The Rescue Train

NOT AN ACTUAL LOCATION. This address takes you to their UPS post office box. Same address that they have listed on their website. No one answers their listed phone number. Thanks but no thanks, Rescue Train. If you want adoptions you should be a little more transparent about where to find your business. Feel free to correct me if I’ve misread something, but for now it looks like I’ll be adopting a cat from a more responsible rescue.

No stars, worst experience ever. They introduced me to a specific dog and I invested time meeting and training it then they decided to give it to someone richer with a bs excuse. Simply the worst in decades of experience in the states and uk, was stationed in Europe for several years w dogs I brought over or adopted and I can’t believe anyone anywhere gets away with behavior like this. There are a million other rescue orgs and shelters with less shady business practices, I can provide urls but in the meantime be very cautious w them or go to ur local shelter please. Please ignore their pr on this post, they are not worth your time or money

Ahhh, if I could just have more pups this is the place I would go!!! I adopted my Tally from Lisa and Paula and I can’t say enough about either of them or the organization they represent!!! They always want to make sure the pups come first and that they find their forever loving home!!! Thank you so much for my little love!!!

I have nothing but kind things to say about this place and these people. I’m sure there were people out there more qualified than I with bigger yards and more money, but they saw my heart and introduced me to my best friend in the world. They were very careful to get to know me, to see my apartment and do everything they could to make an informed decision. They even helped me get situated and provided me with a plethora of advice and support. I would recommend these spectacular individuals to anyone, first time owner or longtime dog lover :)

I have nothing but positive reviews for the Rescue Train. I was introduced to them by a friend/​coworker when I was considering adopting another cat, but wasn’t sure how my current cat would tolerate a new member to the household. So I signed up to be a foster before I fully committed to adopting a new cat. Lisa took note that I loved black cats and we both thought a male cat would be better with my female cat. Lisa very quickly found a black male kitten who was eager to get out of the shelter. She even made sure I had a hand in naming him (even though I would only be fostering), hence Felix the Cat. Rescue Train did and paid for everything. They brought him to the vet to be quarantined. When I got him, he was already fixed, had his first few sets of kitten shots, and had already been micro-​chipped. After the home check and a week after being in the vet to make sure he was healthy, Paula hand-​delivered Felix to my house. Rescue Train provided the cat cage and high quality wet and dry food. And after a month, I had fallen head over heels in love with Felix. I told Lisa I wanted to adopt him, and since he had one more sets of shots, Lisa agreed to cut the adoption fee in half since I would be paying for the shots! It is absolutely clear that Lisa and Rescue Train truly cares about every single animals’ well-​being. Their application and adoption agreement only reiterates how much they personally care for each and every animal they try to help — and they will not hesitate to step in if they believe an animal’s well-​being is in danger, which is pretty incredible. On Facebook and in person, Lisa is very warm and still very gracious for adopting Felix. I can’t recommend Rescue Train enough!

I can’t remember when Mickey wasn’t a member of our family — but there was a time when he wasn’t. He was a scared little guy who was in a high kill facility and his time was up, when Rescue Train pulled into that station and brought him to one of their foster houses. We had recently lost our beloved big dog, leaving our recently rescued Pug by herself. Paula of the Rescue Train suggested that we needed Mickey as much as he needed us – and she was right. Rescued dogs seem to understand that they are being saved. The love and gratitude Mickey shows us everyday is humbling — and we love our adorable pup pair of Lily and Mickey. We are forever grateful for the suggestion from Paula and even more grateful for the thoroughness that the Rescue Train exercises when finding a «furever» home for their saved animals. There are so many folks who think pets can be temporary — returnable — or worse — disposable. Not the Rescue Train — finding the right family for their animals is serious business as these animals have already dealt with enough heartache. I don’t know if there is better rating than getting the go ahead from them to adopt one of their rescues. I’d like to believe we’ve made Mickey a better dog — but I know for sure, he’s made us better people! Thank you for all the wonderful work you do!

I fell in love with a dog at the annual Christmas Open House in Toluca Lake. She was representing the Rescue Train and being fostered by a lovely woman who was holding her. A bolt of lightening hit me when I saw this baby girl, half Italian Grey hound and half Tibetan Spaniel. Of course I wanted to take her home that very night. I was told that I needed to fill out a form, be accepted as an adopter and pass a home check to make sure the dog would be cared for appropriately and protected. I went next door, borrowed a computer and filled out the forms on the spot. At first I was overwhelmed by the amount of questions and the thoroughness, but as I slept on it I became more and more thrilled that this organization was extremely careful about their clients and their wards. I passed the interviews, I passed the meet and greet, I passed the home inspection and I became the proud mother of Talulah Lake, named of course, for the location and the event that brought us together. I have such respect for Lisa Young and Paula Cwickly and the very fine folks who drive the Rescue Train. They are dedicated, careful and if I were to tell you little Talulah’s sad back story, it would break your heart. Right up until Lisa and Paula stepped in and saved her. Long may they live, thrive and save the lives of canines, felines and humans alike. Please recommend them and support them. They are sensational. and I am grateful to them and for them.

I have had the pleasure of working with the Rescue Train and their dogs in 2004 when they were just beginning. I can say they are some of the kindest most loving people. The work they have done to rescue and adopt, to teach and raise awareness in the rescue arena is stellar. They understand the care involved in each companion animal and provide it with unfaltering love and dedication, even at the expense of their own time and health. If you want to adopt a new furry family member, definitely jump on board the train and take ride!

I can’t believe they don’t have more reviews! The Rescue Train is FANTASTIC! They love animals and are so devoted to the pets in their care and finding great homes for them. They also organize a fantastic yearly event to benefit not only their own rescue, but many other great rescues and shelter pets.

I’ve been a fan of The Rescue Train for going on five years now, and can’t believe no one has reviewed them yet! I first discovered them when I ran the Pasadena Race for the Rescues back in 2009 — the great people at Rescue Train plan this event, but it supports countless pet rescue groups and shelters in the area. At my second race in 2010, we met our best friend, our beloved blind chihuahua, brought to the race by Pasadena Humane. (See our review of them for more of that story.) Especially because we live in Riverside and our dog was in Pasadena, if it weren’t for Rescue Train, we wouldn’t ever have met him.
This year we ended up adopting our second dog from the Rescue Train. I had become interested in one dog because I fell in love with her picture — but I knew my blind dog well enough to know that he doesn’t love most dogs. And the Rescue Train knew their dogs well enough to know that the dog I was interested in was probably not a good fit, but recommended another that they thought might be. (To be clear: they were still willing to let us — and our dog — meet the other dog, but we trusted their instincts.) As for the dog they suggested, Lisa, the head honcho at Rescue Train, had been fostering the dog herself, and knew what a special little girl she had on her hands. The dogs met and hit it off, we liked her too, and after some careful deliberation in making sure we could handle a second dog in our life, we went forward with the adoption. The Rescue Train did a home check and before we knew it, we were good to go, and had our second dog!
Rescue Train’s team knows their dogs and cats, and knows tons about animals in general. At one point early in the process, before we’d met our dog, I had said to my husband that if anyone could find us a dog that would pair well with our finicky blind pup I knew it would be them. They nailed it!
They want the best for animals — not just the ones they save, but all animals in the region. Their spay/​neuter events — and the huge race they hold annually which supports many organizations beyond themselves alone — speak volumes to their contributions to the greater good. And they can help you find your best friend. What’s better than that?