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| - I'm new to pets and had only visited one other shelter before Maricopa when my boyfriend and I decided we wanted to adopt a dog.
Though I'm not an expert, I wouldn't say the conditions were especially bad. The other shelter I visited had better facilities, but it wasn't much different. This shelter is pretty big and it was almost to full capacity when I visited. The people who work there are mostly volunteers. We met a few who were very knowledgeable and helpful, but others who didn't know much, but were still very well-meaning and kind. After walking through the shelter a couple times, we set our eyes on a beautiful, quiet, and calm German Shepherd mix. I fell in love with her, and we decided to adopt her that day. I'd say we were very lucky, though, because most of the dogs were very agitated or in poor health.
I had an overall good experience here. They are very concerned that the animals go home to good and responsible hands. They offer free neutering/spaying and one mandatory free veterinary visit within 10 days of adoption. Their list of veterinarians was very extensive, so we had no problem finding one that was convenient. We were given a lot of information about how to take care of her after being spayed, though we later found out that she was already spayed. The adoption fee and various vaccination fees were pretty inexpensive. We're definitely glad that we saved hundreds of dollars adopting our dog instead of buying a puppy from a pet store. There's also a 15-day period during which you can come back and return the animal if something doesn't go right. They don't refund your money, but if you do it within the 15 days, you can exchange for another pet.
Our dog did come home with ticks and something of a cold, but our vet visit solved that problem. She was also very much in malaise when we first brought her home - didn't show much interest in any food or toys. The vet and other pet experts attributed it to the shock from living at the shelter. She's 100% healthy now and loves to run outside, play with her chew toy, and enjoy her doggy treats.
Again, I think we were lucky that we found such a great dog the first time we went. If you're determined to adopt a pet, do go a few different times if you don't find one the first time around. The conditions aren't amazing, but these animals really do need a home!
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