ARF – Tony La Russa’s Animal Rescue Foundation

This is a supremely irresponsible organization in my humble opinion. They sent us home with a severely abused, malnourished pup who was «skeletal» (his ribs were visible) when we adopted him. This very sweet, very damaged dog is now part of our family. He barks whenever he hears something going by outside, nips at friends who come to our home, and lunges wildly at other dogs and cars when we take him on a walk. We are first-​time dog owners and do not have the means to hire expensive trainers and whisperers. Dogs like ours should be adopted out to experienced dog-​owners or come with complimentary dog trainers for at least several sessions.
The facilities and volunteers are lovely, caring folks. I admit fault here, in lack of judgment and experience, but it would have been best for our dog for this shelter to have better assessed his needs.

We had a great experience adopting our little tripawd puppy from ARF. Olive’s big bulldog brother Bruno was welcome to help pick her out too. She is setting in well. Wonderful experience!

The ARF is such an amazing shelter! We visited with them several times before we finally brought home our new family member, Cosmo.
They keep a file of each visit and what you’re looking for in an animal. They have detailed files of each animal they bring in and based on what you’re looking for they make suggestions on which animal would be a good match for you! The volunteers are very professional and knowledge able.
The ARF also runs a great program to assist veterans. They waive the adoption fees for veterans as well as offering a free basic manner class. They also run a long term training program for veterans in need of a service dog.
The whole experience has been fantastic. If you’re liking to adopt an animal, the ARF is the place to do it!

adopted our 2^nd dog there. Great experience… thorough…cautious that dogs got along. Overall, very helpful!

We adopted our first animal from ARF Mothers Day weekend. We had been thinking about adopting a kitten for awhile and were looking around at different adoption options. We came to ARF and found the perfect kitten for us. The facility is clean and the animals have wonderful little homes there. It’s obvious the staff really cares about the forever home and family for these animals. You complete a thorough application and they ask you pertinent questions about your home and current pets. It’s clear they want the adoption to work for the family and the animal. Our new addition is awesome and we will go back to ARF for any other adoption needs in the future!

My husband and I adopted our dachshund/​terrier from here (Zuko, previously named Dex on the website) and we couldn’t be happier with the adoption process.
We had researched different places to adopt and decided to visit ARF. We were so nervous and didn’t know what to expect. We signed in, filled out the matchmaker profile (which is on the website) and waited for an adoption counselor. The counselor went over our profile with us and then talked to us about the dogs that we were interested in meeting. She gave us so much information which was REALLY helpful. They really care about placing the animals in the right home. After our discussion, we decided to meet Zuko and at first he was shy but then he warmed up to us after he found out we had treats! (which the counselor provided).
Then we filled out some paperwork to make the adoption official. We got a really informative packet that really helped us answer the questions that we had forgotten to ask. The folder included Zuko’s information such as medical history, training tips, chip information, etc…
Anyways, we are so thrilled and grateful to ARF for helping us meet the newest member of our family. We absolutely adore him.

What a great facility! The staff is very helpful and has the animals best interest in finding the perfect home. We’re so excited we found this location. Our family recently adopted a 5 year old dog, perfect for our family. They really care! I highly recommend this adoption center to anyone looking for a new family member.

I adopted a dog here. Best day of my life.
Everyone was so friendly.
The process was fine. They ask you questions about you and your home and who you live with, which I absolutely appreciate.
The grounds are really nice, and the kennels are pretty good too. They have a gift shop that I ran-​sacked.
The only weird thing was, my dogs fee was waived so I wanted to donate $ 150 towards a dog and they said I couldn’t do that??? Okay, weird, ohwell. I think my money just ended up going towards ARF, instead of that specific dog.

Love, the people, layout of the facility and such nice folks to help with the adoption process.

This review is for the spay/​neuter clinic. My puppy was just fixed there. Volunteers Dick and Carol are wonderful and didn’t push my people shy puppy. They were patient and loving when she was scared. She seems fine, low key but fine. The incision looks good. Betty and another receptionist help with check in and payment. Everyone was nice –It was a good experience and very affordable. :)

My husband and I have had a wonderful experience adopting from ARF two separate times. Both times the staff was wonderful — friendly, knowledgeable, and truly concerned for the well-​being of both you and your potential pet. They followed up with us after the adoption and even have a behavioral specialist on staff to answer any questions about the new pet transitioning to your home. The facility was beautiful too, with lots of room for the animals. Definitely recommend adopting from ARF!

What a wonderful facility, with such caring and devoted staff and such a fantastic mission! We are so blessed with our new family addition, the adorable and intelligent terrier-​hound mix «Sadie.» I highly recommend ARF for your next dog or cat. They will help you every step of the way!

What a great place to adopt any pet. I’m very satisfied with the staff here. They really do accommodate the perfect pet for you.
We recently adopted our new family member Walter, formally known at Wyoming, from ARF and he fits perfect in our family. The staff here made sure that the any adopted pet is going to the right person. They also make sure you have all the essentials you need with you before you take your new family member home. I highly recommend adopting at this place because they are not a kill shelter and they really do care for the animals that they take in. Thank you ARF!

I’ve been an avid dog owner and long time animal lover. But since my 14 year old lab passed about 5 years ago, I have not and could not have another dog. My wife talked me into to taking our kids to ARF to look around and educate them regarding adoptions. Little did we know we were going to be picked by a lovely Siberian Husky to be part of her family.
I have to commend the staffs at ARF for their patience and due diligence of matching the adopter with the potential animal. It’s rare in this day and age where quality is more important then quantities. I felt the whole process needed to make sure we were the right fit for our new family member. I would recommend everyone to go there and get to know the animals and ARF’s philosophy.
And to top it off, the facility is top notch, clean, family friendly, and a lot of sports memorabilia. My family and I will revisit them many more times in the years to come. Thank you team ARF for your patience, informative staff, and the awesome follow ups!

Great place, very friendly staff, smooth process, super clean facility. I would recommend this place to anyone looking to adapt an animal.

I’ve always had a special place in my heart for ARF. I volunteered for them years ago before they had their beautiful facility.
I first adopted from them 8 years ago. After losing my dear cat of 20 years, we decided to adopt two together, which is why I brought home kittens — litter mates who got along beautifully. Sadly, a few months ago, we lost one to cancer. I was inconsolable until I visited ARF and a sweet kitty asked me to take her home.
Enough about me. Diana Thorsen assisted me after an adorable black kitty stole my heart. She was kind and helpful and understood my needs. It is evident that ARF trains their staff well. The facility is emaculately clean and pets have adequate space and amenities.
Kudos also to Elaine Bicker who oversees it all and wears a dozen hats. And to Tony LaRussa, the board and all volunteers — a special thanks for bringing this wonderful place to Walnut Creek!

ARF is the best!!! We adopted our 3^rd ARF dog and would never go any place else! The staff is wonderful and work hard to find you your best match. Also, this is not your typical shelter. The place is extremly clean! If you didnt know, they rescue animals from kill shelters. So, thank you ARF for saving so many lives.

I had a wonderful experience adopting my kitten at ARF. The counselor who showed me around was very knowledgeable about cats and was quick to explain which cats were a good fit for me and which were not, based on the description I had given to her about the cat I envisioned to bring home. The entire facility is very clean, and all the animals have a piece of paper posted outside their door that explains their personalities and preferences, although I found it more helpful when the counselor described her personal experiences interacting with each animal.
I was very grateful that my kitten’s adoption fee was already paid for by a kind benefactor, and it was also extremely convenient that the shop inside the center was stocked with all the necessities I needed to purchase as a first-​time cat owner.
I would definitely recommend ARF to all my friends who are interested in adopting but who may be first-​time pet owners; the volunteers and counselors do a fantastic job guiding you throughout the process.

We had the best experience ever at ARF. They were so kind and helpful. We are first time cat people and they spent a lot of time with us. They introduced us to the best cat ever – perfect fit!

Adopted our cat Coca-​Cola from here. Then had our dog nuetered there great service to thr community.

if you are thinking about adopting a cat or dog this is the place to go. we got our dog there about six months ago and she is off the scale great! good people, good place, good animals. it’s a winning combination.

A great experience when we adopted a two year old lab/​shep. Everyone we met at the shelter was helpful & friendly… we have a lot of training to do with Stella but she is a joy and is working out very well!

ARF was amazing in helping us find our new canine family member. They really worked to educate us about how to make the transition work for our family and our new doggie. They also offered ongoing support after we took our Junie home. Thank you for being SUPER AWESOME Animal Rescue Foundation!

We adopted our pup from ARF several months ago. We found him when looking at petfinder and came across this quirky cute dog that was at ARF. We went down the following day and had a thorough and informative interview process. It was long but you are taking responsibility for another life and a serious time commitment, so we didn’t mind the process. They called and emailed two weeks later to see how we were adapting with the dog and even referred us to a training specialist because he was having leash reactivity.
We are so happy with our furry child and can’t imagine our lives without him. Thank you ARF for the work that you do. Whiskey and our family thanks you.

We adopted our new buddy Reno from ARF on November 7. We couldn’t be happier with this fine fellow! They have a great facility and friendly people who guide you through the whole process. Good follow up, too. Thanks!

My father and sister brought a stray cat into the shelter today. She is not your ordinary stray cat, you can tell that she used to belong to someone who left her behind. She is fixed and has one of her ears cut. She is also very gentle and friendly. Unfortunately, due to some in our home having cat allergies & financial issues, we cannot take her into the home. They brought her to the shelter so that she could be taken care of and be adopted by someone who could really give her a good life. My father was told that they could not accept the cat as it was not adopted at ARF and that they should take her to the Martinez animal shelter, which is a kill shelter!!! I’m sorry, but didn’t the founder of ARF create this foundation to save animals like this cat from being killed!!!
Im sorry, this place may be good for adopting pets, but they are not giving great service or alternatives for animals who do not already come from their shelter!

Great experience for sure, lots of help, nice facility, and we adopted a wonderful friend, his name was Aspen there, and Mr. Biggs now, great, smart, awesome buddy!

Arf is awesome!!! I was there for the first time today. One thing that I totally noticed about this place is VERY CLEAN. I have signed up to be a volunteer with the organization. I must admit I much more into dogs then cats, my parents doggie passed away this year, she was way to young.
I was really impressed by the amazing collection of guitars hanging on the walls. In terms of what kind of pets are available, there are many more cats then dogs. I smelled popcorn when I was there… and…guess what??? It was popcorn!!! I pretty much saw everything I could, and look forward to being a volunteer, this ARF is also very highly rated as a charity, and it’s great that La Russa started this.

We had a great experience at ARF when we recently adopted our newest family member, Biggie. The adoption process was very well organized, which was extremely important since it was a free adoption weekend event and there were tons of people there.
They had a binder in front where future owners can look through available dogs and cats, and choose the ones they want to meet. Once we chose a few kittens that we wanted to meet, we moved on to the next area of the building where we were assigned a number. When our number was up, we were directed towards a room with several of the kittens we had chosen. Before entering the room, we were shown a chart with the kitten’s information, including personality, medical history, and much more information. This was different than any shelter I had ever been to before, and I thought it was a really important and beneficial part of the adoption process.
We ended up adopting a tiny black kitten (who likes to cuddle, just like his chart said) who has been such a wonderful addition to our family. We couldn’t imagine life without him now. After we picked him, we waited a short amount of time for them to get our paperwork ready. Then, we picked up our free food, took our family photo for the Facebook page, and headed home with our new kitten, Biggie!
I would highly recommend supporting this shelter. We had a fantastic experience and will definitely be returning!

WORTH THE WAIT! AWESOME RESCUE.
Volunteers Care About Matching You to the Dog/​Cat. So…
Yes. You have to wait a bit to get to the point where you have your new pet and out the door you go.
This is not the pound. This is a rescue.
That means:
You’re given full disclosure about the animal you’re adopting.
Is the dog high energy? Or low energy? Any vices? etc.
Nothing is hidden from you. I think this is fabulous!
Any health issues or anything at all, is disclosed.
Then you’re allowed to meet and play with the dog/​cat and then if you’re still interested in adopting, you’re interviewed by another volunteer (are you a first time pet owner? do you already have a vet? Are you interested in puppy classes? etc).
The interview is the paperwork, too.
It’s a very organized rescue with caring people who want nothing but to give these innocent animals the best chance at a good home.
And yes, there’s even a «return guarantee» so if you feel overwhelmed or whatever, you can return the pet.
I adopted a young rambunctious dog from ARF recently and I spent almost an hour there.
MY OWN PROCESS:
I saw the puppy, chose him, then because there were other people interested in him who handled him before I had gotten there, I had to wait a few minutes to see if they wanted the dog or not. Luckily they thought he was too high energy and I got him.
So, the volunteer got him out of his little habitat room (very neat, clean with toys, etc) and we went to the big yard. There, I was given full disclosure about the dog. His habits, where he came from, etc. They were very open about his info.
I decided that yes I wanted him so then I went into a small room with another volunteer and filled out paperwork (sighed some papers) and got a folder with a «starter kit» (basic pet care info, vet info, obedience class info, micro-​chip info)…
After that, I went to the little store and turned in the paperwork, and got a picture taken with my new doggy. And that was it.
We went home.
It’s not a big deal. It’s well worth the wait. The people who are volunteering their time there are amazing for that alone. They care a lot about these little creatures.
I highly recommend this place since they take the dogs who would have otherwise been put down unnecessarily at the pound.
ADOPT!

This is the highest grade animal shelters I’ve ever seen! It’s like these cats and dogs live in their own private condos! The people are extremely friendly and accomodating to your needs. I love just walking around and seeing the cute animals in the shelter! They treat the animals so well and there are many other services available as well. I got my cute white/​blue kitty named Abby from this shelter!

Great place to adopt any new furry family member. We spent over an hour there getting to know several dogs before we decided to take Penelope home. She’s a great dog and has adjusted very well to her new family.
If you have kids and want to adopt, go to ARF. They don’t rush you and you get to go home with the perfect pet.

We have adopted two furry family members from ARF over the last 5 years — Oscar, our Rat Terrier-​Dachsund-​Pomerian mix and recently Barbie, a Havenese-​Poo mix. In both cases, ARF did a thorough evaluation of the dogs’ health and social characteristics, so that we could adopt with confidence. More than this, for both Oscar and Barbie, who are small dogs, ARF offered a calm, secure transition environment for the dogs to transition from a scary situation to our home, where they feel safe and cherished .
Thank you, ARF and ARF volunteers!

ARF rocks! It’s an amazing and wonderful organization, and we have used their services several times during the years:
1) We spayed our female boxer their years ago, and could not be happier with the quality of service, attentiveness, communication and the price.
2) We took puppy manners classes with our female boxer around 5 – 6 years ago. Again, very impressed!
3) We are taking Puppy Social classes with our new puppy (11 weeks) now, going 3 times a week. What an amazing amazing playtime class for puppies! Very supervised/​controlled, ton of useful advice, great setup, extremely impressed! Highly recommend it to any new puppy owner for socialization of their dog. We signed up for Puppy manners starting in May as well.
Thank you, ARF, for everything you do for pets and people!
P. S. Their little store has some cute unique items you can’t find anywhere else. We get catnip toys for our cat that are made by local retired ladies, and they are awesome.

My boyfriend and I had a wonderful experience here on Saturday 5÷31÷14. This review is for both ARF and the Maddie’s Pet Adoption event.
Upon entering the building, we were immediately greeted by a sweet lady. We told her we were there to see the dogs and she gave us paperwork to fill out and once we had done that, we were given a # and told that we were free to walk around & pick three dogs we would be interested in meeting once our # was called. We did just that and long story short, we found our sweet little boy whose name was Banana Nut, now known as Walter.
You can tell the people working there really care about these little creatures and take pride in being a part of this wonderful organization and adoption event. Everyone we worked w/​was helpful in answering any questions we had.
We received a bag of Purina puppy chow and a folder full of helpful information for our new pup. We purchased his collar, leash, crate, and toys before having our first family photo taken.
With the adoption, we were given the opportunity to take him to one of the local VCA animal hospitals within the first 5 days of adoption for a free check up which we took advantage of before finding a vet closer to home.
I received an email from ARF a little over a month after his adoption checking in to see how things were going– I liked the fact that they followed up and they attached our family photo.
Clean facility, organized, friendly people– I was impressed and would definitely recommend ARF.
We are smitten with our little boy– he has brought so much happiness to our lives.