Ruff House Rescue is a very caring group of dedicated animal lovers who open their homes and hearts to abandon animals showing them the love and compassion they so desperately need. Anyone who is looking to make the world a little better can do so by rescuing one of the pups that RHR fosters. Saving animals is not easy for those who volunteer but is worth every minute when they can connect a needy pup with their forever home.
Earlier this year we wanted to help out and adopt a pup that needed a home. So we filled out the RHR application and then went through an extensive phone and home video interview and inspection. Everyone involved in the vetting process was very professional. We were impressed at how detailed they were to make sure that if we were approved our home would be safe and welcoming to one of their charges. If every rescue did what RHR does there is no doubt in our minds that every dog placed would end up in great forever homes.
Originally, we were interested in a dachshund/poodle mix but had to pass on her because we were not feeling well to bring her home. A few weeks later we went to a RHR foster home to meet a few potential pups. Our original intention was to adopt a similar pup to the one we had to pass on and decided to trial foster a totally different pup who is a chihuahua/rat terrier mix from Korea who was very shy and not very interested in us.
From the moment we adopted Ozzy we kept in contact with RHR via multiple texts, photos and videos to keep everyone in the loop as he slowly came out of his shell. It took a few weeks for Ozzy to want to fully explore our home and fenced in yard. Then a few more weeks until he found his voice and proved to us, yes he can bark, especially when we were, in his mind, taking a bit too long to cook his eggs for breakfast. Now a few months later he is part of the family, enjoying playing with his brothers and sisters, keeping up with them and showing that he is truly one of the gang.
So if you want to help a pup in need and support the gallant efforts of the RHR organization we would highly recommend that you do so. As a former board member of an Animal Rescue in Massachusetts I can say that this organization truly deserves the support of any animal lover who wants to make a difference by adopting one of their wonderful pups.
I can't believe that it's coming up on a year since I fostered, then adopted Zero. I volunteered to take him into Schwartzman Animal Medical Clinic in New York City from Ruff House Rescue's West Islip facility. When I picked him up the Volunteers (Rosemarie, Cathy, Diane & Rommie) asked me if I was interested in adopting him, at the time I wasn't but they did a great job selling the idea. They let me see him interact with Caleb & despite being blind he seemed to have some vision. After the NYC vet visit they arranged a "meet & greet" with my rescue, Rudy. They got along well so I was warming to the idea. After his surgery to remove his right eye, I decided to bring him to my home to recover. He was "Perfect" & Rudy enjoyed having him. Unfortunately although I thought he had some vision in his right eye, that also has to be removed. Ruff House Rescue covered all Vet visits, medicine & both surgeries. One thing I noticed when I was taking him for NYC appointments is that Zero couldn't wait to get back to the West Islip kennel. I attribute that to the incredible volunteers work that they do. I recommend Ruff House to all my friends that are looking to adopt. They give you the straight scoop on the pet your looking to adopt. Other rescues do not get to know the pets like Ruff House does. They are the best!
I have adopted 3 dogs from Ruff House since 2018. The adoption process was smooth and the volunteers communicated in a professional manner from start to finish. I appreciated the home visit portion of my application as we had transitioned from an apartment to a home with a yard and the safety feedback that the volunteer reviewed with us was invaluable. You would never have guessed that a simple carabiner clip would save you the worry of “the gate being open”. When you have landscapers this is always at the forefront of one’s mind. Now no one gets into my yard without me knowing. The adoption prices are fair, especially since most of the dogs are saved from euthanasia, vetted, spayed/neutered and transported to New York! When you adopt from Ruff House not only do you get the dog of your dreams but you also get the support of the volunteers that loved your fur baby while they were in your care.
Recently adopted a lovely little 1 year old terrier/mix named Glorie. She is a little angel. Perfect fit for me. My experience with Ruff House Rescue has been so powerful. Great website with lots of dogs to adopt and their stories. Jackie at Ruff House was a great liaison. Explained the process, kept me informed with phone calls, emails and text messages. During my in person appointment met a lovely women Nancy who listened to my needs. I explained that the 2 puppies I saw and walked were a little too high energy for me. I work from home so the dog will never be alone. Nancy brought out Glorie and it was love at first sight. Glorie is sweet, loving and a perfect energy fit for me.
Ruff House Rescue is fabulous at what they do. The volunteers are amazing and really want what is best for the dogs.
We adopted Molly (fka J.J.) and are over the moon with her. RH responded quickly and got to work right away to find us our perfect pup and we are very thankful to them.
I adopted my dog Ozzy (fka Gizmo) almost two months ago! He is truly the best and I can’t imagine my life without him. Ruff House Rescue is an amazing organization. They always put the interest of their animals first and are dedicated to finding them the perfect home. Ozzy was a perfect match. The volunteers at Ruff House helped make the adoption process run smoothly and answered all questions that I had. I can’t thank Ruff House enough!
My husband was watching news 12 and they had these dogs up for adoption from RHR. I filled the forms out and was interviewed. Also had soneone come toy house to see if it was safe. The original dog we picked was not available so we looked at others and was introduced to Quincy now Queenie a Chihuahua mix and it was love at first sight!! She has been with us for 6 months now and gets along with her sisters who r greyhounds and she rules the roost!! She has found her forever home with us and we love her. She was chipped and spayed so the cost of the adoption also goes to helping all the other dogs as well. I highly recommend adoptions from them!!
Just adopted my pup Stark from Ruff House and it was a great experience! I applied online, Got a call back within maybe 2-3 days and got set up with Chelsey to aid with the application process! After just about a week, a home inspection and a meetup with my pup, I went over to Ruff House’s Adoption day, filled out my paperwork, and got my baby Stark! The people there are amazing and all the hard work they put in to help out these amazing animals is extraordinary!
We adopted two dogs from Ruff House Rescue and the whole process was fantastic. I was in close contact with Jackie throughout the entire process and she was beyond helpful. Annmarie came to check out our yard to ensure safety for our new little ones. Every person that we came in contact with went above and beyond what was expected. I am telling everyone about how wonderful this rescue group is.
Jennifer helped us with the adoption process she was so nice and helpful. You can tell the volunteers really care for the dogs here!
My experience with Ruff House couldn’t have been better. From Jennifer who initially interviewed me to the woman who handled the home inspection to Jackie, the adoption coordinator who introduced me to my Dave and passed him along to me, everyone at Ruff House was kind and friendly and seemed to have the animals’ best interests at heart. Dave was very fearful in the beginning; everyone was careful to explain his issues to me and to make sure we were a good match. Which we are, happily. Thank you, Ruff House, from me and my new(ish) bff!
Ruff House is a dedicated group of volunteers that work endlessly and tirelessly to save precious dogs and cats from kill shelters. I am very grateful to them for saving my two amazing dogs. All the volunteers were helpful and great to work with!
Thanks to all the great VOLUNTEERS at Ruff House Rescue NY - we have a great new additional to our family - this is Delilah (formerly named Christina)
St Bernard - Border Collie Mix
All the individuals at Ruff House were absolutely phenomenal ! We could not be happier.
easily one of the worst rescues I have ever seen. My family has adopted two dogs from other places that I would recommend. Their process is ridiculous meanwhile they do not want to pay to get the puppies healthy that they rescued and would rather them pass. do not adopt from here
Ruff House Rescue 10/22/2021
I am sorry you had a bad experience. We have our cats and dogs seen for two vet appointments prior to adoption. Unfortunately just like people they can still get sick. We hope you would have reached out to the rescue so that would could assist you.
If you live on a busy street and don't have a white picket fence around your yard, don't waste your time with this "non" profit adoption agency.
My husband and I own a home with a third of an acre of land in our backyard which was the playground to our two incredible fur babies we have rescued over the years.
We just tried to adopt a puppy from Ruffhouse We installed 24 feet of fencing in one area of our yard that they pointed out. It was installed the day after our home inspection to satisfy their requirements. We sent over proof that the work was done.
A relative of ours adopted a puppy from Ruff House. We tried to adopt the puppy's sibling so the dogs could grow up together.
We were denied because Ruffhouse doesn't like the look of the fence we have in the backyard? Told us that our street is too busy for a pet only after we invested in this fencing. EVERY house on our block has dogs. Our fence has never allowed another dog in or our dogs out of the yard in the past.
Your denial is discriminatory. Not allowing this adoption because the fence wasn't good enough for you (it certainly kept our children and pets safe) and the street is too busy. We live on Long Island not in the countyside
You didn't do what was best for these two dogs. Now they won't grow up together. Shameful and disappointing
I’m very sad and disappointed. I applied when the love of our lives Dexter passed away. It took a very long time to even get a phone interview and a home visit. They said we needed a “ caribiner “ lock on our gate even though it clips and locks on its own. I purchased one and they still didn’t approve us because we ha e a small fire pit in the backyard, I was like do you think the dog is going to jump in a fire? We had it going all the time around Dexter our previous dog and he loved it. They are not doing these dogs any favors by being so critical. We have a beautiful home and a lot of love to give. I’ll be looking elsewhere
Maverick is the greatest joy of our lives and I cannot Thank Ruff House enough for bringing him to us.
RHR does their homework and makes sure the dogs are going to a home that they feel is the best fit for the dog.
Maverick was treated with such great care during his time during RHR, with his brother at a foster's house. Working with April was such a pleasure.
On the day we came to pick up Maverick, all of the volunteers were so nice and even let us walk some of the dogs before it was time to get him. Every one of the volunteers we dealt with at RHR were great and we appreciate they work they do more than we can say.
Thank you so much Ruff House!
On Saturday I adopted my second dog through Ruff House Rescue. They both came, dewormed, vaccinated, given kennel cough prevention and so much more. My hand was held through the process both times and I was given the best treatment at the adoption events.. You could really tell how much these volunteers care about these animals. They spent so much time making sure my new dog was a good fit with my current dog. They gave me so much advice on how to properly introduce them in the house as .. Sunday morning I woke up to text asking how my first night with the new addition was. I couldn't be happier. My family is complete thanks to them.
These awful people have no idea what they are doing. They took over 6 weeks to get back on an application and every time you spoke to someone they gave you a different answer. They are cowards who email you a rejection after they have already approved you and have asked you to buy a collar and name tags. All in all a group of rude and unprofessional people who are looking for petty reasons to deny applications with no one who is willing to take responsibility for their reasons.
Ruff House Rescue 10/22/2021
I am sorry you had a bad experience. Your application was received during covid. We are a volunteer based rescue. We had many volunteers who were unable to attend adoptions. Our volunteers work very hard and I have much respect for the time they give. I hope you successfully adopted a pet just the same.
The adoption fee does not guarantee the dog you adopted has actually received anything they claim it covers. Being a naive adopter, first-timer really, I was taken advantage of. I adopted a dog, paid the adoption fee plus a "hold" to ensure I will take him to get neutered since the dog hadn't been neutered at that point (although it was included in the adoption fee). Only to find out what the adoption fee was supposed to cover WAS NOT done. He had kennel cough, had not received all of his vaccines, did not receive a heartworm test, 4dx test, and was NOT dewormed. How do I know you ask? My puppy tested positive for 2 parasites, one of which can be transmitted to humans! AND after thoroughly reviewing his record, I found there was no record for treatment of worms or anything else. Almost $500 later in treatment/medication, updating vaccines and multiple vet visits, he's free and clear of worms, and up to date with vaccines. Meanwhile, ruffhouse rescue DID NOT return calls, txts or attempts to resolve the issue. When someone did finally respond they denied it, and basically told me the only option is to return the dog, maybe so they can get another $650 from another naive adopter. This has been a horrible experience. I question how their animals are being treated and maintained. Please consider another organization and thoroughly investigate their ethical practices as well as the condition of their dogs.
Ruff House Rescue 10/11/2021
These comments are sadly all untrue. I can post a kennel card each and every animal receives. This individual likely did not adopt from us but more is trying to give a negative review for personal reasons.
We can't say enough great things about Ruff House! We adopted two awesome dogs after a very thorough family screening. I have worked in the pet industry since the late 1990s and they still put our family up to a thorough litmus test before they would allow us to adopt any animals. Even though the organization is still fairly young, they do an amazing job saving hundreds upon hundreds of dogs (and now cats!) every year from kill shelters. They make sure that each and every animal gets the best chance for a fresh start. They never give up on their rescues. I interact with a lot of wonderful shelters and agencies in the course of my work, but they do stand out as being extra exceptional. They have very devoted volunteers and are very responsive; you never wait long for a reply. If you are looking to adopt a rescue dog or cat, they will help you to find the perfect fit. Adopt don't shop and please consider Ruff House Rescue when you are adopting or donating.
My family and I were suffering from the sudden loss of our beloved 8 yr old Golden Retriever Isabella. Since her sister, 10 yr old Maggie, was so depressed that she wouldn't even eat we knew we had to act fast. I did some research online and sent out several applications to many different rescues. Well, Ruff House Rescue was the ONLY rescue to get back to me by the next morning! I had a volunteer call me that same day and by that weekend ( I applied on a Thursday ) I was at Ruff House meeting all their doggies! The kennel was clean and all the dogs were wagging their tails, clean and in good weight. They asked me many questions and made sure their precious baby would be going to a good safe home which made me very happy. The adoption process was timely, organized and I was made to feel very comfortable by all. We adopted Lily, a beautiful brindle terrier mix. She was housebroken ( at about 7 months old ) healthy, happy and knew how to walk on a leash with manners :) Maggie and Lily are now best friends and my family has been able to begin healing from our devastating loss. Lily saved us way more than we saved her. We have Ruff House Rescue to thank for this! I waited weeks until I began receiving responses from the other rescues we applied to. I truly believe if the adoption process hadn't been so smooth, professional and friendly we would've passed up this life changing opportunity. I highly recommend Ruff House Rescue to everyone! You can be sure you'll get a happy, healthy and loving pet from this organization. They really care about each and every animal in their care. The volunteers spend a lot of time with them and give them unconditional love and hands on care every single day! My family and I will be eternally grateful to Ruff House Rescue!!!
We rescued two dogs from Ruff House. The staff and volunteers were very kind and helpful
Ruff House Rescue 10/22/2021
Thank you Lucy. Please feel free to check in and let us know how your pets are doing.
I have adopted two dogs within the past two years and couldn't be happier. everyone at Ruff House is so nice and they really care about the dogs they have for adoption. I think what they do for these dogs requires special people who really want to help. both my dogs came from kill shelters. Ruff House brings these dogs up to New York from kill shelters in the south where they get another chance with loving families. I have and will continue to donate to them and adopt dogs from them. I highly recommend them.
I honestly don't know where to start...Ruff house rescue has changed our lives. We as a family have always had dogs all rescues but Ruff House rescue not only welcomed us to their fantastic organization but gave me my beautiful girl Chanel. I am a mother of three boys and I finally got my princess and she is in every sense of the word a princess. Melissa and Diane and the volunteers at Ruff House rescue have taught my children the importance of volunteering and because of their social media pages I was lucky enough to not only make a great friend but have Chanel be reunited with her sister Chelsea. This rescue group is so special I have and always will recommend them to anyone that's looking to rescue a dog they truly are angels
Ruff House Rescue 10/22/2021
Thank you very much for your kind review.