Emerald City Pet Rescue

So thankful for this rescue. I got my dog Scooter back in 2014 from them. Unfortunately, Scooter on 5/23/25 attacked my 4 year old son over some food that fell on the floor. It was traumatic and heartbreaking to witness and I’m still in shock and processing. I always envisioned that I would be with him through end of life. I never thought I would ever be in the position but I needed to quickly re home him since he could no longer stay at home with the kids. They took Scooter back without question after almost 11 years. Although it’s the hardest thing I have ever done I am glad to know he is in good hands. I am devastated but relieved. After countless camping trips, hikes, walks, cuddles, and good times I’m sad but happy to know that he is safe back at ECPR.

This place is amazing stuff so nice and well cared for. the place is cozy and very clean. We called, made an appointment, came to see the dog, and now we signed the paperwork and will be getting the dog Thursday.

I went through the adoption process months ago to adopt Arlo who was salted caramel. I respect and honor the time and the process to ensure the adoption process was a good fit for everyone. I would highly recommend them the care and the time that they ensure to put into every animal.

every interaction with ECPR was flawless. The first time I called somebody actually picked up right away, we had a great chat about the cat that I saw on Petfinder, the process was made clear. I was interviewed there and then, never felt rushed or pressured, and before the conversation was over we had an appointment to come to the shelter to meet the cat they also sent follow up pictures and answered questions quickly. The visit with the cat was easy and we were able to spend some time getting to know her. Filled out the contract, gave the references which they called right away, and scheduled the home visit they actually brought the cat to us when we were ready! Incredible. All around great communication, great service, great everything. So thankful for them

I’ve seen staff walk the animals regularly the last 2/3 years which is fine but within recent months lots of dog feces have been found in the alley between south Idaho and south Nevada. Hopefully doggy bags can be brought on the walks to keep the neighborhood a bit cleaner.

We adopted our lovely Callie calico cat from Emerald City Rescue Colliation 4 months ago. Had to pay $200 in advance before even meeting the cat. She was supposedly fully vaccinated, micro chipped & spayed. There is a problem getting any records. I have nothing to support anything was ever done. We definitely were misleading by Melody. She stated we would receive records 2 weeks after the adoption. When I approached her about them she claimed she was working on her packet & they would get mailed out. A month later I again contacting her she had a story about a pipe burst water leak & records had been destroyed, she said we would get them when her Vet had time to photocopy records but shouldn't need them if Callie wasn't needing anything. Callie had a visit at our local Vet recently & they even requested records but Melody doesn't respond to any messages from me our the clinic. Records are routinely faxed from one Vet to another all the time. I am assuming we have been scammed.

I love everything about this organization. We’ve adopted numerous pets from them and will continue to do so. Everyone that works or volunteers here at ECPR is amazing!

This is an excellent rescue team. I have adopted other dogs but I have never had an adoption be so seamless before. My adoption coordinator Sonja Fraser gave me tons of information on my new Dog before she entered my home. I knew all about her personality and what kind of toys she liked and was able to get my home ready for her. They also give their pets the best medical care prior to adoption and provide you with all the records. I have adopted other dogs before but this was hands down my best adoption experience! My new girl Miss Muddi is doing excellent in her forever home and brightens our lives every day. I owe it all to Emerald City Pet Rescue for bringing us together!

every interaction with ECPR was flawless. The first time I called somebody actually picked up right away, we had a great chat about the cat that I saw on Petfinder, the process was made clear. I was interviewed there and then, never felt rushed or pressured, and before the conversation was over we had an appointment to come to the shelter to meet the cat they also sent follow up pictures and answered questions quickly. The visit with the cat was easy and we were able to spend some time getting to know her. Filled out the contract, gave the references which they called right away, and scheduled the home visit they actually brought the cat to us when we were ready! Incredible. All around great communication, great service, great everything. So thankful for them

I filed a negative review here a few days ago as there was a serious communications glitch between myself and Emerald city. They have since apologized profusely and we are back on track. I will continue to volunteer there and recommend it highly to anyone who would like to help out with the animals?

Great people to work with. Very dedicated to helping find forever homes for rescues. We rescue several strays a year on average and trust Emerald City to always do what is best for the animals.

I was a foster parent to a medically complicated senior cat with ECPR. When I started, the place was great. They provided medical care, food, boarding, etc, all in one place. But when they lost their main source of funding (after 10 years and no backup plan), they shut down their medical clinic, fired most of the staff and things became terrible. The supervisor Judy is insufferable. Rude, dismissive, ignores emails and when you talk to her by phone, she constantly interrupts you, complaining how much work she has and how hard things are for her (if she complained less she might get more done). The worst part though was when my cat was sent for a consultation with a specialist. When ECPR called to tell me he was ready for pickup at 7 pm, another ECPR employee said the specialist recommended he be euthanized the following day and did I want to "arrange" for it. Obviously I was shocked and horrified, so I picked him up and said nothing else. The next day, after I left a message for the specialist and had waited for almost 24 hours, the specialist called me to tell me she had NEVER recommended euthanasia. Thank goodness I hadn't listened to that idiot at ECPR or I may have killed a relatively healthy animal because of her mistake. (Later when I discussed it with Judy, of course she couldn't stop interrupting me, telling me "all's well that ends well". She had no interest in tracking down the mistake or learning from it.) It's hard to critique an animal rescue but this one may be doing more harm than good. If you decide to adopt from them, do it to save the animal from ECPR's shoddy care. But if you want to foster, be prepared for a very stressful, disorganized and insulting experience.

This is the only place I would surrender an animal to in greater Seattle. First of all, they dont have more than 30 pets among their 3 locations. This is not a packed pet jail. Second, they have their own vets in house so any time you adopt an animal from ECPR, you know that animal is healthy. All the critiques of the amount of hoops you have to jump thru prior to adopting a dog or cat is accurate. They do that to prevent their adoptees from experiencing the unnecessary stress of continuing to bounce between new owners. This place is super legit. Thankfully, unlike other cities in the U.S., we live in Seattle where most to all of our shelters are no-kill!

Adopted an 11yr old chihuahua a few weeks ago. The care and love this organization gives to their rescues is next level. Took her to our own vet to get her account started and they were also impressed with the care given (medical, dental,etc). We are in love with our new family member and will always be eternally grateful to ECPR for making this happen.

Completely understaffed. Employees that were working seemed stressed and mismanaged. I care about animals a lot, this doesn't seem like a facility that cares.

We were here after hearing about a little critter adoption event. After signing a couple of waivers, we were escorted into a small room full of caged bunnies and guinea pigs that were available for adoption. We pet and played with the ones that would allow it, all the while monitored and chaperoned by a staff member, who answered our questions and offered more information on each of the little creatures being adopted (hopefully in pairs). Due to this special event, a table was set up at the left of the lobby entrance with coffee and mini donuts to enjoy as well.

I don't recommend this place or any of its affiliates! After my first encounter with shelters I vowed never to use them or trust them again and this place has proved validation as to why I would never trust or allow my fur-baby or any of my fur-babies to go to any shelter! On 2/10/2021 my fur-baby Sophia got out and the next day I went down to the shelter provided my information and my proof that I was the owner against all odds I was told that she was there and to come down and do a "walk-thru" and the lady also told me that if a "husky comes in they would call me" later found out this was bull-(HYFI)! my mistake was not being the register owner at the time so Ramona claims that they called the owner and he stated "Put the dog up for adoption" but the owner wouldn't answer my calls" strange yes. I have made three phone calls to the previous owner and all have been unanswered not a surprise they say he stated "I gave the dog away and can't remember who I gave her to so put her up for adoption" but the whole time I called and stated I was the owner of Sophia James, I called the following days after the holiday on a Friday, they say they ran her chip and that I can come down Saturday morning to pick her up that she was there (again bull(s879)! I went down there early Saturday before they were open and the manager tells me oh' she's not here and I said why would you tell me she's here is you knew she wasn't? I honestly don't believe Sophia was ever in the shelter I believe that someone took her and the lies just kept building, now a few years ago I had a bad accident and my memory isn't all that well so as I called (Vivid) and various people were telling to update her information it took me a minute to realize that they were telling me to do this immediately it just took me a minute to catch on, so I called (AVID) and updated Sophia's information only to be told more lies! so again I went back to the drawing board, made phone calls and found out so say she is in being held at (Emerald City Animal Shelter) which I can't get validation so I am not sure if she is there or not all I know is that this place has my baby and refuses to send her home but yet fails to prove why they won't send her home! So at this point is is safe for me to say that "Emerald City Animal Shelter" has Sophia James, and according to Vivian Goldblum" she will not give her back even after I have contacted her through email and stated that I have updated the information and is the registered owner and that she needs to do the right thing and send my fur-baby home! and she has yet to do so at this point I will do all that is necessary until my fur-baby is home it is sad that these facilities are (Non-profit organizations and are allowed to run and operate businesses in this form or fashion this needs to stop and these "shelters" need to be held accountable for the unauthorized adoptions and holdings of owned animals! my Sophia, wasn't a stray she ran as I was getting ready to walk her and I feel like as soon as the word got out that she was mine "it became a yes, we got her and you're not getting her back! Sophia has a family and my little girl misses her dearly hell we all miss her an want her home!!!

Emerald city pet rescue is fabulous. Vivian and her crew are some of the most caring people I have had the pleasure to meet. Thank you for giving me Winston. I have loved him since day one and it's been over 10 years now and we are still inseparable. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

OK. This coming from an employee perspective, so bare with me. I initially got the job, and things seemed normal. Who wouldn't want to work with Animals and save their lives. I had never met the founder, and she rarely came in, which was odd. I later found out " She has a lot of money and just wants to save the animals". Having her never come in and speak to her Animal Care employees, already set a precedent for how this would all end. Many employees had an issue with a verbally and sexually abusive employee, who management never took seriously. Because this wasn't brought up or noted anywhere, so they were legally unable to fire him. This made working at their facility very uncomfortable and awkward for everyone. Id like to add, there was no HR person to go to. The Shelter was constantly packed with animals. Because of this animals never received the care they deserved, and often care was delayed with the clinic because of this. Viv, the founder would also bring in about 10 of her personal animals to the shelter for us to care for. This added to the daily stress of an already busy shelter. over worked and barely making minimum wage. Things got weird when I figured out the founder had hired a few of her family members to upper management or Operations roles within the rescue. non of them were qualified for theses positions, and none of them listened to front line employees about how the rescue could be ran better. I left once I found out that the sexually/verbally abusive employee was on paid leave ( legally they had to). Viv fired her family members at one point, and that's when things started getting weird. Odd emails, rescue van theft attempts..etc. Thats when I said PEACE OUT! Saving Animals is one thing, but over working and underpaying your employees isn't ok. HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE.

I highly recommend this pet rescue. They truly care about their pets and I appreciate that they vet all potential adopters with scrutiny: after all, they are a shelter and their goal is to ensure that their animals end up in the best care possible. When we first visited Emerald City Pet Rescue, we fell in love with one of the dogs and decided to adopt her after some deliberation. Claudia was our rescue coordinator and she was more than helpful with the whole application procedure. She made the experience pleasant and easy for us. It was clear that Claudia (and all her colleagues) truly care about the wellbeing of the animals. As an example of the precautions this rescue takes to ensure the wellbeing of their animals, our dog was delivered to us in person, by a staff member, just to insure that her new home is adequate. I truly appreciate every measure taken by ECPR to ensure the wellbeing of their pets. Emerald City Pet Rescue was also generous enough to provide medical services and physio therapy until the adoption was complete. The clinic has been very accommodating, and it was a pleasure dealing with Heidi and Mequela. Overall, it was an excellent experience, and this adoption has been life changing for me. Thank you again everyone involved!

Emerald City Pet Rescue ships animals hundreds of miles when local adopters are available, staff are hostile, they don't know where their animals are located, and their local representatives don't live in the same state.  This is not a well-run organization.

Solid place with outstanding people who go above and beyond for the animals. I know of one time they had a adopter call after hours when the dog they got from ECPR got out and went missing. Viv put out a no questions asked reward and sent out a couple teams to go find the dog at her own personal expense, at after hours. Another time, they pulled a rescue from the "wet markets" out of China. They vet the adoptor and do meticulous matching with the person and the animal

It pains me to give any animal rescue a low rating, because of course it's good that they are rescuing animals. That said, the rigid and rather arbitrary rules a potential adopter must follow don't really always keep the needs of the animals first. I applied to adopt a senior dog recently. I did an online application, then during my phone screener I was asked about my 2 resident cats. I said they were all fully vaccinated and very dog friendly - in fact they really missed my senior girl I had to say goodbye to in October. The person on the phone then asked, "Do your cats ever go outside?" I said, "Wait, you know I am trying to adopt a dog, right?" The person said, "We need to know." I said, "well actually sometimes, but they are always indoors all night, and if I'm going to be gone for more than an hour or so, and this is with the blessing of my vet." The person said, "Unfortunately, I need to stop you right there. The founder of this organization feels strongly that cats should never go outside." I understand people can have strong feelings about this topic. But it has absolutely nothing to do with what kind of a dog parent I would be. So now a 13-year-old senior dog is still sitting in a cold kennel, instead of being home with a loving family. When this group was just Kitty Harbor, I had friends also have weird and random experiences. One was told she could adopt only 2 kittens, not 1, because of the need of another companion animal. She and her kids told them they had a cat-friendly dog at home, showed photos of the dog playing with their last cat, etc. The person could not be swayed. I just want people to know to be prepared for rigid rules and terms. Again, this "show stopper" of the fact that my cats currently go outside prevented me from getting not a cat, but a dog.

I can't say enough great things about ECPR but I'll keep it brief and to the point. After exploring several adoption agencies / shelters this summer, ECPR was the only one who was professional, prompt, responsive, thorough and perhaps most importantly gave me a good vibe while I was working with them. Yes, thorough means they will check references and do their homework on you and your home; but this is simply because they care south about their pets and want to make sure the situation is a positive one before just signing a pet over. Bring your positive energy, tell the truth, ask the universe what's in store and maybe you'll be lucky enough to get one of their lovely animals. My little nugget has been an absolute joy and I'll never recommend anywhere else!

I adopted my dog, Frank (previously Millie) from Emerald City in 2017. I couldn't be happier with the dog they paired me up with! Initially I came in to see a different dog that I decided was not going to be a good fit. The person at the reception desk told me they knew of a dog who'd be a perfect fit, but I would need to wait an hour and come back because she needed to be driven in from her foster home ( I love that all the dogs are in foster homes instead of a shelter situation! ). She was a 14 year old beagle mix who had been surrendered by her family. This was going to be my first dog and I already knew I wanted an adult dog, so I was very excited to meet her! She is a huge sweetheart who has fit in perfectly with our family! And to boot, Emerald City has been so supportive the whole way. It was our second year adoption anniversary in August and I was so surprised to get a call checking in on how we've been and if we had any questions or worries. They've checked in with us every 6 months since I got her and they are always excited to hear about memorable Millie. It feels really nice to know that I have someone to go to if I feel lost and need help too. Thank you!! You guys are fantastic!!

This place is just flat out judgy. I recently inquired about adopting a pit mix puppy. Have an older pit looking for a friend and a 4 year old itching for his first dog to call his own. Upon first impression, you cannot see the dogs when you come in. It's what I'll refer to as a "date" to set up with your pet/family and the potential pet to be adopted. But before that, you fill out ONE PIECE OF PAPER that tells them about your family, the animals you have, the fence and yard situation and the energy level of the dog. Pretty much it. I have a large yard that is completely fenced and also a couple of free-roaming bunnies that hang out because they refuse to be caged. Today I received a call from Emerald City saying that the PUPPY (who is not trained and can easily be trained differently) had prey instincts so I cannot adopt this dog because of my free roaming bunnies. And the fact that my BUNNIES aren't neutered (they are babies). Sorry, but we think we can find this dog a better home. Forget the fact that I have a 14 year old pit rescue that I raised from a puppy that hasn't been an easy pet. Forget the fact that I have a loving home and family for a puppy. UGH. SERIOUSLY? And here I thought a pet rescue was about getting good homes for their animals. At the very least out of a shelter. Offended frankly by the lack of knowledge they had to base their decision. This place sucks.

I fostered and adopted a rabbit here, and was impressed by how caring and hardworking this pet rescue is. The rabbit had a lot of unexpected health issues that couldn't be predicted. I was surprised by how attentive and caring everyone was, and the on-staff vet has been extremely helpful and responsive to answer my questions about care and treatment. The staff have checked in regularly on how she is doing. I've seen some reviews criticizing that they are too picky about the adoption process, but I think it's a good thing that they are careful about who they adopt and foster to. They did check my references and everyone they talked to said that they were really friendly when they called.

Very happy with our experience adopting here - found it to be very thorough, organized, and staff were exceptional. The drop off was very smooth and Shannon gave us a welcome packet and a ton of very useful tips and tricks to welcome our 4 month old. I appreciate their shelter and work, and that they care enough about their pets to take the time to ensure that the fit is good and that the pets are safe going into the home of a new family. Thanks to Shannon and Ellis for making our dreams come true with this beautiful new puppy.

I'm not sure what the expectations will be in the future but there's a lot of animals that need homes, but instead of spending $2,000 or more on a pet which I could I'm willing to adopt one every time. I've called and have heard or been warned that you have to have basically live in the White House for the dog or the pets to come home with you I have enough training and enough common sense and I have trained many animals and yet this business chooses that certain people are unfit to have a pet even before they check your background. I feel sorry for the animals because so many homes out there but yet we're spending thousands of dollars on animals from breeders, when we could be giving our love to these babies. I will no longer reach out to this place to Help the Animals. Sadly some of the animals have been there for quite a long time and I know why now

I adopted my dog Cito from Emerald City Pet Rescue this year and couldn't be happier! He was very well taken care of while at the rescue and has been a perfect angel ever since! The staff at ECPR were all so helpful and friendly. Their adoption process makes sure each animal is going to a home that is safe and set up for that specific animals needs. What a breath of fresh air that a rescue isn't just tossing animals out the door to just anyone. These animals are treated like the employees personal pets and have a great life as they await their new lives! Thanks ECPR, from Cito and our family!

Went there twice to look at dogs. Thought we had a match the second time around but because we train our dogs to be off leash, we were rejected. We are good people who do anything for our dogs. I lost my lil dog recently and I just wanted a companion. Good people are rejected. I've had dogs who have had medical conditions and we do whatever treatments necessary for them. Seems like most rescues I've contacted including this one turn down or don't contact you back. Please go to the humane society to adopt. Rejected for off leash training is a poor excuse to me.

I want to start off by recognizing Emerald City for the important, hard work they do to improve the lives of animals and the community. Having said that, Emerald City needs to work on their sales pitches and customer experience. I walked in to take a casual stroll through the kennel, only to be informed that they don't do that (I should have checked the website, which is my fault) and then, for lack of a better term, lectured and interrogated. Within 10 seconds I was pulled into a 20-minute lecture about the process, made to fill out paperwork (that included questions about vacation time??? Again, I just wanted to take a casual walk through the kennels, I didn't sign up for this). When I inquired about one dog in particular, the volunteer launched into what I can only call the opposite of a sales pitch, wherein she managed to talk about only the negative qualities of the dog: health problems, psychological problems, etc. with not one redeeming quality mentioned - not one, of what I can only assume is a fantastic puppy. I get that you want to ensure these animals have the best life possible. You aren't doing them or yourself any favors with excessive gatekeeping or pushy volunteers. Everyone coming in here wants to save a life - relax, read the room, and let people make their own decisions and form their own opinions.

Incredibly friendly staff, who offered me AMAZING answers to my questions. Friendly pups in store at times. All the best foods and supplies for your pets AND you're supporting animal rescue and rehoming. This ones is a no brainer, shop here!

Forever grateful for emerald city pet rescue, without them I would not have my sweet and loving boy, wizard.

Good luck adopting a dog from them. They rejected me because I mentioned we had a very nice outdoor kennel area that our current dog uses and they said a dog in a kennel violates their policy even if it is our dog that we currently have only using it. We would have provided the dog we were looking at - great home but because we have a huge kennel (which I thought be a good thing) for the dog to hang out when the weather is nice we were disqualified.

BETTER HOPE YOU NEVER HAD TO DECLAW A CAT. ECPR rejected our application to adopt a four year old spaniel because we declawed a cat seven years ago. We'd had the cat for years and never considered declawing, but he scratched our toddler son deeply across the face, and we saw that we could not responsibly keep him in our home now that we had children. So we searched for a new home for the cat, tried to take him back to the shelter we adopted him from but it was full, etc. We made a lot of calls. The only place we could find to take him was the Humane Society, where he would have been euthanized pretty quickly - adult male cats who were relinquished because they injured a child are not exactly desirable. So our choices were (a) declaw the cat, so we could keep him in our home without the risk that he would maul a preschooler, or (b) send him to the shelter to die. We chose declawing. Not lightly, but because it was better than death. We loved the cat and couldn't stand the thought of him being put down. Turns out that ECPR disagrees, though. If we HAD relinquished the cat to the shelter, he would be dead, but hey, we would still be eligible to adopt a dog! According to their policy, apparently death is preferable to declawing, regardless of the circumstances. I don't know what to say to that, except that my daughter is crying in her room right now because seven years ago we made the only choice that would keep our kids safe AND our cat alive. To ECPR, though, we are irredeemable - forever unfit to care for another pet. Even though I know that is ridiculous, that makes me feel awful.

There aren't enough words to describe how thankful my family and I are for ECPR. Our dog needed a life saving emergency surgery, the cost of which was beyond our means. At this point our only option was to euthanize. This option broke our hearts, she didn't deserve this. Then in walks the Vet Tech, she has a new option....we could relinquish our girl to the rescue. This became our only option and I signed her over. The rescue saved her life and let her come back home to us. Our family is complete again because of these Angels!!! A special thank you to Magda as well...if it wasn't for you we wouldn't have our girl back!!! Thank you ECPR, thank you a million times over....we are forever indebted to you all.

This rescue recently got their own building to make meets and greets easier for both foster families and adopters! It's very clean and the people working really care about those pups! I mainly came to see the new pet store! It's full of high-end dog food and the proceeds go back to the rescue! I'm talking about Orijen, Wellness, etc. Tons of toys and tons of gear! Super clean and organized! Super friendly! Awesome place! There aren't many dogs on site, so call ahead to make an appointment with the pup you'd like to see! They have a binder to look through or you can look through their site.

We loved Gayle and the Emerald City Pet Rescue team when we adopted our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel mix, Sammy. It is evident that Gayle and Sammy's foster mom Magda are so passionate about what they do. They genuinely care for their animals and want to give them the best homes possible. I found a photo of Sammy on Petfinder.com and immediately fell in love with her. I contacted Gayle, who was very responsive, and put me in touch with Magda. When we went to visit Sammy for the first time, she had recently (6 weeks earlier) had puppies. Magda was doing an amazing job caring for Sammy and her 7 pups! Magda was very forthcoming about Sammy's temperament and knew that she would get along with our cats. After spending an hour with Sammy, we knew we wanted to take her home. Gayle brought Sammy to meet us at VCA North Coast Animal Hospital for the adoption freshly cleaned and in a brand new outfit! She urged us to contact her after the adoption with any questions or concerns, and Emerald City covered our vet expenses as part of the $300 adoption fee. We couldn't be happier with Sammy and our experience with Emerald City. We even text with the owners of Sammy's puppies, and receive photos of their progress. We are so grateful to Emerald City for connecting us with our perfect pet.

This is the worst place to rescue an animal. They charge two times as much as other local shelters for the same services The vetting of adoptees is strict, for good reason, as it's important to look out for the animals. But interacting with staff here is hot and cold at best. And the contract is seriously insane. I took it to a lawyer friend. They actually make people sign away the microchip contact info on their own pets. There's an astronomical rehoming fee if your pet ever escapes, and they can inspect your home any time after adoption and you cannot refuse. They are costly and unhelpful. I went to a less fancy place in shoreline where I got better cared for cats that were half as costly to adopt, and where more of the money goes to the animal, and I didn't have to sign an arbitrary contact. The people were friendly and helpful. I was able to interact with the cats to find compatible kitties. The people at Emerald City don't have to be the way they are to care for pets.

This place made me feel like I had to be interviewed in ordered to even be considered to adopt a pet. I understand that they are looking after the safety of the pet but people need to interact with the pet in person, not look through a binder with pictures and "maybe" be considered if they think you're a good fit. Deciding wether someone is a good fit isn't decided on paper, the pet has to meet the person in order to determine if there is a bond. The pet chooses the owner, not the other way around....

I wanted to adopt to save a life, but didn't find anyone that I want to be my forever friend at the other shelters so I looked at other places online and Emerald City Pet Rescue popped up. I followed the address and discovered that this place is actually right next to this one club that I often go to, but never pay attention at night that we are actually using the shelter's parking lot. Hahaha. My first impression was that wow, this look like a doctor's office and a playground for the animals, not a doggy jail like other shelters, but I only know what it looks like from the outside. There's a book that you can look at to see what available pets are adoptable, I was interested in meeting a Shih Tzu, but I needed to make an appointment. At first, I thought it was a hassle that both me & my roommates had to be present to meet the dog because even though he lived with me, he wasn't going to be responsible in taking care of the dog, but I was explained that they just want to make sure that everybody will get along with the dog so it could be living to it's happiest which shows me how much they care where the animals end up! I also went through reference check and a quick home check where they deliver your dog to you if you end up loving your potential new friend after meeting them. It was more of a process than if you were to go to the Humane Society where you are able to see & adopt them right away, but it was still an easy process, it only took a couple days for me and it was only longer because of the holiday in between and my weird working schedule. I am confidently say that adopting my new friend is one of the best thing that has ever happened to me. My Shih Tzu, Eevee(formally known a Keisha) has melted my heart away. Everybody here was so helpful in getting me information about her, how to take care of her, & even offered to pay for her dental cleaning. My little girl is already 12, but I'm going to get her the best years of her remaining life. I would recommend adopting for anybody that wants to help someone out and also because most the time, since the dogs here aren't puppies anymore, they are housebroken & potty-trained. I'm also impressed at how Emerald City Pet Rescue provided a collar/lease and a couple days worth of food for Eevee to make it an easier transition. I am in love with my adorable new friend, can't wait for what the futures hold for us! If I had a smart phone and we are able to put emojis in the review, there would be a smiley face with hearts coming out of it's eyes.

I went to meet a cat whose owner had died. Em City Pet Rescue had the poor 10-year old kitty in a torture room, the worst possible setting for a shy cat. It was a large cement room with no place for the senior animal to find shelter or feel safe. The poor thing was huddled up against the wall, his body cold as ice on the cement floor, shaking in fear. These people seem nice when you first speak with them on the phone, but a further investigation shows they are heartless. With so many compassionate shelters, such as Homeward Pet in Woodinville and the Humane Society, there is no reason to support an awful place like this.

It would be wrong not to acknowledge the good work this shelter does but unethical not to disclose that there is something very wrong happening here. There seems to be a rational oversight missing. The consensus among a diverse and far-reaching group of animal lovers I have met while starting random conversations about my reaction to Emerald City Pet Rescue has been that their relationship to potential adopters and volunteers is sadly lacking. They are magnificently funded. Their adoptables are in great shape. OTHER SHELTERS AND THEIR CHARGES NEED YOU SO MUCH MORE and might even demonstrate that to you. Adopt, volunteer, spend your money elsewhere. Make your dollars and your care count. Humans deserve the same love and respect as non-humans. This shelter does not seem to practice this.

I recently adopted my two dogs from ECPR and the staff I interacted with were fantastic. I am so grateful to them for getting Manny and Murphy to me. It's a perfect match! The site itself is very well kept and clean and it's obvious they take really good care of their animals as they transition to forever homes. #AdoptDontShop

We adopted Sam, our Coon Hound puppy from Emerald City Pet Rescue. The screening process is rigorous, so this is not the right place for everyone. We found the staff to be pleasant, competent, and helpful. They found Sam and his siblings at a high-kill shelter in another state. One of his siblings had serious health issues and ECPR took care of them before making the dog available for adoption. We take Sam back for visits every now and then and he's always excited to see the people who cared for him before us. If we ever want to add another four-legged family member, we will start with a visit to ECPR, no questions asked!

If you love your pets you'll shop at Emerald City Pet Rescue! They carry only the best foods on the market and have the best prices in town. The icing on the cake... Drum roll... Their proceeds go to their pet rescue! Love love love this place!!!! Try it once and you'll never buy food or treats anywhere else!

Emerald City failed to advise us of our cat's GI issues only for us to find out about them 5 years and thousands of dollars in vet bills later. Recently discovered the medical records from our pet's stay with Emerald City pre-adoption and all of this is listed. I am horrified and upset.

We recently adopted our adorable 10 year old rescue chihuahua, Beatrice (formerly Betty Joy!), from here, and we couldn't be more impressed with both the service we received and the due diligence on the part of Emerald City to ensure that we were comfortable, knowledgeable, and safe parents for little Beaty. From screening us with both a home visit and references, to always promptly returning our calls, to following up with us both at the one week and the one month mark to see if we had any questions or issues, they have been stellar and we don't have a single complaint. Would definitely recommend Emerald City Pet Rescue based on our experience.

Wow, I'm really saddened to read the negative reviews on here... I honestly couldn't disagree more with them. This is precisely why I try to review all of my favorite places, as low ratings can unfairly skew an entire place's reputation. This said... In my opinion, and as an insider (I volunteer with ECPR), I am consistently amazed by how involved and empathetic the staff is. I've had nothing but great experiences contacting and meeting with the organization's many coordinators (i.e., departments in volunteering, foster care, adoption). The people who work here REALLY care about the safety and well-being of all animals, and they deserve the jobs they have because they're involved to the utmost extent. From what I've seen, everyone here goes above and beyond. And the review regarding a "torture room," well... I just don't get that one. The animals here are treated far better than most other shelters I've seen/heard of. And because I am an insider, I want to give you a bit of a sneak peek at what ECPR stands for and does! This shelter rescues -- almost exclusively -- dogs from high-kill shelters, both in- and out of state. The dogs are welcomed, fully vetted and cared for, and fostered whenever that appears to be a need. Because ECPR cares so deeply for their pets, the adoption process is, indeed, a process: it requires 3-4 steps. As a volunteer, I socialize the dogs. This is my job: to literally cuddle and play with the animals. The dogs are out of their crates for the day, with the exception of feeding times, and overnight. I hope this gives you, the reader, a brighter perspective of what ECPR is all about. It consists of activists who really care about, and defend, the rights of animals. Stay tuned for ECPR's expansion in the new year, too!

AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COST! Absolutely the WORST customer service & experience that I've ever experienced from bottom rung employee / volunteer all the way to the top and Founder Vivian Goldbloom. I've never been so disappointed and left speechless. I am good enough to Adopt my children but not animal? What a joke! The entire experience left me flabbergasted. This is not the last they have heard from me. It is one thing to disappoint an adult but to let two children down Unbelievable! AVOID THIS PLACE AT ALL COST! THE WORST! More of the story to come. Step by step details. Seriously this place is terrible!

Emerald City Pet Rescue I would definitely recommend. Yes, it is not a walk in place, but the work that each person puts into finding the right home for each pet is very thoughtful and caring. We had been looking and found our sweet girl Fifi on All Paws which they post on. I wanted to find out if she was even available before we started the paperwork. I called and was able to get questions answered. I was able to get a screening over the phone, and we made an appointment to visit. The place is very clean and you can see the staff interacting with the dogs. They take the time to make sure it is a good match for both the animal and the person. I am very appreciative of the time and care that is put in. Once you adopt an animal you are part of a bigger family with support put into place. Their goal is to find forever homes for each animal and it shows in every step in the process. They are knowledgeable and make sure that it is a safe environment, so yes they have a home check. A pet can bring joy into someone's life, but remembering they are like kids that need a loving safe environment. I am very thankful for their process, the volunteers, workers, and the founder.

Emerald City Pet Rescue is a caring facility that takes all measures that their rescue animals are placed in their forever homes. The care they provide to their animals until they have been placed is unmatched and truly remarkable. Their adoption process is thorough, which can be hard when you are so excited to get your new fur baby, but their intention to carefully screen is always in the best interest of the animal. Could not recommend them enough!

Shannon Perry 2 reviews in the last week I applied to adopt a chihuahua that i had been bonding with since she was three weeks old(months of bonding). All my references checked out (one of which was the puppy's foster parent). I have a good, financially stable home with a partner/puppy co-parent, and i am self employed and can bring the dog to work--she would rarely be alone, if ever. At the meet and greet, i was told the dog "chose me" and told "congratulations on yr new puppy". I was told it was great that i had an emotional support animal pass, because i could bring her anywhere. I assured them that even though i'm in a band, we are in our mid thirties and dont tour often (but regardless, my partner would be there if i ever wasnt). I told them i would provide the finest pet insurance and create a dog area at my shop. We had already chosen a name, because we had received such positive encouragement from the interview lady on the phone, plus at the meet and greet. Four days later i was denied my little buddy for adoption because i had an emotional support animal pass (the same thing id been told twice was actually a good thing), and they were doubtful that a chihuahua puppy could "fulfill whatever my emotional needs were", even though i was just seeking a companion, and already knew the puppy for months. I'm devastated and i feel discriminated against for having an emotional support animal prescription, and also for being in a band. The lady stated that they were aware that i was in a "popular band" and that they generally deny people in touring bands. Even though we hardly tour. The process felt invasive and the rejection felt ignorant, cruel and unfeeling. I can't tell if they're trying to help dogs or exercise their own pretentious ability to deny pets to perfectly capable and loving homes. I will be sharing my story further in hopes of helping other good people to avoid needless heartbreak. Unprofessional, invasive, pretentious and cold. I will never work with them or recommend them again.

Very nice facility, but felt the staff member that helped us was a bit condescending. Although I've owned several dogs and have trained many of them, the staff member acted as if we didn't know the first thing about dog behavior. Dogs getting excited when unfamiliar people are introduced is a normal reaction. The staff member telling me that the 15 plus dogs in the viewing area have a fear of men was riduculous. The very attendant caring for them was a male himself. The credibility of that staff member went out the door. All I can say is I applaude the good work your organization is doing. Just treat potential clients with a more welcoming attitude. We did NOT feel welcome. PS. I rarely ever give feedback...EVER! I feel dog adoption is very important. Please put as much energy into the customer as you do into placing your pets.

We adopted our wonderful dog from here and we can't rave enough about this place. We are so thankful to have found out about ECPR. Unlike other shelters, pet visits are by appointment only and their adoption process is more extensive (requires references, home check, etc). Large dogs don't stay at the facility. They seem to try very hard to get a good gauge of the dogs' personalities and find good matches. Adopting from here is one of the best decisions we've made. I'm surprised and saddened reading reviews about rude staff. The times we came, they were polite, helpful, and friendly. Like reviews below say, only come here if you are serious about adoption especially since the large dogs aren't housed here. I know other reviewers are upset by this because they wanted to just play with dogs, but I don't see this as a problem. The purpose of a shelter is to find dogs homes. It takes volunteer time and donations to keep the shelter open. Update: We've had our dog for a year now! ECPR called us for a checkup 1 month, 6 months, and a year after adoption. We really appreciate that they still care for their animals once they've been adopted.

The place seems clean from the lobby, but after that I couldn't tell you. I'm visiting the Seattle area for several weeks and was looking for a place to see friendly animals on a free day. This was definitely not the place for it. Animals are open to visitation by appointment only. Unless you're ready to adopt or looking for supplies, don't waste your time.