People United For Pets
reviews and complaints

We recently adopted from People United For Pets (PUP). They were simply the most thorough backgrounder I have ever experienced. I filled out the multi-page form and submitted it. I was sent an email within a few hours. They informed me that there were multiple applications for this young, cute and highly desirable ‘Havapoo’ dog. PUP requested additional information pertaining to the recent death of our previous dog to include vet information, request about meeting needs specific to this dog to include property layout, and then a pertinent question about the readiness of my wife and I to adopt so soon after the untimely death of our previous dog. Unlike this person complaining, I received responses to all of the above series of communications very quickly. PUP made it clear up front what they believed was the best environment for this dog and they were looking for the best match for the dog, not us.
We were selected to move on to the next step which included an in-person interview from a PUP representative and meeting the foster parents / dog offered for adoption. They required both my wife and I be present which meant for us driving a couple hours each way, but the results were we made a happy pet adoption with PUP!
I recognize that it must be disappointing to go through the process and not be chosen as the adopter to a dog you see online and desire and some may complain. If you want to window shop and just chose a dog as a customer, this organization is not for you. Go to a pet store. If you truly believe in animal rescue and can put faith that the process is trying to find a great match for both you and the dog, give it a try!

I am sorry that a few people have had negative experiences with PUPS but I can only say that these mishaps are few and far between! Sadly, you can't please everone but its too bad that they felt they had to smear such a wonderful organization whose only interest is to help people and pets unite (hence the name :) ). This is a very well run organization and moreover, they really have the best interest of the animal in mind. Literally 20 minutes after I submitted my application for a pre-approval, I called my Vet to let them know they might get a call for a reference. Incredibly, PUPS had already called and gotten what they needed from them. Of course they inquired anout the care of my past pets...its a relavent indicator of how I will treat my new pet! At the next adoption event, I was able to meet and ultimately take home the most wonderful pet ever. I attribute her sweet, open disposition to the care, love, and training she received at her foster home. Recently, I have gone to more adoption events as I'm thinking of adopting a friend for "Jinger" and I am always impressed with the group's organization and their sincere desire to find the right forever home.
I'm not one to normally post on sites but I couldn't sit by and have a few disgruntled people generalize their mishaps to say that the whole organization is flawed.

Out of curiosity, I've been Googling to see if any complaints have been submitted about People United for Pets (PUP) to various websites, and I recently ran across the above comments, with the negative ones particularly catching my eye. Although they are a bit dated, I'd still like to respond, in case someone else is searching for information about various dog rescues in the Seattle area and is questioning the merits of doing business with PUP. I've been a volunteer with PUP for over five years. I have fostered several dogs for PUP - probably upwards of 50 - and continue to foster while also serving to facilitate the adoption of dogs fostered by others. In both capacities, I've met a lot of potential adopters and read through numerous applications. Hard as it is to hear, PUP's main goal is not to make interested applicants happy. Although that's certainly part and parcel of what PUP does, its main goal is to find great homes for homeless dogs. Notice that they're not the same thing. How do we determine if a home will be a great one? The application is the starting point - we sift through what we see on an application and, knowing what we do about the dog from its time in foster care, we try to determine what kind of environment would be best for the dog and whether this particular applicant can provide it. There have been plenty of times where I've liked potential adopters, but have nevertheless felt that they would not provide the kind of home that I believed my foster dog would thrive in. PUP also checks veterinary records of animals currently in the applicant's home; if a potential adopter doesn't keep his/her dog up to date on vaccinations, or doesn't believe in sterilizing his/her animals, then we question whether our dog will receive the care it deserves. The above comments that PUP doesn't "take the time to meet applicants or talk to them on the phone" is absolutely incorrect; if we feel a dog would be a good match with an applicant, then we set up a meeting between the applicant and the dog (and include any other dogs already in the home in the meeting). If all parties - the applicant and the PUP volunteers - believe it is a good match, the dog goes home with the applicant. All of this - reviewing the application, checking vet records, having the applicant meet the dog - takes a great deal of time. I can assure anyone reading this that PUP doesn't just "move dogs through as quickly as possible"; if it takes several months to find the right home for a dog, we'll keep it in foster for several months. When an applicant doesn't get to meet a dog, it's generally because either (1) the applicant was not the first approved applicant for the dog and the dog has been adopted by an earlier approved applicant; or (2) based on the application, we don't think the match would be a good one. That's not the same as saying that the applicant is a bad person, but many people take it as such and get defensive about the decision. Which brings me back to my earlier comment - PUP's primary goal is to find great homes for its dogs, not make applicants feel good about themselves and allow an adoption to go forward so that feelings don't get hurt.
I have worked for other dog rescues over the years, and to my mind, PUP is one of the best run, best organized, most professional rescues around. PUP has built up great relationships with area vets and pet stores (you'll find PUP regularly holding adoption events at the Kirkland Petco - I seriously doubt PUP would have this ongoing relationship if it weren't so highly thought of). If you ask around, I think you'll find numerous happy, satisfied adopters of PUP dogs. No rescue can make all people happy - some people resent what they view as an intrusion into their privacy through the application questions, some resent missing out on the adoption of a dog for reasons beyond their control - and for those people who are dissatisfied with PUP, I encourage you to find another rescue to work with. There are plenty of them out there, and they are all staffed with committed volunteers working to find homes for wonderful, highly adoptable dogs.
P.S. This response is a personal response, and not in any way the official position of PUP. It is based on my own experience working with the rescue for the past several years; anyone wanting to get an "official" position from PUP should visit PUP's website and/or contact its director.
P.S.S. I think we can assume that Chad Legg, writer of one of the negative comments above, has done his due diligence regarding PUP and not found anything "shady" to report, since he hasn't posted any further comments. Chad sounds like an applicant that missed out on being able to adopt the dog he wanted and, "being from a law firm", perhaps he felt entitled to adopt that particular dog. However, my above comment still stands - PUP's goal is to find great homes for its dogs, not make Chad feel good. I hope he's found his rescue dog.

Most rescue groups are run by volunteers who dedicate their time and resources to saving the lives of pets that have been thrown away by society. PUP is no exception. And when a group and its volunteers put all their blood, sweat and tears into saving animals, then yes, they have a right to be picky. I am quite familiar with this group, and they have an excellent record of successful adoption; very rarely do their dogs get returned or find their way to a shelter. This is because of their stringent adoption screening process. As for the person who was upset over the requirement to have all existing pets in the home spayed or neutered - that is just common sense. If a potential adopter doesn't even care enough to have their current pets spayed or neutered, then most responsible rescue groups are going to consider this indicative of an irresponsible mindset.

In my opinion all of these folks need some "CHEESE TO GO WITH THEIR WHINE". I'm the Director of another 501(c)3 non-profit and find that approximately 20% of applicants to adopt our dogs are liars or worse. The application form is the Rescue's first line of defense to ensure that the dogs they are adopting out are going to loving, caring homes. With our own Rescue, in many cases we have 5-to-7 applicants for the same dog, but the dog can go ONLY to one home... so the WHINERS in this complaintboard.com website were obviously folks that came in second, or further, in the list. Further, I happen to know that People United For Pets is, at present, juggling NINETY dogs - that's pretty darned good for a non-profit, all-volunteer organization. How about some of you WHINERS stepping forward and spending some of your OWN PERSONAL time doing what these volunteers do... Until you've walked a mile in the other person's shoes, you don't have much right to complain.

These people are very unprofessional. After filling out an application and initiating contact to discuss some of the requirements for adopting one of their pups, they adopted it to someone else without saying a word about it to me. Instead they had me calling around to retrieve vet records for my current dog to fulfill their requirements. On top of all of that, they require that ALL animals in your house be altered prior to adopting you a pup, even though they indicate that the pup you will adopt is altered. Be that as it may, it is a bit shady to lead someone to believe that they are adopting a pup and have them calling all over town to get records etc just to adopt it out from underneath you anyway. Being from a law firm, I am going to investigate this 501 (c) (3) a little more thoroughly, as you should prior to supporting them, and I will post my findings for you to review.

I agree. I was in communication with them regarding the adoption of two dogs they claimed they did not want to separate. I wasn't ready at the time due to a busy schedule to adopt both of them but told them that before they consider separating them to please contact me. They said they would keep me posted and failed. I found out too late. When I inquired about why they did not contact me, they told me they didn't think I was ready and that they were sorry if I thought they were holding the dogs for me. I know they couldn't hold dogs; I just thought that they would have the decency to contact me. If they are so concerned about finding the best forever home and were so adamant about keeping the dogs together, why did they disregard my attempts to inform them that I would adopt both the dogs if they considered separating them? And who are they to pass judgement on whether I'm ready without ever meeting me? Are they really thinking about the dogs' best interests or just out to move dogs through as quickly as possible?

I agree, these non profit pet organizations are too complex, they typically have an extensive form to fill out, and make decisions without even an interview or phone conversation. (sometimes I wonder if they want to find forever homes for their pets?) Too bad as they have some cute pets, but I want my adoption to be a happy experience, not an "interigation"

Thanks for the heads up.