Take Paws has a good story. But when I went to adopt I started to get suspicious about the hundreds of listings they have on Petfinder, and how many are new puppies. I'm sure they do some rescuing but they seem to be doing some puppy breeding and selling too. I looked up their non-profit tax filings which is VERY easy to do.
This "angelic non-profit" has $900,000 dollars in the bank. There's plenty of other shelters that don't take huge profits from their adoptions. https://beta.candid.org/profile/9477373?keyword=47-4269005&action=Search
The founder of this organization is very unprofessional and hostile. They partake in cyber bullying and harassment. All their reviews are from members within the organization and they delete or discredit other reviews. I have worked with a local rescue for over 10 years and have never witness this kind of experience.
Take Paws Rescue does amazing work for the dogs in great need in Louisiana. The number of dogs they save annually (1100-1500) is astonishing, especially considering they are mostly foster and volunteer ran. No non-profit is perfect, but Take Paws put the needs of the dogs entrusted to them as their #1 priority. They take in all breeds, ages, and even medical cases. They treat 150-200 dogs for heartworms annually (expensive treatment), and that is included in their adoption fee. This rescue has a lot of experience matching dogs to forever homes, and their success is seen in their low rate of returns year over year. When reading the 1 star reviews, you gotta consider the source... typically people who didn't get what they wanted.
I am a volunteer with Take Paws Rescue. What a fabulous organization. Take Paws has rescued thousands of dogs throughout the few years that I have volunteered with them. The dedication, hard work and time put into this organization by volunteers and those running Take Paws is so inspiring. If you are considering volunteering or donating to a rescue program, I highly recommend Take Paws!
We have now adopted 2 dogs from this organization. The first one involved a home visit and application. We were in touch with the foster within 48 hours and adopted our Charlie Girl. The second was just a trial and then an adoption application. Again turnaround was quick and easy. Our Ruby will require medical expenses that is covered by the rescue so hopefully all goes well.
I’ve volunteered for Take Paws as a foster, doing animal transport, and foster coordination. And one of my fosters became a permanent member of my family!
Over the last few years, Take Paws has adopted out more than 5k dogs. Can you imagine? I’ve had nothing but positive experience and can’t speak highly enough of every single person involved. A big thank you to Monique Bonnafons. She started Take Paws from the ground up and has dedicated her life to animal rescue. She eats, sleeps, and breathes Take Paws!
My sweet foster fail Belgian Shepherd is an integral part of my life and without this well run organization, I would never have found her. Keep up the good work Take Paws. You have added smiles to the faces of thousands...both 2 and 4 legged!
I love Take Paws. They a tireless group of volunteers committed to saving as many lives as possible. Not only do I have a dog I adopted from them, but I am a foster for them. They do everything in their power to make sure every dog they come across gets proper medical care and a safe space to heal/adjust to a life with love. When the dogs are ready to be adopted, they do a thorough review of all potential adopters, including a vet and home check to make sure the dogs are going to have the best life possible with the right forever home.
I worked with Take Paws Rescue for the last 2 years (2018-2020) and was instrumental in growing the organization in my time there. My business experience furnished me the skills to build a people network and infrastructure to support a significant (500%) growth over a 2-year period, including securing a brick and mortar space for the rescue to call home. I have an intimate knowledge of the day to day operations and people in the organization, including the strengths and opportunities.
Take Paws provides a much-needed service to the many neglected dogs in the metro and surrounding areas. The organization is comprised of countless volunteers who are passionate and dedicated. The volunteers are a fun group who love the cause and do a lot of good for the animal community. Working with this group is a rewarding experience.
The opportunities with this organization lie in its poor leadership and in its absence of consistent business processes. There is no functioning Board of Directors, and there is no independent Executive Director- that role is held by the woman who founded the organization, and who single-handedly makes all decisions for the organization. The 501c3 lacks necessary accountability and oversight that would be afforded by a fiduciary such as a Board of Directors, and who would work to guide the organization towards a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance along with financial management policies.
Additionally, there is a culture of negativity around people in general, including volunteers and adopters, the very people who make the success of the organization possible. This toxic culture originates from leadership and permeates the organization, resulting in high turnover of capable volunteers and an abundance of strained relationships.
As is the case in any institution, people are the key to its success, and there are many good people in this non-profit. I would love to see a Board of Directors named, as is required by law, independent of the founder/founding members, who would bring accountability and institute the required changes necessary to sustain a long term future. I recommend that anyone considering supporting Take Paws do the research to ensure these changes have been implemented.
As a board member, I appreciate the complete dedication of our board to the well being of dogs in our state. Not only adoptions and vet care, but also outreach to the community, assisting other rescues, and transporting dogs to other locations with better chances of adoption. We take an holistic approach to the problem of pet overpopulation and unnecessary euthanasia. An all-volunteer organization full of devoted, hard working individuals with experience and knowledge that we bring into the organization.
Take Paws Rescue has made such an impact on my life. I have two rescue dogs, and I was the lucky adopter of the shut-down dog mentioned in a previous review. Her "after" picture speaks volumes about the work that Take Paws does in the community. At the end of the day, Take Paws truly puts the dogs first--whether or not it is the "easy" route. I am so proud to be a foster, adopter, and board member for Take Paws, and I am excited to see what the future brings.
Take Paws Rescue is an amazing 501c3 non profit animal rescue in New Orleans, LA, run by a strong group of dedicated, mostly women, volunteers. TPR is a foster-based, all-breed rescue that has saved the lives of more than a thousand homeless animals to date. Take Paws Rescue saves dogs from overcrowded high-kill shelters across the state of Louisiana, places them in loving foster homes, provides the veterinary care that they need, spays and neuters the animals to mitigate the overpopulation problem, and then matches them with appropriate and loving adoptive forever homes. I have volunteered with many different rescue groups, and I can easily say that take Paws is head and shoulders above the norm. I have fostered 38 dogs for Tale Paws so far, and I decided that I wanted to do more, so I joined their Board. This is a dedicated and professional group that is passionate about saving animals. TPR turns unwanted, terrified, and sick dogs into happy and healthy, beloved family members. This is just one of my TPR foster dogs, who transformed before my eyes. She was out of time. She entered foster care terrified; she growled at everyone and everything. She decompressed. She relaxed. She made friends and learned to trust. She was adopted by an amazing family. She's living happily ever after. Take Paws Rescue does this every day. www.takepawsrescue.org