Paw Works

Marianne Boyce

2024-03

I have been volunteering with this organization for several years now, and I have never met a group of people who are more devoted and caring.I work with kitties, helping them to find their new forever homes. We see all kinds of cats, from the tiny adorable kittens to the grouchy old snagged-toothed tomcat. Each one is given the medical attention they require and all the love they need to help them get ready to meet their new adoptive family. I shudder to think what would have become of all the kitties and doggies had Paw Works not been there to save them.It is the most fun and rewarding “job” I’ve ever had and I thank the Paw Works family for the opportunity to be a part of it.

Jeanne Messock

2024-03

Paw Works is a wonderful rescue. They love and give the very best care possible for each and every dog and cat at their rescue. The adoption centers in Petsmart are always clean and the cats are cared for each and every day by volunteers that give them unconditional love and work hard to find them loving homes. We adopted a kitten 3 years ago and he is one amazing kitty. Paw Works staff, fosters and volunteers are dedicated to the care, socialization and well being of all of their rescue cats and dogs.

Melissa Comfort

2024-03

I have been sending adoptable kitties to Paw Works for the past 3-4 years and it is always a pleasant experience working with them. Their staff and volunteers are some of the hardest working, generous and kind people you’ll ever meet.I started sending cats to them for rescue when I worked at a shelter. I have continued a relationship with them personally as I come across kitties who need a safe place to go when they’re ready to be adopted. I trust them with my whole heart and always feel so relieved sending the cats their way, knowing that they will be well cared for and carefully adopted out to responsible families.Paw Works staff/volunteers have prevailed through some difficult times in the last couple years. The rescue world is such a heart-wrenching one, but this organization is so genuine and does amazing work, always with the animals’ best interest at heart! They keep on keepin’ on through the good times and the bad.Keep it up Paw Works! You guys are the best!Thank you for all that you do.

Jade O'Dell

2023-05

Me and my family both recently adopted two dogs from here, (a nine week old chihuahua puppy and a one year old chihuahua mix.)Everyone was very sweet and kind through out the process, and were more than willing to educate us and tell us all about the dogs we were adopting.The adoption process did take a few hours, but was definitely worth it. They do require you to purchase a leash, collar, and harness, but I think if you bring your own you won't be made to buy these items.The fee for adopting the dogs is quite high, (I'm pretty sure the puppy was 500 and the one year old was 450) but I'm assuming this goes back into helping the dogs they take in.Overall I'd recommend coming here to find a forever friend if you're willing to commit to helping a rescue dog, and have the patience to love and care for them and all their quirks!And here are the pictures of the pups!

Linda Skrocki

2024-03

This nonprofit animal rescue is EXCEPTIONAL. This lean, focused, hard-working organization is all heart and sensibility. They work tirelessly 365 days a year to alter the course of thousands of homeless animal lives.I have had the honor of volunteering and fostering for Paw Works for many moons. I see them face heartbreak and cruelty daily and yet they navigate these challenges with decorum, efficiency, focused sensibility and kindness.It's no wonder they are encircled with a massive village of long-time fosters, volunteers, shelter partners, donors and repeat adopters.

Cynthia Gstettenbauer (Cindy)

2022-05

Great mission. They save many little lives. As a volunteer foster, they provide necessities for the fosters. Beware of the dragon lady at the Oaks on Saturday morning. She's vicious toward the volunteers. Makes one bit want to volunteer again. The people at the shelter in Camarillo are great with awesome hearts for the little four legged friends.

susan velez

2023-05

I was able to give the cutest 2 year old rescue a forever home thanks to Paw Works. The adoption process takes several hours but was worth the time. The staff was lovely. And I ❤️ my doggie.

laura dennis

2024-03

Paw works does nothing but great things for all the unwanted animals. They rescue dogs, cats from all over the valley where animals are dumped on a daily basis. I can't praise them enough for what they do. Thank you paw works!

Lorelei Leslie

2022-05

My little dog StellaBella just had an extensive teeth cleaning and multiple extractions. They were wise enough to spot an infection and flush her sinus and gave me drops for her nose when she came out. I can NOT say ENOUGH good things about Dr Ravenscroft. So professional. So kind. My dogs health has improved 75%. We went in for an over due teeth cleaning and came out much healthier. Her breathing has improved 80%. What a miracle. I am so grateful.

Amanda Lynn

2023-09

Adopted a kitten at Petsmart through Paw Works. My poor 4 month old baby came INFESTED with fleas and her eyes are infected. They offer you a “free” vet visit on their adoptions. However, after seeing the condition they allow their rescues to be in… I wouldn’t trust them. Please do better for the animals! You are a RESCUE!…UPDATE: seeing all of these other animals you also refused to properly treat medically… I have submitted a complaint to the County. You are pretending to be a charity when you are selfishly keeping profits instead of treating the helpless animals! Shame on you!

Martin Romero

2022-05

We have adopted two puppies here. The puppies are in great shape and are very loving. It's a great place to adopt, however they need to reconsider their adoption process. The adoption process is a mess and takes hours! Also, if you want to get a specific puppy you need to make sure you are there before 5AM! They really need to have a more efficient way of signing up to adopt that day. Waiting from 450am to 8am in order for them to open is dreadful. This makes the experience very unpleasant.

Jessica Chow

2023-10

We were interested in adopting, once we arrived to meet the dogs we saw how horrible their conditions and the way they looked. They look so underfed and most of them were packed into crates together like there’s no room for them. I saw another guy scratching himself like nuts and I’m thinking he probably has fleas or something idk.. but we turned around and left. I’m not sure how they can call them a rescue.. yikes

priscilla von Muehlen

2024-02

Next month will be one years that I adopted Daisy she make me so happy as I thing she is we enjoy good time togetherThank you 🙏

Joseph

2021-05

Saving the lives of doggies everyday. Great people with a nobel mission. If you are looking for a companion, rescue is the way to go. Help give a dog their furever home

Brandon Shealy

2022-05

Great facility that seems to be run very well. The staff was mostly very knowledgeable and kind. We went there several times over the past few months looking for a puppy. We finally found the right one and made the process seamless. The first round of vaccinations, first vet visit, and microchipping was all included in the adoption price. I would absolutely recommend them.

marcia proch

2022-05

We adopted a dog from them and he was beautifully trained and hungry for love. We have been pleased with him and with their approach to adoption, making sure there is a good match for all concerned!! We also use the vet services they run and have found them to be warm and friendly and a good value for the cost of services!

Kianna Brown

2022-05

I am very grateful for my dog that I adopted from here about 2 weeks ago, but they really need to redo their adoption process and how they handle their dogs in the store. They are trying to save TOO many dogs at once. They are putting up to 5 BIG puppies in cages with LITLLE TO NO ROOM for them. The dog I adopted had her spay surgery 3 DAYS before being put up for adoption in the store where other dogs were standing ON TOP of her, which gave her enormous bruising. It is truly cruel to put dogs who haven't recovered from their surgery in a space with other dogs. When we got to our car with our dog and she immediately began coughing and we had to spend upwards of close to $2k to finally figure out what was wrong with her (acute pneumonia ). We only spent 10 minutes with her before accepting her into our family, before she was taken to the back. Surely she must have shown signs of coughing with the staff, before she was given back to us, but we weren't told anything.They barely have any background information about where the dogs come from as well! It was like pulling teeth trying to figure out the history of my new dog which is EXTREMELY important. Someone mentioned that they under feed their dogs, and they're probably right. I thought they had my dog in their care for at least 2 weeks, but she was eating like she had been starved. She also came with a sensitive neck due to bruising which definitely happened in their care.They also lied about her age. They advertised her as 4, but when they gave me her vet records, it said that she was 5. WHY LIE?!I'm just glad that I got my dog out of that environment and not at all what I expected from a rescue that loves their dogs

AP Pierce

2021-05

Went to the paw works in April 2020 and adopted a dog—we love him, and he is part of our family now. However, their adoption fees are exorbitantly high compared to our humane society in Santa Barbara, and they make you buy supplies from their store (at least $150 worth) in order to adopt, whether or not you have things at home. Further, our pup was adopted to us 1) with absolutely no background info, so we found out the hard way that he is dog- and stranger-reactive, and 2) seemingly too soon after his neuter. He was swollen and we ended up with a $200 vet visit to get him antibiotics and pain reliever.We love our pup, but as a volunteer with the SB humane society, you can see how much better off the dogs are there. With behaviorists and training and partnered walks, our dog may have been able to get higher quality care and help for his reactivity (not to mention information and resources for us) before we adopted him.I understand a lot of people with puppies rate this org highly and have good experiences, I just think that you really need to be careful and not equate them with your local humane society. Especially if you’re getting an adult dog, the fact that they cant give you any information regarding the pup’s past should be a red flag for ya.

Alizabeth Rubio

2023-05

I love volunteering here, the workers are nice and are very helpful. All the dogs are adorable and I wanna just take them home with me, please if you are looking to adopt come here, we rescue these pups from high kill shelters so if you wanna have a new member to ur family then come and see!!

Cheryl Yaras

2021-05

We adopted our dog at Paw Works Thousand Oaks—and we are overall happy with this experience. Our dog is amazing and we are so happy with him. He settled in really well. I will say that (as with any big decision) you need to do your OWN homework when considering rescue/adopting. We know a lot about the breed we adopted, and so we could gauge his overall health condition and mannerisms—and approx age. Paw works could not provide us this information or our dogs backstory. It’s my opinion that an adoption center should be able to give this info and I was pretty surprised how little they knew about our dog. The staff were all super wonderful and helpful—which we appreciated. I was also surprised how easy it is to adopt an animal—there wasn’t a lot of adoption red tape, which I think is actually a bit concerning. Just a few forms and anyone willing to wait a few hours can adopt a dog. I feel like this may not be in the best interest of the animals. I understand there are many dogs, but I’d like to see them do more investigation of the animals in their care to give new prospective families a clearer picture of what the animal has been through, any behavioral concerns, dietary needs, etc. Our dog was also severely overweight and likely arrived to them in this condition, they made the note that he has lost some weight since they got him. Another staff member commented that they “use hot dogs to motivate him to move” ... this breed is stubborn but I was shocked to hear this since the breed is so sensitive— alas, he’s home with us now and he’s on a weight management program and is super duper loving. We absolutely adore him.Update— we noticed one day after a few weeks that our our dog had stitches still, this was never mentioned to us when we brought him home. The paperwork we were given said his surgery took place in October and we brought him home in December. Our vet removed them easily, but concerning that this was never mentioned or addressed by Paw works.

Randi W

2022-05

I adopted two dogs during covid. I of course love my fur babies. I thought people should consider this when selecting an adoption agency.One of my dogs has been sick since I got him, I've spent thousands on his health. They also falsely certified him as fixed. He is not fixed. They will only pay for the surgery if I go to their vet. Which, of course, I won't do. Why would I take him there when their original vet said he was fixed?!

Jasmine “GeminiDragon” O'Campo

2020-05

The pets are so adorable and they need homes. Also everyone at the store is so friendly. They're super friendly. You could tell that they have real love for the animals there. It's definitely a great break for the monotony of all the clothing store the mall seems to have. You guys had to come by, it would warm your heart just to see these animals being rescued and hopefully adopted in their fur-ever home.

Emily Smurda

2022-05

UPDATE: Puppy has coccidia and round worm. Still zero paperwork even though it was requested twice....We got a very sweet pup here. We love the dog, however this place is truly something else. First off we got zero paperwork in hand or emailed about this pup, no vacc schedule nothing. If you’re planning to rescue from them, be prepared to deal with the absolute rudest employees you’ve ever met. (I am not kidding when I say this establishment has the rudest people working there of any place I have EVER been to in TO - especially Maya) I understand needing to follow covid protocols, I also feel there’s a way to talk to people in a kind and professional way. Also be prepared to literally wait 4-5 hours in the sun, and to have to purchase $150 worth of junk you can get for half the price on Amazon. Finally, at least at Shelter of Hope they interview you and find out a bunch of info to make sure their dogs are going to a good home. This place will give a dog to anyone who will spend the $600. Not a good experience at all!!!!! ZERO STARS! Just adding that every other review I have ever made has been a positive one. This is the first negative review I have ever written in my life. That should tell you something!!

Michael Castillo

2022-05

Went by Paw Works to adopt a Dog this morning Sunday Feb 27th, 2022 and we were not allowing inside the store. I had my 3 small kids with me and my wife and we were turned away because we did not have face make. So, even though the state and local county mask mandates are expired. Paw Works feels the need to enforce a mask mandate based upon their own ideals and beliefs. We even asked if they had mask to provide us with and they said, "no, but you can come back if you find some". I will not support an organization that is imposing mandates upon its customers.

Antonio Apodaca

2021-05

This review is based on a recent experience I had. My family adopted a dog a couple of years ago from Paw Works, so we are well aware of the organization and support its overall mission. But my latest visit left me concerned about how it is being managed through COVID. I waited in line for about an hour with my two children to look at possibly adopting a pet. After all that time, we heard several negative reactions and confusion of people to their adoption fees. This made the overall vibe very stressful and the staff person was rude to every single person. This staff person at the front made eye contact with me several times but didn't point out that I could not physically enter the building with two kids until we all made it to the front. At that point I was told the news in a very condescending way and the staff person pointed to a 8.5 by 11 sign sitting on the table next to them that I should have read before even waiting in line in the first place. It was very inconsiderate process and strange interaction. I will not be returning to Paw Works.

Sienna Toro

2020-05

I made an appointment to view dogs that were under the adoptable animals section on their website, when I arrived I was told that those dogs were in foster care and were never posted to their website. It sounded like the photos were just posted briefly and taken down, which would have been fine but the owner, Chad, was very rude and argued with me that they were never on the site. When I tried to tell him that I had seen them he responded "why are you still talking". I have never been treated so disrespectfully by an employee and it was very disappointing. There are better less expensive shelters in the area, that treat there animals and customers right.

Noreen Patesel

2021-05

I took my daughter to adopt a cat. The place was kinda dirty and they had very few pets there that day. But, they had a new kitten that she grew an immediate emotional attachment to because it resembled a cat we had just lost. So much so that it brought tears to her eyes. So I inquired about the cat to the workers and we were told this cat “wasn’t ready” because it needed shots and to be neutered. I asked if we could adopt and take the cat to our personal vet to have any remaining things taken care of. We were told only their vet could do these things. We explained that we didn’t live close. So we were told to check back. Less than one week later, Paw Works posted on Facebook a picture of the kitten and the happy “new owner”. Never were we told anything or called to say he was ready. My daughter was absolutely heartbroken.I would not recommend this place to anyone..

Marilyn Haefner

2018-05

BUYER BEWARE!!!!!!!!! I wish I could score them with a ZERO!!!!! I was sold a sick dog!!!! I love our dog, but not only is she 3 years older than what they claimed she was, she has many joint issues and will NEVER be able to be walked like other dogs! After spending $275 on our dog, 4 days later I spent $45 with our vet and another almost $400 the same day with Emergency Vets! When I called Paw Works to tell them of my concerns, I wad told that I adopted her and she was now my dog! I have a dog that is also experiencing other issues, but I can no longer afford to find out about them. I am left with a dog who sleeps 23 1/2 hrs. a day, can't go for walks and is having problems peeing! I AM JUST SICK!!!!! I love our dog, but this is certainly not what we bargained for! Simply put, Paw Works sells sick dogs!!!!! Please get the word out there to save another adopter the heartache we are experiencing!

James Apodaca

2023-05

This place is great. The staff is very friendly and super helpful. We enjoyed watching the 2 dogs playing in the lobby. We left our info regarding the type of dog we want to adopt and hope we hear from the soon.

Kaitlynn Ashley

2022-05

i used to work here and let me tell you they don’t treat their animals the best, managers are very rude, i got chemical burn while working cause they didn’t show me the right way to use the chemicals and just had an employee show me, and when i txted my manager that the affects started happening she didn’t even reply so i went to urgent care and they said they couldn’t help me and that they couldn’t confrim it happend!! told me they couldn’t do anything hung up on me in the middle of the call as well… terrible place.ALSO one of the dogs died the morning after getting fixed they said he had no health issues. don’t use their vet either