Wags for Wishes Reviews

We adopted a dog from Wags and love how friendly and genuinely caring the staff is of ALL of the animals there! Exceptionally clean and managed so well! Hands down, This is the best kept facility I ve ever been to!

The people were more interested the dogs than the people coming to look them for adoption. Unfriendly, only 1 worked greeted us.

Web rescued Addie from them, a very nice and dedicated group of folks.

They refused to let me adopt a dog because I had 8 week old kittens that weren't fixed....

Excellent is all I can say. Loved everything about this place, and the people that work there, very kind. Not to say I love my new puppy, Charley. Application process very easy, as well.

I have noticed that a lot of these reviews are based off people not being allowed to adopt for whatever reason or the pup they wanted was adopted before they could go in. I understand getting frustrated but to bash a place because of it is very high school. Running a rescue is no easy feat. I had applied to adopt over 2 years ago and was ready to bring my dogs in to meet the puppy but right before we were ready to leave we got an email the pup had been adopted. I was sad but I get it. They can t hold dogs for people. People don t always follow through with what they say and that could leave a dog in shelter that could have gone home with another family. As a psychologist I can also say that past history of animal care or lack there of is very telling. If I ran a rescue I d be putting people through personality and criminal background checks and I have a house full of dogs because quite frankly I d be so picky.
I also read the review just posted about the pup they felt was left outside to long. I think before you post such a review you should contact the rescue and speak with them directly. As the owner of 2 very large Newfies and a small pit bull mix from Wags to Wishes, I know sometimes things happen and can appear one way, when in fact something entirely different is going on. Never assume. I have had to leave my Newfies outside while cleaning up messes they brought inside and set things up to bring them in to clean them up.

Having said all this- I also adopted a dog from Wags last May and I have nothing but good things to say about them. What they do on a daily basis I can t say I could do. It is emotionally draining to watch dogs come in with all kinds of issues and dealing with people is not an easy feet either. I know that first hand. People bashing them because they haven t been chosen is not a review, it s anger. People reviewing negatively because a dog got adopted before they could get them isn t a review it s disappointment. Someone complaining about a dog outside too long without finding out why isn t a review, it s an assumption. What all of these people who negatively review for personal reasons fail to realize is that their review, for whatever their personal reason is, can cost a dog a good home. It can also cause families to be deterred to go to Wags and that s a shame. They do an excellent job.
The volunteers are volunteering their time and I m sure can t be perky and overly friendly every time someone walks through the door, or calls. They see things most people don t see. One thing I ve learned in 25 plus years of social services is the average person has no clue what it is like to see the dark side of things. You see it in social services and animal rescues.

My hat goes off to everyone at Wags. They do incredible work with heart. They are dedicated to saving the lives of these animals and I m glad they are picky about who gets them. They should be. They do their best to test the pups before hand but what people fail to realize is they are animals and some may display behavior later that they didn t see in shelter. It happens. People also don t like to listen and think they know better.
Keep up the good work Wags to Wishes! My family and I are big fans!! What you guys do is amazing and hard and you change the lives of the animals and the families who are lucky to get a furever friend and family member from you!!

We rescued our little beagle mix puppy on March 20th 2019..... we couldn't be more in love she has brought so much love fun laughter snuggles kisses and more to our family. We are sooo BLESSED to have her.

Planning on adopting a puppy at 10 weeks old, the dog was a large breed and was neutered without our knowledge before adoption. If large breeds are neutered early it can cause ruptured ligaments and other serious issue related to hormonal imbalance. No one wanted to talk to us when we called with our concerns about early neutering. On paperwork it said we had the option to neuter him at our own vet but we're not actually given that option.

Mr Circelli's review and lack of use of proper grammar more than made his intelligence level obvious. He clearly did not read the adoption requirements and policies before submitting his application, as they are very clear on what they expect from every potential adopter. It is a business's choice to refuse service to anyone who enters their doors. Wags 2 Wishes is clearly doing something right. In the last 4 years they have successfully placed thousands of animals into safe and loving homes. It gives me the utmost peace of mind knowing the thoroughly check vet records of ALL potential adopters. It doesn't make much sense to send animals home with individuals who didn't or don't take care of their animals. After all, they were saved from death and promised a better life. It is clear as day when you enter the rescue's doors that Terri and every volunteer has the health and safety of the dogs in their rescue at the top of their priority list. You will not find a more honest, organized, or cleaner rescue in the Midwest. I fully support Wags 2 Wishes, and their decision to turn away ignorant, disrespectful people, as they know their dogs deserve better. Thanks for all you do.

The staff was very friendly and clearly care about the well-being of the dogs. Also, the foster family for the puppy that we adopted was terrific.

The facility was clean and all appropriate Covid-19 safety measures were followed.

I highly recommend Wags 2 Wishes if you are looking to add a furry friend to your family.

We adopted Mufasa a boxer mix. Going back in a few days to get his twin sister. The staff is wonderful. All very caring. The facility is very clean and the dogs are in well cared for cages. I definitely recommend Wags to Wishes.

Rescued a sweet addition to our family a couple of weeks ago from w2w. I made sure that I filled out the proper paperwork prior to going in there. It was lengthy but I wouldn't expect anything less. My wife and I went in and got to hang out with our baby bulldog and the staff explained as much background on her as they had. All the staff there was very nice and we couldn't be happier. Thank you very much W2W...

It was a welcoming place and I felt safe letting by puppy into their hands.

Great rescue, great staff. I love my doggy from W2W

Great organization and volunteers. Clean and well kept. Genuinely focused on getting dogs the right forever home. So thankful for their work and for bringing Pippa (Yin) into my life.

Family and I adopted a dog from here, "Elvis" loved the dog more than we should've, had him for about a week, bitten one of our family members on day 4, sent him to the hospital with 19 stitches to the face, kneeled down to pet him and attacked him, day 6 he bit me in the knee walking into the house, he knew us all, none of us were strangers to him, we all loved him. Sent him back that night, this place has no knowledge on the dogs, Elvis's teeth were filed down, and believed he was a "fighting" dog in the past, no changing a dog like that. The Owner, "Terry" messaged one of the family members today reaching out saying it's our fault Elvis bit people, NO MA'AM, THIS IS YOUR FAULT. This place gives away pysco dogs!! BE AWARE!! GO ELSEWHERE!!

Great Rescue! This place is super clean. The animals are loved and well cared for by all the volunteers. Highly recommend!

Knowledgeable, friendly and helpful staff to help you find the right 4 legged friend for your home.

I got the most wonderful loving sheltie you could ever ask for

This is a poorly ran shelter. The girl with the blue and black hair at the front desk is rude and has a bad attitude. When reading other reviews, it seems sad that the staff is the main hindrance to finding these dogs a good home. The staff is doing a serious disservice to thess dogs. No one appreciates being talked down. When trying to find a dog a new home. I hope you feel proud blue hair.

These guys made adopting a dog a well organized process. They kept us well informed at all times! And they had some really cute puppies!

Do not even bother with this rescue! They are extremely disingenuous. I applied to adopt and they emailed me back to provide information on my current animals. I did this, I showed them how my animals are extremely loved and cared for, including having my aunt who is a vet contact them. They then told me things I needed to do so that I could get a visit with the dog that I applied to adopt. I went through unnecessary costly hoops, for both of my animals, in an extremely timely manner, just to not even get a visit. My aunt has been taking care of my feline and he has had all necessary vaccines. I have been told by a multitude of vets that rabies vaccines are unnecessary for indoor cats, I went ahead and got it for the cat anyway, because the rescue said it was needed. They have come back with multiple excuses why I m not the right pick, and that they have moved on to other applicants. I am beyond devastated.

We paid for a dog. Then were supposed to come in on a Saturday. They were the ones who set up a time. On our arrival we were told the rescue is closed. The volunteers would not give us an explanation on why we could not take the dog. We waited 45 minutes for a manger to tell us, a sick dog was brought in a week ago and no dogs could go out for 7 to 10 days. That means we were In the kennels and they were adopting dogs out that day. WE WERE NEVER INFORMED THAT WE COULD NOT PICK UP THE DOG. They never even tried to contact us to inform us of the situation. They were being evasive.

great facility, great workers, very clean, and straight up awesome!

My fiance and I went in to look at a dog yesterday (8-17-19) we knew going in,that the info on the dog said a house with kids 13+ and older was PREFERRED, not required. So we took our 18 month daughter in with us and said "let's try it" The first lady was nice and told us that it was preferred for the dog to be in a house with older children. Our daughter has grown up around dogs. Everyone in both of our families own dogs of different sizes and breeds (teacup terriers, to dobermans) she has ALWAYS been gentle with animals, and has gotten knocked down many times from dogs getting excited and running around, it doesn't phase her. So, the lady goes to the black and blue haired girl behind the desk and says something to her, and the girl just rudely shook her head no, and had us wait around chasing a toddler for 40 mins, just to not even let us see the dog in the first place. She would rather let a dog sit in a cage than to come to a loving home. When she finally did talk to us, she then informed us that a fenced in yard was required. That "requirement" was listed no where on the entire bio, but I've seen that requirement listed on other dogs bios.

Wow!
Never been made to feel like such a monster!
We emigrated to the US forcing us to find good homes for our living pets back home in the hope of adopting one we got here.
Not even allowed to full in an application.
For the record I have had rescue dogs all of my life...
Anti immigrant???

Stopped by here for the first time to drop off supplies. Everyone was very nice and I was taken in back to see the dogs. I'm a little concerned with the size of kennels these dogs are in, not a lot of room to move around. But all dogs seemed to be well taken care of. There are some wonderful fur kids here waiting to find their forever home.
Sorry, no pictures at this time, the place is clean.

Great facility. Very clean, dogs looked healthy, happy and fabulous. So glad I made the trip.

Currently looking at some of the negative reviews and shaking my head... One woman gave a one star review because they wouldn t let her adopt a dog without getting the animals she already owned vaccinated... Another man left a one star review saying he lives outside this store (IT S AN ANIMAL RESCUE???) and saw a dog outside in April and didn t want the dog to freeze to death (it s 55 degrees out, the dog was a German Shepherd, and he was outside for 20 minutes).

As a volunteer with Chicago Animal Care and Control I have witnessed the incredible work Wags 2 Wishes does first hand - they have saved the lives of countless dogs in need of rescue from the Chicago city shelter. They have dozens of animals in their care at any given time, including a pot bellied pig right now. The volunteers do an astonishing amount of work, and their vet bills are not cheap. Wags 2 Wishes deserves your support, and if you are considering rescuing an animal please contact them - they are a wonderful organization providing a critical service to those in our society who cannot speak for themselves.

Adopted our little guy from them, and had a great experience with them from start to finish!

Just adopted my dog in January! They are great to work with and love my dog!

This place is absolutely the best place to adopt you next pet.these people care about the animals, and they are taking care of them with tons of love.every one that works with this place has nothing but lots of love!!!!

I work behind this store and for over a hour now I am sitting here watching a dog that has been left outside in the freezing rain. We have called and told them they left the dog outside and they said ok and still did nothing. This poor dog is just sitting there crying to go in and these people are ignoring it. THIS IS HOPRRIBLE

This place is a perfect example of why you shouldn't waste your time trying to adopt a dog. Filled out the app and waited and waited. A week went by before a reply. I was denied for two reasons
1) electric fence : last I checked an electric fence is considered by law a fence in Illinois.
2) I had another dog. This was not listed in the dogs description and I was told he'd be tested to see if he'd be a fit in a home with other dogs. My other dog was adopted by the way.
After a week I called and was told that the dog had several applications in on him and they were reviewing them. A month later and he still sits in the shelter. You mean to tell me that of the several applications there wasn't one family that was (in w2w eyes) fit to adopt this dog. Some cages were clearly marked with "hold for show" . Leads me to believe that they are more worried about taking these dogs around to get donations. Go to TLC and you'll be able to adopt a dog without the runaround.

I adopted my little LeBron here he is so so happy and I am to

Not only they ignored my message (they could've easily reply that food is not needed at the moment), but they went as far as untagging themself from my post ...

We went W2W yesterday to visit Aria a Tibetan Terrier mix and found our new companion. Nice people doing a great job rescuing dogs.

Sorry Sorry Sorry. Great dogs, Quality establishment, and Best staffed. Sorry Sorry Sorry.

Ya that's what I wanna do adopt a dog from a place that is asking for more donations! And your asking for more donations where's the 38 thousand??

Worst experience I ve ever had The girl with the black and blue hair was SO RUDE She barely acknowledged me and acted like I wasn t talking to her when I really was just trying to adopt a dog I ll never go there again

If your looking for organization or even basic competence your in the wrong place. Told me to fill out app and I would get a call never got anything. Came back and with an attitude I was told that's not how it works. Then told the dog we wanted to see would be there after 1pm on a particular day. Got there at 2 and they laughed because they were deciding who was going to go get her. Finally the dog is there and they would not let us see her or allow adoption because we had kids???? Tried to rescue a dog that has been in a cage for 7 months but weren't allowed too. Good luck. Go elsewhere.

Many of the animals don't look clean, and from what I've seen, at least a few STOLEN pets are being sold. Do not give these people a single dollar or minute of your time.

Wish I had listened to the bad reviews instead of the ones they paid to add.

I feel awful writing this review since a friend volunteers there, but it needs to be said. I've applied in the past for 2 dogs. 1 was a puppy but I didn't qualify due to not having my old dying dog go through shots that were unnecessary (distemper). I get it they have standards. Later on after my dog passed away I applied again for a female pit bull (i have owned them forever). Now its a pit bull, I have kids. I received an email telling me to come visit her. I said sure, but I had some questions and asked them via email. The response was I don't know, ask the owner when you come in. Ummmm, no thanks, I'll pass. I'm not wasting my time nor yours if the dog wouldn't work for my family. I went to a breeder. Very happy for my male pit bull. Then I referred a friend for a bulldog. He went in, applied, got nothing but the run around. His review is below. Also had a few friends visit the facility and was told some dogs were to big for cages, and the staff was rude. Regardless if you are getting paid or not you should always have good customer service. Referred another friend recently who is also now getting the run around and has even taken days off from work waiting on an email or call. Now, I've donated a lot of items in the past to this organization and tell people about them quit often. Not anymore. Your better off going to TLC or a breeder. Sorry for the dogs that are stuck when so many people are out there wanting to adopt. I think the only good reviews on here are probably from volunteers themselves, or family/friends of the volunteers. Don't waste your time or get attached to an animal you wont get.

Application process was just like others - where W2W shined, was with their follow up and consistency throughout. Our visit was wonderful, they had some sort of food drive going on outside, which seemed to be a great gesture and if all goes well, we should be taking JuJu home on Wednesday. There are standards they uphold and we are happy to abide by those. Thanks for the help and looking forward to picking up our new pup!!

Great place. Staff is friendly, knowledgeable, and very helpful. You rescued our dog here.

We adopted a puppy from.them and it was a fairly easy process. They explained what needed to be done and were flexible with us. Very organized and well managed

They help lots of dogs get homes.great local rescue. Volunteer if you can or get a great dog.

Terry is a lying dishonest person that should not be involved with people trying to do good and adopt rescue animals. She sours the experience. She refused to handle a situation with my app. Process because I was refused to adopt due to not giving enough history on previous dog I owned. When I explained to her he was euthanized at plainfield welfare she told me verbally that was enough but when submited app. They refused me do to not giving complete history of my dogs records and told me I seemed to be hiding something. I gave her complete info but told me to late that she was sticking with the refusal. It's a shame maybe she's reason that some dogs like Rosy the Puggle where there for over a year. By the way a few of the good reviews on here where done by volunteers that work at rescue.