We adopted our sweet dog Percy (previously named Zeke) from the Briggs shelter at the end of July in 2020. We read in advance that the staff at Briggs was very thorough with their adoption process, which we liked. We did not want to adopt just any dog, but one who would fit perfectly with our family of five.
After our first visit to the shelter on a busy Saturday morning, we knew that we had come to the right place. One of the staff members informed us, when we submitted our application, that they operated on the concept of "best placement for the animal," not "first come, first served." We visited with our puppy for a brief time, then decided to complete all of the necessary visits in order to adopt him. We were treated so professionally but warmly, and it was evident that the puppy was well cared for and loved while he stayed at the shelter.
Now, we have had Percy in our family for about three months, and we are so thankful. We tell everyone about Briggs, and we will make donations during the Christmas season. While the process is not quick or necessarily "easy," it is designed about what is good and healthy for the animals, which is what matters most.
My husband and I adopted our sweet girl Puffin from NHES/ Briggs Shelter December 2018. We appreciate that the shelter is "no kill" and does so much to make sure that the animals are well cared for. Their cattery is a beautiful space. The cats seem at ease. The individual needs of the animals is acknowledged, such as diet, health, or need for isolation or quiet. The process for adopting a pet initially seems like a lot of work, but in going through the process you can tell that they want to make sure they are sending a pet to their forever home. They don't do same day adoptions, which reduces impulse decisions that leave pets homeless when something doesn't work out. They care about matching energy level, ability to interact with other pets, and personality. The animals all visit the vet one final time to make sure they are up to date on their vaccines and are healthy. They call regularly to check in. I realized that they really do care about the animals when the lady running the front desk got a bit sad upon hearing that we were adopting Puffin because she would spend part of her lunch break with Puffin. I would absolutely adopt from NHES/Briggs again!
