West End Shelter

Don’t go here. The lady in the front desk is so terrible and strange. I went to here twice and wanted to choose a favorite cat. But she told me I can’t adopt cat because she remembered that the first time I didn’t take a cat away. I can’t understand what ‘s the problem in the lady heart? So awful attitude~

This place is a wonderful place to adopt your furry friend. They also have an affordable vaccination program which is wonderful! When my daughter was a infant/​toddler we had gotten a pup there. She has since passed but she was one of the best dogs she never bit anyone in the entire time we had her!!! And since then have gotten two new pups which we take for their vaccinations there !! It’s really awesome that the staff remember my puppies on the spot and us as the owners !! Definitely a great shelter !!!

This place is great!
I adopted two wonderful cats from here. One 7 year old Siamese mix who was rescued from a high kill shelter by the West End and waited for 2 years until we adopted her and a 2 year old Snowshoe mix who stayed at the West End for a few months.
They are both extremely friendly, smart, cooperative, made themselves right at home, have perfect manners, wait patiently for their food to be served and got along well with our dog and other cat from the start.
Other than the 7 year old needing some dental work, they were both healthy when we got them.
I thank the West End for taking such good care of them and creating such a supportive environment where the cats are well socialized and they even get an outdoor area to sunbath and hang out in.
Additionally, Bianca (the lady that works in the cat area) is awesome and capable of making great suggestions in regards to the personality of each cat. If you are clear in what you are looking for, she is the person to talk to. There is no pressure and you can spend as much time as you like visiting.
The adoption process went smooth and was very straight forward.
I appreciate that they are looking to create fitting matches between the animals and potential homes.
All the volunteers were extremely helpful as well.
The dog area seemed spacious (I only walked through), clean and if I had been looking for a dog, I am sure I would have found one.
I will continue supporting this place, so that other animals can have the chance to wait for their forever home.
Thank you West End!
In response to some of the negative reviews, please consider the following:
1.Remember that cats have a mind of their own. If you adopt one that doesn’t like you, there is a good chance you’ll run into some problems… you can’t blame the shelter for that.
2. If cats could vote between being declawed at a new home or staying at the West End longer (waiting for a home where they can keep their claws), my bet is that the majority would choose to stay at the West End.
3. It’s not the Ritz Carlton. It’s a Shelter. If you want to see a more luxurious environment, write them a big check. I am sure they’ll be more than happy to comply. Considering how many animals they take care of, it’s kept very clean.
4. The ladies at the front desk ended up being very friendly. But I was friendly and understanding first. If you are an animal lover and you work in a shelter, I am sure your heart gets broken every day by having to say ‘no’ to all the animals you can’t take. It’s a huge responsibility and the animals at the West End come first.
Bring good cheer and some canned dog food or cat food or a cash donation, smile, be patient and you might end up with a much better experience than some of the reviews suggest.

I’ve been meaning to write this review for months! I’m going to try to be very detailed because I have read some negative reviews on here and I think they are written unfairly. So if you want the short version: THIS PLACE IS WONDERFUL! I WOULD GIVE THEM 6 STARS IF IT LET ME! If you want the longer version, read on:
Earlier this year I adopted my cat from this wonderful shelter! I was so impressed by the cat house where the cats get to roam around during the day and you can interact with them. It is so much easier to see their personalities when they are out and about, instead of in tiny cages. It was the nicest shelter I have ever been to.
The girl who was working in the cat house, Bianca, was so sweet and incredibly helpful. She spent lots of time telling me about each cat I asked about. She also listened to what type of cat I was looking for, and showed me a few cats that she thought would be a good fit, based on what I told her. I can’t thank her enough for helping match me up with my perfect pet! Bianca is awesome!
I brought home a cat that had been at the shelter for 5 years since he was a kitten. He was very shy when he first came home (understandable when he was so used to the shelter) but I gave him time to adjust and within a couple weeks he was sitting on my lap and being a total sweetheart. (He is currently sitting on my lap as I write this.) He came out of his shell even more over time and now I can’t imagine life without him!
I’ve read some of the other reviews on here and I think people need to remember that animals need some time to adjust. They have to acclimate to their new environment. Just because you bring a cat home and it does not act exactly the same way as it did in the shelter does not mean that it was mistreated at the shelter or they were not honest about the animal’s personality. You can tell that the people who work at this shelter truly care about all of their animals and want to find them the best homes possible. It just means the cat needs time to get used to its new home. My story just goes to show you that a) just because an animal has been at the shelter a long time, does not mean they can’t make a wonderful pet, or that there is something wrong with them and b) just because the cat gets scared or hides the first few days (or even two weeks!) does not mean they won’t come around and become a loving, awesome member of the family! It just takes a little patience!
Also I wanted to add that I have read what people have said about the women in the office here who do the adoption approval process. Yes they can be tough, but they are that way for a reason! This is a no-​kill shelter so the animals stay here until they find the best possible home for them, and that does not necessarily mean every person that puts in a application! They have to be vigilant because unfortunately not everyone is truthful and they are trying their best to protect the animals.
In my case my landlord was out of the country for a few days so he did not answer when they called to verify I was allowed to have a cat. Although they were strict with insisting they needed to speak with him first, they were also very nice and understanding and agreed to hold the cat until later that week when he came back. Since I knew I was allowed a cat and I had nothing to hide, I had no problem with understanding that they had to follow their rules and it was all in the interest of protecting the animal.
In conclusion I am so glad I decided to go look at this shelter. I ended up finding an awesome cat. I encourage anyone who truly cares for animals to go look here when they are looking for their next pet. Thank you West End! =)

This place is awful! We got a cat there months back, and they told us she was very friendly. She seemed that way at the shelter, but when we brought her home, she was extremely skittish.
She warmed a just a tiny bit after awhile, but continued to not be a people-​person, or cat for that matter. She was very negative, and I don’t think she was treated properly at this shelter. All of the cats in their cattery were just roaming free. Not to mention, she had a very bad cold/​infection once we brought her home after adopting her.
Sad to say, she was so much of a scaredy-​cat that she ran away about a month ago. Please do not go to get your forever animal from this poorly run establishment. It was such a waste of our money and time.

This review is long overdue, 3 months ago i have adopted a wonderful kitten from this shelter. I like that they were thorough and not at all pushy. I assume this is because so many may have brought animals back. So if you live with your parents they are going to call to verify, just a heads up. Out of all the shelters in the area i felt that these cats looked the most happy since they are able to free roam in the cat area. Unfortunately i did take off one star because of being told SHE was a he lol! All and all i did have a wonderful experience playing with all the cats, i would recommend coming here to adopt your furry friend
Thanks for my cat guys! Izzy is healthy and very loved by me and the family!!!

The shelter has very rude employees, I visited this shelter to find a new addition to my family but no one would help to get the dogs to come out to see what was available. They do not update their website… We drove 25 miles to find out the dogs we were interested in were already adopted and we tried calling to see but you only get an answering machine. What a waste of time. This type of business makes us want to go to a mall and buy a puppy.

Just wanted to let West End Animal Shelter know that we havent forgotten back in Janurary 09 we adopted two female puppy Dogs who are sisters. Just wanted to let you know «Pearl and Opal» will be turning 7 years old in October. Thank-​You for all you’re doing for Ontario’s animal control.

It’s true that the lady at the front desk is tough. I know that people who do shelter work are over worked and under-​funded. Just keep in mind that the people who work in shelters have probably seen the worst in people or those who return dogs because they realized they weren’t ready to care for one. It makes sense to require the thorough paperwork/​questioning/​interview process that they do.
I remember seeing lots of beautiful, young dogs here. This is rare because puppies are high maintenance and shelters often euthanize them because they don’t have the resources to care for them. This shelter has them which says a lot about the amount of labor they are willing to put in.
One tip: in order for us to adopt a dog, we had to go home, pick up our current dog, and bring him back to meet the new dog. They want to make sure that the new dog gets along with the current dog you own. No exceptions. They have very strict rules here to safeguard against any mishaps.
It’s out of the way, but worth the drive. I found the love of my life here! Thank you for all of the shelter’s hard work!

I love this shelter. A year ago I adopted my «fur baby» from the West End Shelter. They are a no kill shelter that grabs adoptable dogs off of death row at other shelters. Therefore every time you adopt from them, you are really saving two lives. The pup you adopt and the one who will move into the spot you emptied.
I love that all the big dogs have yard sized areas to play in during the day and aren’t in kennels all day. They also have volunteers that come regularly and socialize the dogs. The staff is very knowledgable and helpful. All dogs come fixed and with their shots.
They also offer shot clinics on the weekends for less than $ 10.
The shelter looks like it used to be a large residential property turned into a shelter.
The front building smells like a vets office, and like cats, but not bad.
Tips: Make sure you check the days they are closed, it is during the week. Also, the petfinder website only shows a handful of all the dogs and cats they actually have available.
I have had my dog for over a year and couldn’t be happier. I am very grateful to West End and would love to volunteer one day.

The people who run this place are HEARTLESS. The lady at the reception desk presents herself as distant, cold, and uncaring, and the supervisor Teresa really isn’t much better. Really only the volunteers appear to actually care.
I met a dog that I fell in love with her and wanted to adopt her but I didn’t have all my forms ready. I filled out the basic form that day and the reception lady said she’d hold the dog for me until Saturday 5pm (two days later).
I come back Friday just to play with the dog out in the yard, and again on Saturday – to find that another family came in earlier Saturday and adopted her. The family is coming Sunday morning to pick her up.
The supervisor was cold and not understanding at all. She didn’t even bother to tell me the dog was adopted by another family, I had to hear it from the volunteer, who was sweet and understanding.
I’m sure other people have had positive experiences with this place, but TLDR: the people in charge are uncaring and lack any kind of empathy or sympathy.
Edit: Looking down at all the past reviews, I see that other people had similar experiences with the «ugly old fat lady» receptionist.

Whats good about this place? Bianca
Shes GREAT GREAT GREAT
Skip this place, if your looking for a pet.
Go here if your writing a psych paper on social– psychological –maladjustment syndromes,

This place is awesome. The animals are so well taken care of. Bianca is amazing in her extremely hard work ethic and her love for the animals shines. She keeps the cat house immaculate and knows all of the cats by name. She does a 3 person job all on her own. Give her a raise!

Great place to get your dog vaccinated. The workers are very nice and helpful. While you wait in line it’s so entertaining to see the different breeds of dogs. Come early because the line is always long.

Best shelter to get a cat. They get to interact with other cats so perfect for a single cat home or more. They also get out door time so the cats seem really happy. I adopted my cats here and they are the best cats I’ve ever had. Meow

West end was the first place we looked when we were looking to adopt our Siamese cat. It’s true, they definitely have a large variety of animals and really DO care for their animals. It’s clearly seen. The workers and the girl in the cat area, forgot her name, was very sweet and helpful and knowledgable on all the cats. She made sure you knew which were the friendliest or if they were bi polar, and their personalities.
We spent two days getting to know the cats, to see which one was best. In the end, we found one that was just right for us, or so we thought, that would meet our needs. We found out also that if it didn’t work out for some reason we could exchange for another one within 14 days. That was a plus. Because you never know what they’ll be like in your home, and it’s kinda a big decision it is.
Turns out she was just what we needed. She is a 6 year old female Siamese cat.
She was going to be put down at another shelter but west end rescued her from the other shelter we were told.
We named her Sea-​Ana because she is a Seal– point Siamese, and my husband and I both love the ocean as well.:)
We kept her, even though we were told she had been returned twice previously because some people didn’t think she was as affectionate as they wanted.
Well she is affectionate. And we did not want to return her. I knew she was great because I saw her not attack or ever go to bite us when we were at the shelter, as other cats at times showed signs of aggression.
She did not. She respects us, is needy at times of course, and does her own thing and is so calm and relaxed. She walks and comes to us when she wants attention or we go to her she’s picky w treats but we’ve learned and we learned what games she likes like the strings on a stick w a little stuffed animal fish on the end.
The shelter made sure she was going to be an indoor cat, which she is, and from time to time we let her out with us, BUT on a leash and only during the day.
We love her much and she completely trusts us, feels safe, and it is obvious, we love it and her. She loves us lots too. She brings lots of joy to us. We are glad we got to save a cat, and build and bring her to a home where she has all she needs and is cared for. And we are grateful West End Shelter saved her, took care of her and brought her to us through those means. Adopt from here, there’s lots of choices:) and you can get to know the pets, and donate!
And please keep them indoors if cats, not on a leash. Where we live there’s lots of coyotes now and then cats at night, it’s sad, keep them safe inside! Let them live longer! They don’t know any better, keep them safe! And alive and adopt an animal in need, they are special and exciting and it brings great joy:)

West End Shelter is a fantastic place to find your forever friend. All of the animals here are very well taken care of, the staff and volunteers are knowledgable, and the facility as a whole is impressive. There’s outdoor kennels for the dogs during the day (a nice deviation from the concrete and metal kennels at your average shelter), and their cat house is unbelievable. Cats take shifts in being loose, and even have an outdoor area!
I came to this shelter (and a few others) in search of a dog that would be a good fit for my lifestyle, and I can tell you right now, this place is leagues beyond the other places I visited. The staff and volunteers (especially Mark) really know their animals which, for someone like me who was looking for something very specific behavior-​wise, made all of the difference.
I ended up meeting and falling in love with a pup who was pending adoption (just my luck), but decided to stick around to see if her new potential adopters would work out (they were bringing in their other dog to see if they’d get along). Sure enough, their dog wasn’t a good fit, and you know what? The staff told the family so, and encouraged them to look elsewhere. This is the first time I’ve ever seen a shelter pass up on an adoption, and that is what really solidified my respect for this place. Above all, they are committed to finding the right home for their animals — even if it means turning away an adoptive family. How many other shelters can say that?
In my particular case, I needed to do a behavioral assessment on the pup I was interested (with a trainer, no less), and they were willing to work with me and hold the dog (Happy) until I could bring him out to assess her. Thankfully, everything cleared out with the pup, and two days later, Happy’s adoption papers were filled out, signed, and she was ready to go home with me. Shelter staff directed me to a list of vets that would offer a free examination within ten days of adoption, and I went the next day. She was as healthy as the shelter said she was, and she’s been a fantastic dog ever since. She really was the perfect fit for me, and I’d like to think that I was the perfect fit for her, too!
We went on our very first hike together today, and she did so incredibly well. It’s very clear that she was well taken care of during her time at the West End Shelter, and if I could give them more than five stars, I absolutely would.

We entered the shelter and a guy sitting at the desk asked us if we needed any help, we told him we wanted to adopt a kitten. He told us that the kittens were all adopted out already but there are plenty of young/​adult/​senior cats. He showed us how to get to the cat house.
I really don’t remember the lady’s name that worked in the cat house, but she’s GREAT!!! She asked me if there’s a specific cat I’m looking for, I told her I wanted a siamese mix. My biggest concern was to find a cat that’s friendly and will get along with my cat Wednesday (Wednesday doesn’t like other cats to boss her around). She knew all the cats’ behaviors. I was very impressed. She showed us 3 cats and we were pretty interested. An all white cat with blue eyes, super friendly (he actually got adopted right after we left!), a female lynx point but she didn’t seem too interested in us, and finally Stuart… a beautiful male, snowshoe siamese mix. He was just sitting there watching me and when I went in he just let me held him. I fell in love!!! But another couple was interested in him. So the lady (I wish I could remember her name) went to find out for us. They decided not to go with him so we did!!! We went to the front office, the older lady gave me the paperwork to fill out. I know a lot of people complained about her, but you have to remember she’s trying to find the best homes for these cats/​dogs. Once we were approved she was very happy and told us to send them pictures of him!
We named him Lumi and took him to the vet the next morning. He’s very happy and is the sweetest kitty ever. He’s a little less than a year old so he’s calm but still very playful. Wednesday and him are getting along really well. Thank you West End!!!

When you walk into the office, you see cats lounging around. I love that atmosphere! They have an outdoor cat area for the cats to roam. It’s so amazing.
The large dogs have big outdoor kennels for the day time and then the typical concrete kennels (at other shelters) for night time. We got our first dog, Radar, here. We played with him in the AGILITY AREA and in the front MEET AND GREET AREA. The volunteers were so helpful and nice.
We have three cats at home so we wanted to test Radar near the cat area. Ryan walked him by the outdoor cat area and Radar passed. The only unpleasant experience was with one of the workers there, but he’s been let go for his attitude.
We went back to get our second dog, Doppler, there. Ryan and Shannon were SO helpful and nice. It was 3:30 on a Monday and since Ryan was the only caretaker there, he had already started putting the dogs away. Despite being extremely busy, he was so patient with me. He spent about half an hour or so introducing Radar to two dogs. He answered all my questions and was very honest with his opinion about the matches.
Doppler didn’t pass the cat test as well as Radar so I was very worried about bringing him home. Shannon was so understanding and worked with me on their exchange policy. She even told me that even if after the 15 day exchange limit, to please just let her know if things aren’t working out.
I went home to drop Radar off and pick up Doppler. I wanted to meet Doppler one last time so I had to trouble Ryan again. He was also helping another customer and kept apologizing to me for not being able to spend more time talking about Doppler.
When Doppler was ready to go, I took him into the parking lot and the collar snapped off. I shouted to Ryan and Shannon, who both came running immediately. Ryan put the nylon collars the workers and volunteers use on Doppler and said just keep that. Shannon got me a new bigger collar.
Thank you West End for helping Radar and Doppler find their FURever home.

West end is truly amazing. I love how they are a no kill shelter and make room for any dog or cat. It’s also important to note that this shelter makes sure cats (not sure about dogs but I would think so) are spayed or neutered before they arrive to the shelter. This is a plus and is critical in helping reduce the amount of homeless cats!
I’ve visited the cat house several times and Kiera has been beyond informative! She knows most of the cats and their personalities so it was a great help when I was curious which cat would be best for me to adopt.
I also enjoy going to this shelter to hang around n give love to any animals in need. While I was there I met Frankie, a 7 year old Siamese. She’s gorgeous, loving and sweet. She never has shown aggression which is rare for that breed. Frankie has how been with us for almost 2 months and She has adapted well!
Thank you west end for allowing me to adopt Frankie!