I adopted a dog from the ARL this past spring. During the adoption process the employees were polite and seemed genuinely happy for me. Shortly after the adoption, I received emails from a volunteer to check in and to inquire about how the dog and I were adjusting. A few months after the adoption, it became clear that the dog had some pretty serious anxiety and behavioral issues (please note that there is no way the shelter staff could have known about the issues while the dog was in the shelter). I contacted the shelter and they practically bent over backwards to help me with the dog's issues. The dog and I participated in two sessions of behavioral classes (Lacey is wonderful and never gave up on my dog!), consulted with veterinary staff, and received constant emails from staff offering suggestions and checking in to see how I was doing. In the end, I learned how to manage the dog's behaviors and I love the dog dearly. Nine months later, I still receive emails from the shelter asking about the dog and offering more suggestions.
I would highy suggest adopting from this shelter. I understand that my dog is sort of a worse-case-senerio of adopting a pre-owned dog; however, this shelter will make sure you are happy with your adoption and literally will do everything in their power to ensure both you and the adopted animal are ok. The shetler staff care deeply about the animal AND the human's well-being!