jump fences. My family owned a female Border Collie for 17 years, so it is safe to say we have a LOT of experience with the breed. I myself train working dogs for medical, police, and search and rescue jobs. However, Jodi took it upon herself to decide that we could not adopt the dog because we did not have an electric fence. This organization has a "policy" that they will only adopt out Border Collies only to families with electric fences (unreal!) We have a very large yard with a 6-5 foot fence. Having a lower fence in our front yard is regulation in our town. Even though we are familiar with the risks of a "flighty" border collie (which our dog was when she was young), my mother informed Jodi that the dog would never be left alone in the yard. Whenever our old dog had to go outside, we would spend 15 minutes to an hour outside with her, playing fetch or simply just watching while she explored the yard. Both of my parents works from home and spend hours outside each day, exercising, gardening... it is safe to say the dog would have had ample time outside while being monitored. Regardless of this, Jodi misled my family into believing that we would be able to adopt this dog, and then decided that we were not "fit" for her. This decision should not be up to one one inexperienced, snobby woman. She led us t believe this dog was available for adoption, and then decided the next day that she was not! She denied my family, who would have been a loving, responsible, and experienced match. This dog is still available for adoption on their website. MLAR seems to be in the business of hoarding dogs, not adopting them out.

Years ago I was volunteering at Radnor Hunt for a benefit Radnor Races. The MLAR had a tent there.I met a rat terrier for adoption. The foster mother thought we were a perfect fit. I have animals on a farm and needed a companion for my dog. I have worked with animals all my life and formerly worked at the Phila zoo before starting my own educational program. I filled out the application on the spot. I heard nothing. Later I saw the same dog advertised online. I called numerous times and got nowhere. I went to the SPCA and got another dog who I still have .The following year I asked the director at Radnor Hunt for the same event what happened. He acted concerned and said he would personally look into it...nothing. The next year I reminded him and his response was there must have been a reason we didn't give you a dog! I have excellent vet references and animal experience. I volunteer at a cat rescue as well as find homes for small animals. He never bothered to follow through.

We currently have a dog purchased from a breeder, looking for a second so we decided to look into a rescue. We submitted the application, received a response a day later then a call the following day. We answered all of the questions on the call and were advised that we would receive a call back later that day. When no follow up call was received we put in another call to see if there were any updates. Again no call returned rather an e-mail response advising that we were turned down because we had a dog door that apparently is a danger to the dog if no one is home. We responded that we lock to dog door when we leave for a number of reasons. Again no response. We have a fully fenced acre with a dog door for easy access and are completely perplexed of the rejection and no follow up. This nonprofit is completely unprofessional in it's inability to properly communicate. We thought we were doing a good thing by rescuing a dog. Instead we will just go and purchase another puppy from the breeder. I would never recommend this organization, a complete waste of time!

My family and I love MLAR. Their staff are very nice and knowledgeable regarding the care for puppies and dogs. We had a great experience through the adoption process. We love our new puppy!!! Thank you MLAR for caring so deeply for animals and their welfare!

Everything seemed great. We filled out an application and had an almost immediate response. We showed up for our appointment 1/2 an hour early and they graciously took us before our appointment time. We discussed what type of dog we were looking for and quickly had a list of potential dogs that the volunteer felt were a great fit for us. After meeting a number of dogs there was one dog in particular we fell in love with. The dog was rather tame and spent most of the time sitting on our laps and starring into our eyes. The director Bill came over and saw us interacting with the dog and asked us a few questions. He then said to the volunteer "we should adopt to these two." It was mentioned that this was contingent on a fence inspection at our home. About 4 days later Bill showed up at our home and said the fence and everything looked good he would call us the next day. Over the next couple of days we received no update so we began calling. The next two days when we called we were told they had not heard from Bill and there was no update they could offer they would leave him a message. around 7:15pm we received an email stating we were not accepted because there is a busy street near by and this dog is quick and agile and could escape. This was not the temperament of the dog we held at their kennel and feel they were just looking for an excuse to deny us. I get the sense they put their best looking dogs up front in order to attract people who they can try to con the animals with poor health off to their cliental. From my point of view their driveway and road both are busy and they need to remove all the pets from this location to the middle of Alaska cause one of these dogs may by some miracle escape and get hit by a car.

I can only believe that the negative reviews are from people MLAR turned down. So if a person lies about their vet references or their fence, and MLAR discovers they've lied and refuses to give them a dog or cat, that person can go online and trash them? That doesn't seem fair. I know too many people who have adopted animals from MLAR so I know they do adopt a lot of animals out. I watched them uncover the atrocities of puppy mills on Oprah so I know they care about animals. I found a dog years ago and called MLAR and the first thing they did was tell me to call every shelter in the area in case the family was looking for him (they were) so I know they're not holding strays from their owners. I think they have a tough job and I believe they put the welfare of their animals first. They could avoid a lot of negative comments by just handing out dogs and cats to anyone who shows up (save themselves a lot of grief) but they have the rules they have to keep their animals safe. I've been following MLAR for years (in the news, etc). I hear they're tough. I've never heard they did anything to hurt an animal. Complainers - maybe you should look to yourselves instead of trashing a bunch of volunteers who are doing the best they can. Talk about a thankless job! I'd like to know if any of the grumblers here do any volunteer work themselves? I've seen MLAR volunteers feeding feral cats late at night, middle of winter, at my mother's apartment building. God bless them.

MLAR is one of the most respected animal shelters in the country with one of the highest placement rates. MLAR is known as one of the leaders in the fight against puppy mills. I suspect several of these substandard breeders posted comments as MLAR volunteers and would-be adopters. Take what you read hear with a grain of salt. Main Line Animal Rescue is careful when it comes to placing their animals but if you had to give up one of your own pets would you want his/her new family carefully screened by MLAR, or would you want your dog or cat passed off in some parking lot to strangers for a $500 "adoption fee." A lot of rescues do just that. MLAR's requirements are in line with most responsible shelters and rescues. It's a shame MLAR can't post the names of all the people who read their requirements online, apply knowing they don't meet those few requirements, then are shocked when they're politely turned down. Why would MLAR spend $5000 on a dog who comes to them with a crushed pelvis after getting hit by a car then give the dog to a family with no fence and a dog recently hit and killed by a car? They have a right to turn someone down in order to protect their animals.

it saddens me to read all the poor reviews. I can only relate my own experience with this organization and it was fantastic. We had been looking for a dog for months hoping to find just the right playmate for the dog that we rescued a year ago. We inquired about dogs at many different groups. Some didn't respond at all, some made us jump through some hoops to get approved, then allowed the dog we were interested in to get adopted while we were going through the process, and not telling us until we pursued!
When we first visited MLAR, we were unsure whether the pet we had viewed online was the right one. Our adoption counselor was very patient and understood the need for the dogs to be matched properly so that everyone would be happy. She didn't try to talk us into anyone even after bringing out several puppies and dogs. She told us to take our time and welcomed us to come back. We did, 2 weekends later. Again, we had a list, most of which were not options for one reason or another. The same counselor took a chance and brought out what seems to be the perfect dog - we only adopted her yesterday, but she is fantastic and is fitting right in.
From our initial welcome, to Bill coming and checking our fence and being super friendly even after many failed attempts to get us on the phone as we were away for the weekend, to our successful visit this past weekend where we met our new girl, EVERY SINGLE staff member was friendly, helpful, informative, etc. Could not ask for better. And I for one am happy to have them be my first call should our girl somehow escape. I trust that they only want her to be safe and ensure that she is in a good home!

This organization puts the ego and interests of its director ahead of the animals it services. An ethical animal rescue organization places an animal with the first qualified family that completes an application. In our case, we expressed interest in a puppy on the 15th of September and completed an application and were told we were one of three applicants. We were subsequently told the other applications had been rejected and we would be informed on the 25th of September. We were then told that "it had to wait for a fund raiser", After the fund raiser we were told another we had to wait while another application was completed. Subsequently we were told we would not get the puppy but were qualified for future adoptions. Clearly the executive director put the interests of fund raising and his own ego ahead of placing the dog into the first qualified home. A scan of any other reviews of this organization shows a clear pattern of outrageous and arbitrary selectivity, at the expense of the placement of the animals into qualified, loving forever homes. I would put zero starts but that is not an option.

My I experience with MLAR has always been very positive! I have adopted 4 of my best friends there. I admit they are strict with their requirements, but I feel that is because they love animals and because of their process, they do not have their "charges" coming back. They need to make sure every potential adopter is going to take great care of their adopted pet.
Their facilities are awesome. They are a No Kill shelter and will keep an animal forever if they are not adopted. I think Bill Smith and his associates are doing a wonderful job. I am sorry everyone has not had a positive experience.

Having worked in rescuing and searching for lost dogs for the past several years, I have had occasion to hear horror stories about this facility.

On the surface, Main Line Animal Rescue appears to be a responsible non-profit, but there appears to be much hypocrisy in upper management. The "contract" adoptive parents have to sign requires that the dog remains the property of Main Line! Caveat emptor!!

I donated $850 at a silent auction, never received a thank you or an invite back to future fund raising events, and I was a volunteer. I was new to the area and have always been a animal lover and promoter of No-KILL animal shelters. I have learned that this is a KILL shelter and B.S. is the ring leader with full support of B. Please stay away and do not support this KILL shelter. They will never admit it to you and give you some BS stat that if you don't KILL more than 10% of the population you technically are not a KILL shelter. If that makes you feel good about where your money goes you need help. I have seen animals with no appointments scheduled disappear within 24 hours. I was told it went to B.S. house. He must have hundreds of Dogs at his house. Maybe he is a hoarder. It is too bad the mainliners don't investigate this person prior to dumping money in his lap all for the sake of a tax write off. For the life of the unspoken for dogs please find other options to donate to.

I have read 2 horrible stories where adopted beloved pets -- Flash the beagle, and Foxy lady pomeranian, got out and on technicalities the rescue refused to return beloved pets to their owners. This is monstrous. It is hitting everywhere with warning "don't go to Main Line" to adopt. This is very stressful to the owners, but especially to pets. Do they have any idea how many domestic pets end up in abusive situations and killed SOO when a pet ends up in a loving home, don't take the pets away from them.

I have become aware of several instances in which the Director of this organization has refused to return pets to loving homes from which they were lost, more for his own ego reasons than for anything wrong with the homes. Most recently, he has refused to return Flash to his loving home of two years, simply because he was angry because Flash's family called the police and the SPCA before they called him. I understand that this is not an isolated case, and that others have had to resort to hiring attorneys in order to have their pets released by this egomaniac.

In all honesty i have had no dealings with the Main Line Rescue. I do not generally get involved in issues. I am however a long time animal lover. I have read stories all over the web also, I read postings from Bill Smith and Flashes family. Bill Smith really seems to have an ego that gets in the way of fairness or logic. The family did not immediately call him to notify him the dog was gone. It has been 2 years since they adopted Flash. If my dog ran away my first thought would not be to call Bill Smith especially after all that time elapsed. If this is supposed to be a rescue, why is Bill Smith not complaining about the dogs lack of care, any appearance of mistreatment or any other issue to show the doc was not cared for and loved. Why after reading both sides from both parties does his biggest issue seem to be that they didn't call him immediately?

Please keep in mind my rating is based solely on the interchanges between Bill Smith and the family of Flash.

As a volunteer with another rescue, I fail to understand how MLAR can withhold any pet from a devoted family trying to reclaim a beloved animal. I know one of the owners who has been wronged by MLAR. It is tremendously sad not just for them, but also for the pet to be uprooted from a family, with no cause, no sign of neglect or abuse, just the misfortune of getting lost and unfortunately found and returned to MLAR. As I work with rescue dogs, I see the confusion manifest in the behavior and moods of the displaced animals. I cannot believe that MLAR would in good conscience prolong this state for any dog, especially one with a good home yearning for that dog's return.

please see the sad story of Flash the Beagle. Unacceptable behavior from this rescue. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Send-Flash-Home/266111676892218. They are keeping Flash from his family and are doing everything they can to bury this, since they've removed all comments and reviews from their Facebook page.

We adopted a dog from them in 2013, and everything was fine. Our dog got out of our house and ran away upsetting me and my family very much. We looked for the dog for two days and called the Police and SPCA but no one had found him. We got a call from BILL SMITH at MLAR telling us they had found my dog and they were not giving it back to us because he felt that we "did not care about the dog and he was better without us" How Dare he kidnap our dog that we have cared for, and treated like a member of my family. We have regularly taken him to the Vet and cared for him very well. This organization is DISGUSTING and I would warn anyone thinking of adopting a dog from them as they think they own your dog forever and you just rent them.

Our family had previously adopted two dogs from rescues prior to adopting a third from MLAR. As with our two previous rescues, a greyhound and black lab, our experience with those two organizations was outstanding to which when we rescued Max from MLAR, our expectations and experience were exceeded far beyond fantastic! Max was well cared for while at the facility and their commitment to match volunteers with the right animals, you can see how dogs begin to develop trust for their handlers/parents when they are rescued/adopted. We were allowed to have our Black Lab "visit" with Max to see how they might react to each other. I truly believe that because of that experience, that Sam and Max developed a "friendship" that to this day is fun to watch as the two are always interacting and playing and solidifying their relationship as brothers and members of our family.

Having observed the work the staff and volunteers do in the care for these dogs and the commitment to giving them a happy, safe, and playful environment is a tribute to their unyielding commitment to their mission of rescuing animals of all kinds with the goal of giving them a chance to be in the "right" home for their personality, dogs active lifestyle level, and overall living environment allowing the dogs to be a part of a family that will love and care for them as one of their own. It's not as simple to just pick a dog and say it's great, these people know how to observe and identify the right situation that will place the dog with the right family at the right time so everyone is happy, especially the animal.

I for one highly recommend MLAR as a great place to consider as a donor, volunteer, and place to adopt a wonderfully cared for pet that can be a tremendous member of a loving family.

I got a letter without explanation after 16 days of waiting saying we were very nice but they couldn`t help us. Very unprofessional. seems to be a crap shoot!

I volunteered at Main Line Rescue until recently. It is very sad how the volunteers are nicer than the staff that is getting paid to do their job. The are extremely rude and think they are better than the volunteers. I volunteered at least twice a week using my own gas and time, and they can't treat me with some respect. I feel bad because I love the animals I met there so much, but I had to stop due to how rude the staff is. Also when you try to confront a problem with them they don't answer your emails and ignore you. Also they have the stupid color system which mean only blue people can take the dogs with a blue dot on their tag out. Once you complete 10 hours you go to orange, and you have to be "selected" to be green. Green is the top ranking and you can take all the dogs out. I don't agree with that because it is just a popularity scheme. I have seen "green people" be mean to dogs, not take them out of the kennel properly and even have the dog escape from them outside. By doing the color system they are just giving ranking orders and making the green feel inferior. Also their adoption rules are way to strict. Just because you don't have a fence does not mean your not a good dog owner. I don't have a fence and my dog is one of the happiest most loved dogs I know. It seems that they don't want these dogs to find a good home. They talk about how good they are about finding the perfect home, but i have seen several dogs come back after getting adopted. I am very disappointed in Main Line Rescue. I feel it is more about the people and the rescue getting noticed, than the actual dogs.

My husband and I have adopted two dogs from Main Line. One was a very scared puppy mill dog. We have gotten incredible support from everyone at Main Line to help our little girl and us be successful in dealing with a puppy mill dog. I cannot say enough wonderful things about the staff and Bill Smith. Yes, we had a fence check. Yes, we had our vet references checked. Yes, our other dogs came to Main Line to see if all would get along. I personally feel good that such scrutiny occurred. The bottom line is they want the best possible placement and fit for the dogs. For those that are critical or negative have lost this very important factor.

Bill Smith, Director of MLAR, is taking advantage of the elderly with dementia. He preys on wealthy elderly people to get millions of dollars in donations for MLAR. The best part about Bill Smith is that he NEVER allows animals to be adopted. I would like to know how many animals get adopted per year? He can afford to hoard the animals by scamming the wealthy elderly. Can anyone identify with the complaint?

My name is Tara, and I am reaching out to anyone who can help me get my dog Duece back! Three weeks ago Sunday my Rottie became lethargic, and didn't eat dinner. I thought because we had been outside in the heat all day, that he just wasn't hungry. I had my husband call the vet following Monday morning and tell them Duece's symptoms. He was laying around, not eating and had thrown up. The vet said to monitor the behavior and call back if he got worse. He threw up once or twice during the day and when I got home from work that night I called the vet back and was told I could bring Duece in but they were going to charge me for an emergency visit. I took Duece to the vet with my 4 year old and 10 month old since my husband was working second shift. When the vet came out to see us and I explained what was going on they assumed because I had small children that the dog must have eaten something the kids had left on the floor and that was blocking his intestines and that he needed to be xrayed immediately. I explained multiple times I have a 10 month old baby who can also choke so I don't leave anything on the floor. I had the xrays done and when the vet came back she said she believed something was lodged in his intestine and that he would need and ultrasound and emergency surgery. I asked to see the xrays and the vet responded by saying "are you familiar with looking at dog xrays?" After looking at the xrays and I asked what the next steps would be and what costs where involved. She stated an ultrasound was approximately $500 but that he needed emergency surgery and that would be no less than $3000. I asked if he was going to be ok after surgery and she said depending on how bad the object tore his intestines, they didn't know. I explained that we didn't have that kind of money. We have three kids. The vet then said well if you don't have the money you can take out a credit card or put him down. I again explained with having three kids I can't take out all kinds of debt and that I needed to talk to my husband. I requested the vet run an IV line into Duece so we could keep him hydrated overnight. The next morning Duece was worse so my husband called the vet and begged them to fix him, even saying if you will fix him you can keep him just don't make him suffer. The vet told us we had one hour to make a decision or Duece would die. The vet also suggested we turn him over to the Main Line Animal Rescue and that they would help fix Duece and adopt him out rather than us have to put him down. We couldn't stand the thought of putting a 10 month old puppy down. My husband turned Duece over to the Metropolitan Vet and signed paperwork giving him to MLAR. We called Tuesday to check on him, and Wednesday. Wednesday night MLAR called my husband to update him. They said " Duece has nothing stuck in his intestines, they are totally clear. He has parvo." My husband asked how they knew he had parvo and they stated it was a simple blood test. My husband said we want our dog back, we only signed him over because we were told he needed a surgery that costs thousands of dollars. They told us we couldn't have him back and we clearly weren't good dog owners if we weren't willing to pay for his surgery. I love my dogs, but I have three children, and I don't think how much money I have has anything to do with how much I love and care for my dogs. He was up to date on shots, had his license, was clean and well cared for. This is my families dog, my childrens dog and we gave him to these people under false pretenses and we want him back. I am asking for any help anyone can provide to bring Duece home to my family where he belongs rather than have him sitting in a shelter scared and alone. Duece is the best Rottie 3 little kids could ask for. He was born 8 days after my youngest son, and came to our home last Christmas at 8 weeks old. He has grown up with my 3 kids and we are the only family he knows. Please help me get my dog back, please!

I have adopted many dogs and cats from MLAR and am in awe of the work they do on behalf of the animals. Although their interview process can be rigorous, it reflects MLAR’s commitment for the welfare of the animals. I applaud MLAR and their staff for their hard work and dedication.

Over the years, we have adopted five dogs and two cats from this wonderful, wonderful organization. Their facility is the nicest you will ever see, and everyone there is helpful and caring. I will say that the adoption process is rigorous -- but you know what, I think it is wonderful. Bill Smith, the founder, personally checks each prospective home for a fence. The adoption counselors work to make sure the pet you ultimately adopt is right for you and your lifestyle. Every vet reference is checked. This is a hands-on operation that wants the best for every pet they place and that's the way it should be.

I was very disappointed by the way we were misled and ultimately denied a pet. After meeting with this organization, filling out questionnaires and going through a formal interview, we were told taht because our house had a doggie door, we would not be eligible to adopt a pet.

If they had been up front about this requirement, they could have saved us and them time.

The owner obviously has very unrealistic standards.

This charity has unethical and legally questionable practices in the way that it deals with parties surrendering pets, those adopting the pets, and those applying to adopt pets. My sister adopted a dog from MLAR and subsequently went to China leaving me to care for the dog. When I was unable to keep the pet I called MLAR per the contract my sister signed to request their aid in placing the animal with a new family. Our vet's assistant, when she heard the dog needed a home, expressed a desire to adopt the dog. Despite her relationship with the me and the dog, she went through the proper channels by filling out an application with MLAR. Bill Smith, the director there, assured both my friend and me that she would be given the dog. Then he phoned me and asked me to bring the dog in so their vet could examine him. He said that my friend could pick up the dog the next day and take him home. I delivered the dog to MLAR and asked Bill's assistant Nancy to assure me that we would be able to pick up the dog in the morning. The next day when I went to pick up the dog, they had given him to another family. I was informed that lying to people to confiscate pets was routine and considered necessary. They admitted that I had care well for the dog, but they did not want my friend to adopt him because "they could not verify her vet records because she worked for the vet." Yet they allowed my sister to adopt the dog when neither she not her husband had ever adopted an animal before. Furthermore, they lied by assuring us that my family would be allowed to contact the adopting family for closure and in fact never provided up with that information despite numerous requests both by phone and in person. Finally, I was told that if I continued to request the information that I would be reported for harassment and that I had "no legal standing" in the matter because the contract my sister signed identified that MLAR "owns the animals and they can at any time confiscate them if they deem it necessary." People who adopt pets from MLAR are not adopting animal so much as borrowing them. In conclusion, the owner and presumable governing body of MLAR condones unethical treatment of humans and rather than considering the best interests of the animal, essentially loans the pets to the highest bidder. Their facility is assuredly palatial, but I did not see a single animal out running in the vast manicured acreage. This organization is not dedicated matching pets and owner it is dedicated to greed and control.